A Bunch of Bensons

Mid-Week Musings II

2012-01-24T12:23:00.000-08:00

Outside my window: A fine, misty rain, slowly petering out from this morning's downpour.

What I'm thinking about: How much I'm enjoying watching Monarch of the Glen.

On my nightstand: The Lies That Bind (Carlisle), The Graveyard Book (Gaiman)

Music of my day: The infernal chatter of our new Thomas the Train.

Around the house: Laundry, mending jeans, clearing ash from the fireplace (glamorous life, I know.)

I'm wishing: I could decide how to cook the boneless leg of lamb waiting in my refrigerator. Greek, with lemon and garlic? English, with mint sauce? Moroccan, with tangerines and warm spices?

I'm grateful for: The single serving of spinach lasagna I found in my freezer which saved me from (yet another) bowl of cereal for lunch.

Ten Things I Learned Last Week

2011-12-24T15:13:00.000-08:00

10. We have the most awesome, adorable families in the Midwest. Possibly the world.

9. We earned approximately 57 free drinks for shopping (breakfast, lunch and dinner) at Starbucks because it's the one place our kids are guaranteed to eat something.

8. Our children take the phrase "Make yourselves at home" quite literally. Thank you Beth & Amy, providers of toys. And wine.

7. Each and every birthday should be celebrated as the joyous event it is, be it with a catered event for friends and family or a bunch of strangers on a plane shouting "Happy Birthday, Guy in Seat 40D!!"

6. A child who wakes puking at 3AM will not make a good travelling companion at 3PM.

5. Always bring a grandparent when taking three kids to an unfamiliar museum. Or a familiar one for that matter. Thank you, Skip & Renee. We couldn't - and wouldn't - have done it without you.

4. As I've been saying for months (years?), airport travel with three small children at the holidays is indeed the Fifth Circle of Hell. (See Dante's Inferno, Personal Appendices.) Portable Entertainment Devices - Don't travel without them.

3. Five glasses of wine is no substitute for one Ambien. Just sayin'.

2. Living in Oregon for the last decade, there have been three things we missed about the Midwest: family, friends and food. We are now satisfied. Thank you, "Christmas Eve Dinner", Portillo's, Uno's, Vienna Beef Hot Dogs and Michael's Custard.

1. CHILD. LEASHES. ROCK.

It was a wonderful, exhausting, sentimental trip of a ~~lifetime~~ half-decade. One we'll never forget, filled with people and places we may never see again. One that fulfilled all our expectations. One we're not repeating any time soon...

Thank you all for supporting the ~~Griswold~~ Benson Family Vacation: Gloria, Renee, Kent, Neal, Mindy, Aubrey, Melissa, Joan, Roy, Kris, Merna, Kim, Beth, Grace, Hayden, Logan, Lyla, Amy, Justin, Ana, Taylor, Angie, Cole, Hudson, Bill, Barb, Christie, Tim, Maia, Jake, and Skip.

Also thanks to OMSI - you saved us approximately $160 in museum entry fees, Starbucks - for feeding Cassie, "Sue" - for finally allowing Ted to see a real T-Rex, and Mother Nature for allowing us to visit snow without having to drive in snow.

Photos to follow just as soon as I have the energy to upload the 6 bazillion pictures from my camera. In the meantime, I'll leave you with this parting morsel of travel knowledge:

Children do not understand time zones.

Reggie was up at four this morning.

Mid-Week Musings I

2011-11-30T10:29:00.000-08:00

Outside My Window: Chickadees are searching the undergrowth for food.

I'm Thinking About: How much my children still love Curious George.

What's Cooking: French Toast for lunch and Turkey a la King for dinner.

On My Nightstand: All the Pretty Hearses (Daheim) and The Barker Street Regulars (Conant).

Music of My Day: Mannheim Steamroller Christmas Albums.

Around the House: Re-trimming tiny Christmas trees and hanging fresh garland outside.

I'm Wishing: I could knit when my children are around (they have a cat-like attraction to yarn & needles.)

Pumpkin Pickin'

2011-10-24T08:22:00.000-07:00

Snaggletooth is too afraid to go down the hill.

Strike a pose!

I love haybales.

And posing for the camera.

Yes, I do need a haircut. Why do you ask?

How much for the little brown pumpkin butt?

Wiggle Wiggle

2011-10-24T08:16:00.000-07:00

From There (last Monday)...

To Here (today)... From Here to There,

Gappy Smiles are Everywhere!

Only In Oregon...

2011-08-27T17:11:00.000-07:00

Do we wear jackets to the beach in August. Gorgeous and 66 this morning - had to drag them away.

Late Afternoon Fun

2011-08-25T17:19:00.000-07:00

"No! Don't get me wet! Don't take my picture! Aaaah!"

I'm thinking some haircuts are in order...

From "The Boy Who HATES Water" to "I Can Rinse Myself!" - What a difference six months makes.

"Hey look - I can squirt like my brothers!" (hee hee hee...)

It was shaping up to be a long afternoon. I thought of taking them outside to play in the sprinkler but that really is a two person project. Since playing in the sprinkler/mud always requires a bath afterward I decided to skip the finding suits-putting on sunscreen-herding cats part and go straight to the bath.

Ted was a total pain, so he was the last in and the first out. Just as I was finishing getting him dressed, Cass decided she was done too and voluntarily got out (usually we have to drag her out of water.) Of course, she was covered in soapsuds, but oh well. Mr. Water Lover (who are you and what have you done with my kid?!) wasn't eager to get out, but did so without complaining. Such a change, I can hardly believe it.

Now they're all in their jammies with the promise of pizza and a movie. Well, except for Cassie.

She's asleep on the couch.

Ah Pixar, How We Love Thee

2011-08-16T08:58:00.000-07:00

Nothing says "I love you" like a lap full of Cassie and the characters from "Toy Story 3".

Sprinkler!

2011-07-24T18:25:00.000-07:00

Water Loving Girl avoided the cold sprinkler. Bath-phobic boy adored it. Ted... well, Ted was the one who begged to use it. Then spent the entire time being coaxed into it. Kids!!!

Busy Times

2011-07-02T20:26:00.000-07:00

School is out but until recently the weather hasn't been cooperative. The in-laws have come and gone, leaving a trail of Cars 2 behind them. Reg is finally keeping down food after two days of vomity virus. Sad that a 99.5 fever doesn't even make me blink; does that mean I've finally settled into this mommy thing or that I'm immune to anything less than massive head wounds?

We've been going to the farmer's market and now that one has opened in Woodstock we can walk there. The best part: no feeding the downtown parking meters. The worst part (for Ted): no feeding the meters. That boy likes his meters. Is that a boy thing or a Ted thing (or a Monk thing?) I love this time of year - all the strawberries we can eat. I even made freezer jam today.

I've been reading a lot of blogs, mostly cooking and scrapbooking. I can't remember the last time I picked up a book, despite the pile right next to me, borrowed from the library a month ago. I have all the Independence Day decorations up but have yet to paint out the brachiosaurus on my living room wall. Really need to get me some chalkboard paint. Maybe tomorrow.

I leave for Delaware in two weeks! Five whole days without (my) children. There will be children, but they will not be my problem - yay! Five days of girl time, movies, spas, crab cakes, shopping and cuddling a 3 mo. old baby. Of course, it also means two days of traveling cross-country and a stay in the sweltering humidity of the mid-Atlantic. I fully expect the weather to kill me. Or at the least turn me into a limp, sweaty pile of whininess. Must remember to pack shorts.

Time to shuffle the monkeys off to bed. G'nite!

Dino Party, Part 2

2011-05-17T19:08:00.000-07:00

The sign reads "Dino Xing" with a triceratops on it.

Each of the kids had a dino name - Theodorus Rex, Gemmasaura, Williamodon, etc. The tags showed what family of dinosaurs they were from, what they ate, etc. (BTW - check out the looks on the mom's faces - great timing, Brandon!)

Not one, but two volcanoes. One made of cake and one for the centerpiece. Both had rocks, lava, dinos and glowed brightly (not easy to see in the photo - for a better picture of the cake, check out this.)

Musical Fossil Feet and a cool T-Rex tee.

"Don't fall in the lava pit Cassie!"

Dino Party, Part 1

2011-05-17T18:59:00.000-07:00

Dilophosaurus Dig - Cassie loved this game.

The little dinosaurs!

Yes, that is painted on the wall. They had to find the bones and assemble it.

Much harder than it looks! This guy won.

Teddy explaining how to find the dinosaur eggs.

Twelve More Days

2011-04-06T15:26:00.000-07:00

Dear Cassie:

Five-thirty is too early to get up. I don't care how cute you are.

Love, Mama

Dear Ted:

For the 432nd time - I will be taking you to school. I will be picking you up. We've been doing this for eight months, through rain, snow, sleet and even the occasional glimpses of sunshine. The approaching thunderstorm will stop me. But it will make me thankful for my rain boots.

Love, Mom

Dear Reg:

Thank you so much for going through my desk drawers, finding the brand new roll of correcting tape, unrolling its entirety - thereby dispersing tiny bits of sticky white stuff over every surface of the living room and kitchen and yourself - then tangling the tape around you in such a way I nearly needed scissors to get you out. All Mama needed was fifteen minutes to herself; was that too much to ask? Nevermind...

Love, Ma

Dear Nina:

I love you. The kids love you. We do not love your poop in the living room. You don't go when Papa lets you out at breakfast; you don't let me know you have to go before we leave for school; you wait until I'm gone for 45 min. to unload all over the living room. Because I need to clean up one more creature's crap.

Love, Your Human

Dear Weather:

WTF??!! Thunder, hail and the potential for SNOW tonight? Seriously?? Enough already.

Love, Soggy in PDX

Dear IRS:

Did we really need three more days of Tax Season? Three and a half months isn't enough!? If you decide to shut down and therefore delay the stupid deadline further I'm gonna... well... I don't know. Lose my mind? Move to Canada? Vote you dipsh*ts out of office?

Love (uh, NOT), A Taxpayer

Dear Blog Readers:

Thanks for listening.

Love ya all, Heidi

If You Can't Say Something Nice...

2011-03-23T21:30:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm finding it hard to right now. There have been no posts of Cassie's birthday (or anything else) because I still cannot seem to get photos to cooperate with Blogger on my laptop. The "big" computer downstairs is down for the count and will not be resurrected until after Tax Season...

Ah, Tax Season. Extended until April 18th this year, just for added fun. Sixteen hour days, seven days a week for poor Brandon - very, very little time with children. And now he has an awful cold...

Which he got from the children. Ted came home with it on Thursday and it's spread to everyone but me. I literally wake up every morning expecting to have it, but as of yet, I'm the only one spared this week...

Oh, this week. Ted's first Spring Break. Ten days of play dates, new art projects, a worm hunt, trips to the store and library... I was prepared. I had a plan. Yeah, not so much when someone is constantly needing a nose wiped/dose of fever reducer/cup of juice/hand to vomit into. But for one hour on Sunday, I have not left the house in a week. And no, taking the dog and the trash out doesn't count. I actually took advantage of a brief lull in the sicky storm this evening to go weed my front garden so the yard waste could be picked up tomorrow. And - naturally - the sun that had been out all day chose those twenty minutes to hide behind some nice, full rain clouds. So I got wet. And muddy.

And I didn't care because it was probably the highlight of my week.

While You Were Gone...

2011-02-07T11:05:00.001-08:00

We really missed you. We missed you at bedtime. We missed you reading books and building with LEGOS. We missed eating doughnuts with you. We missed your hugs.

Here's what you missed:

16 loads of dishes

1 cozy night in front of the fire

49 dirty diapers

3 naps on the couch (your daughter, not your wife)

13 loads of laundry

1 new word ("Juice!)

3 boxes of snotty tissues

647 fights over LEGOS/dinosaurs/trains

21 times the DVD drawer has been emptied

4 days of forgetting something at school

14 new flower-fairies

42 tooth-brushings

16 "Congratulations - What a lucky guy!"

from friends/family/strangers in stores

11 time outs

7 straight days of someone humming Black Sabbath

8 statements of "I miss my Dad."

3 pizzas with friends (Spinoccoli is good!)

1 appliance delivery

8 walks to/from school

1 bottle of wine (yes, only one - and I shared it!)

3 meals of Cassie eating something w/o being forced

964 frustrated head-buts

7 nights of "When is Papa coming home?"

1 dead squirrel in the driveway

So, really, not all that much. Welcome home Papa - we have missed you!

Happy Christmas!

2010-12-24T12:37:00.000-08:00

The Bunch of Bensons

wish you a very happy holiday!

Theodore (5 1/2) - Cassandra (3 1/2) - Reginald (2)

The Cat in the Hat Party

2010-12-11T14:07:00.000-08:00

Red, aqua and white themed to match CitH - blueberries, cranberries, M&M's, white chocolate covered strawberries, popcorn in adorable buckets. I love Target's $1 aisle!

These pompoms are easy but time consuming to make.

Chocolate cupcakes with aqua cream cheese frosting -
messy but yummy!

Our little Thing 2 with his CitH hat.

Singing "Happy Birthday to You" - So embarrassed!

Our friend KS took about 15 family photos and only two

turned out. Surprise, surprise...

I so stole this party idea from Annie. Hers is much cooler, but I think this turned out pretty well. Besides, it was my last chance for a "Thing 2". Cannot believe he's two!

*Bonus - all the red and aqua themed stuff works great for Christmas!

Thanksgiving 2010

2010-11-25T14:35:00.000-08:00

Every year on Thanksgiving I take our "official" holiday photo. You know, the one we send to family and friends in our Christmas cards. The one we frame each holiday season. The one that causes 16 new grey hairs to sprout on my head each time I try to take them... Here are a few of the "misses" as we degenerate into silliness and a quest for candy.

Thanks to our lovely new camera, this year went better (i.e. faster - oh so much faster!) than previous years. And, in a complete first for the Bunch of Bensons, the very first picture taken is the one. Look for it next month in a mailbox near you!

In the meantime... Happy Thanksgiving to you all!

New Beds

2010-11-20T10:53:00.000-08:00

Cassie loves her new bed.

Big bed... itty bitty boy.

We finally did it. There are no more babies in our house. The crib is empty and ready for storage. Sigh.

Cassie loves the big bed but is still a bit territorial about "her" bed in the boy's room. She gets into it and gets comfy, then has to be removed to her room. There is a bit of fuss, but she settles in pretty quickly. Reg is occasionally in and out of his bed, enjoying the new freedom. Twice we've found him asleep on the floor - last night under the head of Ted's bed! That was fun. He is now our alarm clock - knocking on his door at 6:30 every morning. Too bad it doesn't wake the other kids too.

Busy... Or Not

2010-11-20T10:51:00.000-08:00

While Papa and Cassie sleep...

Reggie finds something to do!

Our Own Pumpkin Patch

2010-10-31T18:14:00.000-07:00

When asked what he wanted to be for Halloween, Ted replied "A Pumkhim." When asked what Reg and Cass should be... "Punkhims, of course." Of course!

October Update

2010-10-12T09:29:00.000-07:00

First lost tooth... swallowed, of course.

Hey there cutie!

OK... so it's the only photo I have of her this month. Certainly makes a statement.

Progress

2010-09-19T18:34:00.000-07:00

The LEGO building in our house is reaching recognizable levels. Pretty good, eh?

The Cup Thief

2010-09-18T10:51:00.000-07:00

Reg will suck down his juice then collect and polish off his siblings. Diapers are not meant to withstand the awesome force of three juice cups. But don't you just love the "Who me?" face? Sweet, innocent little thief.

First Day of School

2010-09-09T17:40:00.000-07:00

Special School Day Breakfast: Chocolate Chip Pancakes,

Bacon & Strawberries

First One Through the Door

Waiting Patiently for a Hershey's Kiss

My Teacher, Ms. Doern

First Day of School Surprise - Cupcakes to Decorate!

Well folks, it was a great day. We all walked to school and waited (impatiently) outside the kindergarten room door. At Duniway Elementary, the kindergarten and first grade classes are in a wing with doors directly to the outside, so we will drop/meet him right at his classroom. This saves trekking through the rather large main building - a definite bonus with our enormous stroller!

Ted was the first kid through the door, eager to find his coat hook and cubbie for his snacks. We found his seat and he quickly made me a card - too cute! - before shooing me out the door. According to Ms. Doern (a first year teacher) he did a great job today. He is so ready to be a big boy!!

Our other children however... well, it was a long walk home. Cassie did not want to leave the school and cried the entire way back. Reggie, upset by many things (but mostly by the fact I wouldn't turn on the TV), cried most of the morning. But after lunch we all (yes, all!!) took naps and were ready to go when Papa returned. We walked back over to the school (this means about 3.5 miles of walking/day for me - whew!) and met with a very happy boy.

All said, it went even better than we expected. No tears from those expected to cry (i.e. Me & Ted), no separation anxiety (except Cassie), nothing really to report.

Sigh.

The Zero Hour

2010-09-08T13:22:00.000-07:00

My boy starts school tomorrow.

My biggest boy, that is. The one I carried for forty-one weeks. The one I endured 51 hours of back labor for. The one who has been at my side nearly every day for the last six and a half years.

My blondie with the diabolical boy laugh who steals LEGOS and fried shrimp. The one who loves to decorate but hates to put away his toys. The tallest, strongest, fastest child... until you want him to use the bathroom. Then all speed disappears and a three-legged tortoise moving backwards can beat him.

My boy just made me a card. On the front and back are traced pictures of his hands. On the inside it says "YAFCH DOTE" which translates to, I am assured:

"Don't worry Mom - school will be great."

Busy

2010-08-28T11:12:00.001-07:00

Give a five year old a huge bunch of fresh garbanzo beans and you'll have a busy child for two hours. Any bets on him eating them?

Yawn

2010-08-27T16:07:00.000-07:00

It's four o'clock.

Reggie is still asleep in his bed. Cassie is asleep under the Time Out mat. Yes under, on the tiny strip of carpet between the dining room hardwood and the safety gate. She's the odd one. Teddy has spent the last three - three - hours playing relatively quietly with the Legos in the living room. And what did I do this afternoon? I took a nap.

A real nap. The kind with a bed and a blanket. I have the pillow-face to prove it.

If you listen carefully, you can hear the ice cracking... Hell has frozen over.

My children let me sleep.

What's Goin' On Here

2010-07-29T08:14:00.001-07:00

Not much. Ted is playing Star Wars and walking in circles around the living room humming the Empire theme.

Reg is having a tantrum in the kitchen because I'm not getting him a juice Right. Now. Mama.

Cass is under the dining room table. Until I typed that, she was quiet. Now she is whining because Reg found her. No clue what he's doing - can't see it from here - but it must not be too tragic because now she is also humming the Empire theme. Dum dum dum... dum da dum, dum da dum... Dum dum dummmm... da da dum, dum da dum... (I am now hearing it in my sleep.)

Thank you Brandon for introducing them to The Empire Strikes Back or, as it is called in our house, the "Bad Father Movie" (because Darth Vader is a bad father.)

Had a great birthday. Breakfast in bed and a trip to the coast where the older ones played in the sand and I took Reg shopping at all the little stores I never get to go to because I have three kids and a ginormous stroller. The day ended with dinner at The Veritable Quandry (seriously - check out the menu. We had ravioli, scallops, souffle and the galette. Yum.) I've told Brandon that the next time we're going out and dithering about where to go, we should just head there. I've never had anything less than good, and a few things that were outstanding (Chocolate Nocello Souffle anyone?) Brandon got me a gift certificate to Oblation, one of my favorite paper stores. And, because he knows his wife very well, wrote on a card the dates and times of their upcoming sidewalk sale, where he assures me their incredible handmade papers will be half off. What a guy!

Well, that's about it here. Another garbage day to entertain Ted. Maybe a trip to the store later. Maybe not. In the meantime, I have to go save the Deathstar from the At-Ats. Wish me luck.

Hangin' Out

2010-07-20T09:02:00.000-07:00

Images courtesy of the newest addition to our family -

a Nikon D40. I think I'm in love.

Randomness

2010-07-15T08:07:00.000-07:00

Reggie can now climb up onto the sofa, the last bastion to conquer. Of course this now means he can stand on the sofa (try explaining "we don't stand on the furniture" to a 19 month old), reach the wand of power (i.e. the remote) and reprogram our DVR (you laugh - Ted once did this and we couldn't figure out how to fix it), and of course... fall off the sofa. This hasn't happened. Yet.

The day is young.

Cassie just came up to me and, with wide eyes and a wry smile, said "Ah... ah... ah... CHOO!" Then cackled like a madwoman and ran off, only to return for an encore a few seconds later. Little girl, it seems, has discovered how to be funny.

Thank you, Uncle B(r)ad.

Teddy is watching the garbage men. At the moment, it is the yard waste guys hauling away our weeds. Ted calls them the Compost Men. No - I did not explain that. He figured it out all by himself... with some help from PBS, I'm sure.

We Love Garbage Day.

All three of the monsters spent approximately seven minutes crying/whining/begging/banging on the gates when Papa left this morning. It would be really sweet if it weren't so loud. I have had two hours of sleep and half a cup of coffee. It's only 8:20 and already it's been a long morning.

Must go stop my eldest "singing" the theme from "The Empire Strikes Back" before this particular princess loses her mind and goes Wookie on him.

Early Morning Garden

2010-07-06T07:59:00.000-07:00

Looking up the street. If you look closely, you can see the

really cool tomato cage.

Check out the giant French lavender - when I put it in three years ago,

it was the size of that yellow flower in front.

The rock garden. Later today those pale purplish flowers in the middle will open - it is a bright pink ice plant.
Look at the window. That's Ted, standing on the love seat.

Looking down the street at a ton of salvia, some pretty blue grasses and several squash plants.
Hmm... just noticed how tilted that tomato cage is.

The raised beds we built last year currently holding; oregano, savory, thyme, marjoram, lemon thyme, parsley, sage, chives, nasturtiums, tomatoes, arugula, escarole, purple potatoes, celeriac, calendula and onions. See the tilted pot in front - that's the mint. Because there is only so much mint you need. The big bushy thing beside the yard waste bins is one of our many clumps of lemon balm (see mint). Behind the bins is a tub of tiny, sweet Hood strawberries, Ted's favorite.

The "front" yard. Those wide trunks the sun is shining through are two of three Douglas firs twice the height of my house. We have ivy (again, see mint - grr), periwinkle, lavender, rosemary and other assorted perennials.

Here's a view from my front steps. Pots of annuals with peppers and the big ol' pot of assorted basils. The stepping stones are surrounded by carpet thyme and Scotch moss (the lime green plants.) And yes, we're still decked out for Independence day.

Enjoy these pictures because it will likely never look this nice again!

This Was Their Idea

2010-06-29T09:22:00.000-07:00

Happy Father's Day!

2010-06-20T11:14:00.000-07:00

Your Three Biggest Fans

(Photo May '10)

Weather

2010-06-15T16:24:00.000-07:00

It's nearly 4:30 PM and it is FIFTY-THREE FREAKING DEGREES with partly cloudy skies and scattered showers.

It is the middle of June for crying out loud! Even I - someone who moved to Portland for the weather, someone who avoids the sun and loathes humidity, someone who prefers January to July - I am really ready for summer.

I'm wearing a sweater (yes it's a summer-weight one, but still) and braising lamb shanks in the oven for crying out loud. This is absurd.

And something tells me come late August I'll be thinking fondly of June...

Yet Another Random Tuesday

2010-06-15T10:33:00.000-07:00

Hmm... let's see.

Got the new fridge yesterday. It doesn't fit. Our contractor is coming by this afternoon to shave about 3/16ths of an inch off our counter. I love our contractor! In the meantime, I'm loving the fact that the kids can't get into the kitchen because the fridge blocks the door. I'll be rearranging the contents all week until I find a system that works. The freezer is awesome - lights through the whole thing - LED and very space-age - and holds all the stuff that was in both my old freezers. I took the opportunity to defrost the chest freezer in the garage. It took an hour before the small chunk of ice was loose enough to chip off. Now everything is neat and tidy. Hooray!

Sixths Disease is running through our house. Reg got the fever last Wed/Thu and has been rashy since Friday. He's fine now and the rash is fading nicely. Cassie got the fever yesterday and is - so far - rash free. Ted woke up with the fever this morning. He has had it once before but apparently you can get it again. Or maybe he has something else. Who knows... none of them are sick enough to warrant a trip to the doctor. And no, I'm not being callous; I've spoken to the nurse and she agrees with me.

Sadly, plans for a brand spanking new pantry in my kitchen have been scrapped. Pout. The project was just too costly. Instead we plan to have our current coat closet/pantry stripped of its shelf, closet rod and bookcase and have real shelves professionally installed. We'd do it ourselves, but the space has a wonky corner and cutting metal shelving at odd angles sounds like something we should not be trusted to do. So now I have a great nautical mural on my living room wall. The kids really like it so I collected all the nautical themed items and Ted and I redecorated the living room. Who knows how long this theme will last, but I'm betting until at least Halloween. Lord knows what he'll ask me to paint there for that...

I'm finally caught up through Sept. '09 on my scrapbooking. As of last week, I was more than a year behind. Yikes. Hopefully I will get through at least Halloween by the time the Benson Boys arrive in early July.

The Eastmoreland Garage Sale is the last weekend of June and I have a ridiculous amount of things to do for it. I'm so unprepared it isn't funny. I have no idea how it will get done in time, but I'm sure it will. The very thought of having those huge dressers out of my garage is incentive enough.

Random Rainy Day Post

2010-06-10T08:40:00.000-07:00

From Ted:

(Singing) "There are squirrels in my pants. Squirrels in my pants. Squirrels in my pants. Pants. Pants. Pants." (Repeat endlessly.)

(Garbage day today. Blue/yellow=recycling, gray=trash, green=yard waste) "Hey - it's the blue recycling man! He takes the blue bin. And the yellow bin. They're a blue man group... But not the gray; those are for the gray man. Hey, where's green?"

(To his father) "Dad, we need to buy a fridge. Can we go to the refrigerator store?"

From Cass, while looking at the post about the grandmas:

(Me) "Who's that?"
(Cass) "Gram-ma"
(Me) "Do you miss Grandma?"
(Cass) "Nope."

Sorry grandmas!

Reg has nothing to say, but is thrilled to now carry around not one, not two, but three Buzz Lightyears. Boy heaven!

And, lest we forget the most loved/ignored member of the household:

HAPPY 9TH BIRTHDAY NINA!!

(I'm not baking you a cake.)

Ahoy There Matey!

2010-06-09T18:57:00.000-07:00

Capt'n Brandon and Mate.

Don't ye be takin' me cake, you scalawag!

Third Mate eyein' the cake.

Who me? I didn't steal any booty...

A Swashbucklin' Good Time

All Tuckered Out

2010-06-08T17:17:00.000-07:00

Yes, he is about to fall off that chair.

Half off the sofa with seriously sweaty bed head

(check out the couch)

What did those Grandmas do to my non-napping children? By 3:30, Reg was in his bed and this was the scene in my living room. Worn out little whippersnappers!

Our Life of Late

2010-06-08T16:56:00.000-07:00

Four Generations (Great-Gram, Me, Cassie & Grandma)

My, what big teeth you have!

What?! We weren't doin' nothin! We're just reading a book...

Mother's Day, a birthday, family visiting, a party... things have been a bit of a wreck here. My camera and laptop still aren't on speaking terms (and I'm barely on speaking terms with that camera.) Cold wet weather (it's JUNE for crying out loud) and a million projects. All lame reasons for not keeping up on posts, but there they are. Here are a few photos to tide you over until I get downstairs to upload some better ones.

Siblings

2010-05-18T17:38:00.000-07:00

I'm sitting 6 feet away and see Ted stick his foot out and trip his sister.

"Did you just trip her?"

"No."

Huh?!! "Did you stick your foot out so she would fall over it?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because she was there."

This is one of those sibling things I'm never gonna get, isn't it?

My Baby is Five?

2010-05-17T08:08:00.000-07:00

How the heck did that happen?

Seriously, where did the time go? Weren't you that adorable nine month old just a few weeks ago? Didn't you just learn to walk last month? What happened to the boy who used to nap with me?

What they say about time with your children is true: The days are long, but the years are short. The length of our days is usually determined by you - your attitude, for good or ill, shapes how our day flows. You are king of the hill, the dominant predator, the alpha among your siblings. And you know it. Is it because you're the first born? Because you're a Taurus? Because you're my child? (Wait, don't answer that...)

All too soon (but not soon enough), you will be off to school. You will not be the biggest, the oldest, the strongest. You will be one of many, all forced to bend to another's will. You will not go quietly I'm sure. Oh, you'll love school, but learning you are not the top of the heap will be a sobering lesson. And one I cannot teach you. Until then, I'll teach you all I can about learning and sharing, numbers and colors, how to tell time and zip your own jacket. Until September you're still the leader of your peers, the owner of toys, the chooser of movies. For a few months, you are still mine - my love, my nemesis, my big boy. Soon enough I will have to share you with the world, with friends and teachers and activities.

But for a little longer you're still my baby boy.

I love you Pumpkin.

Mothers and Sons

2010-04-19T14:30:00.000-07:00

Conversation with my eldest last night:

Me: Do you love your mama?

Him: No.

His Father: (Laughing) Of course you do.

Him: Nope.

Me: Would you love me if I made you a s'more?

Him: Some-more what?

His Father: (Laughing harder) A s'more. You know - chocolate and marshmallows?

Him: (To me) Oh, I guess I could love you then.

Gee, thanks honey...

Oh, and I did make him a s'more. And was rewarded for my efforts with the following:

Him: That was the best dessert ever! You are the best mommy ever!

Okay... you're forgiven.

It's April 16...

2010-04-16T10:53:00.000-07:00

...and we're still standing. Halleluia.

"Miracle" Video

2010-04-15T13:50:00.000-07:00

Rap isn't my thing, but this song is pretty cool. And - bonus - my friend Kevin is in it (the son-in-law in the argument.) Congrats Kevin!!

Spring Fever

2010-04-14T19:37:00.000-07:00

Every so often I get the itch to redecorate/rearrange my house. What can I say? I'm a compulsive organizer. Those of you who know me know exactly what I mean. I'm scarily organized. OCD, even. Anyhow, today the lack of convenient outlet to plug in my vacuum finally pushed me over the edge. Before we got the piano, we had the perfect spot - we could reach the entire main level without moving the cord - a huge bonus when you're fending off three kids who love cords. Now that outlet is behind our wonderful new toy. (Have I mentioned lately how much I love that piano? Well I do, despite the fact that owning it has led to an increase in fur balls on my carpet.) So today, I decided to solve the problem. How did I do it?

I moved the 200+ pound, solid cherry china hutch from our living room to our dining room.

There's a long story about why it wasn't in that most logical of places to begin with, but I won't bore you with it. I emptied the entire thing, including the 20 or so pieces of crap (*ahem* accessories) on top under - I do not exaggerate - 1/4" layer of dust. Then I gave it a push. And it moved. If it hadn't, one of my neighbors would've gotten a phone call. Now, as the crow files, the hutch is approximately six feet away from it's original location and facing the other way. The thing is, there is a wall between here and there. And baby gates. And two small children (Reg was napping or this so wouldn't have happened.) And a nervous Golden Retriever who HATES it when I rearrange her world. So the move took a bit longer than one might imagine.

Of course, freeing up that wall meant other things had to move. The two dressers with the DVDs and games, my desk, assorted end tables, the love seat. And, of course, the piano. Twice. Because I had to see if it worked better in the hutch's old home, didn't I? (Two things: 1-It didn't, so it's back in it's original spot, blocking my favorite outlet. 2-It weighs considerably less than that effing hutch I've been terrified to move for the last, oh, eight years.)

The long and short (or really, just long) of it is that I'm now writing to you from the convenience of my living room, listening to the piano, looking out the window at our gorgeous camellias, rhododendrons, magnolias and the most beautiful Japanese maple you've ever seen. Not to mention the forget-me-nots, bluebells, violets and moss-covered boulders that make up my gorgeous side garden. I'd take a photo for you but it's dark, so I'm mostly looking at my own reflection.

But tomorrow..! Oh, the view....

Melting a Mommy Heart

2010-04-13T20:33:00.000-07:00

My baby just waved goodnight to me.

Can I get an "Awwww"?

April 13, 2010

2010-04-13T19:37:00.000-07:00

This month is never going to end.

300

2010-04-08T16:28:00.000-07:00

The word that put it over the hump?

chicken

Figures...

Hoppy Easter!

2010-04-05T07:53:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately the cutest one of the kids is really blurry.

Apparently it was a long morning of fighting over eggs.

World's Most Patient Dog in her "Egg House"

We Are In So Much Trouble

2010-03-23T20:00:00.000-07:00

Reginald can walk.

Really walk, not just cruise.

Like, from place to place. Without us.

Send help.

And It's Only Tuesday...

2010-03-23T10:25:00.000-07:00

Tuesday: Well, at least the books are still on the shelf...

Tuesday: Trapped and crying... until he saw the camera.

Monday: Could you squeeze into a tighter space?

Sunday: My boys "playing."

(Check out the drool-damp shirt - getting 4 molars at once.)

Birthday Girl

2010-03-12T20:49:00.000-08:00

To My Cutie, My Sweetie,

It's your third birthday. Three whole years of Cassandra Jane. Three years of wary scowls, cuddling with blankets and sucking two fingers backwards. Three years of big blue eyes with long dark lashes, three years of “Tka Tka Tka!” (and three years of us attempting to discern what it means.) Three years of “Beautiful Princess Girl” and “Tantrum Girl.” Three years...

How has this last year changed you? You're taller and leaner. Your hair is longer and curlier. Your smile is just as bright and just as hidden behind your fingers. You still have an abiding love of Curious George and Wallace and Gromit but have added Wow Wow Wubbzy and Word World. You have become even more picky in your eating habits, a feat your parents didn't believe possible. You couldn't care less about the potty but can just about brush your own teeth. You love the piano.

You still don't talk much. Oh, you have a huge, bizarre vocabulary. But you're quiet, reserved and when you do speak, your voice is reminiscent of Minnie Mouse – high, soft and incredibly fast. Getting you to ask for juice, rather than slamming a drawer and screaming, has been a major milestone. However, last week you stood behind me and said to your annoying younger brother (in a frighteningly familiar tone) “You go in the living room!” On Christmas morning you were still just as interested in the paper as you were the toys, then later astounded us by correctly reading off all the letters on our Scrabble trays. You won't play Candyland, but heaven help the Papa who tries to pry the pieces from your hand. Yesterday you counted to ten for me. You are a walking, whiny, reading and pouting contradiction who daily amazes and annoys us.

You love books, animal figurines and Arby's. You hate knots in your hair, new foods and being told no. You prefer Mama over Papa, Reggie over Teddy, chocolate over vanilla. Chocolate over Mama. Chocolate over oxygen...

You are our “late to bed, early to rise, often up in the middle of the night” child. You fall asleep at the dinner table. You love to flip and twirl, your brother's bike and soft pretzels. You love the playground, your father's voice and your mother's fingers. You are our fearless, flexible, solemn and gentle child.

As I sit and write this on the eve of your fourth year, you are dancing and hooting behind your bedroom door. In a few hours your father will go in there, pull your sleeping form from beneath Ted's bed and tuck you in. A few more hours and you'll be up again, ready to face the morning, ready to find a pink birthday doughnut.

I'm ready for you to be potty trained. I'm ready for you to communicate in something beyond an indignant screech. I'm ready to craft with you, shop with you, discuss “Nancy Drew” with you. I'm ready for all those things a mother dreams about doing with her daughter. But you're not, not yet anyway. And you know what? That's all right. For now, you can still be my baby girl.

The rest can wait.

A Cold and Rainy Day

2010-03-11T09:46:00.001-08:00

The kids still love the piano.

Ted now asks us to find "Middle C" for him.

Not that he knows what that means...

Reg has figured out how to climb in and out of the chairs and has

decided they are a good place to read a book

It's Thursday again. The temperature is in the low 40's and it is raining on and off. Days like this make me want to curl up with a book and a cup of tea, but with three needy kids that's just not likely. Instead, I baked some pumpkin muffins and plan to break out the crayons after lunch. Unlike most weeks, this is a real Thursday - Brandon is taking Saturday off to spend with Birthday Girl (he will work Sunday instead.) He gets them all to himself in the morning so I can get a haircut but I'm sure we'll find something fun to do in the afternoon.

If You Say So

2010-03-10T07:44:00.001-08:00

Ted has been wandering around singing and chattering to himself. As he does this 24/7 (that may be a slight exaggeration - he does sleep sometimes) I've learned to tune most of it out. Occasionally, he breaks through my barrier with a completely random statement, like this one:

Ted, holding up a LEGO creation, a look of epiphany on his face. "Hey!! That's it!! Songs make snow!"

Me, confused but willing to play along. "Songs make snow?" Is that like a rain dance?

Waving the creation (Car? Plane? Snowmobile? Who knows.) "Yes!! Songs make snow - like this!!" Singing "Yo ho we make snow" to the tune of "A Pirate's Life for Me" and dancing around with the LEGO snow maker.

I think I need more coffee if I'm to follow that one...

Photo Catch Up 5: Reggie Curls & Piano

2010-03-08T12:02:00.001-08:00

I'd like a photo of all of them at the piano, but the rule is only two people at a time. And no pushing anyone off. And don't play with the buttons. But feel free to bang away on the keys - that's why we bought one with volume control!

Like the hair? He has gorgeous curls on the sides and in back, and old man hair on top. That's one big forehead, Mullet Boy!

Photo Catch Up 4: Christmas '09

2010-03-08T11:30:00.000-08:00

The first photo illustrates the problem with our camera. About half the shots turn out like this. And no, neither Cassie nor I were moving - this isn't an action shot.

The first three photos are Christmas morning. The last one is Christmas Eve (post-very-late-party) and Papa doing his yearly rendition of "The Night Before Christmas." Like the jammies?

Photo Catch Up 3: Christmas Eve Party

2010-03-08T11:12:00.000-08:00

These are from the party at Brandon's employer's house. They were taken with a phone. Sadly, the quality isn't that much worse than the ones from my camera.

Photo Catch Up 2: Random Shots

2010-03-08T11:09:00.001-08:00

This one is from before the piano - now they hide behind it instead of the chair. The first photo was a really cold day we decided to take a walk. I call them my "Brown Bensons" - I'm not in the photo because my coat is black.

Photo Catch Up 1: Reg's Birthday

2010-03-08T11:01:00.001-08:00

Where Did the Photos Go?

2010-03-08T10:40:00.000-08:00

I originally started this blog to share photos and anecdotes. As you may have noticed, the photos have disappeared. There are three reasons for this. 1) I don't take as many photos as I should. 2) My camera is (ahem) annoying. 3) For reasons known only to the gods of technology, my previously easy to download photo stick no longer likes my laptop. Used to be I'd pop the sucker in, a box would appear, I'd click "download" and voila - photos! Now there is no box. I have to hunt around to find where the device is and tell it where to load, plus deal with naming things. Why, oh why, did this happen? Where did I go wrong? The whole process irritates me so much (because it is way tedious and because I miss the old way) that I pretty much haven't taken a photo in the last two months. (Hanging my head in shame.)

So that's why you haven't seen photos of Reg's birthday, Christmas, food, or pretty much anything else. If I ever manage to get downstairs to the computer that all photos are archived on, I may actually play a bit of catch up. And, if I'm really ambitious, I'll figure out what's wrong with my camera before Cassie's birthday (Last year's photos were a disaster. Yes, it's been a problem for that long. I am pathetic.) Be patient. Within the next few weeks (months) I'll sort this all out.

Or buy a new camera.

Labels

2010-03-05T20:07:00.000-08:00

Obsessive-compulsive that I am, I love the Label function on these posts and wish I had used them from the start. Now you can search for all my posts on birthdays (holidays, adorable children, etc.) with one easy click. The list is slightly further down on the right.

Most of the labels are self explanatory, but a few deserve definitions:

Day by Day - Just the everyday stuff of our lives.
Things They Say - It's usually cute kid comments, but Brandon scores a few too.
Aww... How Cute - Precious moments that save me from...
Why Mama Drinks - I originally titled this "Kid for Sale" (i.e. things they do that make me consider selling them to the circus, or at least UPSing them to Grandma), but decided that a Google search on that term might bring in some really scary readers.
Whine - Me ranting about something. Hey, would you rather I rant at poor Brandon?
The Outside World - Links to posts by other people or cool things online.

Any other labels you think would be handy? Leave a comment and let me know.

TED!!

2010-03-05T09:29:00.000-08:00

How many times in one morning can I say "Ted stop kicking him/her?"

Apparently 458. And it's only 9:30.

Is It Friday Yet?

2010-03-05T08:07:00.000-08:00

"Why, yes it is!" You say...

Yeah, everywhere but here. Here, it's Thursday, Part II. I feel like I'm trapped in a Bill Murray film.

The monsters are their usual level of irritating - up at 6:30 (why???), won't eat their specially prepared, kid approved breakfasts, fighting over LEGO buttermilk (don't ask.) We're watching Toy Story 2 for the umpteenth time in the last two days. Thank you Brandon for showing them the TS3 preview online. I'm officially Buzz Lightyear'ed out. And I got a crappy nights sleep, so I'm especially grumpy.

Grump. Grump. Grump.

There. I feel better! In order to keep moving today, I'm baking up a storm. I've already made Pepita Trail Mix. Granola is next, possibly followed by pumpkin bread. Or maybe something that can be baked on cookie sheets - save me (hubby) more pans to clean.

Aww - Reg is trying to crawl around with a giant plastic fireman's helmet on his head completely blocking his vision. And why are his pants half way down his butt? Ted? I know you have something to do with it...

My plans for the weekend are thrilling. Thrilling, I tell you! See, tomorrow morning we're taking the kids to Bob's Red Mill for breakfast and shopping. Yes, the actual red mill, the one on the label (for all of you who actually buy their products.) They're located a few minutes from here and, if we're really lucky, we'll get to see Bob again (we did once!) Then Brandon is off to work to enjoy some beefy sandwich now that Veg Month is over. Our sitter CG is coming to watch the monsters so I can...

wait for it

...weed. Yes, rain or shine, the front yard is getting cleaned up tomorrow. Doesn't that sound like fun?! Don't you want to be me?!

No?

Me either. *sigh* God, is it only 8:20?

Don't mind me while I ramble on... haven't had any coffee yet. Oooh - BiMart opens in a half hour or so. We could go buy some primroses. And stop at Starbucks. Or Papaccinos. Or The Green Bean. Or First Cup. There is a whole lotta coffee between here and there.

I've just realized this post should probably be on my food site, as it is mostly about food. And grousing. Nah... if it were about grouse, that would be different...

Shutting up now.

Have a nice weekend!

Babies Are Everywhere

2010-02-25T16:00:00.000-08:00

Except in this house (hallelujah!) Now that our baby is no longer a "baby" - because no one with that many razor sharp teeth can officially be a "baby" - I have a case of baby envy. And everywhere I look, there's another one! My cousin is due to pop any week now. My best friend put forth a gorgeous little girl on Valentine's Day. And this guy, whom I've never met but who's blog I've read for a while, has now become a father as well.

This link is to a moment of sheer insanity. Go down a few entries to read the story of Sanne's birth and see the photos of possibly the most beautiful baby girl I've ever seen. Then follow the link in the "Awesome" posting. Not only is it one friend reaching out to another to say "Well done lad!", but a worldwide community standing behind two new parents screaming "Yay you!!!" If you watch closely, you can see a whole Bunch of Bensons.

Go. Watch it. It will make you feel good about the world.

Still My Baby

2010-02-23T11:12:00.000-08:00

Random Thoughts for This Week:

Reggie is still my baby. He took his morning nap curled up on top of me. I've missed that.
We're trying to break Cassie of her finger sucking by loosely taping her fingers together. Works great when the tape is on - take it off and they're instantly in her mouth. Hmm.
Brandon and I were discussing our vegetarian month and realized that neither of us really missed meat. I also had the epiphany last night that going veg this month has kept me from once saying "Crap - I forgot to defrost the meat!"
Reg has finally hit the picky phase. He's never liked carrots, but now he refuses scrambled eggs, cheese sticks (sometimes) and yesterday, he and Cass both refused their cheese sandwiches. Lovely. Anyone found Kid Kibble yet?
The count as of today: 5 documents, 437 pages, 162,579 words in four months.
Reg has cut another molar (just barely). Two down, two to go.
Ted is obsessed with our new Fireman Sam discs. I'm expecting a Welsh accent any day now.
The piano project is coming along nicely. Brandon still does better with two hands, but I'm getting really good with the treble clef. Bach's Minuet in G is all but mastered.
Last week's cinnamon rolls - defrost and bake perfectly, thank you very much.

Guess that's about all here. After a week of sun and 60 degrees, we're in the 40's today and a bit rainy. Sounds like a soup day to me!

Boy Germs!

2010-02-22T10:30:00.000-08:00

It's one of those mornings - the kind where Ted spends his time torturing Cassie under the guise of "I'm just playing with her." Yeah, uh huh. Go sell stupid somewhere else. There has been much hat stealing, tackling and tickling, poking with wooden knives (yes, I took them away), etc. Typical Monday. After being told for the 467,000th time to "LEAVE HER ALONE", Ted finally realized "Hey, maybe I am upsetting her..." (What the shrieking wasn't clue enough??!!!)

He stopped tickling his prone, wailing sister, paused, then very gently bent down and kissed her head. She stopped screaming and looked up at him in horror before quickly scooting away. The look quite clearly said "Eww! Gross!"

I thought that reaction didn't happen until grade school.

I Still Hate Thursdays

2010-02-18T06:47:00.000-08:00

Remember this rant from last tax season? Well, this week I'm sick and sick of tax season. I went to the doctor yesterday and got a prescription for codeine cough syrup - the only thing that simultaneously knocks me out and stops the incessant coughing. Well, guess what?

It didn't work.

At all.

I got about four hours of patchy sleep. Wide awake at 5:15 this morning, I decide to do something really nice for my family. I have been craving cinnamon rolls/sticky buns for the better part of a month. Yesterday afternoon I made up a batch from a Food Network star I usually love. Since I was up early this morning, I decided to bake it for breakfast. Huge mistake. I should have read all the comments, including the ones that mentioned that there is way too much butter in the recipe. So much that it will overflow your pan and create a huge amount of smoke in your kitchen. At five-freaking-thirty in the morning. Instead of waking my family up to the smell of cinnamon rolls, I woke them with the sound of the smoke alarm. Lovely.

Oh, and there's now nothing prepared for breakfast. Great.

I hate Thursdays.

11:30 Update: SUCCESS!!! I made my traditional cinnamon roll recipe after breakfast this morning. Why didn't I do this in the first place? Because it takes four hours. So we had yummy, gooey, fragrant cinnamon rolls for lunch. The children were thrilled. I am thrilled. We are all in sugar shock. And, even better, I divided up the rolls among three pans and froze two of them for future mornings. Afternoons. Late nights. Whatever.

February Virus Update

2010-02-17T14:56:00.000-08:00

Reg is almost over his cold. He's still a little snotty, but not nearly as bad as he was.

I, on the other hand, just got back from the doctor's office clutching prescriptions for antibiotics and codeine cough syrup. I may only get sick once a year, but I do a bang up job of it - a sinus infection on top of the bronchitis. My doctor was just happy I hadn't developed pneumonia (yet) and promised I'd be better by the weekend.

A better life through chemistry!!

It's Tuesday Again

2010-02-16T08:10:00.000-08:00

The Un-Mom does a Random Tuesday Thoughts that for some reason I can't figure out how to link to. Check it out - pretty cool. Here are mine:

Last Friday I accidentally scratched Reggie's face while trying to keep him from flipping off the couch. There was a shallow, abrasion-type scratch that bled a little, but no big deal. Until we gave him a bath on Sunday night. He screamed THE ENTIRE TIME he was in the bathroom, in and out of the water. He screamed so much that the little scratch filled up with blood and is now a huge scab. Lovely.
Remember the mention of zucchini bread? Well, that morning Reg devoured his, Cassie ate some of hers and Ted didn't want his so it went into the trash. Now, Reggie loves our trash can. It's a step can about 2.5' tall. When it's empty, he can push it across the floor like a walker. Great, huh? Anyhow, that day it was empty save for a few paper towels. Reg opened the lid, as he is wont to do, saw Ted's discarded zucchini bread and determined "Hey! Food!! Yum!!!" So he reached in and fished out a piece. He had it almost in his mouth when I caught him. I took it away, yelled at him (and for the first time, made him cry - bad mommy) and put him in the living room. At which point Ted turned to me and said "But Mommm... he's huuungry!"
Ted has been a pain in the ass for the last week or so. I've got a nasty cold (which is likely now walking pneumonia - typical me) so we haven't gone out at all. He's taking out his boredom on his sister, who in turn is going after the baby. As Brandon says, s*#$ rolls downhill. I'm not a mom - I'm a referee.
Reg has cut one molar. Three to go.
We actually got out to the mall on Sunday. Big mistake (I have 3 kids - you can figure out why), but there was a cute/cringe moment. I was sitting with Cass and Reg, who were both pretty content to people watch and suck their fingers. A grandfather came up to us and said "I've never seen another kid suck their fingers like that! My son did and we thought it was so odd." We chatted about how it is a strange position and how I'm not sure how to break them of it. His wife came up and he pointed it out. She was thrilled to see some other kids doing the strange thing hers did. I asked how she got him to stop. "Oh, he gave it up on his own." "Really? How old was he?" "Oh, about five. Good luck!"
Ted is so excited to start school... in seven months. I keep telling him if he wants to go to school, he has to learn to do up his own fly first. So far, no go.
Cassie has become THE whiniest child lately. Every real or perceived slight is met with wailing and fussing and snotty-raspberry blowing. It's getting really old really fast.

I've saved the best for last - my best friend BC delivered a healthy baby girl on Valentine's Day. I'm more thrilled for her than I can say. (And just the tiniest bit jealous.) Congratulations on baby Lyla!

Where is Snow White When We Need Her?

2010-02-12T11:15:00.001-08:00

Seriously, I want someone to come clean my house and take care of my meals. We have more than enough Dwarfs... There is:

Grumpy (the poor guy works crazy hours - can you blame him?)

Sneezy (though my baby might also be called Snotty.)

Bossy ("Just make dinner NOW Mama!" says my eldest.)

Whiny (poor persecuted princess is such a tattletale!)

Sleepy (my default Dwarf setting - Grumpy and Snotty also apply.)

Dopey (have you met my dog?)

Hmm... Guess Papa will also have to be Doc as he picked up the cold medicine for me yesterday.

My life is just a fairy tale...

Tax Season, Week 2

2010-02-10T17:06:00.000-08:00

Tax season started last week, which means Brandon is working nights and weekends. Last week he managed to miss the worst of Reg cutting his first molar (great timing, babe.) This week, Cassie, Reg and I have colds. I'm sure Ted will follow soon. Just when I was getting really grumpy about this, I realized when the last time we all were sick was - last February (see here, here and here.) I suppose the fact that we haven't been through this in a year should make me happy. And it does. Sorta.

In the meantime, I've been busy baking zucchini bread (that's a whole other post!) and learning the "easy" versions of the songs from Les Miserables. So far, the Elton John and Billy Joel songbooks (children of the '80's, you know) are out of our leagues, but we're getting pretty good at Ode to Joy. We're both amazed by how much we remember about sight reading and playing, given that neither of us has touched an instrument in 20-odd years. Guess it really is like riding a bike. Ted loves "his" piano but won't play unless we set out some music for him. He can't read - let alone read music - but he knows all those black squiggles must mean something if Mom & Papa are always looking at them. It is terribly cute.

So... that's about it here. Writing and playing and cooking and wiping snot. (FYI for those in the know: the total is 379 pages. Yikes.) We're just looking to get through the next nine weeks in one piece. I'll keep you posted.

This Morning Brought to You By...

2010-02-04T09:48:00.000-08:00

Let's see... by 9:45 this morning, I have:

Made pumpkin spice farina for hubby breakfast
Packed hubby lunch
Made breakfast for & fed kids
Dressed kids (one of them twice)
Sorted 8 boxes of kids clothes
Washed and dried 4 loads of laundry
Sorted 4 boxes of baby stuff for cousin
Reorganized two closets
Changed 4 diapers
Packed baby stuff for friend
Moved a bunch of crap to the garage (for later sale)
Reorganized bathroom cabinet
Played ball with son

This morning brought to you by EIGHT STRAIGHT HOURS OF SLEEP. Amazing what I can accomplish when I'm rested.

Of course, I will now sit on my but for an hour and play my new piano.

But He's My Baby

2010-02-03T15:23:00.000-08:00

It's official - Theodore is registered to start kindergarten in September.

Where does the time go...

Notice Anything New?

2010-02-01T09:03:00.000-08:00

Yes, isn't that a lovely countdown calendar? So pretty, so useful... so depressing.

It's Tax Season here in the Benson household. The season where we see an exhausted Papa one day a week and each night for dinner and a quick bedtime story. By April, the children will have forgotten who he is and I will have drunk all the alcohol in the house. But that's what trips to the beach are for, right?

Actually, the trip is the kid's reward for tax season. Mine was the piano.

I wonder what Brandon gets... Any suggestions?

We Bought a Piano!!!!

2010-01-31T16:41:00.000-08:00

Yay! It's a Yamaha Clavinova, so it's a Digital Piano, from Classic Pianos. I am more excited than I can say!! I'll update you when it arrives.

Thanks Kid

2010-01-28T15:18:00.000-08:00

Teddy just pointed to the part in my hair and said "You're going all gray."

Yes... and it's all your fault.

Um, OK...

2010-01-14T18:29:00.000-08:00

Guess how old Teddy will be in May?

Morning Has Broken... Me

2010-01-11T08:32:00.000-08:00

Since Thursday, Brandon has been going back to the office after he puts the kids to bed. He has a big project due this week and not enough hours to get it done. I'm thankful he stays home long enough to get the monsters down (because they really don't like me to do it) but the waiting up for him to get home is getting a bit old. Yes, I know, I shouldn't wait up. Tough. I'm practicing for when Cassie gets her first boyfriend.

Anyhow...

Around four this morning, Brandon woke up and soon realized he couldn't fall back asleep (sounds like my tale, huh?), so he went downstairs to watch a movie. (Total aside - he liked "Away We Go" but it had too many "cringe" moments to recommend it to me. I have low cringe tolerance.) About 45 minutes later, I awoke, looked about blearily, and went to find my sleeps-through-a-bomb husband. We talked. I went back to bed.

And lay there, unable to fall back asleep. I turned on a movie - my usual method for distraction - and it worked. For about ten minutes. Then I heard it...

"Tee hee hee!" (thump, thump, thump) "Ha ha ha! Tee hee!" (thump, thump.)

Cassie was awake. At five in the @#$% morning. I tried my best to ignore her for the next hour or so. I sort of succeeded. At about 6:20, Brandon went and got her, waking up Ted in the process. Now Ted can stall like a '67 Chevy, so Brandon left him in bed, thinking he'd wander down eventually. Nope - he popped right up and wanted to start his day. Normally we're dragging his little butt down the stairs at 7:30, but not today.

No, of course not.

Now, being the morning person that I am (was), I should be glad to have them all up and dressed before seven. But not today. Today I am tired. Today, I wanted to get some sleep. Because today (and tomorrow) Brandon will not be home for lunch which means today will be A VERY LONG DAY.

Why is it that on days like this, days when I know I'm in for a long haul, I perversely get less/crappier sleep than usual? This happens all the time and frustrates the hell out of me. And, just for added fun, the kids are now sleep deprived too.

So there we sat, Brandon, Cassie and I on the sofa, wondering how this happened. Ted was making sure we all had appropriate head gear (don't ask) and Cassie was just happy to cuddle both parents. Brandon was cracking jokes about how today and tomorrow will be such fun. How he'll be gone Wednesday night too, volunteering (and therefore forcing me to do bedtime.) He laughed as we both heard Reggie cackling upstairs. I looked daggers at him.

"It's gallows humor, honey." He said with a sad shake of his head (but still chuckling.)

Yeah, and I'm the one with the noose around my neck.

And It's Only 8:40...

2010-01-05T08:30:00.000-08:00

Our morning, thus far:

While pouring my second giant mug of coffee this morning, I looked into the living room. There, next to the train table, sat my littlest guy, happily chewing on a puzzle piece. Ted, standing beside him, staring at nothing in particular, reached down for another piece and handed it to Reg. He then knelt down, gathered his baby brother in a big hug, kissed him on the head, released him, got up and walked away. Neither boy noticed me watching, so this was not for my benefit. I damn near cried.
As I write, Ted is currently screaming "Reggggieeee!!!" because his much loved brother has the audacity to play with "his" toys.
Do I need to explain why it is my second giant mug of coffee?

And In Other News...

2010-01-04T10:02:00.000-08:00

My daughter can now trill her R's and purr like a cat. She's been doing it - while holding her Lego kitty - for the last ten minutes.

Is that an inherited trait, like detached earlobes or the ability to curl your tongue?

The Recovery

2010-01-04T08:41:00.000-08:00

I love it when Brandon is home for a few days. He willingly takes on much of the kiddie duties and it is, well, nice to spend some time with the old man. But the children... they LOVE having him home. Endless teasing, books and climbing on Papa Mountain. Given the choice, they'd definitely prefer him to be the stay-at-home parent. Which explains today...

Today is The Day After.

The day after a long weekend with their dad. The day the younger two will whine incessantly and the older one will drive me completely around the bend. Seriously folks, it's 8:44. Brandon has been gone an hour. Ted has already pushed down each of his siblings, hoarded toys, taken a swing at me and been in time out. Ted REALLY does not like it when "Papa go back work." He spends one, if not two days in detox before he settles back into our regular routine. And it is all I can do not to box him up and ship him to Grandma in Chicago.

How much do you think UPS charges to overnight 45 pounds of preschooler?

Curly Haired Boy!

2010-01-03T18:52:00.000-08:00

How cute is this? Last week, my baby had straight hair. This week it has curled. I think it makes him look even more like his Uncle... and his big sister.

Welcome 2010!

2010-01-01T08:49:00.000-08:00

The children were asleep and Brandon and I were discussing what a year 2009 has been and what we're looking forward to about 2010. We talked of books, blogs and babies, all which figure prominently in our lives. We raised our glasses to a new year - me with some Jameson's, him with the last of the sherry - and realized that, for the first time since 2003, I spent an entire calendar year not pregnant. Yikes. Grateful for the whiskey, I saluted 2010 - a year when we (somewhat) get our lives back... and I get my body back!

Look out world - here we come!

Here's hoping your new year holds as much promise.

Now, if you'll excuse me, someones nose needs wiping...

Our Christmas Photo

2009-12-30T08:37:00.000-08:00

Theodore (4.5) - Reginald (1) - Cassandra (2.5)

Favorite Christmas Moment

2009-12-27T19:20:00.000-08:00

Reg was napping. Ted was watching a new video. Cassie was wandering about, doing her own girlie thing. Brandon and I escaped to the dining room with Mimosas and Scrabble.

After about twenty minutes, Cassie wandered by, as she is wont to do. She stopped by Brandon's elbow and started reciting letters. She often does this when she sees words. After a moment, I realized something.

"Is she reading off your tiles?"

"Yes."

"Is she getting them right?" I asked, astounded.

"Perfectly."

She came over to my side and did the same thing with my seven tiles. Wow.

Brandon is sad - now he has two girls to beat him at Scrabble

My Man

2009-12-23T16:34:00.000-08:00

Today my darling husband turns 39. I'd planned to write something sappy, something along the lines of what I wrote to our children on their birthdays. But faced with this blank screen, I'm coming up empty. How do you summarize thirty-nine years? Granted, I've only known the last eighteen or so, but even that stretches my abilities. So I've looked around for inspiration.

If he was a book, the dust jacket would read something like this:

"Tale of the everyman - one man's journey from a suburban childhood to life in the big city to contented family man. A thoroughly enjoyable read."

A movie review would read:

"Heart warming. Classic. A must see for all fathers-to-be."

A Tweet:

"Dad, Husband, Blogger, CPA, Lawyer."

Do these descriptions summarize him. Yes. Do they encompass all he is to us? No.

There simply aren't enough words for that.

So I'll just say this: Happy Birthday Brandon. May year forty be the best one yet.

Love, love,
Heidi

Christmas Week

2009-12-21T10:11:00.000-08:00

The children are happily watching Clifford and playing with their toy kitchen. I have Jam Snowball cookie dough - my absolute favorite - chilling in the fridge. While sipping Starbucks Christmas blend coffee, I'm burning a CD of Christmas music for my neighbor.

It's dark and rainy, but warm. The house smells of oranges and cloves - gotta love pomanders. Brandon is working only two days this week, so we'll soon have all the Papa we could ever want.

I'm heading upstairs at nap time to wrap the last of the children's gifts. My wonderful husband purchased all the kid's gifts this year - even their ornaments. What a guy. He braved Toys-R-Us all by himself. And Hallmark, The Children's Store and Powell's. Brave, brave man.

All said, it's a pretty good way to start what is sure to be a hectic week. And you know what?

I'm feeling pretty darn grateful. Just thought I'd share.

Ted's Christmas Wish

2009-12-17T12:15:00.000-08:00

Conversation over lunch today...

Me: What would you like for Christmas Teddy?

Ted: (pause) Presents.

Me: What kind of present?

Ted: (long pause) A suit.

Me: A suit? Like pants and a jacket?

Ted: Yes.

Me: (amused) Would you like a tie with that?

Ted: (thinks for a moment) No. Just jacket and pants.

Me: OK... What color?

Ted: Blue. And orange. Oh, and brown.

Me: Stripes or polka dots?

Ted: Pota dots.

Me: A blue, orange and brown polka dot suit. That's what you want for Christmas?

Ted: (completely sincere) Yes. A suit.

Any suggestions where I can fill this request?

With a Week to Go...

2009-12-16T08:08:00.000-08:00

What does it say about my morning that the closest I've come to eating breakfast is a cup of coffee? I simply don't have the ambition to make anything else. Unless it is Jam Thumbprint cookies. Or Lemon Bars. Maybe I should just slice off a piece of fruitcake and call it done...

Anyhow... I still have ornaments to buy, one last Brandon birthday/Christmas gift to pick up (hopefully), presents to wrap and mail (sorry family - yours may be late), cards to finish... well, you get the picture. What I want to do is curl up with a book - what I will do involves laundry detergent. And hopefully the other computer, where all the adorable photos from Reg's party are.

But don't get your hopes up just yet.

I still need some breakfast.

Ted's Drawings

2009-12-14T11:03:00.000-08:00

Alien and Spaceship

Truck

Hid Kid

2009-12-14T11:02:00.000-08:00

The Little Guy

2009-12-10T08:56:00.000-08:00

It was a cold, dry night. I was heavily, painfully pregnant but determined to go to Target. As you were our third child in four years, there really wasn't much we needed, but we did need newborn diapers (and bigger diapers, and wipes, and coffee, etc.), so after dinner on December 9th, the four of us headed out. In less than thirty minutes, we were back in the car, purchases in hand, and I was relieved to be heading home to bed. And to bed I went at 8:30 that evening.

Typically, I was up several times that night. I remember waking at 4:15 and thinking "Great, only two more hours to sleep", going about my business, and painfully rearranging myself in bed. Minutes passes and, in my half-asleep state, I realized I had to go again. I looked at the clock - 4:32. "Huh? I just went!" Then I noticed the drip, drip, drip, like a leaky faucet. Only it wasn't the faucet. "Ugh - you're not due for two weeks. You're supposed to be delivered on your Papa's birthday. You can't be coming on the tenth. We're not READY!"

But we were. We were ready at 8:00 the night before, when I put the tiny newborn diapers in their basket. And my poor, tired body knew it. The time had come...

I woke your dad with the phrase every expectant father longs (dreads) to hear: "Honey, my water just broke."

"Wwhannsee...huuhh?"

I waited for the reality to sink in. Minutes passed. Finally: "What (yawn) time is it?"

"4:45"

Fwummp (the sound a head hitting the pillow makes.)

The rest is history.

* * * * *

It's been a whole year. 2009 went by in a blur of firsts - first smile, first tooth, first time crawling, first blueberries (see above), all recorded for future perusal. But there are other firsts I missed photographing - first bath, first doctor's visit, first Packer game. I wish I had a good reason, but the only feeble excuse I have is this: you are the third child and I've been distracted.

You will always be the last to do anything. You will wear hand-me-down clothes, play with worn toys and never have a room of your own. You'll often be left behind by your older siblings because "you're too little." And this isn't fair. And you know what?

You'll be the better for it.

You will have examples to follow and people to look up to. You will always have a playmate. You will never want for someone to talk to. You will always have a partner in crime - or a scapegoat to blame. If you are smart you will learn from their mistakes and their triumphs. It will be a wonderful way to grow up, always surrounded by a loud, loving family.

That is my birthday gift to you, my Little Guy - your family. Oh, your father and I will bear most of the responsibility for bringing you up. We will guide you and teach you, discipline and praise you. But the most valuable lessons you will learn will be from your siblings.

From your older brother, you will learn to play, to rough house, to run around with make-believe swords, defending the sofa from space aliens. He will teach you to throw a ball, a Frisbee, a rock. You will learn that "Kisses make Mommy happy." He will tell you which teachers are best and who to avoid. You will learn the magic words that stop the PapaTickleMonster. He will show you the value of sleeping in. You will also learn, very soon I suspect, how to defend yourself. He will make your life a misery and he will be your best friend.

From your older sister you will learn the sweet joy of a cuddle, preferably with a blanket and pillow. She will teach you the art of the temper tantrum. You will learn that all bouts of fussy eating can be ended with the judicious application of chocolate. As she has shown you the joys of being a finger buddy, I hope she will someday be the one to break you of the habit. She will teach you to be gentle with animals, babies and, someday, your first girlfriend. She will be the standard against which you measure girls. And no matter how much she hates you, she will always love you.

You have your father's eyes and your mother's ears, your brother's laugh and your sister's smile. But you are uniquely you. You will share likes and dislikes, history and heritage, memories and dreams with each of us, but you are not us. You are simply you. Not blustering ahead like Ted or cautiously observing like Cassie, but happily following in the footsteps of those who love you most until you're ready to blaze your own trail.

Jut promise me, my baby boy - it won't be too soon.

Delay

2009-12-03T15:11:00.001-08:00

Well folks, I've got all sorts of great Thanksgiving photos and pictures of the kids. But for some reason known only to modern technology, I can't load them onto my computer.

Sorry! Stay tuned for further developments...

That Time of Year

2009-11-29T18:14:00.000-08:00

Number of hours it took to assemble and decorate the tree: 2.5

Number of hours the tree has been up: 25

Number of times I've since told my 2.5 year old to leave the damn tree alone: 457

It's going to be a long season...

I Am Who I Am

2009-11-24T18:53:00.000-08:00

Conversation overheard this evening:

Brandon: "Who am I?"

Ted: "Papa Brandon Dad."

Brandon: "Who is this? What is his name?"

Ted: "That's Reggie."

Brandon: "What's Mommy's name?"

(crickets chirping)

Brandon: "What's Mommy's name? You know Mama's name."

Ted: "She doesn't have a name. She's just my Mommy."

You Know They're Grown When...

2009-11-18T07:52:00.000-08:00

Your "baby" scarfs down his own chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast. Then starts eying yours...

*sigh*

The End of an Era

2009-11-11T18:32:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was the last time I nursed my son.

Today is the first day of the rest of my life as a mother.

I'm a little sad.

(The bottle of Malbec is helping.)

It's time to close that chapter of my life. There will be no more babies. No more three AM feedings. No more soft cuddling in the night, falling asleep with a baby in my lap.

(No more nursing pads. No more biting. No more three AM feedings.)

I have been pregnant or nursing for sixty-nine straight months.

(OK, I've had two months off. They were not consecutive.)

My baby is no longer just my baby. He is his own person. The decision to stop was his, not mine. I would have held on another month to give him a full year. He wanted to quit a month ago.

I am a little sad...

Tomorrow I am burning my nursing bras.

Free at last... free at last... Thank God Almighty, I'm free at last.

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-31T18:10:00.000-07:00

Aren't They Adorable?!!

Little Fire Truck

Our Dalmation Doggie

Fireman Ted

Baby Tour '09

2009-10-27T13:52:00.000-07:00

A day out with Beth... and without kids!

Gram & Reggie

Sleeping on Grandma

The December 10th Birthday Boys (Reg & Great Uncle Neal)

Our Airport Buddy (Reg & Great Uncle Kent)

We had a fantastic, if brief, visit in Chicago. The flight out was great - the flight home, not so much. Reg got plenty of cuddles and I got plenty of Italian beef. All said, a great success. Thanks to everyone who took the time to visit with us - it was fantastic to see you all.