The Ozmerican Life

This morning started out a little slow. Our kids really took to having a "big sister" around.




Jentzen took to Georgia like stink on poop.

Sorry about the poop reference. It's just on my mind lately as I've been dealing quite a bit with the brown death...Keira potty training and all.


We ventured into town to watch my neice Kayla play volleyball. She's the one at the net. It's so fun to watch. Can't wait till my kids get to play big kid sports.

The kids were somewhat less impressed with Kayla's mad skills.


Keira made a new friend that day as well. This picture just makes me think ahead to when they're older and will be sneaking secrets back and forth as teenagers. It's sad to think they won't have each other day to day to laugh, giggle, do hair....and of course plot against the four parents together.



And to top off another great day...popcorn. Everything in America is bigger. Even the popcorn. Mel was a big fan of my 2.5 pound jug...GO COSTCO!!! And it's just not popcorn unless it's in an old school air popper with a paper bag.
It's 7:45am. I'm hungry. I'm going to go make some popcorn and go to bed. Pretty sure the kids can fend for themselves today. Afterall, 6 is a totally capable age to lead the troops.

September 16th was the Brewin's 2nd day here. I don't think arriving at 1am counts as a day and technically it really isn't.

Dirtbikes. Quaid was pumped to show off his skills. Really in my eyes...it's all abou the outfit. His little gloves, the elbow pads, the shin guards.



It really has nothing to do with the actual talent or skill. If you look the part, then you ARE the part.
Georgia had a go as well. Pretty sure she'd like to live on two wheels.

Like her shoes? Yeah, they're mine. She's 8. I'm 29.
At least they're 2 sizes too big. When you live on the beach...all you have is flip flops. Good down home farm shoes for muddin' and bikin' are just unncessary.
Look at that face!She was none too impressed that her cousins came and stole her spot on the bike.
Keira was sticking her tongue out at Georgia's back. Really she was.
Now this is where it gets intersting. Lucia is 6 and it was her first time on the bike. All was going well. Until her dear Dad...it's always the dads isn't it? told her to go ahead onto the gravel drive way, turn around, and come back down. Here she comes, looking good. That is until she hit the gravel, tried to turn, slid a bit on the gravel. Then TOTALLY PANICKED! Laid on the throttle...the full throttle...as in all the way down...as in screaming across the driveway.

At the end of our driveway is our house. She was coming up the driveway. I was sitting in our office watching the whole thing. Calmly on the outside...but in my mind. "She's a little out of control, she better turn, she better slow down......She's NOT going to turn, She's NOT going to slow down...she's GOING to hit the house....at FULL SPEED!

And then THUD, FLIP, bike up in the air...feet up in the air, upside down on her head. "How fast can we get to the ED...for SURE something is broken, misplace, wrong.

Paramedic Dad came to the rescue. Amazingly, I don't even think she got a bruise. Our house and the bike on the other hand...well that's a different story. But nothing unrepairable, like a human brain.

Life back to reality has occurred...except for my blogging. I actually am waiting to find all the pictures my deal SIL Mel took when they were here so I can start reminiscing. We took no pictures at all...she took 1000's. And I don't know where they are.

I actually remembered last night to ask Nathan. I was in the kitchen, he was in the office. I yelled from the kitchen, "Where are Mel's pictures?" He mumbled something incomprehensible back. I don't know how many times we've tried office/kitchen conversations, but they don't work. You can't hear a thing from the office. Never. You'd think we would learn, but no, no we don't. And since I was busy working on my new quilt. I wasn't getting up. So that was the end of that. I still don't know where the pictures are. So sorry, it will come one of these days.

I think one of the biggest things that has changed for me that requires no pictures is how I spend our evenings. Mel and I spent countless hours discussing our children, and the world we are raising them in.

I remember back when I was a kid. My dad would come home at 5:30 every day, we'd eat dinner, clean up. By then it was 6:30. That left about an hour before bed time. My dad made the most of that hour. He played a game with me every night, got me a snack, which was very cool. He had the ability to peel an orange in one complete peel so you could put it back together and it looked like a whole hollow orange. Very cool when you're 8...a family skill I should work on perfecting so I can carry it on for another generation. He gave us baths, brushed our teeth, prayed with us and put us to bed. He had an hour a day with us. And he made it count.

My coworker and I were talking the other day. He comes from a family of 7 kids, and was homeschooled for his entire education, so I sort of like to pick his brain about his life, the goods and the bads just so I have an idea of what I'm getting myself into. So after throwing out some jokes, like "Where'd you meet your wife? A homeschool convention?" We got to talking about quality time with kids.

I remembered back to my dad and how I'm sure after a 12 hour day the last thing he wanted to do was deal with us kids at night. But he did, I'm pretty sure he found it a joy, and even if he didn't, I don't remember one night when he didn't act like it was his pleasure to spend every minute with us. I look back at it now and no matter how old I got, he always played a game with me and peeled my orange, and cut my apple. Even when I was of orange peeling age...like 16 or 17. Every night I can remember at least. And as I'm now playing games with my kids, it probably only took him 10-15 minutes out of his night to play a quick game or two. But to me it seemed like hours.

It made me think of how I spend my nights. My kids don't watch any TV during the day so when it gets to 7pm and I'm spent for the day, they get to pop in a movie for a half hour before bed. Mel mentioned her kids don't watch any TV during the week at all. They are in school so by the time they get home, do homework, eat dinner, clean up, bath time....who has time for TV. For me I thought I spend all day with my kids, they don't have homework, and I don't need to bathe them...well sometimes I do I guess :) So really what's a half hour movie at night time?

Quality time, it's all about quality time. Most of my interaction with them is being a teacher, a housekeeper, a laundromat worker, a cook, and my biggest job a referee. How much quality, just for fun time do I spend with them?

So at night time we've started bedtime earlier allowing for family reading time. They all get dressed, teeth brushed and hot on the giant bean bag in our reading corner...that I got especially for times like this, but I've actually never really used! It's currently used a back flip landing mat :) Quaid takes a turn reading a book to all of us, Ava takes a turn, and then Jentzen picks a book for me to read.

Reading is not my favorite thing....actually I really dislike it. It's been my biggest challenge to carve time out of our day for reading time. I think it's really important, but my least favorite...I'd rather sit and do math worksheets with my kids than sit down and read with them.

But there is something about all of us being together, seeing the kids interact together. It's very cool. We did it all last week. It's amazing how it made a difference on our entire day. Our house was just peaceful all day long. The kids played great all day, worked hard on their school, were kind and considerate with each other...not every minute of the day...but noticeably different. I look forward to our nights together...I look forward to reading time. I looked forward to a relaxed, unhurried bedtime. I was amazed at what a just a simple half hour of time makes such a huge difference.

It made movie time on the weekends something to look forward to, something exciting instead of something they were owed every night.

For me it's all about how I will look back on things. What will my kids remember? Will it be that they remember a crabby, tired mom shoving them off to bed every night? Will they remember mom just being a teacher? Will I wish I got to see just one more episode of that TV show? Will I be happy that I missed out on all those night time conversations, kisses, and cuddles. Will I miss watching the kids learn to read together?

We are refocused, relaxed, and content. A good place to be.

Now every parent always wants to make the right decision for their children. Decisions that will affect their entire lives are made every day by every mother and father. They will lay the foundation for our children, and some will dictate the steps they take to get there. It will affect their future successes and general happiness in life.

On Monday Nov 1st I made the decision to start potty-training Keira. A great decision that I think we all agree will have life long effects.

However starting the first day of potty training when Keira was a bit "loosey-goosey" NOT the best parental decision I ever made.
The poor girl...with an audience and all...doesn't she look like she has perfomance anxiety?

But then again, starting to potty train Keira on a day that she was a bit "loosey-goosey" on a day that I had plans to leave in the early afternoon and be gone till after bedtime leaving her home with daddy...a GREAT parental decision.

Especially when our 2 oldest kids were a bit loosey-goosey themselves, except coming out the other end...and EVEN BETTER parental decision.

So did you guess? Did you guess? Yes it is Keira. Did the knees give it away? or was it the hips?

She made herself quite at home in the pantry with the food coloring. I was doing something super important when Ava came to me running. "Mom, there's green everywhere, but don't worry I'm cleaning it up." I went to see and Keira was just squirting away.
Who needs a beauty salon to get some highlights?
"Back off Mom!! I'll slime you!!"
And looky looky where those fingers have been....One green nostril. Awesome!
So we should always learn from our mistakes...so here's what I learned:

1. Throw food coloring away all together. No shelf is safe.

2. If you even want to know where your kids hands have been...use food coloring.

3. Don't let a 5 year old clean up food coloring.

And in case you find yourself in the same position, a few things food coloring does and does not come off from first hand experience"

DOES:

sinks
toilets
trim
doors
wood floors (thank goodness!!!!)
hair, hands, nose, legs, (after 36 hours)

DOES NOT:

tile
tile grout
rugs
clothes

Good thing I was looking to add a splash of color around the house!!

My Aussie family is gone. It's a sad, sad day. To say we had a great time is an understatement. It was just too good for words. I'll be posting about all the great times we had as a tribute to the Brewins. It will be good to look back on all the great times we had.

My house is quiet...very very quiet. Almost like I've lost a few kids...I keep counting just to make sure I've got all mine. The kids are sort of wandering around the house aimlessly not quite sure what they should be doing...and me you ask? I am back to my afternoon ritual.

Lunch at my computer, reading up on my blogs, catching a little "me" time.



Lunch is leftover Lo Mein from Empire Wok in Jordan.....oh yummy. I had to polish it off for Mel, it was our favorite. You haven't lived until you've had this. I made sure to eat 2/3 of my plate before I took the picture to avoid looking piggish :) Mel, I thought you'd need this reminder.

Currently they are sitting at MSP airport. We're having a bit of a wind/rain/snow/sleet storm today. After all...it's what Minnesota should be known for. Their flight was set to deaprt at 1:50pm and is currently pushed back to 3:30pm. Part of me wants to run up there...I could bring some desert, Diet Coke with Lime, and have just one more afternoon chat with Mel. I'm going to miss those the most. What mom gets to sit down every day and just talk about life, kids, marriage, goals, homeschooling with a like-minded lady. It was great for me to be reminded and refreshed in the "why I'm doing what I'm doing" area of life. Everyone needs that from time to time...and I got it for 6 whole weeks!!!

What's really hard now is I have no idea when we will be in eachother's company again. Could be 2 years, could be 3 years....I hate to say it but could be even 4 years. We're both not sure where life will take us in the next few years which leaves us with a lot of uncertainty.

Until next time...I will leave you with this little pre-post trivia question....

Who Is This??? and What Happened???



Lo Mein is gone forever, Pepsi is empty, My house is empty...I'm going to go cry now....

A little intro....My Mom and Dad were on their yearly visit to see my brother in New Mexico

A: Mom?

Me: Yes honey?

A: Are Grandma and Grandpa going to be home from Apple Turkey soon?

Me: "Apple Turkey?"

A: "Yeah you know...where Bob lives?"

Me: "Apple Turkey?"

A: "Well I don't think that's quite how you say it...I can't remember."

Me: "You mean Albuquerque?"

A: "Yeah, that's what I mean!!"

On Ava's behalf...Bob is sort of a Turkey...with wings to fly and all :)