Upping the ante

The potty training with William is slow going but it is going. If I stay on him he usually will keep going pee-pee in the potty but he refuses to drop the deuce in the potty. He actually tells me "no, I don't want to." So just like in business, I need to up the ante and make him want to.

I have often times said that we ALWAYS have a choice. We may not like the choices, the choices may both be terrible but we still have choices. Like when someone says "I HAVE to go to work." They don't "HAVE" to. True, if they don't they may get fired, get their car repossessed, lose their house and not have food to eat, but that IS a choice.

So it is the same with William. Now he chooses between going to the potty and playing with the trains, computer and their new motorcycle (bicycle) game. No, he does like the choices but as I tell him, "welcome to life kid."

One's philosophy is not best expressed in words; it is expressed in the choices one makes ... and the choices we make are ultimately our responsibility.
Eleanor Roosevelt

We need to teach the next generation of children from Day One that they are responsible for their lives. Mankind's greatest gift, also its greatest curse, is that we have free choice. We can make our choices built from love or from fear.
Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

Al

The lost generations...

It just occurred to me that anyone over 18 who is currently blogging is probably part of a lost generation. I mean that our past is barely documented, if at all. On the other hand the people growing up now will have more stuff on them than Hoffa did. They will have pictures (pics,) videos (vids,) and documents (twits, blogs, etc...) than anyone ever has had. Talk about no privacy.

What makes me think about this? The CFO's new Flip. It is easy, too easy, to capture anything at any time. This sounds good at first until you start to think what else might be captured. I have always tried to live by the adage that you don't send an email unless you want it posted on a website (the company website) with your name on it. But now we have to worry about EVERY action and comment we make. We might not be recording it but chances are, someone is.

The Triplets will know more about their childhood than the CFO and I know about ours combined. This can be a very good thing but I worry a little bit about info overload. Are some things better left not remembered? Is there a reason that we don't remember but so much about our own childhood? Too many questions....

Enjoy this little clip of the fast way down the stairs. Jackson is much more proficient as he did not get a raspberry from it like William did:)

Generation Gap: A chasm, amorphously situated in time and space, that separates those who have grown up absurd from those who will, with luck, grow up absurd. Bernard Rosenberg, Dictionary for the Disenchanged, 1972

Al

Happy Birthday to the CFO!

There are three hundred and sixty-four days when you might get un-birthday presents ... and only one for birthday presents, you know.
Lewis Carroll

Inside every older person is a younger person wondering what the hell happened.
Cora Harvey Armstrong

A diplomat is a man who always remembers a woman's birthday but never remembers her age.
Robert Frost

You are not alone

If you did not receive a Christmas card from us, you are not alone. We (I) did not get them out this year, or the last two years. Yes, we still love you all but I have a finite amount of time/energy and well... they (you) got bumped from the list, again. No, it does not have anything to do with my new PS3, well, almost nothing.... OK, maybe a tinsey, winsey, little bit:)

If we did have a card it might have had this picture in it.



Want to see what Christmas looked like at our house? Here is a shot from the CFO's new Flip Mino. Note, this is BEFORE Mimi and Grandaddy came with their presents:)

A desk is a dangerous place from which to watch the world.
John le Carre

Al

Keeping the Triplets entertained

I can't take credit for this one.... we had our good friends over with their two boys the other day when the mother had a great idea. Build a train track around the island in the kitchen. It not only spread out the five kids but it also kept them from jumping (trying to) over the tracks and wrecking them. Since we are trying to potty train William we are at home a lot more these days so I pulled out the train around the island trick yesterday. It went pretty well but we did have a few issues with faster vs. slower trains and what the trains carried in their cars. Chapstick is a hot item around the house:)



Be happy. It's one way of being wise.
Sidonie Gabrielle

Al

Girls start liking Firemen at an early age

It also didn't hurt that Santa was riding the Firetruck on this particular day:)

It was a good day....

I am a bit nervous to mention it but William went pee-pee in the potty six times yesterday and wore big boy under wear without an accident. He did drop the deuce in his pull ups from the night before but that was prior to me deciding that it was time to bite the bullet. He was actually excited each time he went and I was/am glad for it. I just hope that today goes as well. Even if it doesn't, I feel like we have turned a corner and he is on his way to being potty trained.

Other that that the day was uneventful. I was without the family truckster due to a problem with the torque converter. I know, it sounds similar to a flux capacitor:) I will be back in business today so we will probably venture out but yesterday we were home bodies, by necessity.

There's a fine line between genius and insanity. I have erased this line.
Oscar Levant (1906 - 1972)

Al

I clean the house, no really, I do

Unlike one of our good friends, I do not have a cleaning checklist. I may look into that after our most recent discovery. I DO NOT like dusting but it is a necessary evil. So it seems that I sometimes miss a few places. The other day the CFO noticed a spider web from one of the lights. It had collected a lot of dust so it was VERY visible.


When making a fire people like to join you, when cleaning the ashes you are often alone.
African Proverb

Cleaning your house while your kids are still growing is like shoveling the sidewalk before it stops snowing.
Phyllis Diller

Al

We plan, he laughs

I have always heard that we plan and God laughs. Today was/is one of those days. I was planning on going camping with my Brother in Laws for the night after dropping off the Boys with Mimi. I was going to drop off Addison with the CFO at her office. Notice all the "was"s:)

William had recently developed a nasty sounding cough so I took him to the Doctor. About one and a half hours later we got back home with a diagnosis of an ear infection and upper respiratory virus. I then tried (in vain) to get me and them packed. It seems that someone told them they were three and they decided to act like it.... yelling, running, smashing fingers, taking toys, etc.... Not even the Polar Express would tame their savage hearts. So after yelling at them twice I succumbed to God's will and backed out on the camping. Since then the day has been better and we are having fun.

Laugh or cry..... I choose to laugh..... a lot... a WHOLE LOT!

Al

Had to share...

I usually don't pass these along but this one had me laughing. It was titled Christmas Holiday Eating. I have seen this one before but I still like it. Not to mention I get to be lazy today by not coming up with my own blog entry:)

1. Avoid carrot sticks. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet table
knows nothing of the Christmas spirit. In fact, if you see carrots, leave
immediately. Go next door, where they're serving double chocolate fudge.

2. Drink as much eggnog as you can. And quickly. It's rare.. You cannot find
it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Who cares that it has 10,000
calories in every sip? It's not as if you're going to turn into an
eggnog-aholic or something. It's a treat. Enjoy it. Have one for me. Have
two. It's later than you think. It's Christmas!

3. if something comes with gravy, use it. That's the whole point of gravy.
Gravy does not stand alone. Pour it on. Make a volcano out of your mashed
potatoes. Fill it with gravy. Eat the volcano. Repeat.

4. as for mashed potatoes, always ask if they're made with skim milk or
whole milk. If it's skim, pass. Why bother? It's like buying a sports car
with an automatic transmission.

5. Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control your
eating. The whole point of going to a Christmas party is to eat other
people's food for free. Lots of it. Hello?

6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New Year's.
You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do. This is the
time for long naps, which you'll need after circling the buffet table while
carrying a 10-pound plate of food and that vat of eggnog.

7. If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like frosted
Christmas cookies in the shape and size of Santa, position yourself near
them and don't budge. Have as many as you can before becoming the center of
attention. They're like a beautiful pair of shoes. If you leave them behind,
you're never going to see them again.

8. Same for pies. Apple, Pumpkin, Mincemeat. Have a slice of each. Or if you
don't like mincemeat, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always have three.
When else do you get to have more than one dessert? Labor Day?

9. Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it's loaded with the mandatory
celebratory calories, but avoid it at all cost. I mean, have some standards.

10. One final tip: If you don't feel terrible when you leave the party or
get up from the table, you haven't been paying attention. Re-read these
tips; start over, but hurry, January is just around the corner. Remember
this motto to live by:

"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving
safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in
sideways, chocolate in one hand, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out
and screaming "WOO HOO what a ride!"

Red meat is not bad for you. Now blue-green meat, that’s bad for you!
Tommy Smothers

It would be nice if the Food and Drug Administration stopped issuing warnings about toxic substances and just gave me the names of one or two things still safe to eat.
Robert Fuoss

Al

It's all about me!

Santa brings the comfort

Santa has already brought the Triplets their "big" presents.... big beds. The boys get a new queen size and Addison gets a single bed that is a family piece. This was a bit of a selfish gift as we were hoping it would help keep them out of our bed:) A king is big until you start adding three year olds that like to sleep perpendicular to you:(

So after three nights with the new beds I have realized that it was a VERY selfish gift for us. When the boys come down to our bed I move to their bed, which is VERY comfortable. Unfortunately the CFO has gotten stuck with them but hey, she wants more time with the kids:)

Traditions are group efforts to keep the unexpected from happening.
Barbara Tober

If you can't sleep, then get up and do something instead of lying there worrying. It's the worry that gets you, not the lack of sleep.
Dale Carnegie

Al

Christmas time is here.

I have always enjoyed Christmas... the lights (how did they get THAT tangled just sitting in a box?), the exciting build up (if you find long lines and no parking exciting), doing good for others (unless I am on 280), looking forward to Santa (scaring the Xerxes out of the kids), the gifts (oh... I'm sorry, we just sold the last one), and last but certainly not least, the eight pound six ounce new born baby Jesus.

One thing that I have NOT enjoyed in the least is the way that toy companies now lash their toys to the packaging. Are they worried that the toys will come alive and try to escape? It is probably to prevent shoplifters from taking them out of the packages easily. If that is the case I say we flog any shoplifter as they have made parents lives infinitely more difficult on birthdays, Christmas, or any other gift giving occasion. If they were caught stealing a toy I may be for bringing back breaking on the wheel:)

We did Christmas with all the in-laws yesterday. One of the toys the Triplets got, and LOVE, is a small truck. This cute small truck was attached by not only an industrial twist tie that was long enough to tie a Christmas tree on the top of the van and was twisted more times than a balloon string caught in a ceiling fan it was also attached with not one, not two, not three but four screws! SERIOUSLY!! I want to find who developed that packaging and superglue all the locks to their house, car, gym locker, EVERYTHING!

On to the solution.... The CFO and I take everything out of it's box before wrapping it and take all that mess off. We also put batteries in the stuff that needs it, charge the stuff that needs charging, download the software that needs downloading, etc.... Nothing is more infuriating than having three kids all screaming while you wrestle with just getting the stinking toy out of the package. Once everything is working and unattached we put it back in the box and wrap it up. This makes for a VERY nice Christmas morning.

BTW, we also try to do the same thing when giving a gift. Believe me, the parents will thank you:)

Everyone is gifted - but some people never open their package
Unknown

You can give without loving, but you can never love without giving.
Unknown

Al

The tooth....

William ran into another kid at church a few weeks ago. Unfortunately he may be loosing a tooth over it. I feel VERY blessed that we have made a trip to the emergency room yet so I know I shouldn't complain. Right after the hit he was bleeding from the tooth and it was a little loose. It was not until it started turning gray that I got a little nervous. Oh well, it happens.

So we are waiting to go back in three weeks to the dentist to see if we can keep the tooth. When we went yesterday to the dentist I had all three with me. We had a great time and everyone enjoyed William getting a "picture" of his tooth:)

On a similar note, I actually like taking the kids to things like Doctor appointments, etc... I think it is my ego... to see if I can handle all three in a high stakes environment:) I have always liked doing what others say cannot be done. Maybe it is the whole "double dog dare" thing with guys:)

Perhaps middle-age is, or should be, a period of shedding shells; the shell of ambition, the shell of material accumulations and possessions, the shell of the ego
Anne Morrow Lindbergh

The world is a tragedy to those who feel, but a comedy to those who think.
Horace Walpole (1717 - 1797)

Al

You can't argue with that logic

It seems that the Triplets lay down some compelling arguments that are hard to combat. For instance... when you ask them "why did you hit?" Their answer is usually "because I wanted to." At least they are being honest:) I then switch gears and go into my "do you like it when someone hits you?" line of debate.

The other day Jackson started a new BFO "Blinding Fact of the Obvious." He got to the van to leave then said "I want my glowy," his comfort item(s). BTW, he now has two regular glow worms, a Christmas one and an old school one courtesy of the in-laws cleaning out their kids' rooms. He ran upstairs to find one (all) of the glow worms to take with us on our trip. I soon heard him crying "I WANT MY GLOWY!" I went up and asked him where one was to which he answered "they are somewhere." BFO!

It is good to know that like so many others, the Triplets have a firm grip on the obvious:)

An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind.
Mahatma Ghandi (a quote I saw while playing Modern Warfare 2)

Al

Wanna share your candy?

Family love

It is funny that many times we hurt those we love the most. It seems this is most true with kids. I know the Triplets love us and we love them but boy oh boy, do they (we) have a funny way of showing it sometimes. I will often times say that William has the most gentle heart, but that is the only thing gentle in/on him:) He may poke you in the eye, bite, push, kick, hit, jump on, roll over, throw at or any of the other things he does to you but they are all done in fun. Very rarely is there any malice.

So we love it when we get group pics that show they love they really have for each other. The CFO gets some great shots.

Love works in miracles every day: such as weakening the strong, and stretching the weak; making fools of the wise, and wise men of fools; favouring the passions, destroying reason, and in a word, turning everything topsy-turvy.
Marguerite De Valois

Al

Santa's coming to town

We went to breakfast with Santa on Saturday. I was hoping to get at least one of them smiling this year. We lucked out and got at least two out of three! I will look for the old pics later today to post, they are hilarious. The new one MIGHT go out on Christmas cards this year.

After today, I'll bet Santa takes a shovel to the reindeer stalls to fill your stocking.
Bill Watterson

Al

I miss work

From time to time I miss working outside the home. Yes, I still laugh when I say that:) I miss the comradery that goes with working on a team and the smack talk that also goes on in a good team. It seems that most parents don't take smack talk too well "Nice job with that kid, I'm sure you'll do better with the next one." :) See what I mean, it just doesn't work, seems a bit too personal. I also miss the rush of getting it done, whatever "it" was. It was usually filling a position/requisition as I was in Recruiting. Or it was getting an employee promoted.

Yes, I even miss the meetings and all the politics. I actually enjoyed most of the things others did not like. To be honest I also miss being able to take a break and get a coffee or run an issue buy a colleague to vet some solutions. And to be completely honest I miss this time of year at work. In recruiting, at most companies, Q4 or Thanksgiving to December is usually slow for recruiting full time/management positions. It was the time of year to review the year, get organized, get ready for next year, and touch base with all of my contacts. In short, relaxing.

All that being said I LOVE what I do now as a SAHD of three wonderful triplets with a wonderful wife (the CFO) that works 45 - 50 hours or so a week including some late nights to give us all the creature comforts that we have. I feel truly blessed to have this opportunity to help mold and shape three young minds and spirits into what they will become, whatever that may be. I know it is truly in God's hands but I have got to do my best or I will never forgive myself later.

I have many of the same feelings of "accomplishment" each day, week and month but they are constantly tempered by the challenges. But I guess that what it feels like when you are the CEO of a company. "We had a great quarter but we are totally hosed next quarter":) I also never got naps in any of my positions.

Even when all three are whining their heads off and there is willful disobedience abound I know this is where I want, should and ought to be right now. I have a feeling that there will always be work to be done, positions to be filled and meetings to attend. You only get one shot at your kids growing up. That is why we sold our motorcycles when we got pregnant. There will be time to ride in the future. Heck, when the kids go to school in few years things will change a lot. Just like at "work," change is inevitable.

Change is like a train.... you can stand in front of it and get run over, you can stand next to the tracks and watch it go by, or you can jump on board and go for the ride.
From a motivational speaker at a conference I attended, his name eludes me.

Al

I help you!

As many of you know, children are VERY "helpful." :) This is never more evident than when you are decorating for a holiday, organizing/reorganizing things or moving things. For instance just yesterday the Triplets helped the CFO and I take their cribs/toddler beds down. Believe it or not they were quite a help even if we did have to keep a close eye on them as their attention span is about as short Marine recruit's hair. They would each hold a side while I took the side off. They would frequently walk away leaving their side teetering.

This was precipitated by the CFO buying a big boy bed for the boys. Addison gets her own single bed that my Mom had in her house. The boys are getting one queen size bed. Of course it takes two to four weeks for the bed to come in so their room is a little empty now. But as they were already sleeping on their sleeping bags on the floor they don't care. We just hope that they will sleep in their own beds when they get them. They have assured us of this but I know how promises from three year olds go:)

So, it has taken me an hour to write this as the kids are up and I am at the beckon call:)

The love of truth lies at the root of much humor.
Robertson Davies

There art two cardinal sins from which all others spring: Impatience and Laziness.
Franz Kafka (1883 - 1924)

Al

Here we go again....

There has been even less sleep around the house than usual. Between decorating for Christmas, the new PS3 and the "coughing crud" going through the Triplets we have been getting a lot less sleep than usual. Not as little as we did when they came home mind you, but still it is less than we are use to. I have been spending every other night in their room with them so the CFO can get some rest. A king size bed is big until you try to fit two adults along with three three year olds that like to kick and sleep spread eagle:)

I wonder... at what age do you not have them waking you up at all hours? I know I will miss it but whew!

Nobody realizes that some people expend tremendous energy merely to be (appear) normal.
Albert Camus (1913 - 1960)

Normal is boring,
Al

No, I have not been lazy.....

I have been distracted:) For Thanksgiving we went to the CFO's Cousin's house for a superfantastic meal! Then the unthinkable happened.... the CFO and I got hooked on Guitar Hero. I know, I know, we are WAY behind the times. Did I mention we have Triplets:)

As I may have mentioned I have been thinking about buying a PS3 for sometime now. Well, Black Friday seemed like the day to make it happen. So Christmas came a little early! We got two guitars and a drum set for Guitar Hero along with the bundle that came with the PS3; Batman, Infamous, and a Blue Ray movie.

The CFO and I were up till 2am Friday night playing head to head on the guitars. Yep, she beat me like a rented mule. While I am WAY better at video games I have NO musical rhythm. Saturday night I busted out Batman and I am hooked. The Triplets love "playing" the drums.

Hopefully this will not affect my blogging or sleeping too much but I do love video games. BBT (back before triplets) I use to play for up to six hours at a time. Heck, in College we (I) would sometimes (frequently) stay up all night playing. I guess that explains my GPA. I don't want the CFO to start using the parental controls of the PS3 on me so I will try and keep it under control:)

Just cause you got the monkey off your back doesn't mean the circus has left town.
George Carlin

Why is it drug addicts and computer aficionados are both called users?
Clifford Stoll

Al

No good deed goes unpunished

I have mentioned before that this is the #1 rule to keep in mind in our house. Well, it turns out that it may be more ubiquitous than I first thought. While at MCDs last night one of our friends' kids spilled some water. It wasn't a lot, about the size of two sheets of paper, but it was in the play area so it was having an immediate impact as all kids are in socks.

So I went to ask for a towel to clean it up. The very nice lady behind the counter said she would take care of it. She brought a mop and set about multiplying the wet area by about 20. So now EVERY kid would have wet socks. Lesson learned, next time I will empty the napkin dispenser to clean up the mess:)

You are a product of your environment. So choose the environment that will best develop you toward your objective. Analyze your life in terms of its environment. Are the things around you helping you toward success - or are they holding you back?
W. Clement Stone

What looks like a loss may be the very event which is subsequently responsible for helping to produce the major achievement of your life.
Srully Blotnick

Al

Getting back into the swing of things

Did I mention that Jackson had pink eye when I left on Thursday? Now William has it:) The Nuke Doc was nice enough to lend (give) us some eye drops to treat it. I just hope we aren't starting a round robin in the house where it goes round and round.

After several false starts we finally got out of the house around 11am today. Boy, was I off my game. I usually get out by 9 or 9:30. We headed to the Science Center and did we pick a bad day or what. One of the local school districts were out today and it seemed the others all had field trips. Luckily we ran into some friends. They guarded the door to the kindergarten and below area while I watched the back of the area where most of the kids were.

After a late lunch, where Jackson ate 1.5 personal pan pizzas, we headed home. Yep, I waited till Jackson went to the potty before even thinking of putting him in his car seat to leave:)

Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.
Mahatma Gandhi

One of the keys to happiness is a bad memory.
Rita Mae Brown

Al

The weekend

The CFO and the Triplets had a great time without dear old Dad this weekend. Our sister in law came down with her twin three year old girls and three month old boy while her husband (my brother in law) and I went fishing. We went fishing with one of his clients from work and three of his client's friends.

Everyone hit it off right away. We got down to the coast Thursday night and headed out first thing Friday morning. Unfortunately it is not snapper season as we caught some BIG red snappers. But alas, it was not to be. The dolphin got the snappers we caught and had to throw back. Little did I know that do that dolphin frequently shadow boats to eat what we don't keep.

Thursday was largely uneventful. Friday made up for that. We woke up much latter and we were going to just fish near shore as a storm was forecasted to come in. When we got out there it looked like pretty good weather so we took the bait and headed out further. Unfortunately for us the storm made it ashore while we were out and we had to fight it on the way back in. I won't go into details but it definitely made for a good story, once we were back on the dock:)

I hope to go fishing again next year but I will definitely let the CFO know where we are leaving from, the name of the boat we are on, where we are headed and what time to expect us back. It was a learning experience for all of us:)

The fishing was good; it was the catching that was bad.
A.K. Best

Al

Gone fishin....

The CFO has let me take a few days off. One of my Brother in laws has invited me on a fishing trip to the coast. Don't worry, the CFO will have the shotgun, her 357 and the dog to protect them while I am gone. I just hope she doesn't decide that she wants to stay at home and have me go to work:)

There is a coherent plan in the universe, though I don't know what it's a plan for.
Fred Hoyle

Al

No really, I love the kitty

Probably not to be

So I kept Jack the dog locked up while we "played" with the cat today. Based on how the Triplets "played" with the cat they are not ready for a pet that... well... one that they won't kill by accident:) Other than the usual hugging (choking), petting (hitting), and sitting by (on) him, William decided to "help" him down the last 4-5 steps when they came down for breakfast.

Oh well, I figure feeding and cleaning up after 4 (Triplets plus the dog) mouths (and the other end) is enough:)

But they sure look cute together!

The will to be stupid is a very powerful force, but there are always alternatives.
Lois McMaster Bujold

Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.
Maria Robinson

Al

To be or not to be, that is the question.

We visited the in-laws this weekend to celebrate our Nephew's sixth Birthday. After a great time and learning that I don't want the Triplets to get into Transformers (what genius psychotic engineer designed those things?) we headed back home with a gift we did not expect, a kitten. Seems the in-laws took in a stray that just had kittens. VERY cute ones. The kids took to one, well, one endured their "affection" so we brought it home for a trial run.

Saturday night and again last night the CFO and I tried "introducing" the kitten and Jack, our dog. Let's just say it is no bueno. Luckily I had the harness on the dog so the kitten is still alive. Unless Jack decides the kitten is not a snack in the next few days, he is headed back to mama:(

Success seems to be connected with action. Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don't quit.
Conrad Hilton

Al

Grace

It is getting harder and harder to know when to keep a no a no. Addison is the Queen of playing the game. She will yell at me "I want my blanket!" over and over. Then when I say "I am not getting it for you because you were not nice to me" she will say "pleeeeeese" in a VERY sweet voice. I am trying to hold the line that if she does not ask nicely the first time she does not get what she is asking for.

So the CFO started introducing Grace to the kids, like a second chance. It if funny how frequently I forget about giving Grace but I sure am glad to have it. When they don't ask nicely they now get to ask for Grace. I just need to be sure they don't use that as a tool against me:)

Grace is the very opposite of merit...Grace is not only undeserved favor, but it is favor shown to the one who has deserved the very opposite.
Harry Ironside

The first and possibly most fundamental characteristic of divine grace is that it presupposes sin and guilt. Grace has meaning only when men are seen as fallen, unworthy of salvation, and liable to eternal wrath… Grace does not contemplate sinners merely as undeserving but as ill-deserving… It is not simply that we do not deserve grace; we do deserve hell.
C. Samuel Storms

Al

Potty training update

I worry that I am jinxing myself by writing this but I think Jackson is well on his way. As of yesterday we have had three days in big boy underwear with no accidents. This even includes naps! I know they will happen but I was getting a little tired of throwing away new underwear:) Most people salvage underwear that has been violated. I have no problem with pee but I do have a line.

You might be thinking that it would be easy to empty it and wash them but.. well... let's just say that I keep the kids VERY well hydrated:)

Promise me you'll always remember: You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.
Christopher Robin

My spelling is Wobbly. It's good spelling but it Wobbles, and the letters get in the wrong places.
Winnie the Pooh

Al

Is this funny to you?

My humor

My humor seems to get me some funny and not so funny looks. I am getting a bit worried as I know the Triplets will pick it up and hurl it back at me any day now. My humor is VERY dry and often times quite sarcastic. I have heard some people say that sarcasm is the lowest form of humor. Well... their Mama's dress them funny:)

As a good example of how my humor has put people off during the years consider a quote from an Intern that I worked with some time ago. We were working a job fair when she turned to me and said:

"You know, when we first met I thought you were a jerk. Then I talked to people and they said "oh, he is funny but just really dry." You know, they were right, you are funny."

I cannot think of time that I would not want humor. I know there are many times that others don't want humor, as for me.... bring it on.

One of the biggest gifts I think I can give my kids is the ability to laugh at themselves AND let others laugh at them without it hurting their self image or ego. Laughter cures almost all ailments and what it doesn't cure you forget about while you are laughing.

If you ever start feeling like you have the goofiest, craziest, most dysfunctional family in the world, all you have to do is go to a state fair. Because five minutes at the fair, you'll be going, 'you know, we're alright. We are dang near royalty.'
Jeff Foxworthy

Al

Gain an hour? My sweet fanny

Once again I am getting hosed by daylight savings time. Gain an hour? How about loose an hour over, and over, and over, and over, etc.... So the Triplets seem to wake up at the same "time" every morning no matter what time the clock says. So I am back to the 5:45 or 6:00 in the AM wake up. I know that is not bad for having three three year olds but I was really getting use to waking up later:)

The only reason some people get lost in thought is because it's unfamiliar territory.
Paul Fix

Al

Get outside!

I love Fall! Long sleeves and shorts are probably my favorite things to wear and I will wear them until next Summer. My rule of thumb is that unless the high for the day is below 30 degrees I am wearing shorts. I do change this rule if I will be outside all day. Maybe the high would needs to stay above 50 then:)

No, I do not use this rule for the kids but I do put them in long sleeves and shorts a lot. I get a lot of looks from other parents while we are outside as most kids look like they are headed on an arctic excursion:) I also do not like coats and I let the kids decide if they want to wear one, on most occasions. Yes, they will actually tell me when they want to wear one. My thought process is that if I am going somewhere for, let's say an hour. I dress for the hour, not the 30 seconds it takes me to walk from the car:)

We have been doing a lot more outside lately for a few reasons.

1. The weather has ROCKED!
2. The kids are happier and easier to control outside. This of course does not include yesterday when William ignored me and rode his tricycle away from us when Addison needed to go to the potty. He had to walk back to the van for that little insurrection.
3. A good friend chides me a good bit for being inside too much:)
4. We have some GREAT parks around here.
5. I have finally given in to the CFO's request to give the kids baths daily. So I now almost want them to get dirty to justify the work:)
6. I do not want my kids to be inside kids.

We must be willing to get rid of the life we've planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us.
Joseph Campbell (1904 - 1987)

Al

That's how I roll....

I LOVE it when an opportunity presents itself for me to use some of the mule-load I lug around in my SAHD backpack. If you have not read about my FAVORITE backpack yet, check out my previous entry. This thing ROCKS! Anyway, I am usually carrying enough for us to survive a small natural (or unnatural) disaster. Food, water, clothes, first aid supplies, you name it, I probably have one or two of them:)

So I jumped at the chance when I saw a child with a napkin wrapped around her finger the other weekend at a pumpkin patch. I asked the mother if she wanted a band-aid. She asked "you have one?" I said "yes mam." When she said yes I quickly asked if she also wanted any Bactine or Neosporine. I think I scared her:)

Did I mention I also carry a flashlight and a knife?

Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.
English Proverb

Al

Ride'em Cowgirl

Peer pressure

Once again peer pressure may be my saving grace with potty training. William has been about as interested in potty training as I was in my classes during pledging. Let's just say I skipped ALL my classes for two weeks and my GPA was... well.... quite sub par:)

William was with his BFF, Caleb, quite a bit this weekend. That made for a busy weekend of wrestling, running and a few "infractions." A lovely unintended consequence is that William asked to wear big boy underwear yesterday! He has increased his interest because Caleb is potty trained. It will still be a long row to hoe but at least I am in the field:)

One of the keys to happiness is a bad memory.
Rita Mae Brown

Al

Happy Halloween

Halloween is my favorite holiday! No, it has nothing to do with the commercialization of Xmas or the fact that Thanksgiving is totally skipped by retailers, it has to do with the idea of fair play. Every other holiday I know of is dependent on some part, if not a large part, on wealth. Better gifts, better food, better parties, etc... but not Halloween. It is the great equalizer. Sort of like the Department of Motor Vehicles. It does not matter if you are poor or rich, what race you are, if you are good looking, skinny or in shape, EVERYONE gets the same candy when they go to the door. I am sure some people give better stuff or more candy to kids they know but I would say 95% of the time everyone is equal. It does not matter if you have an expensive costume or if you are dressed like a homicidal maniac (you look like everyone else), you get candy. Kids from lower income areas can go to higher income areas to trick or treat, Democrats can go to Republican neighborhoods, anyone can go to anyone's house (except for those LAME people that don't turn their lights on) and get candy.

Don't get me wrong, I love Christmas and Thanksgiving but Halloween is the one time of year you can be anyone. Heck, it is encouraged. For our small group Halloween party we dressed up as our best friends and everyone thought it was hilarious, especially them.

We had two Firemen and a Dalmatian from our house.

I'll bet living in a nudist colony takes all the fun out of Halloween.
Unknown

Al

The hits just keep on coming...

I was silly enough to think that William tossing his cookies once on Saturday and once on Sunday were just flukes. Well, yesterday I got a call about 30 minutes after dropping the kids off at their day out program to hear that Jackson decided to redecorate his classroom with his bile:( When I picked him up he was a happy camper and felt well the rest of the day. Now I am just waiting to see what happens today. Oh yeah, can't wait to see if Addison, the CFO or I get this bug.

On a funnier/not so funny note, I was preparing chicken Parmesan last night while the Triplets were "playing" upstairs. When I headed up after getting it in the oven I found this.....


The writing on the walls was not as extensive as I first thought but it is a good thing the CFO wanted to paint their room anyway:) They got their little hands on the dry erase markers.

Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much.
Oscar Wilde

It is not worth an intelligent man's time to be in the majority. By definition, there are already enough people to do that.
G. H. Hardy

Al

Blue Bell steps up their game

As some people know, I like ice cream. Check that, I LOVE ice cream. A little background.... Growing up my Grandmother and I would walk to Baskin Robbins and I would get a scoop of chocolate chip and a scoop of chocolate chip mint. I would later on work at that very Baskin Robbins for about a year and a half. I actually "worked" there before they hired me. My best friend is eleven months older than me and he started working there first. I would stop by after school and he would let me "work." Yes, I realize that it sounds stupid but I was working for free.

Once I started working there I would skip a meal and eat ice cream instead. Seriously. My ice cream "problem" faded away after that until we moved to Texas and I was introduced to Blue Bell. My addiction roared back with a vengeance. At last count we (I) have eleven half gallons of Blue Bell. I even justified buying an upright freezer so I now have more room.

On to Blue Bell stepping up their game. A friend from Texas and I were joking last year about the "chunks" of peppermint in the peppermint ice cream. There were none. Now there are!!! Well, maybe not chunks but there are crunchy pieces.

Ice-cream is exquisite. What a pity it isn't illegal.
Voltaire

I go running when I have to. When the ice cream truck is doing sixty.
Wendy Liebman

My advice to you is not to inquire why or whither, but just enjoy your ice cream while it's on your plate - that's my philosophy.
Thornton Wilder

Al

Do that again and I will do more than blow this whistle.....

Do that to me one more time....

I have had that Captain and Tennille song in my head since Sunday. The in-laws were in town this weekend and we all went out to lunch at Jason's Deli after Church. William was being a little whiny and said he had a headache. I asked him if his tummy hurt, he said yes. Uh oh, I thought. I told the CFO we were headed outside. We almost made it. Luckily the lunch crowd had thinned out and he puked in the walkway. No one was sitting at the tables on either side of him. It all hit the floor (avoiding us this time) and I cannot thank everyone at Jason's Deli for taking care of the mess.

Would it save you a lot of time if I just gave up and went mad now?
Douglas Adams

Al

I wasn't expecting that!

We went to the pumpkin patch with the in-laws and our BFFs this past weekend. The weather was cool enough that I had a t-shirt, a long sleeve shirt and a jacket. Most of the time you think of layers as providing warmth, as I did. But on occasion they... well... let's just say they provide protection:) It started getting a little warm when the sun came out so I took my jacket off.

William was being a little whiny but that is nothing new. We stopped to listen to some music when I bent down to ask him if he was OK. He said his tummy hurt and I asked if he needed to go poopie. He said no but I did not believe him. As I turned my head and he proved me wrong.... he puked on my arm. Just like everything else, he just stood there looking a little shocked but not crying. No big display, no loud noises, just the two of us with puke on us:)

I got him cleaned up then put my long sleeve shirt in a grocery bag (usually used for dirty diapers or wet clothes) and put my jacket back on. As usual, he just carried on as if nothing happened after a little TLC from the CFO. Oh well, just another day as a SAHD.


Any fool can criticize, condemn, and complain - and most fools do.
Dale Carnegie

Al

Sorry

It is funny that one of the things we really try to teach our kids is to say they are sorry. That is relatively easy compared to the lesson they need to learn, to truly "feel" sorry. Unfortunately for them (us) to truly be sorry for something, they (we) must realize how much their (our) actions or words have hurt another person.

Or in the case of the Triplets, they sometimes need a little dose of their own medicine. William has the gentlest heart but the roughest body. He is much better but he still rough houses with other kids a little rougher than most like and ends up needing to tell someone he is sorry. Just to show his pain threshold let me tell you a story from last week....

I took William to the Doctor as he was the sickest of the three with a cough on the heels of a fever and runny nose. Just to rule out a bacterial infection we had some blood work done. William watched the Nurse as she pricked his finger and then squeezed it for what seemed like a minute to get enough blood. His expression never changed and he never even flinched.

So, needless to say, what he thinks is "fun" often times does not fit others definition:)

William and his best bud and favorite wrestling partner, Caleb.

I don't know if I continue, even today, always liking myself. But what I learned to do many years ago was to forgive myself. It is very important for every human being to forgive herself or himself because if you live, you will make mistakes- it is inevitable. But once you do and you see the mistake, then you forgive yourself and say, 'well, if I'd known better I'd have done better,' that's all. So you say to people who you think you may have injured, 'I'm sorry,' and then you say to yourself, 'I'm sorry.' If we all hold on to the mistake, we can't see our own glory in the mirror because we have the mistake between our faces and the mirror; we can't see what we're capable of being. You can ask forgiveness of others, but in the end the real forgiveness is in one's own self. I think that young men and women are so caught by the way they see themselves. Now mind you. When a larger society sees them as unattractive, as threats, as too black or too white or too poor or too fat or too thin or too sexual or too asexual, that's rough. But you can overcome that. The real difficulty is to overcome how you think about yourself. If we don't have that we never grow, we never learn, and sure as hell we should never teach.
Maya Angelou

Al

Why go camping?

One gentleman we met on a hike this last weekend put it well "at least you all are doing the right thing... not being stuck in front of a TV." That was after I mentioned that we are either brave or crazy. The best thing is that we have friends that are just as crazy as us to go camping with. Camping is not for the weak. Keep in mind this is car camping where there are bath houses and running water nearby.

Kids LOVE camping. OK, maybe not all kids but 95% of them do if you start taking them when they are young. I have recently changed from the 80/20 rule to a 95/5 rule:) Another great reason to go camping is comradeship. You fell like you are "in this together" with other campers. You get to meet and talk to people that you would other wise never be blessed with. For instance... this last trip we were able to assist a single mother of three on her first camping trip with her kids on her own. I helped with the tent and the Nuke Doc helped her get a fire going. We also helped each other with dinner as I had forgotten plates and she used our griddle for their hot dogs. The kids also liked playing together.

In short, we are hooked on camping!



Horse sense is the thing a horse has which keeps it from betting on people.
W. C. Fields

We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature - trees, flowers, grass- grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence... We need silence to be able to touch souls.
Mother Teresa


Al

Cold? Why yes, it's cold..... VERY cold.

A gift that keeps on giving.

Last Christmas one of the Triplets Great Aunts gave them a bell set. No, not sleigh bells, BELLS! Like the ones that bell ringers use. I am sure they would be a great addition to a more organized person's box of musical instruments. Unfortunately I am not that person:) They LOVE them and I let them break them out again yesterday. After talking to them about why it is not good to hit each other with them (repeated times) and couple of demonstrations (after they ignored my warnings) they started playing nice with them. Nice, that is, if you think ear splitting ringing is nice:) I even got some good pics. Addison even rocked out on the guitar after joining the boys.

Through humor, you can soften some of the worst blows that life delivers. And once you find laughter, no matter how painful your situation might be, you can survive it. Bill Cosby

It is a curious fact that people are never so trivial as when they take themselves seriously.
Oscar Wilde

Al

Hello, my name is Al and I'm an idiot

Yep, we did it.... We once again took the Triplets camping. No rain this time but it was a bit chilly. The highs did not get out of the 50's and the lows went into the 30s.
On the upside:

• You can always put more clothes on.
• You don't sweat so showers are optional.
• Three year olds get MUCH less dirty with long sleeves and long pants on.
• No mosquitoes.
• No snakes.
• You have a good, check that, a VERY good reason to build a big fire.
• You can actually justify staying up later by the fire.
• You can even justify SMORES as you need something to do while keeping warm:)

On the downside:

• It was COLD!!!!!!!!
  
• Snot flows freely in the cold.
• Gloves are NOT easy to get on or keep on a three year old.
• Three year olds are NOT easy to keep in a sleeping bag.
• Potty trips were VERY tiring. On the upside the Triplets wanted the CFO to take them:)

On a separate note, I actually wore long pants for a whole day. That might sound a little strange but I usually only wear long pants if the high is below 30.

I got into an argument with a girlfriend inside of a tent. That's a bad place for an argument, because then I tried to walk out and slammed the flap. How are you supposed to express your anger in this situation? Zipper it up really quick?
Mitch Hedberg

Somebody told me it was frightening how much topsoil we are losing each year, but I told that story around the campfire and nobody got scared.
Jack Handey

Al

I knew it!

Like I said yesterday, I was jinxing myself. I awoke at 5:30 am this morning to the sounds of whining, crying and coughing..... and that was just Jackson. I then rolled over to see William staring at me. I wonder why it doesn't freak me out or scare me to wake up seeing one of the Triplets staring at me? I guess I am just use to it:) I put William in bed then went to the other side of the bed to see what Jackson's issue was. He was asleep on the floor. He pointed to the bed. As I have a two kid limit in bed I guess I was odd man out, oh well.

I got up to start my day only to be joined by William a few minutes later. He will be a VERY tired boy later, as will I:) I took William to the Doctor yesterday for his cough and was pleased (sarcasm) to hear that it only lasts about two to three weeks. I usually take the Triplet that is the sickest. This time William came out on top. Addison actually pitched a fit because she was not going to the Doctor. They LOVE the Doctor. I am glad "Bruiser" William went because he did not even flinch when they pricked his finger and drew blood. Nope, no reaction at all. He just watched with interest as she squeezed the blood from his finger for what seemed like a couple of minutes. What was his reply when the CFO asked him if it hurt? You guessed it.... "it hurt a little bit but not that bad." I feel bad for the kid that picks a fight with him:)

I seldom end up where I wanted to go, but almost always end up where I need to be.
Douglas Adams

I have no regrets in my life. I think that everything happens to you for a reason. The hard times that you go through build character, making you a much stronger person.
Rita Mero

Al

Sleeping in

I know I am jinxing myself but I have been spoiled lately as the Triplets have been letting me sleep till 6:30 or 7am some days! I do miss waking up early and having some time to myself. If I wake up that late I am rushed to get things going. Especially if it is a school day or we have somewhere I want to be at a certain time.

I try not to say "have to" as there are very few things in this world we "have to" do. I use to always tell employees/friends that they don't "have to" go to work, they could quit. They don't "have to" stay late or come in early, they could find another job. I say those things with some jest but also with a lot of sincerity.

I try to use the philosophy on the Triplets although it is a bit lost on them now. We "get to" go to Church and School. Come to think of it, I also say it for my benefit:) Like I often say.... I am good at playing dumb.... and sometimes I'm not playing:) If I can actually "fool" or "trick" myself into changing my attitude about something does that mean that I am smart or dumb? The one playing the trick is usually viewed as smart and the target of the trick is viewed as dumb. But if you trick yourself then you are both. Hmmmmm

The reason people find it so hard to be happy is that they always see the past better than it was, the present worse than it is, and the future less resolved than it will be.
Marcel Pagnol

Al

Great party man!

Lock in with the Triplets

Our minivan has been slipping gears so the CFO took it in today so the Triplets and I had a lock-in. William was pitiful again this morning so we watched TV a good bit and played some. After lunch and breathing treatments everyone took a good nap and awoke as new kids. Everyone was good to go tonight so I hope we are on the back side of this round of crud.

Of course the dealership couldn't duplicate the problem so we will wait for it to get worse. Can't wait for it to go out on me in rush hour, in the rain with the Triplets. Such an optimist I am:)

I have been slacking on taking pictures lately. I will try to get some new ones ASAP.

Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.
Maria Robinson

Al

Ahhh, the comforting hum.....

of the air compressor for nebulizer treatments. Yep, the Triplets all have a runny nose, a hacking cough and a fever. We hope this is the swine flu so we can go ahead and get through with it. We knew it was only a matter of time. We did nebulizer treatments last night to help with their breathing.

It took me back to our days in Dallas, TX. When the kids were younger we had to do nebulizer treatments when they got colds. We did them every four hours (sometimes through the night) and they would FIGHT you! Back then we still kept track of when they ate, what they ate, dirty diapers, wet diapers, and medicine.

The hum of the nebulizer almost puts me to sleep every time. The good thing is that they now hold the face mask and they don't fight you, too much.

I always find it more difficult to say the things I mean than the things I don't.
W. Somerset Maugham (1874 - 1965), The Painted Veil, 1925

Al

The crack down begins....

Why is it that just when you feel the battle is turning your way your opponent(s) counter? It also amazes me that we sometimes have to fight old battles over and over again. Yep, you guessed it, the Triplets have been trying to move the battle lines.

Please do not think that I see raising the Triplets as a "battle." If you haven't already guessed it I use analogies like well.... like a good cook uses butter. That is to say, liberally, often and everywhere. I have even been known to use an analogy to try to explain an analogy. Sad, I know:) So I LOVE analogies and I love military stuff. Come on! I may be a SAHD but I am still very much a man.

Back to my point. Last week at the YMCA William bit a kid. To make matters worse he did not "keep it in the family." COME ON! We have already fought over this piece of dirt! Oh well, back to our original battle plans..... He then proceeded to bite one person each day for a week. The CFO finally broke him over the weekend after he bit his Aunt RaRa on the fanny. William has also been known to smack strangers (only women) on the fanny as he did at a restaurant one night. I won't give the details of how we "redirect" behavior that we don't feel is appropriate (major understatement) but lets just say he realized biting was not in his best interest:)

I also continue to battle chronic cases of the "whine flu" at our house. I am handing out time outs like beads at Mardi Gras and "free upgrades" are much more frequent. Don't get me wrong, I still love my "job." But let's just say I am really earning my pay right now. Who knows, maybe I will get a promotion out of this:)

What difference does it make to the dead, the orphans and the homeless, whether the mad destruction is wrought under the name of totalitarianism or the holy name of liberty or democracy?
Mahatma Gandhi

Never, never, never believe any war will be smooth and easy, or that anyone who embarks on the strange voyage can measure the tides and hurricanes he will encounter. The statesman who yields to war fever must realize that once the signal is given, he is no longer the master of policy but the slave of unforeseeable and uncontrollable events.
Sir Winston Churchill

Al

Potty training update #2

Jackson wanted to wear big boy underwear yesterday so I conceded even though we had a play date. I figure this is one of those things that I "get paid" to do. As I have mentioned before I not only see being a SAHD as a calling, I see it as my job. Every job I have had has the things your REALLY do not like to do. The CFO says that when those things come up you have to "eat that frog." I forgot what book that was from but I like it. So..... I ate that frog.

I packed heavy for the play date with extra shoes (sandals) and two sets of clothes for Jackson. Everything was going great until panic struck when Jackson called from the top of a tower "I need to go poopie!" I jumped into action.... Unfortunately Addison also said she needed to go and she got to the pottie first. By the time I ran back to the back pack to get the other potty seat adapter thingy Jackson had overshot his mark. I felt bad. I consoled him and assured him that there was nothing wrong, accidents happen. He said he wanted a pull up on. The rest of the day he was perfect. Oh well, another day:)

Almost only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.
Unknown

Al

Hello tiny traveler...

Potty training update

Addison is the winner!! Like most other things, she nailed it first. She is now in big girl underwear full time. Even during naps and at night. We have a few accidents here and there but not much. The most notable accident was the other morning when I was assailed by a torrent of warm pee early one morning. Addison was sleeping on my side of the bed but she had graciously allotted me about eight inches to sleep on:) Her accident startled both of us.

Jackson is a close second but I have yet to go a whole day with him in big boy underwear. He just needs me to bite the bullet and he should be fine after a few sock drenching episodes. William is in third as he shows some interest but is VERY inconsistent. The toys I had bought to reward them now sit on the mantle with little interest from the kids. I am back to M&Ms and chocolate. Heck, if it would push the boys over the top of this mountain I might even through in a soda:) Just kidding, sort of:)

I have learned a few things along the way....

• It is VERY important to have at least as many potties as kids/adults.
• Leave some extra cleaning towels at each potty for clean ups.
• Don't put the toilet paper in the potty before they get to survey their results.
• It is VERY important to teach them not to get up before you have a chance to wipe them.
• Cheerios are good for target practice but.....
  
• It is MUCH less messy for boys to sit down.
• Give everyone a 5-10 minute potty warning before leaving the house or going to bed.

People who get nostalgic about childhood were obviously never children.
Bill Watterson, Calvin and Hobbes

Al

Birthday party the Remix

One of our good friends' daughter has a birthday right after the Triplets so we got to enjoy Birthday parties two weekends in a row! They painted little wooden ladybugs, played "tape the spot on the ladybug" and they hunted for ladybugs (easter eggs with dots on them) filled with candy. One of the best things about the birthday parties with our friends is that BOTH parents usually attend. We feel blessed to be surrounded by people that WANT to be active in their kids' lives.

Mr. Brad is giving the final instructions on the "Ladybug Hunt"



Everyone enjoying the fruits of their labor.

It takes a long time to grow young.
Pablo Picasso

Al

Have potty, will travel.

I mentioned the other day to the CFO that I am looking forward to the days between potty training and when we need Depends where the odor of urine does not constantly hang in the air. The house has pull-ups and diapers EVERYWHERE, Pottys are EVERYWHERE, peed on PJs hang on the doors, and we have a potty in the van. Good golly!!! I am now an expert on quickly weighing a pull up or diaper by hand and being able to determine if it is dry or wet. It's a gift:)

I am bending many of my rules of proper etiquette these days. I even let Addison pee in the parking lot at the Zoo the other day.

Never let your sense of morals get in the way of doing what's right.
Isaac Asimov

Al

Thursday better be better...

Let's just say that Wednesday wasn't my best day so far as a SAHD. I was first awakened around 1:30 by Addison SCREAMING Daddy! Daddy!...... I go upstairs to see what the issue was and she says "I want to go downstairs" obstentially to sleep in our bed. I gave in and talked to her about how her little legs can carry her down the stairs without waking me up by screaming. I then woke up at 2:30 when she started kicking me like a mad kangaroo. After a "talking to" both she and I went back to sleep until 3:30 when Jackson started SCREAMING my Daddy, my Daddy! I went back upstairs for more of the same. I told him he would need to sleep on the floor next to our bed. He was OK with that. I also reminded him that he could do all this without me.

As each of my kids is a bed-hog I had about one foot of our King size bed in which to sleep. Good thing I am skinny. Everything was going well until 6:30 when I was awoken by some warm.... wet... OH CRAP... PEE!!!!!! Addison quickly said "I'm sorry, I had an accident." NOT the way I envisioned my morning starting. Did I mention I am also loosing my voice due to being sick and I am reduced to whistling and clapping to get the kids' attention? I washed the pee off me and started the washer with the sheets and mattress cover.

We went to the Zoo for a play date which went well except for the continuous clapping and whistling by me:) Jackson pushed my limits a few times resulting in several time outs but only one "upgrade." So I thought I was out of the woods until the Triplets did their customary "I need to go pee-pee" in the middle of dinner. Keep in mind that Wednesday nights are on a tight time schedule anyway because of Church. In a minute I hear William say "uh-oh, I have a poopie." Yep, he pulled his pull-up off with a poopie in it. Well, it started off in it:)

Oh well, just another SAHD day:) But all in all when I look back at the day I have a smile on my face and I know that God is at work here.

The kids LOVE putting their shoes on now. But you have to keep a keen eye on them. Notice anything funny about the picture below?



Two left shoes:)

God places the heaviest burden on those who can carry its weight.
Reggie White

What we are is God's gift to us. What we become is our gift to God.
Eleanor Powell

Al

Welcome to the Gun Show