The ramblings of a mom with triplets plus one and now a mini-farm in the making.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Is this a hint?
I try very hard to keep a clean house. I do a good house cleaning on Mondays before the book study. I get the kids to do a quick clean later in the week but yet I always have dust. I can dust one minute and write messages the dust the next minute. I have eased up on my OCD (despite popular opinion) cleaning over the years. I jokingly say, if you want to see my house very clean and straight, come over about 30 minutes before book study on Monday night. After the last person leaves on Monday, it's Katey-bar-the-door because you are going to have to make a path to go anywhere.
Anyway...can you see the stick person drawn on the TV screen in the dust? At least they had a different medium for an art project.
you take two 9 year old girls to Costco at dinner time when the store is passing out samples...leftovers. What makes this not so good is that it is leftovers no one wants. This is fair warning to those toting around kids when youand the kids are hungry. I had to make a quick trip to Costco this evening for one very specific item. I thought they closed at 6pm and we got there right at 5:30. A safe time frame, I thought. We got there and found out the store didn't close until 8:30. Boy, did that allow us to roam the store for deals and samples. My one item turned into many items, especially food for dinner tonight. The girls and I decided the teriyaki chicken would be a great main dish with the spinach cheese ravioli as a non-conventional but fun side dish. Oh if we could have only squeezed in a serving of Marie Calender's corn bread mix.
After eating samples for an hour, dinner wasn't as appetizing as we had hoped. Jason turned his nose up at the ravioli, but choked it down easily since his nose was stuffed up. #1 wasn't as hip on either of our delicious finds as she was at the store, #2 was wondering what we were thinking when we purchased our dinner fixings but surprisingly #3 and #4 really liked it all.
Jason and I laughed as we joked about which of my friends would be getting the other half of the ravioli. For those of you who know me well, I will be begrudgingly taking ravioli for lunch tomorrow.
Well we didn't have actual music, but we did have the music of friends chatting all day!
A couple from the Kingdom Hall planned a trip down south to the mountains for a picnic lunch with several families/couples from a few different Halls. It was fun to get to know a few couples better, see old friends and their new baby (she is now 18 mos!) and visit our friends who live near the mountains.
The kids enjoyed climbing rocks all day. The group went on a hike that looped back to the picnic spot.
After the mountain climbing, we headed to our friends' house where the kids got to play in the back yard, climb up to a tree house and hold a cat for hour. Jason drove down on his motorcycle late that afternoon and joined our family and the L family for dinner at ...wait...Cracker Barrel!!! So, of course, this topped off a wonderful day for all, except for #1 who secretly had planned to end her day with the ride back home with her dad on the motorcycle. The rest of them rode with me and made request from the iPod. So we sang, Jessie's Girl, Just Eat It, Rhinestone Cowboy and song 209 to the top of our lungs.
#4 has now joined the ranks of the triplets and has been awarded "Colt of the Month" at school. His teacher nominated him for his polite behavior and his improvement on reading out loud. He and the other colts enjoyed an ice cream sandwich and a coupon for a free kid's meal at a local restaurant. Way to go #4!!!
The girls finished their last sewing class tonight and came home with their very own "lazy pants". As you can see by the pictures, they are quite proud and rightly so. Watch out for present day, your very own "made by a Harpole girl" pants and pillow case will be on the way!!
My monkey bread friend tagged me for fear I had left the blogging world. I was asked to share 7 random facts about myself. Here goes...
1. I am totally fascinated by the Amish. I would love to live plain and dress plain. I love to watch the PBS reality shows that have people "live back in time". One show was about several people who lived in Canada for a year in the late 1800's. Jason and I could totally do that kind of show and love it.
2. I day dream of me disco dancing. I love the Bee Gees and picture myself dancing with John Travolta. I know I would be a great disco dancer.
3. One thing I think that is amazingly sexy is boots. I was so sad when Jason had to throw away his black lace up steel toed work boots. Then I saw him in his motorcycle riding boots...man o' man. Then I saw him on the job site one day in his hard hat, tool belt, a little bit of cement on his cheek and his work boots. Wow...I told him he was just teasing me.
4. If I could, I would have eleven or more children.
5. Because of my job, I know a whole lot about Medicare. I really enjoy my job and I really enjoy working with those who have Medicare. It is a very rewarding job.
6. I enjoy eating seafood (shrimp, lobster, crab and scallops) with chocolate milk.
7. I have "permanent makeup". I had my top eye lids done and my lips (the whole lips not just the liner) and having it done was one of the best things I have ever done. Eyeliner on the top lid, lipstick and maybe some powder has been my makeup routine for over 12 years. And in a few visits to the best person ever for this, I eliminated having to apply two out of the three things I wear. It was not without some pain but so worth it.
So now you know a little bit more about me. Do you feel closer to me? I now am going to pass the tag torch to my sister, Shelly.
I had heard on the news that milk was going to be coming in new box like containers. The reason for this, I think, was to make it easier for shipping. But I had heard this a while back and had forgotten about it. Today, at Costco, I came upon the box milk! What ever the reason for putting it into these new containers, I like it. Packing it in my car was nice, as I could lay stuff on top of it with out it being a balancing act, it sits well in the fridge and seems to offer a little bit more room around it.
My mind and speech are not usually in the gutter, so don't worry, my "toilet texting" is in no way offensive in speech, tone, or content. But I thought this post was blog worthy since I read a news clip from a Baltimore TV station about the odd places people from where people text (click here for a link to the story on the TV station website).
The site states a whooping 79% of those surveyed admitted to texting from the bathroom! Are you shocked? Are you saying "well I never..!". Well, my friends, I am here to say, my name is Stacy and I toilet text! Yes, I feel lost without having my phone while doing "my business" in the bathroom. Have I gone too far? Admittedly...maybe. It is kinda sad when I am in the bathroom and one of my children notice I do not have my phone and offer to bring it to me or really sad when I realize I forgot my phone as I made a mad dash to the toilet and I have to holler for someone to bring it to me.
How did I start this habit? A few years back, Spam was visiting me and I had just started a new part time job. I was so nervous, which made my stomach naturally upset. The only time I could let Spam know how it was going was when I made my frequent potty breaks. I believe Spam jokingly asked if I was in the bathroom each time I texted her those few days and I said yes. I have more manners than to have a conversation on the toilet. Then after Spam went back home, I had my phone in my pocket one day at home while in the bathroom and thought it would be funny to text her that I was using the bathroom but not at work. We had a good laugh. Then it became an ongoing joke for me to do that. Then I had to branch out one day when Spam was unable to respond to my text. I think I caught a few people by surprise when they found out my secret.
There you have it. So next time you get a text from me, you may not want to know where I am.
I can not believe I did not include the account of my friend Lynnie and me attempting to take a sewing class while in high school. I did not take any home economic classes, so I totally missed out on sewing that may have been offered as a high school class. So Lynnie and I signed up for one offered at night some where. It turned out to be a class for older women (I guess people my age now LOL). We were the only two people who were under 35 and the main thing the other women did was gripe about their teenage children and husbands. Lynnie and I huddled together and made it to at least two classes before we gave up. The crabby old women made it absolutely no fun. I do remember we were learning to sew a lined skirt. I do remember Lynnie's totally being too small. I don't remember about mine. I have blocked it out I think. It was fun with Lynnie and I remember going to the class,her laughing about her skirt being too small as we showed it off in my living room and of course the crabby old women, but beyond that, I have lost most memories of my first attempt.
I pride myself and I am sure Lynnie would be the same way, that if we were to take that class again, we would not be crabby old women complaining about our kids and spouses. We would be having fun!!
I always wanted to learn to sew. When I moved back to AL to go to college, Pawpaw's wife, Bonnie, tried to show me how to sew. I didn't really catch on but she showed how to do other crafts that I enjoyed. After I was married, Jason's step-mom helped me sew a jumper dress that I loved to wear. But that was the last I really tried to sew for some years. Then when we lived across the creek from Melvin and Frankie in CA, Frankie was kind enough to take me under her wing and teach me to sew. She was so good in teaching how and why and was very very patient as I had to sew the same sleeve about five times to get it right. She also taught me to enjoy sewing.
My girls have been wanting to learn to sew for some time. I don't have the patience that Frankie does and have put it off. The week before last, I saw Joann's had a sewing class for kids (very cheap I might add). So I signed them up and the first class was one session and they learned a little about the sewing machine and some very basics about some sewing tools and then sewed a pillowcase. They did a good job for their first project. We went to Wal-Mart and bought some material so the girls could make them another matching pillowcase and one pillowcase each for their brothers. Tonight, we started on the girls' second pillowcase and #3 did a great job! #1 will finish hers tomorrow.
This week is their third and finial class at Joann's. They have been making "lazy pants" (pajama pants). They did an awesome job cutting out the pattern and sewing the pants together. This week they will do the casing for the elastic and hemming the legs.
Maybe I am grasping at straws here for a topic to blog about but I thought I would share a milestone my family has now reached. We are officially a two box per meal Hamburger Helper family. This is surprising because I totally never expected that food would be such an issue in our house. Growing up (mind you it was a two girl house hold), two boxes of any boxed dinner would have been too much and we would've had to have it two nights in a row. But with two boys and two girls and a hard working dad, we had little to none left over tonight from our two box dinner. I already had to cancel my Schwans delivery. #4 loved their broccoli and cheese and last week, I had to make a whole bag in order to feed the whole family for one dinner. There was a time when I could have made two to three meals on one bag. So now, we use fresh steamed broccoli with Velveeta or ranch dressing.
What happens in a couple of years when the are all teenagers?
I can't believe the triplets are 9 yrs old and I have never introduced sloppy joes. Well I did last week and it got a warm reception with all but little poot who seems to think all dinners in this house must tickle his fancy before his ever discerning stomach will let any food grace its presence.
#2 suggested that we put the sloppy joe onto hot dog buns for fun. So tonight I surprised the gang with "sloppy dogs" and it was a hit will all including little poot who gladly sucked a sloppy dog down! Who would have thought that all it would take would be a long skinny bun instead of a round stumpy bun? What would they do if they actually had to eat sloppy joes like their dad and I did in our youth; on plain white sandwich bread?
The girls have been taking sewing classes at Joann's Etc. and have made some pillow cases. Tomorrow they will be making sleep pants from a pattern. (pictures to come later) But at school, their art class has been learning how to weave. #1 was told hers was the best and she requested it be posted on the web. It looks really neat. She did a great job.
Are you wondering why I have a picture of #2 apparently during mid-school day? He had the croup over the weekend that seemed to get a little worse Monday morning. By Tuesday morning he was doing much better and I sent him off to school. But by lunch I had a phone call from school that he had thrown up on the playground. So off to school to grab him up as I ran my errands. It was not serious, as I had expected. He said he had coughed too hard and a little bit of his lunch had come up. So as we waited for daddy to meet us, #2 entertained himself by buckling himself upside down in his seat.
Last year, our family, including Pappy and Spam embarked on the neatest "vacation" ever. We call it "the trip". I had made this entry for my website when we got back home but never updated it. I thought it would be fun to share the post and some pictures.I hope you enjoy "the" story of "the" trip.
And they're off.....
The trip officially started when Pappy and Spam left Tennessee, heading west on Pappy's new Harley. With saddlebags packed full and rain suites in tow, they left on the first leg of the adventure early on a Thursday. They almost made it to Texas before they bedded down for the night. They rolled into our driveway Friday night (Saturday morning) a little after midnight, sunburned and walking funny, but with a story to tell.
Are we ready to go yet? Are we ready to go yet? Sunday
When Sunday morning rolled around, the kids were ready to go. They had on their motorcycle vests Pappy made and they were chanting "Colorado here we come". #2 won the first chance to ride with Pappy but the heat forced us to wait until the middle of the night to head to Uncle Steve's house.
Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Monday and Tuesday
Because we didn't start off until after 1am, most everyone in the car slept until about a 1 1/2 hours before we arrived at Uncle Steve and Aunt Kristi's. Once in Grand Junction, we were entertained and well fed for the next two days. We got to play at the lake, swim in the pool, buy some wine, play with cousins and lay around planning our next leg of the trip. It was hard to leave knowing we would not have really good baked beans or a big breakfast made for us again for a while.
Now where? Yellowstone National Park or Bust!! Wednesday and Thursday
Again, we did not get an early start and drove long into the night. Part of our my plan for the trip was to camp along the way with our tent and cargo trailer at KOA's. But driving late into the night became an expected part of our plan by this first night. With this new component, camping and roughing it took on a new meaning.
Our first night of camping on our way to Yellowstone consisted of Spam and me sleeping in the car with the kids and Pappy and Jason making a nest in the trailer parked at a remote (or so we thought) truck stop. We soon found out a few short hours later that it was the hub for natural gas workers for BLM at Jonah Field, one of the largest on-shore natural gas fields in the US near Pinedale, WY. So with this early wakeup call of diesel motors humming we did a quick swish and a promise, as far as getting cleaned up, knowing we would get a hot shower that night at a campground (or so we thought) and off we went toward Yellowstone.
We stopped to get fueled up in Jackson, WY and drove through Grand Teton National Park with our sites set on Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park. That was our only mission and then to head east toward Devil's Tower. It was hard to drive through both parks and not stop and just gaze in amazement at the beauty of it all. But we were had places to go and a short time to do it. We saw Old Faithful shoot up and then ate an early dinner and watched it shoot again. It was awesome.
We then drove through part of Yellowstone going east with me having high hopes of making it to a KOA close to Devil's Tower. It started to rain on our way out of the park and Spam and Pappy donned their rain suites. Again we drove well into the night and had chosen the high road based on it not being too mountain-ey (or so we thought). Pappy pressed on in the rain while I followed in the car. We fearlessly drove up Horseshoe Mountain, which seem to go on and on and on. It would make you think you were beginning the descent but then you would start going up again. I think we topped out at over 9,000 ft. We passed only a few vehicles and one big truck (ask Jason about "passing" the truck) going the opposite way and none going our way. It is a story within a story and will forever be referred to as "going over the mountain". We finally bedded down for our second night at yet another truck stop in Sheridan, WY.
Not quite a KOA...but getting closer Friday
We parked by a babbling brook at a truck stop and slept in the car and trailer again. By this time I really wanted a shower so I hung a sheet at the back of the trailer and washed out of a bucket. I was so glad I had brought soap, a towel, a washcloth and a few gallons of water. If the truth were known, I am sure everyone was happy I had brought those items. Not just because I probally needed to bathe but also because they wanted to bathe too. I also had shampoo so we took turns washing each other’s hair in the grass next to the trailer. After a change of clothes and some muffins from the truck stop for breakfast, we were off again. #1 was the winner of the draw to ride with Pappy.
We stopped for lunch at a rest area and made a day camp while the kids played on the playground, Pappy took a nap, and Jason grilled some hamburgers on our little camping grill. Realizing how time was slipping away, we decided not to go to Devil's Tower but to push on to Sturgis, SD and Mt. Rushmore. #4 won as next rider on the motorcycle and off we went. As drove along the highway, in the far distance to the north, we could see Devil's Tower. We waved and headed on.
Right before we rode into Sturgis, Jason pulled over so that Pappy could be the one to ride the Harley into town. We stopped at the Harley-Davidson store in town, bought a few souvenirs, ate ice cream and headed to Mt. Rushmore.
We pulled into the Mt. Rushmore park in the early evening and the kids got to be Jr. Rangers. They received a badge and a patch and learned about history.
That night we stopped early enough to find a KOA!!! We made a fire, pitched the tent, heated up soup and made sandwiches. This time Sam, #3, and I slept in the tent, #1 and #2 each had their own full seat to stretch out in the car and #4, Jason and Pappy headed for the trailer.
Heading home...or at least to St. Louis.. Saturday
When we got up, we had showers calling all of our names. After cereal for breakfast, we packed up and headed to see Crazy Horse. We were in the mindset of having to head to Nashville, so we decided to see Crazy Horse from the highway. So we waved and headed on. We went back to town and made a trip down the Presidents Alpine Slide. After a quick bite to eat we headed east toward Sioux Falls. We drove late into the night and stopped at truck stop (surprise surprise) in Kansas City, MO to sleep a few hours. Spam and I were awakened by two truck stop employees wanting to know what we were doing. I guess they did not notice all the people sleeping but we got up and were off again.
Almost to Nashville.... Sunday
It wasn't very long and we were in St. Louis. We contemplated taking the kids to see the Arch (We all had seen it. Jason and I met in St. Louis when I lived there.) but thought of being home/Nashville was too great. So we waved and headed on. But I could not go on without stopping at the truck stop were I worked when Jason and I met. It has changed so much but I still got a picture of the kids in front of it to show how Jason and I have come full circle.
We pulled into Pappy's apartment complex that evening, tired but happy. What a story to tell. Pappy circled the mid West and part of the West on his Harley. Jason got to be a Harley rider for part of the trip, and he doesn't even have a Harley. I felt like I was trucking again. The kids thought it was fun not to take a bath everyday, see lots of wildlife, ride the motorcycle and adventure sleep (that is what Opie Taylor called it) in the car.
For several generations, there has been school picture day. I remember most of my picture days and there just a few I really didn't care for. Once I got my braces, I tended to like my pictures, except for the year my lip got caught in my braces. I really liked my fifth or sixth grade picture, even though I did not have braces and my teeth were, well, needed braces on them. My freshman year was good picture year along with my senior picture but the two years in between, yikes, not so good. But all in all, they were ok.
I don't have much if any pictures of Jason in school. Just a few. But with my son being a carbon copy, I would say I pretty much know what my husband looked like as a kid. Did I ever mention that when it came to creation of our first son (#2), I truly believe my contribution was merely a stem cell and warm environment for prenatal growth?
I mention school pictures, because today was school picture day for the triplets + one. The first couple of years, I had a say in what they wore and how their hair was done. This year, as the forth graders got ready for bed, they had picked out their "picture day clothes" and took the liberty of picking out their little brother's outfit and laying it all on the couch, ready for the morning. The girls did their own hair with little input from me and my sons came to me insisting that I spike their hair in the front. #4 basically told me to use any amount of hair gel needed so his hair would look good all day.
As they proudly left for school, I wondered if the boys' hair would hold up, did the triplets have PE before their picture (you can tell #3 played hard before her picture last year), would any part of their lunch be apart of the picture (whether in between teeth or on a shirt) or how many straggly strands of hair would be dangling from the girls' heads or if they would smile big. It is always a fun surprise to see how the pictures turn out. It is always fun to see a snap shot of time in the life of the kids. With a simple school picture, you can tell so much.
I will look fowarded to seeing the pictures in a few weeks.
I haven't had time to post this week but fortunately it is not because any one is sick!! But I thought this was worth adding to my blog because it is my favorite current commercial. The "boss" does a great job. I could watch it over and over.
Location: blogging about the next phase of family life...country living, United States
I am a mom who had triplets and then had a surprise baby.
We are now living in the country, which is completely opposite from our life just 3 years ago.
