Pride

Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of him.



(Proverbs 26:12)
 
So today started out great! I mean really great! The kids were content, well rested, and I wasn't a sweat ball by 9:00 from running around the house. We did some grocery shopping and it went sooooo smoothly. After procuring some groceries for the family to survive upon this week I proudly call the husband to relay my joyful news.
 
Golden nugget #1 - The store had the powder Similac (I've been buying the premixed stuff since the recall due to the fact that Sweet Potato's guts couldn't manage the other brand).
 
Golden Nugget #2 - At the store, I scored a coupon for $.60 off per gallon and the cashier handed me an additional coupon for $.10 of per gallon. Since the Pilot was running pretty much on empty I scored a full tank of gas at $.70 off a gallon. Ka-ching!
 
Golden Nugget #3 - The Pilot has a leaky tire which needed a bit o' air and the gas station had FREE air! Whooo-hooo! Last time I had to fill the tire (I know. I know, it would be easier just to get it fixed) I went to a station that charged $.50 and I don't carry change often so I had to haul the kidlets INTO the gas station just to get change to turn the flippin' machine on! I know.
 
I was living the high life after these 3 events since it's not often that a Saturday morning goes so well in our house. Clearly God saw that I was feeling a bit upitty and just couldn't let that stand.....
 
Because.... we were anticipating a play date in the afternoon with a friend and her little man. Sweet Pea was so excited that her friend was coming over... and yet when they arrived she turned into a crazy monster child. I REALLY wasn't sure what got into her. One hour and two time-outs later our friends left and I was exhausted from watching my daughter bounce off the walls, scream, yell, and talk some smack. I found myself dumbfounded..... She has her moments, as most 4 year olds do, but....... sweet Jesus, this one TOPPED THE CAKE! Yikes. I felt so bad that her friend has to witness her circus act - it was one of those moments when you feel like a complete failure as a parent and you become convinced that there is something wrong with your child. Several hours later, and I still shudder when I think about it.
 
Have any of you ever experienced this; be it God "putting your pride in check" or your child flipping on you?
 

Fall Fun at the Apple Orchard

This past weekend, God graced West Michigan with some amazingly beautiful weather for early October. We pounced on the opportunity to take the wee ones to a somewhat local apple orchard for the fall festivities. Let's just say that you have to wait in line to park and there's a wrist band invovled in this trip.

Anyway, it was packed, but we had a great time in the festival atmosphere. The daughter is the PERFECT age for such nonsense and was on a rave like high this entire time - complete with the kitty cat face painting. Although they offer wagon rides to pick apples and pumpkins, we kept it more low key this year because of the baby. So we hit all of the "rides" and dropped a guap in the orchard's store on apples, pumpkins, doughnuts, and hotdogs.


Sweet Pea on the pedal tractors  Hubby-Man insisted she ride only tractors that are Case or International Harvester. As if they are real or something.....
 


Racing Hubby-Man on the trikes.

Barrel train ride

(Who knew you could reuse a barrel in such a manner!)



                                                        Sweet Pea and Sweet Potato


 Hubby-Man  & Sweet Potato looking handsome for the camera!

Wednesday Whoo-hooo!

Having two kids makes for a lot more playing and a lot less working around the house. If you can read between the lines then you will understand that my house has fallen into complete disarray and is in deperate need of regular cleaning now that I am working. I NEVER thought I'd see the day when I truly didn't have a moment to clean! Now, in all fairness, the Hubby-Man is willing (I think) to do some more cleaning here and there - let's just not talk about the laundry "wink, wink, hubby-Man", but I know the man likes to get some things accomplished on his days off too. So enter the cleaning lady that will be beautifying our house every other week starting this week. Squeeeee! I am so geeked about this. She is super nice, we know her family, and she comes at a bargain of a price. I am feeling less stressed already knowing she will be cleaning and that I won't be living in a pit for all eternity. The only downer is that I will feel compelled to clean up before she comes - so that evening before will be a bit spaztic while I attempt to make our scattering of children's toys look somewhat tidy.

Cole is 5 months old today! He is growing so fast which is in sharp contrast to our first child.... we just sat around and stared at her for months on end until she finally decided to roll or sit up or scoot. Now, with baby #2 time zooms past - I don't anticipate every milestone and obsess over his tummy-time, or plan out his baby food trials in some sequential manner. We're so much more casual..... Not sure if this is a plus or minus. We sure love him a lot though!

Caitlyn is almost 4 - where did the time go - and just as brilliant as ever. * I'm not biased in the least. * In a couple of weeks, she is going on her 2nd field trip ever, and I am so excited for her. I will totally be drooling all day long waiting for her at the end of the day to hear how it all went. She of course is most excited about riding on the school bus!

And finally -------- there are only 2 more days until Friday, which is BY FAR my favorite day of the week!

Tuesday Torrent

So.... there are two things... WAIT... four things that are sticking in my craw today.

1.) The staff member that "threw me under the bus" today during the staff meeting. Thank you soooo much for saying that I am not teaching my students critical thinking skills based on your hear say obtained from someone who may now be teaching one of my former students.....( Apparently the student's previous literature teacher (me) never taught them critical thinking skills which was discovered while they were reading The Odyssey in freshmen literature. What??????? For realz... you just said that in front of my boss and peers with a straight face.... and The Odyssey for freshmen? Kinda a bold statement to put out there don't ya think...... It's on girlfriend!

2.) The bikers that insist on riding along the side of the narrow and curvy road instead of riding on the bike trail 6 FEET AWAY. Oh yes, I DID honk at you! No...... it must be so much more gratifying to hold up traffic than to be courteous and get your buns out of the way. Passive aggressive butt-heads.

3.) Students with their fingers knuckle deep in their noses. Gross.

4.) Neighbor kids that show up once a week (at least) to sell stuff. Neighbor kids that show up RIGHT at dinner time - in the midst of my chaos - and expect me to leaf through their pamphlets of candy and magazines while their siblings wander around my house and pull toys out to play with only to then leave a mess. Oh and DON"T TOUCH THE BABY"S FACE (please)!


Aaaaaah - that felt good to get that out.