Less TV, More Chores!

Summer seems to be flying by. I'm finally done with work projects. (for now) and have a little breathing room. Although it seems like it takes me a week to recuperate..ie...do nothing.. after I finish to actually get up some gumption to tackle household projects. My week is almost over and now I need to get busy. I'm most productive in the morning and we have swim lessons this week (in the morning) so by the time we get home, well, my window of productivity has passed. I won't have an excuse next week though.
We have limited the boys to an hour of TV a day this summer. It absolutely killed them the first couple of days but it's amazing now how they can't wait to go outside and play. I found that they were getting TV brain. Meaning - they were checked out upstairs. I never got so many blank stares and never had so few chores done as the first month of this summer season. So, not so much TV should equate to more alert and oh-so-willing to help mom type of kids. Now, the next step is developing the chore chart. I seem to do this every summer, or at least I think about it every summer. This year they are asking for one. I guess they want some boundries too! Any hints on the chart are always appreciated!

The Difference Between...

Moms of girls and Moms of boys. As you know, I have a house full of boys. There are lots of boys in the neighborhood also. There is also a mom of 2 girls that lives inbetween us moms with lots of boys. Bless her heart, but she cannot understand why the rocks in front of her house and on the street side of the sidewalk are constantly on her driveway and sidewalk. This really, really irritates her and she has let us know upon several occasions. 2 days ago she came and rang my doorbell and asked me to talk to the boys about it. She had also gone to the other boy's moms and asked the same thing. Now, in theory this is just fine, but 6-7 little boys between the ages of 6-11 just don't even think about not stepping in the rocks during light saber battles or water balloon fights, or bike rides, or secret club meetings, or scooter rides....the list goes on. So, I took the opportunity in the car to talk to the boys about being a little more considerate of her and at least kicking the rocks back before they come in. In typical concerned fashion Gabriel says in reply "Mom, I've never said this to her but her house smells bad" (obviously they've been close enough to smell it) and then Zach chimes in - "yeah, maybe her girls eat ungions (onions) and they have bad breath". How do you reply to that other than laugh. It is apparent that 1) I do not like onions and have passed that down to them and 2) picking up the rocks is not a big concern of theirs.
Interestingly enough, someone paintballed her driveway and her dog yesterday and now she has pink splats all over. See, rocks weren't actually that bad!!

Love thy neighbor - otherwise you get paintballed!

Is it Tuesday already?

It's been too long since I've updated. Life sometimes gets in the way of my life. Or should I say, all the little lives around me get in the way! haha! They are not really in the way, they just take a LOT of time! I'm sure you all feel the same way! Gabriel and Zachary are now in golf lessons at Twin Warriors Golf Course (in Bernalillo) at 8:00am. What was I thinking?? Actually, it's kind of nice getting up right when the sky is beginning to turn light blue and the day is just starting to wake up. It's so quiet I can hear the train whistles off in the far distance. Well, I can hear them when the birds take a short break from their really loud singing. Is it mating season or something for the aviary types??? The songs are very pretty but LOUD!
Work for me is almost wrapping up. Just a couple more projects to go and then maybe a small break. I have much to do around the house that has been put on hold for 3 months now. I really don't know how women who work outside the home full time have any time for doing home type stuff. I used to do it, but I had a few less kids then!
Just a quick update for now - I'll think of something more awe-inspiring to write next time! I'm still working on the potty training thing with Moosie. I invite you to comment with any helpful hints you may have!!! Note - he is very stubborn!

I read the newspaper this morning with sadness. I learned yesterday that the young teenage boy who had been swept away while swimming in the river last week was found. We all had feared the worst and it was confirmed. The paper just confirmed the story and told a tragic tale of how a young boy, never once fearing he could be harmed, was just having fun with his brother and friends and was taken away too soon from those who love him and those who would have loved him. I am in mourning for his family and praying for them to get through this difficult time.

While readig the story I was taken back to a summer day over 30 years ago. We lived in Northern New Mexico and often went to the site of our church camp in Southern Colorado. We would go with a few families and we would all camp, hike, have cook-outs and just have fun. One of those "fun" activities was intertubing on the Dolores River which ran right behind all the cabins. My brothers, friends and I did this many times, always in old cut off jeans or even long jeans, t-shirts, and old, needing-to-be-retired sneakers. It was great fun and usually the river was fairly tame. But this one particular day the current was stronger than usual. We set out in with our tubes and jumped in. There was a group of us and we had an older person with us - Deanie was her name. I don't remember if she was an older teenager or already in her 20's but she was there to "watch us". All was going well during the ride downstream when suddenly I got caught up in a current. It dragged me towards the bank of the river and lodged me underneath a branch. I was struggling for air and trying desperately to break free, unable to call for help. It seemed like this went on forever, but I'm sure it was only seconds. I did break free (obviously) and never told anyone about this. Especially not my parents. In looking back I probably didn't have any idea that God saved me. For some reason he allowed me to live through that. Now, some 33 or so years later I am wondering if I am doing the work that he had in mind for me. There must be a reason he let me live. My prayer today is that I am living up to what God has planned.