Today

I felt like I was a great mom. It's a great feeling. Much better than the days I go to bed kicking myself over my shortcomings. I made the girls and I biscuits and gravy, bacon and scrambled eggs for breakfast. I did some laundry while the girls all played together...all four of them! They played Barbies and it was toooo cute! Kori is really starting to enjoy the girls more as they become more and more interactive with her.

I got out Kori's Little Tykes kitchen and set it up in the family room. They all had a great time playing restaurant. Kori made up a menu and set up her little table and chairs. It warmed my heart to watch them all play.

The weather was decent today so I decided to load the girls up in their choo-choo wagon and go for a walk. Kori was thrilled to ride her bike! After we got home we played in the front for a little while. We played ball and then broke out the sidewalk chalk. I find that you can't relax for one second as you always have to keep a head count to make sure the little ones are staying where they need to be. I must never forget how fast they can be! Maria our neighbor's daughter came out and saw us and came over and helped me keep everyone herded up. I will keep her in mind for this summer. Maybe I can pay her a bit to help out on occasion. She's in the 7th or 8th grade and is a nice girl, so we shall see.

We played in the back on the little playset that was given to us by one of Jason's friends last year. It has a bigger slide and a small one. The girls thought that was a blast. They were so sad when we had to come in. Some PB&J sammies and some cheese crackers helped them get a little happier though.

Jason had softball tonight so the girls and I were on our own for dinner. I started homemade spaghetti sauce earlier in the afternoon so we were set. I also made a key lime pie for dessert. It was sooooo tasty! Cleaned up that mess and then put the four dirty girls in the tub.

The trio went down at just before 8, Kori at a bit after 9 and the house was quiet. I caught my breath and felt great about how the day had gone. Have I mentioned how rare that is? I don't think I had to fuss at anyone today...oh man was that a GREAT feeling!

I think I'll go to bed...with a big ol' smile on my face.

An "It" Moment

I have those every now and then. Where something just moves me. Last night it happened while I was willing myself to finish up my housework. It was after 1am and I was pooped! I was in the home stretch though, just finishing my bedroom and master bath. I was pushing myself. I was dusting and had on GAC (Great American Country) while I worked. A little music always motivates me. Well on popped Carrie Underwood at #2 doing her rendition of "How Great Thou Art". It's always been a favorite of mine so I was glad to hear it.

Oh my goodness! As soon as it started I had to sit down and watch. First of all the girl is so pretty anyway! But her singing! It was angelic! It wasn't long before I had goose bumps. Then the tears were flowing. Oh it was so wonderful!

The rest of my cleaning was effortless and I felt warm and fuzzy. It was a wonderful thing to hear! A beautiful version of one of my favorites!

Taffy

She's the newest addition to our family. Well her and her three puppies (triplet puppies how cute!) Before you think I've lost my mind, it's not a real dog. Merely another Barbie, a dog and her 3 triplet puppies. Kori got it today at Target with some money she had earned. Oh it's a marvelous toy let me tell you! The dogs have magnets in their noses so they can "nuzzle" with their mom Taffy and pick up their bones, which have magnets in them as well. What more can a 6-year old ask for? Well ask no further! One of the puppies comes with a bottle, you fill it with water, give it to the puppy and yep, you guessed it, the puppy "wee wee's". Not my words, but the words on the box it came in. In the instructions, it even came with extra papers that are called "wee wee papers". Oh my stars!

Now Taffy has joined Kori's other Barbie dog...Tanner. Mind you tanner came with little brown magnetized pellets. You put them in it's mouth, push it's tail down and out they come. Yep, right out of the dogs, er, hmmm, uh, behind side, rear end, tush, butt, caboose, any of those words will do. Yikes! We have Taffy with her wee weeing puppy and Tanner who poops. Life is good!

Here was my conversation with Kori today. She couldn't wait to get home and have Tanner and Taffy playing together. She was convinced that Tanner could be the puppy daddy to go along with Taffy's mothering duties. Oh what fun! The dogs look very similar. Tanner is slightly darker than Taffy, they both look like yellow labs.

Kori: Mommy I can tell the difference between the two dogs.
Me: Oh, that's good you won't mix them up.

Kori: Yeah. You know how I can tell the difference between the boy dog and the girl dog mommy?

(Holding my breath so afraid to ask! Mentally running through my mind if I had really checked over that dog good when we got it months ago. Was the dog ANATOMICALLY correct?????? Oh the horrors! This isn't how I envisioned my Saturday afternoon at ALL!!! Oh well, I take a deep breath and say)

Me: How's that? (Praying all the while for a miracle!)
Kori: Because Taffy has long eyelashes.

OH THANK GOODNESS! GOD IS GOOD AND HE HEARD MY PRAYERS!!!! EYELASHES, THANK GOODNESS FOR EYELASHES!

Okay, breathing can return to normal. Palms can quit sweating now. Stomach can stop doing panicked flip-flops.

Adventurous

That was me today. They are calling for rain tomorrow and Monday, possibly some storms even. I had a few things I needed to pick up so I informed Kori we were going to Target. She was slightly confused and asked what we were going to do with the girls? Duh silly, I told her, we're taking them with us. To which I got, "We're going to Target, alone?" Uh, yep unless you have a little helper hiding out in your room somewhere that is the plan. So after breakfast we put shoes on and jackets and off we went.

I always park by the cart corral things so I can grab a cart or two. I grabbed one today and got a 2nd once we got in. I have pretty much mastered pushing one cart with one hand and pulling the other behind me with the other. Kori volunteered to push Kamryn and Alexis in one cart and I took Morgan and our ginormous diaper bag in the other. Well after being run over three times by Kori's inattention while driving, looking behind to see her stopped (she forgot she was pushing) and then turning to see her doing donuts in the middle of the aisles, her driving privileges were promptly revoked.

Anyway we got all done. We had the usual pointing, staring, whispering and other dumb comments. I even heard the standard "Oh man, glad that's her and not me". Me too lady, me too. I'd hate to think my children would be cursed with a mother like you. No one cried, got lost, through a fit, pooped, puked, bled, or anything of that nature. I deemed it a success! It's only the 3rd or maybe 4th time I've done something alone, but hey, I try.

We visited my parents now that my dad is finally home. He is happy to be there and mom is happy to have him there. He is getting physical therapy and a visiting nurse at the house too. They were probably on "grandchildren overload" as Mallory and Becky had been there earlier in the afternoon before us. Oh well, we didn't stay long.

I got all my housework done in the wee hours of the morning last night. I finished just before 2am. It was a mission that I was going to finish. I was not going to bed until it was all done. I sorted laundry as well so it was ready for me today. Only 2 loads left. I think I'll finish them tomorrow.

I had been rather lazy feeling lately. My house was in need of some TLC and it has now been return to it's clean glory. My heart is happy, my house is neat and tidy...for now.

My Wedding Ring Tale

Last Monday night I had to run a few errands before we left for Minneapolis the next day. Of course my luck, everywhere I went there was only one checker and that person was S-L-O-W! Anyway, I finally got home and Jason had the trio in the tub (Kori had been with me). I took off my wedding band and engagement ring so I could lotion/diaper/dress the crew without scratching them up and gunking up my rings with lotion.

Fast forward to about 4am when I was STILL lying there awake and I was trying to remember what I had done with my rings. I was quite certain that I had put them in the little jewelry dish I keep on my vanity top.

Well the next morning we were getting ready to go and I couldn't find my rings. They weren't in the dish on the vanity, they weren't in the little clay pot Kori made me at school that is in the kitchen window on the window sill. They weren't on the shelf in Kori's bathroom. Those are the only three places I put them.

We all looked high and low. I kept asking the girls if they'd seen mommy's rings. Morgan kept saying "yeah wings". I'd ask her where are they, to which I got "I no know". Well there was NO WAY I was leaving without my rings. My gut just told me not to. I was nauseous and so upset.

Then I remembered...OH NO! I put them on my nightstand, not in the little dish on the vanity top, out of the way of little hands. OH NO! OH NO! OH NO! They could be anywhere!

I informed my husband there was no way I was leaving without my rings, no matter what. I then told him I was going to check the trash. He said he'd do it and he did. Now mind you it was our trash day and our trash was sitting OUT ON THE CURB!!!! He was gone about three minutes and in he walked...WITH MY RINGS!

Yep, you guessed it. One of the wee little ones had thrown them away!!!! Oh man, I am soooooo lucky! I have learned a valuable lesson. NEVER put your rings within the reach of the little ones.

The delay in locating my rings put us about 45-minutes late in getting on the road, but that's okay. I have my rings back!

Whew!

It's been busy. Been shuttling back and forth to the hospital to help out when/where I can. Jason was on 3-midnight Monday and Tuesday for training so that was a little crazy. I am hoping for both of my parents' sake that my dad will get to come home tomorrow.

He is getting around fairly good and I think he's ready to be back home. My poor mom is MORE than ready.

I didn't go to the hospital today or yesterday because I have a sore throat and some sinus issues. I certainly don't want them to get sick on top of everything else.

Survived

We survived our trip. It was fun and I'll post more details when I'm not so gosh darn tired.

On a sad note, while we were gone (on Thursday) my dad fell and broke his femur. This required a trip to the hospital via ambulance and surgery. He now has a rod surgically placed in his right leg and is still in the hospital.

I told him I would be back...no need for anything drastic to hurry me along. I am hoping he is home soon and his recovery goes smoothly!!!!

Vacation

Is that what you call a 6-hour (not counting stops) car trip with three toddlers and a 6-year old? Well if so that's where I will be.

We are heading to Minneapolis tomorrow. We'll be doing the Mall of America and hopefully the children's museum.

Please pray for our safe travels and the ability to maintain our sanity.

I'll update and post pics when we return!

Germville

Population - 4

The sickness continues for us. PLEASE LEAVE! GERMS NO LONGER WELCOME HERE! I think that might be a sign I hang on my door here soon. I am so sick of sickness!

Alexis just wasn't getting any better and Morgan was feverish, cranky, glassy eyed and just all out miserable today so I made appointments for them. They were worked in this afternoon. I started to get the whole "virus, it'll have to run it's course" type of talk. Then she checked their ears...both ears infected for Alexis, the left ear infected, complete with puss for Morgan. Hooray! (Insert sarcasm here). Well maybe some antibiotics will make their moods better.

They have been little she-bears as of late. They all want to sit on my lap, alone, without sharing with another sister, which just isn't possible. Kamryn is feeling somewhat better. Still snotty and coughing, but remember she suffers from Only Child Syndrome and doesn't like to share her mommy when she's feeling good, factor in illness, NOT a good thing.

It's been miserable around the ol' Rusley household as of late. Jason bowled on Sunday, then had off-duty Monday. Okay no problem. Off duty Tuesday during the day, no biggie. Called him just before 5 to see what time he was due home so that I could throw the steaks on the grill and have everything done at the same time. At this time he told me "Oh, I took a shift at CVS for Ricky (he schedules the off-duty) because so and so called in sick." ARE YOU KIDDING ME???? He left the house at 7am and now wouldn't be home until 9pm. I was more than upset and frustrated. He said he felt "obligated" as Ricky helped him out next week in finding someone for his shift because we will be out of town. Hey, here's an idea, how about feeling obligated to your wife who is TRYING to tend to 3/4 sick kids, keep 4th kid up to date with school activities/assignments and what not, and try and keep up the house, laundry, cooking and maintain her sanity. The last item there is hanging by a thread...a VERY thin one.

Men! I just don't get it. I am a mother, I get that. I am a stay-at-home-mom, got that too. Where oh where in the memo does it say that I have to be 100% responsible for EVERYTHING? I don't think I signed up for that.

Add in on Tuesday Kori was cranky because I wouldn't let her go out alone to play outside. One reason it was windy and cool and she's still got a cough from her last bout of germs last week. Second, no one home but me to supervise her and I had cranky, sick little ones. So I "ruined her whole day!!!!" Oh well, isn't the first time, quite certain it won't be the last. I can handle it.

It was also bath night. Jason usually man's the "dressing/diapering" station when he's off, which makes my job a lot easier...no such luck tonight. Morgan was getting in the tub and getting settled (I had a hold of one of her arms) and tripped over Kamryn's foot and bumped her chin on her knee. There was a whole lot of blood. It took me a while to figure out that she bit her tongue and didn't bump her mouth/teeth/lips etc. Scary, but thankfully nothing major. A small mark on her tongue that bled a whole lot. I was thinking there was another Urgent Care visit in our near future. I think if you go three times in a week you get a commemorative mug or plaque or something? No? Are you sure? I thought I read that somewhere. Hmmmm...

Today when I woke up Jason to tell him that I was leaving to get Kori he was coughing and snotting and such. Me: Do you have a cold?????? Him: (Sniffle, sniffle, snurf, cough, cough) Yep. Me: I think I'm leaving town.

So tomorrow is an early release for Kori at 12:30. Kicking off Spring Break! Woo hoo! Maybe the germs will die down over the break and no more sickness this school year! That would be great! A girl can dream huh?

Kori is going to spend the weekend with my parents. She is looking forward to a break from her sisters, 100% spoiling from my folks, one on one time with them, me not nagging her (I'm guessing on this one) and unconditional grand parent love. What more could a six year old ask for.

There is rain in the weekend forecast. Supposed to turn into a mix or possibly snow. The couple days of Spring-like weather was nice. Sure wish it would stick around.

Only 5 more days until we leave for our mini-vacation in Minneapolis...if we are all healthy and happy by then. Keep your fingers crossed for us!

Battle of the germies...

If your keeping track:

3 sick kids (since Wednesday)
2 trips to Urgent Care
4 prescriptions
1 bottle of cough/congestion medicine
1 bottle of Ibuprofen

All of this adds up to one tired and stressed out mommy.

Kori had a virus with fever, sore throat, cough and congestion.

Kamryn had a double bi-lateral ear infection complete with puss in her ears. That was urgent care trip #1.

Alexis developed purple hued hands and feed during her bath tonight and just became totally listless. Off to urgent care for trip #2. She has a viral infection and had a high fever (103.6) even though she was cool to the touch. After a dose of ibuprofen, an oral steroid, a 2 medicines in a breathing treatment we were released.

I will alaborate more, but for now, I must pack Kori's lunch and go to bed.

Here's praying for a boring remainder of the week.

Her Magic Wand

Kori was home sick today. Sore throat, fever, awful congested cough. Started her on some cough/congestion medicine first thing this morning, as well as Tylenol/Motrin. Managed to keep the fever at bay all day and evening. Keeping my fingers crossed it stays gone! I am sick of germs!

Anyway, tonight was bath night. Or as I like to call it, complete chaos. Until summer I still only bathe the littles every other night, unless it's been an especially messy/sweaty/dirty/poopy etc. day. So tonight we did chaos, I mean baths.

Afterwards, the trio wanted to watch Elmo. Or at least that's what I got when they were marching (literally) through my bedroom with Morgan leading the pack chanting "Who want Elmo, who want Elmo, who want Elmo". You get the idea. The other two marching behind her yelling "YEAH!" It was too cute! So I took the cue and settled them in their little Elmo chairs (thanks Aunt Becky and Uncle Billy again) to watch their DVD.

I went back up to finish cleaning up the chaos mess, I mean towels and such when Kori appeared. I was sitting on the bed, catching the last girl sing on American Idol. Jason had just gotten out of the shower and was getting ready for work. Kori has a little magic wand in her hand that belongs to one of her Barbies. She makes the "magic wand sound". You know "bbbbrrrrrinnnnnngggg" and points the wand at me. I asked her if she turned me into a frog. At first she said yes so I promptly launched into my best frog impression. Then she changed her mind and decided I was a turtle. So I quickly tried to improvise and made some turtle sounds. Don't ask, it was pretty lame on my part. Turtles aren't the most vocal creatures you know.

Well Princess Kori pops over to daddy and "bbbrrrrrinnnnngggggs" him too. He says "Cool, what am I?" My little princess responds without missing a beat, and very matter of factly, "a dog turd". I thought I would die laughing. Lets say daddy was less than thrilled with his wand assignment. I quit laughing when she "bbbrrrrinnnnnggged" me on her way out of my bedroom and turned me into a turd too because "you were laughing just a little bit too hard". Darn!

The kid is a riot!

Happiness Is...

A great weekend with your family! (Rare when hubby works most weekends like mine does).

Dancing in the kitchen with hubby while ironing and a good song came on.

Your three toddlers all being able to tell you "I lub ewe". (Weak from the cuteness here!)

Your 6-year old telling you "You are the best mommy EVER!"

Hubby's boss being off all week, eliminating his stress, making hubby happy and stress-free!

Dinner OUT!

Ironing that is DONE!

Sleeping kids = quiet house!

Being a mommy!

I Tried

We have the much ballyhooed (what does that mean exactly anyway?) display here in town, Bodies Revealed. It's actual bodies in various stages of display. We saw something similar at the museum in Chicago several years ago. Anyway it's been very controversial here. Jason and I both really want to go. My sister, not so much. She can't figure out why people would want to see something like that. If it was a TMZ exhibit, she would so be there! :-) A\

Anyway we were talking about it and Kori was interested. She thinks it looks "cool". There was a big section about it in our local paper last week and she thought it might be something she'd be interested in seeing. It shows you the effects of smoking and your lungs, how being obese effects you etc.

Anyway we were talking in the kitchen Sunday night about it. She had lunch with her friend Cecilia and Cecilia's mom Patty, (a teacher at Kori's school) on Friday. Anyway they were talking about wanting to go and Kori said she did too. Well Sunday night she asked me if the bodies were "real" bodies or "fake real bodies". I told her they were real and continued with my task of cutting up my strawberries for Strawberry Shortcake.

Insert image of me opening BIG CAN OF WORMS here!

She wanted to know how the "museum people" got the bodies. So I told her about when you die you can donate your body to science. "Huh? Ewwwww. Hope we never get one in my science at school" my sweet little red-headed daughter responds. I assure her that's not what I meant. I've always told her that when you die your soul leaves your body and goes on to Heaven. Your body is just a shell then. She "gets it" but not really. She knows Aunt Margaret is buried at the cemetery but she's not "there".

Anyhow, I tell her how people can donate their bodies to a lab so that they can figure things out that might help other people that are still living. (At this point I am hoping she'll just get bored and move on to another topic...no such luck.) I also tell her that when you die you can donate your organs so that other people can have them because sometimes things break. This completely blew her mind? "You mean someone could have YOUR stomach???" (Said in tone of disbelief!!!) (Wait a minute I think to my self, this flabby, stretch marked, stretched to oblivion, lumpy, scarred mess that I call a "stomach" was a vessel for my four beautiful daughters -- who wouldn't want it?) Oh wait, she's not specifically talking about MY stomach, just stomachs in general. I then tell her no, organs, like your heart, liver etc.

The best way I can think to describe it went along the lines of her sitting at lunch with a huge plate of pizza. Her friend is sitting next to her and has no lunch. She eats some of the pizza but is full and is going to throw it away, even though her friend next to her could really use it, since she doesn't need it anymore. THAT she understood. I explained the same thing. If your going to be dead, and someone needs your heart, liver etc. so they can keep living, it's a wonderful gift to give. (She assures me at this point, toys or even clothes are great gifts). **Sigh**

I also tell her that you can donate blood too and that's really important. "WHAT???" She shrieks. She thought they take ALL your blood so that you die. I assure her that's not the case. Then she asks me if I give blood. I then tell her I can't due to having had cancer in the past. That bums her out because he is certain I have "great blood now". So sweet!

Anyway we talk some more and she finally decides that organ donating sounds alright, the bodies exhibit still sounds cool. She is thankful she won't have a body at her school for science. She also tells me that she thinks she'd prefer to not give her blood away, "I'll just let the birds drink it". Whoa! Not sure what kinds of birds she has in mind, but I hope I never run into them.

During this whole conversation, Jason pops in the kitchen on his way to the Academy to work out. He hears the topic and promptly leaves. Thanks dear!

All in all, I think I did pretty good.

Being a mom is tough. Rewarding sure, tough indeed!

I Tried

Hindsight

I am feeling frumpy and dumpy so since it was nice today, I thought that I'd go for a walk after Jason got home from off-duty and after the girls were in bed. About 10:30 or so I headed out. I had Jason's MP3 player, my cell phone and Jason's large pocket knife.

It was creepy as it was very dark out. (I know it was late, but I didn't expect it to be THAT dark). The first journey was pretty uneventful. The 2nd journey, a little more "exciting". A car passed me and gave me a 2nd look. Couple young men in it. Hmmmm...getting a little more nervous than I already am. I go a different way and notice them circling back. I hide behind a truck. Go down a different block, oh crap, there they are again. Hide behind a van. Make it to my street and spring the last three blocks home (no easy task in my condition). Just get to my garage door as I see them at the next block down. Whew!

I profess to my husband that would be my last late night stroll. Too scary! Duh, I should have taken my dog.

We have the new Police Academy just a few blocks from us with work out facilities that we can use, but you have to have your relative, Jason in my case, with you at the time which doesn't work out for me as we have the girls that someone needs to be here with.

So I will either ask to borrow my parents treadmill that is gathering dust, try and walk during the day when the girls nap and Jason is home/asleep, or just stay fat. Too scary to do it at night, even though my neighborhood is safe. But I'm not naive. It was too creepy for me. A good idea at the time but in hindsight...NOT!

Wardrobe Malfunction

Well we kicked off the "family weekend" with a bang on Friday. Well a bang for us. After a nice, and rare nap, we got ourselves together and went to get Kori from school. We buzzed on up to the Red Lobster (Kori's choice) for a little dinner. Even at a little before 5:00 there was a 20-minute wait. No biggie, the girls were pretty enthralled with the lobsters in the tank. They were also busy entertaining the others who were waiting. Alexis was playing shy, Morgan was demonstrating her hopping skills and Kamryn, well in truly Kamryn form, she was scowling at everyone, before she started smiling and saying "Helllllo". It was a little warm in the waiting area so we took off their jackets. That's when both Jason and I at the same time, noticed that Morgan's jeans were on backwards. Yep the pockets and "faux zipper flap" were in the back. I got an even bigger giggle out of it because Jason dressed Morgan! Serves him right for laughing at me before we left when I put Alexis' jeans on, but she didn't have a diaper on. Good thing I caught that, that would have been MESSY!

The girls did great and enjoyed their "chicken" (it was really shrimp but Kamryn insisted upon calling it chicken). They were well behaved and ate all their dinner, minus the broccoli I tried to sneak in on them. It didn't have cheese or butter or anything on it and they weren't having it. Well, let me take that back, Alexis ate a few bits, that were fed to her by Morgan. It was evident after the fact as well when she gave us the most adorable smile...with broccoli remnants in her teeth.

We headed to Target after that. They had some Spring/Summer stuff on sale for the girls that I wanted to check out. Got some good deals on some shirts for the trio. No shorts in any of their sizes. Got some shorts, skorts, and shirts for Kori. Got the trio new sandals, and Morgan and Kamryn some new tennies. A good score!

At the end of the Target trip the girls were beginning to not be as happy as they were at the start, so we decided it was time to go. The last few errands that needed to be done were handled by daddy while I waited in the car with the grumpies, uh I mean the girls.

So after a wardrobe malfunction or two, it was still a pretty uneventful Friday night, all things considered.