The Ozmerican Life

Just thought I'd fill in with a few things we've been up to...

Quaid took a spill off his dirt bike 2 days ago.  I was sitting inside playing cards with my awesome sister Nancy.  We heard this high pitched screaming...we couldn't make out if it was fun screaming or angry screaming, or hurt screaming.  Usually a mother knows the cry of her children.  Usually I do.  But I had never heard that sound in the near 8 years Quaid has been my son.  Now I know.  It's a hurt cry.  I looked out the window to see his dirt bike laying on it's side and him limping through the grass.  My first thought, as sad as it is...Oh great....here comes a $10,000 surgery bill!!  Followed by....GOOD!!  He's walking!!!  He's got a few patches of nice greenish purple coloring and some cuts but that's about it.  Oh, and a bent handle bar.  Handle bar vs femur...thankfully the femur won!!

Yesterday morning I had to scrub maple syrup off my kitchen ceiling...Don't ask...I just thought it was worth mentioning.

The kids and I made a paper chain for the days left until we leave for Australia to visit Nathan's family...we're not leaving until Feb 3rd...it's a LONG chain :)  But oh so fun. 


I have a serious farmers tan from mowing lawn yesterday.  It crossed my mind that I might want to roll my T-shirt sleeves up...but then I thought...It's only May 2nd...am I really going to get a sunburn May 2nd??  Yes...yes I did.

I learned that 3 year olds don't have the slightest bit of concern about sitting and playing in a sandbox with no undies on.  Me on the other hand...I think I had enough concern for the both of us.

I feel for my little Jentzen.  Ava had a sleepover at her cousins house, Quaid had a sleepover at his cousins house.  Poor Jentzen...his closest boy cousin is 5 years on either side.  Total bummer.  Anyone have a 5 year old boy cousin I can borrow?? 

I'm going out of town for the weekend.  I wonder who will miss me the most...I'm going to go with Ava.  I don't think Daddy understands her female need to be constantly talking to someone all day...especially when it's asking question after question that she already knows the answer to just for the sake of talking.

I'm sure there's more, but I'm going to end right there...just for the sake of not writing, just to write :)




Dont forget.. I cut my hair when you were away....

...I don't want to forget:

Keira: "Mom?  Can I play my puter game?"

Me:  "No, you don't have a computer game."

Keira:  "Mom?  Can I do my spelling test?"

She's a wise one.  She knows the kids do their spelling online.  She's seen them use "school" as a way to get on the net.  (Remember the movie, "The Net" with Sandra Bullock?  I do.  Just sayin'.)

Jentzen: "Keira!  We're going to be best buddies for 39 days, Okay?" (I wonder what will happen on day 40.)

Ava:  "Keira, don't hit your head on the floor too hard...you'll get a headache."  (She's such a mother.)

Quaid has experienced a pulled muscle for the first time this morning...

Q: "Mom, is there something on my back?"

Me:  "No, it's a sore muscle...you can't see it."

Q:  "Uggghhh, it really hurts when I do this..." (bending and twisting in a way I'm not sure that my 30 year old body even bends anymore)

Me:  "Well then don't do that."  (It's the same logic when we say, "This really stinks...smell it!)

I've been told lately by my beautiful children...

 "I wish I was the mom and you were the kid."

"You're not very good at taking care of your kids."

"You're the best mom ever!"

"Eeeewww, that dinner smells like butt."

"I love you so much, mom."

"It's you.  You're the problem."

"I love doing school with you."

"School is the worst ever!  You shouldn't make us do it!"

"I wish you were going to work today."

"Thanks, Mom."

I wonder what today will bring!!  I hope more of a few of those and a little less of the others :)

I love....

...that I'd rather be home than at work, even though going to work is way easier.

...the fact that we have tickets booked to see my Aussie family...even though it's 10 months away it just feels closer with a ticket with my name on it.

...my homemade Apple Crisp, I think it's better than any other kinds I've tried.

...being a hero to my kids because I can kick start their dirt bikes.

...that my kids like to dirt bike for hours on end, so I get to watch them through the window from a dead silent house.

...living in the field next to my parents.

...watching Hallmark Movies.

...that Quaid is becoming a little man and how his relationship with his Daddy is growing.

...Ava's thoughtfulness to others.

...Jentzen's passion for life.

...Keira's need to still cuddle with me.

...Nathan...plain and simple, I love him.

Today's post is following the lead of my beautiful cousin Brittany.  She is Nathan's cousin who painfully lives all the way in Australia.  Oh how I wish she was closer!!! 

In the Pahl family there's always some debate on extended relationships.  Would that be just Nathan's cousin or would that be my cousin too?  Should I refer to her as Nathan's cousin or my cousin?  If I say my cousin will others think she is on my side of the family?  I came to the conclusion, I don't really care.  I love her dearly and she's MY cousin :)

On her blog, she posts a "10 Things I Learnt This Week" every so often.  It's a great way to get an idea of what's been going on in her life in a brief, but informative way.  Yes, they say "learnt" down under, along with tyre, rubbish, mate, and other words you probably would frown upon.  Don't hate them for it, they actually think their English is superior to ours so it's not even worth a debate.  I've tried.

So here goes my list...10 Things I Learnt This Week:

1.  Going to work is truly a day off for me.
2.  While an almost 8 year old can do a great job washing dishes...greasy, buttery popcorn bowls should probably be given a second look before being placed back in the drawer
3.  I do love the coming of warm weather...it's refreshing...except it grows weeds.
4.  The Samoa cookie.....say no more.
5.  One on One is truly the best way to form new relationships.
6.  Nieces, nephews, and cousins are relationships worth giving a lot to.
7.  A nice looking workout clothes outfit looks better than a frilly designer one.
8.  God's financial plan for us is bigger than my neat little calculated spreadsheets.
9.  The old classic movies are worth a watch, that's why they're "classic."
10.  I should have been born in the horse and wagon days.

What have you learnt this week???

We were blessed this evening by receiving  take out Chinese form dinner from my mom.  It's a family favorite.  Not only because we love the food, but because I didn't have to cook.  If I was given one "out" as a home maker...it would be cooking.  I wouldn't miss it one bit.  I could never cook another meal in my life and be just fine.

The kids were also mentioning how thankful they are that Grandma also get them McDonalds occasionally when they spend the day with her....

A:  "Wow Grandma is so nice she gave us money to buy this food and she gets McDonalds sometimes when we're there.....but not every time.  We'd get sick if we ate too much McDonalds."

Dad:  "Yeah, and too big of a belly."

J:  "....And OLD!!!  from such a long trip." 

Ava:  "Mom, I'm going to give you personal space....really I will."

You can tell what we're working on lately.