Brockisms and Delay Tactics

My son thinks he has me under his thumb.  Well, he sort-of, okay, he definitely does.  This section will be known as "Brockisms":

• I have been working on making him actually use the legs that God has given him to walk.  But if I had a mother dumb enough to carry my 35lbs around, I think I would be beg for it, too.  It is so excruciating to say "No".  It falls out so easily, but my heart is saying that there will be one day that he won't hold me anymore.  And what about the workout I am getting from lifting/lugging his big butt around? Goodbye cheater workout!
• The crying - oh my lands this kid can cry.  He cries when he is mad, wants something, or just plan sad.  I know this is Karma's sick joke.  This is my fault for complaining about crying kids all those years.  Now I have one.  I love him, but man, he needs to figure out a better way to communicate. I guess this is new for me, because MacKenzie still only cries when something is drastically wrong!  I do have to say that this is an improvement from the fighting, hitting, and biting he used to do.  At least he reserves only the best for those of us at home that get to see him daily.  Summer is going to be interesting.
• The funny - That child has the most infectious laugh.  He has learned to sing quite well.  My personal favorite is "You got a friend in me".  In our house, it is pronounced: "ooo got a fren in Knee".  It is so stinking cute that I can't get enough.  However, he prefers solo renditions much better than duets.  When anyone else jumps in, they are swiftly chastised and dragging their tails to the nearest corner.  Evidently, he refuses to share the spotlight.
• The Dance Moves - Wow, he can dance too ladies.  I am impressed that he tries, but he is quite scary once the arms get to flailing and he springs up in the air.  I think we need to start grooming him for basketball now, because according to his dancing, we have a goldmine on our hands, especially on the defensive side.  I think he might even have a decent vertical as well, but seriously, his arms do look like his dribbling and fighting off defenders at the same time.
• Delay tactics - I like that he is potty trained, but there are days that I truly miss diapers.  Yes, it is my crutch and my laziness. 
• I miss being able to travel in the car for more than 30 minutes without having to stop to pee at every gas station.  Or how about feeling like you have to fumigate their hands because he touched the seat.  I also don't like stopping, because they want every item we walk by on the way there.
• I miss when you put them to bed at night, they actually stay there, and not ...."Mom, I need to poop!"  There in lies the delay tactics.  I had to hear that 4 times tonight.  Each time, I got him up, but stinker didn't go.  I think I am done with getting him up to poop.  I lied. I don't want to clean up poopy sheets either.  What to do, what to do?

Watch out ladies, he is a good catch.  He doesn't poop in his pants anymore, has basketball moves, can sing, tender hearted, helps you workout - What more could you ask for? 

One thing is for sure - if I don't get this worked out, he might still be living with me at the age of 30!

Fixing/Breaking the Car

My dear, sweet husband did an amazing thing for me last week.  He took my car with the intention of saving some money.  I am sure that his penny-pinching ways thought that he could easily change my spark plugs and save himself a ton of money.....well, a wrecker and dealership fee later, my car is fixed....I think?

Needless to say, my car needed some love.  He changed all of the plugs out but one - This one shall be known as the growth.  It was so corroded that Jeremy broke it off in the thing-a-bobber, and then had to make friends with the wrecker.  I call it the thing-a-bobber, because I am lucky that I even know what a spark plug looks like.  I think I can stop my knowledge of cars there.

Poor Jeremy was so upset at himself.  Well, at least he only spent (including the wrecker) what he would have spent taking it in anyways.  I do love him so much for trying.  I guess I can be glad that he knows how to do it, much less how to even open the hood.  Ladies, he is hot and useful all at the same time. 

Jeremy is a very handy fellow.  He has so many perfections that I have to make fun of his one imperfection.  No, it is not the breaking of cars; it is the need to tinker with everything.  He has to try to fix everything, even if it isn't broken.  Sprinkler heads - we now have three newly routed heads and lines, because one was not the way he wanted it.  But that man will make sure it is fixed in the long-run! 

Thank you Jeremy for always taking care of your family.  Did I mention that my truck was missing again?  That is tomorrow's task.  I think he must hate being off while the rest of us are away sometimes, but there are those golf dates that he gets to go on in between shuffling kids here and there and taking care of my honey-dos.  I love that man!

Summer Fun and Woos!

Every year I go through a sort of celebration/depression regarding the end of school/beginning of summer.  I know that you are wondering how in the world someone that gets two months off could be anything but excited....let me explain:

The Celebration -

• I love the idea of summer. 
• I love saying "bye" to long work days, grumpy moods, grades, parent emails, and discipline referrals. 
• I love saying "so long" to kindergarten homework that seems to take a lifetime. 
• I love saying "hello" to all the fun things I want to do with my kids.  Like learning to take pics. (Brock is taking this one.)

• I love the IDEA of sleeping late, which doesn't really happen.  But I do like the fact that if I have to be awake, at least I don't have to get out of my pj's. 
• I love not being tired at night when Jeremy has time to hang out.
• I do like teaching, but there are sometimes that having a student for one year is enough.  Change is good!
• I am also thankful that I have a husband to mow the lawn...with a little helper of course.

Depression -

• There is about two weeks worth of training I have to do, plus unpacking all the boxes from moving classrooms over the summer.
• There are some students that will stick in your brain for a lifetime.  They are the ones that you agonize over on a daily basis, sinking your heart into their successes and failures. 
• Lack of adult interaction seems to get to me.  Jeremy is there, but his ADHD kicks in, and he is gone just as fast.
• Being the main parent that takes care of the kids often wears me down.  I love my kids, but I also appreciate them much more when I work.  I have time away to reflect on how awesome they are!
• It is weird sometimes to be off when your other friends are working.  I equate the feeling to being awake in the middle of the night with a newborn and nothing to do.
• Summer seems to be difficult on my sense of fairness.  Because of Jeremy's schedule, I end up being a stay-at-home mom most of the time. 
• I am finally able to keep up with the house, friends, family, and doting over the hubster.  But there is a dark side to this - I often catch myself resenting the fact that I am home doing it all alone. 
• I get grumbly that Jeremy can't pick up and go whenever we feel like it.  As my friend Susan says, "I get my helping of GRUMPY PUFFS" quite frequently in the summer. 
• I miss the adult time. 
• I also seem to spend more money in the summer.  I have no idea why, but I do. I used to be an expert at doing free things with the kids.  I need to find that "me" again.

So in honor of the summer to come, I am posting pics that were taken on a morning trip with friends to a park here in town.

The Plan this Year.....SURVIVE......preferably with my marriage intact and my kids in one piece.  :)

Sink Pool

Saturday mornings are lazy days around the house, especially if we have late soccer games.  Jeremy and I were laying in bed talking, and then we noticed that the kids were rather quiet.  I looked around the playroom, bedrooms, and bathrooms, until I finally found them.  They were both in the bathroom with the door shut and locked, and all I could hear was the water running full blast in the sink......

I think I had one of those out of body experiences at that point.  I reached above the door for the handy pick that we hide above and picked it until I was in.  I didn't take any pictures for fear of the whole child pornography thing, but this is what I found:

I went to step on the floor, but stopped midstride.  Both kids were perched on top of the counter with their feet in the sink (stopper in), water overflowing onto the floor.  They were naked, clothes soaking on the floor, and taking handfuls of water and throwing it into the air.  The mirror was wet clear up to the top.  There was water everywhere!  It looked like the tub (which we don't have) had overflown onto the floor.  I told you that I almost stepped down....well, it was a mini pool that I was avoiding.  I wish I were playing about that.  It was at least a 1/2 inch of standing water.

I yelled for Jeremy to help me and then continued to yell at the kids.  Both of them were ordered to their rooms and never allowed to come out...well, not until the regulation alloted timeout had passed - still naked!   Now that I think of it....naked timeout would be great punishment unless you were Brock who loves being naked.  I think Daycare Timeout might pose a problem.  I can see it now, "Brock, go to timeout!"  That boy would be in timeout faster than anything only if he could do it naked of course.   I think CPS might be calling my house.

Jeremy arrives as I am almost in tears and bites his lower lip.  Really?  Are you seriously going to laugh at this?  It took us two loads of towels to clean up the water on the floor!  The entire time Jeremy was trying his hardest not to laugh in my face, but failing on many occasions.   Now that I think of it, maybe I need to take my kids to the pool.  I always try to see the bright side in everything, so here goes. 

For one instance before they knew what deep doodoo they were in, they were exquisitely happy.  They were smiling and laughing, and Brock was not affraid to get his face wet.  Even if I have a large water bill this month, at least it wasn't barf!  Because two loads of towels or not, those would be in the dump for the trashman to deal with!

The Shock of a Lifetime!

In honor of MacKenzie's 6th birthday, I am posting my shock of becoming a parent for the first time.  I originally wrote this for my students, because that is what good teachers do: they model what you teach.  SO here is my journey into parenthood:

Adults have Accidents, too

By Candi Petersma

Completely dressed and ready to leave the hospital for the third false alarm, I reached over my large, baby belly to pull on my shoes.  I could not believe it!  I felt a huge rush of warm water flowing down my legs, and there was only one liquid I knew that came out that way.  How old am I?  Did I just wet my pants?  Why can’t I stop going?

            I immediately called for Jeremy, my husband, because if I wet my pants, I was going to need some clothes to wear home.  Thinking I was overreacting about something, he seemed to take his time, while working up his patience to deal with his irrational, pregnant wife.  Standing there for what seemed like an eternity waiting on him to rescue me from my baby bladder, it still did not dawn on me that this was the real thing. 

            He finally walked in the restroom carrying my purse and all my stuff, annoyed because we were going home yet again due to false labor.  Any other time, I would have found it funny to watch him with all of my belongings but not today.  As he looked me up and down, he was astounded by my obviously weak bladder, which was soon followed by… “you are not getting in my truck like that.”

 Frustrated beyond belief, I thought, thanks Captain Obvious.  Then miserable pregnant momma chimed in: “Jeremy, stop staring and get me a nurse or some new clothes-Don’t just stare at me like I did this intentionally!”  I wanted to cry out of embarrassment.

When the nurse came in, she of course asked me if I wet my pants and seemed to be slightly putout because her shift was almost over.  I responded like a five-year-old who had an accident, “I don’t think so?”  She then takes out a magic piece of paper that was supposed to turn colors when it touched the pool I was standing in.  My pants turned cold as I waited.  How humiliating was this?  I was glued to my pee-pee-puddle, for fear if I moved, I would get it everywhere.  The last thing I wanted was a trail of “that” following me home.  The industrial-sized shower standing next to me looked appealing. 

The nurse then told me to do something I thought was nuts; she asked me to smell the liquid.  What!  Was this woman out of her mind?  I am not sticking my hand in pee!  It was bad enough that it was all over my clothes; now I had to stick my fingers in it. NO WAY!

So I timidly stuck the tip of my finger in the now large pool below my feet.  Flashbacks flooded my head about dropping things in the potty only to have to fish them out, so I painfully brought it to my nose expecting that distinct smell.  Was this supposed to be dramatic, because I did not smell anything?  The wicked witch of the pee-pee gods (the nurse) informed me that I needed to do the whole process again, because evidently, I did not have enough urine on my finger.

A little put out this time, I made sure that I soaked my fingers and drug them annoyingly to my nose once more.  This time, with a little sarcasm, I proceeded to dramatize as I inhaled deeply in the hopes that I would not miss the undeniable smell of a men’s urinal.  But to my surprise, I smelled something more like bleach.

Befuddled? Well, more like dumbfounded! The nurse showed me the magic strip of paper, which turned a funny shade.  Looking at the paper as if it were Greek to me, she said something that would change my life forever: “Get undressed honey, that was your water breaking, and you are officially in labor.” Women all over the world do this; it can’t be that bad….I prayed.   

This time, Jeremy almost wet his pants with excitement, ignoring my pleas of not being ready yet, and let’s not forget about the fear of the unknown.  Well guess what, that choice was no longer in my hands.  I gave birth after 9 long hours and 45 minutes of pushing to an 8lb 7oz girl.  And, yes, she was as difficult as you see in the movies.

MacKenzie Rae Petersma made a dramatic entrance into the world.  She surprised us that day and is carrying on the tradition daily with a little brother to help her.  We are so blessed!

The LTFR Banquet 2011

All dolled up!  This was the LTFR banquet.  This was the first one in a few years.  It was nice to wear my pretty clothes and to hang out with friends.

This is one of Jeremy's awards - Officer of the year.  This was my impersonation of killing him, since he forgot to thank me during his 2 speeches.  No really, he worked very hard for both.  He got Officer of the Year and Leadership Award for the year.  Now he wants to hang those very large monstrosities in my house.  I am learning to be flexible.  Does the garage count as flexible?  Maybe we could hang it over our bed as a reminder if one of us messes up what the consequences are.  :)

This is what happens when you turn your back on your wife.

The Red Carpet:

It seemed so silly to me that Jeremy booked a room, but it was beautiful and nice to get away for a while.  The kids stayed with Grandma and Grandpa, while we got all gussied up to play like big kids.  These are pics or our room and the view:

Adios: Birthday Treats, Friends, Daddy Day, & Soccer

As you can see, the cupcakes lasted a little longer than expected.  Looks like Daddy even got into the action.  Inside humor...so sorry!



Jeremy is experimenting with Smurf paint.

I think that we are making the "Chili's birthday" a tradition.  There is no fancy play equipment, but who needs ducks and such when you have chocolate molten cake and a few friends?  This is MacKenzie celebrating her 6th birthday with a friend.

And gone!

MacKenzie's day with Dad was a huge success.  They started off at good ol' Chuck's and then off to Hoppin' house, and finally the family dinner with the Howell's.  Spoiled brat!  When do I get my marathon day?  Oh I forgot that those disappeared when I had kids!  No, really though, I wouldn't trade these days for those in a million years!

Dad, please meet my boyfriend Chuck!
He is loaded - Free Pizza for life!

So Long Soccer:
I have had a love/hate relationship with soccer this year.  As a child, I didn't play, watch, etc, so I didn't understand the draw of a sport that made you run for days on end up and down the field, chasing a black and white ball, kicking it at the net.  (Notice that I said "at".)  But I think my husband has worn me down.  During the fall, I felt like I was mentally kicking and screaming when I packed our family out of the house every Saturday.  Don't you understand that this is one of my only days off?  Nope, soccer came anyways.  MacKenzie is not the natural talent like Dad is.  He can do anything well the first time or two.  MacKenzie takes more after me; the kind that sprains their foot walking into the building on the first day back at school.  Grace is my name!  I was so happy to see fall soccer go, that the last game was a metaphorical Happy Hour for me.  I couldn't believe that I was free and my sweet baby would not be tortured anymore. 

Spring Ball came and I prayed that Mack would like it.  And to my surprise with a helpful daddy, she is learning to love the game.  She is not the aggressive player her daddy was by any means, but she has improved over this season by 100%.  She is also thinking out the plays and reflexes as she plays.  She is so much like mommy in the fact that if something is flashing through her brain, it is written all over her face.  She won't turn out to be a poker player, but I am so happy that they can enjoy a sport together.  I have also started enjoying this sport more too.  I sit on the sidelines hoping she is going to nail some kid in the shins, because she is too polite for the sport.  -Still waiting for that -  If there are legs a flailing, you can bet that MacKenzie is waiting on the sidelines for the ball to pop out.  "Forget the kicking each other part....I will just wait!"  But dog gone it, she has made such strides in this sport.  Fall ball, we will see you then.
 

Coaching Soccer:  I also have a new appreciation for Jeremy and his way with kids.  He tries so hard to make each kid feel special, and they really want to please him.  I am especially proud of his patience, which I didn't believe existed until soccer.  He loves to help them improve, and the other parents seem to love him.  It helps also that the other coach is a "yeller".  Jeremy looks like a saint next to him.  :)

My Princess is 6!

As the year is coming to a close, I think of all the great strides my favorite lady has made this year: reading, writing, math, soccer, yada, yada, yada....  When I look at her, I always think to myself that she is so sweet and smiley - She is my "sunny-side up" girl.  Yes, that hurt getting her here, but I am so thankful for the perfect person that she is.

I love the person my daughter is.  She is strong, stubborn, brave, sweet, kind to others, stylish, crafty, and most important, she is a good person who loves God.  I am so proud of the little, lady she is.  She loves her family and extended family with friends.  She loves getting and giving things, even if they are small and homemade.  She is by far my favorite girl in the whole world!  We love you Kenzie! 

Just cute!

 

On my soap box...

Making the Sacrifice: I know that by my title you may think that I am going to write about something extremely profound; yet, it is profound to me - TEACHING!

I have noticed over the last few weeks that the lack of faith in teachers seems to be increasing at a time that we need it more than ever.  Teachers don't teach because it is an easy job, pay is great, stress free, etc.  We teach, because it is a calling.  It is a calling for change. To make the world of education better each and every year.  Just like doctors, the good ones continue their training year to year.  Don't forget about the weeks of classes we attend over the summers.  But wait, there is more.  Most teachers I know go back to school before the air is even turned back on to start the year of planning, organizing, and decorating.  We revive our brains for a few short weeks during the summer, yes, but we come back renewed and better every year.  There are always exceptions to this rule, but for the most-part, we teach to better your children and my own.

Talk about being behind other nations as far as smarts go - Well, do those other countries educate every student?  No, they are sent to be day-laborers at early ages.  Do those other schools worry about the whole child and not just the grades? No, they are worried about productivity.  Do they worry about the "special children" or learning disabilities or health impairments?  The U.S. even educates immigrants who come to us.  We feed them, provide supplies for them, transport them, remediate for them, and love them wherever/however they come to us.  Teachers teach the unwanted, damaged, bright, and shining.  We try to provide a stable, safe place to go to everyday, so that our students have a chance to survive in the big, bad world. 

Have you thought about what the lack of educational faith is doing to the educators who are with your kids daily?  I have noticed over the last year that at least 3 of my coworkers are getting divorces.  This can't have anything to do with a stressful, thankless job.  Seriously, put an unhappy teacher in front of your children and see if they learn anything!  I think people forget that our work stresses bleed off of us, just like they do to anyone else.  Unfortunately, we have contact with 100+ students daily.  Now tell me that your bureaucratic decisions are not hurting people!  Yes, the rest of us may have jobs, but will the conditions of those jobs be worth it?

Yes, Mr./Mrs. Congress Person - Don't stop funding education, because the people you are letting down are not teachers - but the kids, their futures, and our futures as a society.  Think before you vote against an education bill, because you are really voting against ours/your futures.  Every child has a teacher at some point in their lives that make a difference; by taking away that passion with the lack of confidence, you are taking away their futures, my children's futures.

Okay - Soap Box ended!

Mother's Day

It was a wild and crazy weekend, but Mother's day was Sunday.  It was a nice day.  Jeremy brought home breakfast tacos, and then we had lunch with the Petersma's.  My mom was still in town, so that was nice to spend time with everyone.  This is my post party face, because I was so stinking tired from the day before:

After lunch, we came home to take naps, and then off to shop for my gift.  My dad got the kids and I an IPad, so of course we had to have some accessories.  Wait, stop the presses: my camera charger has been found.  I repeat: my camera charger has been found.  (Thank you Lord! - Thank you Lord even more that it was not found in MY belongings, but someone -whom will not be named- possessions.)  

Okay, thank you for all you moms out there that give tirelessly to make sure that your children are healthy members of society.  I love my children, and I love being their mother.  And even on the days when they are driving me crazy, I still look at them with love.  Let's not get crazy - on "especially crazy" days, I look at them with this love and adoration while they are sleeping, but I still always do it!

P.S. I think my biggest blog-stalker might be my husband.  He asked me the other day when I was stressing about the kids' parties, why I hadn't updated yet, and my reply was: "Jeremy Petersma, are you stalking me?" I think he finds my quirkiness funny and embarrassing all at the same time.  :) Yes, I have verbal diarrhea! 

Party People!



Check out my pony!







Brock's wild horse!





  MacKenzie and Brock celebrated their parties together this year.  The party was complete with trail ride, horse racing, bales of hay, roping steer, swings, slides, trampolines, and a bouncy house.  



David-sliding

Morgan taking a jump!

 

Whose nephew and niece are awesome?  Mine are, mine are!

I felt like we were spoiling our children.  I purchased mostly premade food this year to avoid the extra time it takes to prepare everything.  Thank you HEB.  I actually enjoyed this party.  The size of our yard really helped, and the trees were a God-send.  It was warm, but thankfully, it wasn’t blazing like some of our parties in the past. 

I made homemade stick horses.  It took me a bit to get going, but they really were cute. 



The corral



Brock’s treat was cupcakes, and MacKenzie’s was a horse cake.  Yes, I had the children all sugared up by the time they left; the kids were all really good. 




Horse Cake






The cupcake tower, complete with Buzz and Woody!

 

Note to self: colored, cream cheese icing is messy!

Most of the guests were people the kids have gone to daycare with, neighbors, and family.  My family rocks (just throwing that in there.) But I do have to say that I didn’t supply enough water for the umpteen million pregnant friends I have. 

The party was not complete until Brock peed on the tree while MacKenzie was opening her gifts.  (I am so envious of the ability to drop trough and go whenever and wherever.) I am waiting for the call that he is peeing on the play equipment outside daycare.  Oh happy day!  Anyways, some of the folks that didn’t know us quite so well either really know us now, or we are BFFs for life.  I guess that I am just thankful he didn’t try to go #2 in public, as well.  I am secretly wondering how WT (white trash) we really are?  J  This was also the first time that people were able to see our house updated.  I had it cleaned before people came over, but since we were outside most of the time, the house is still reasonable!  Yeah!

Watch out Tom Cruise; we have found your replacement!



Brock's trail-riding days may be over!


 

I told you - Tom Cruise!

 

Help!

 



Now, that is better!

MacKenzie doing a little roping!

The parties were a success.  My children were so tired that the only thing they had the energy to eat for dinner was strawberries. With that being considered, my kids were awesome.   It was an amazing day!