Gettin' The Heck Outta Dodge!
The van is packed and ready to go. All the headphones, Ipods, and cell phones are charged. The refrigerator is bare. Dogs have their designated homes to visit. The mail has been put on halt. The hotel rooms are calling our name!
Yes, I did say roomS, plural. Ya see, I refuse to get a 2 or 3 bedroom suite. Reason being is that it turns out when you have a kitchen and a washer and dryer, it no longer feels like a vacation to me. Even when I am booking the hotel rooms and their is the little disclaimer saying that their is no guarantee the rooms will be adjoining, I secretly hope they are on opposite ends of the building! Now THAT would be a vacation. Just think, I'd have 3...maybe 4 kids to handle? Piece. Of. Cake. Although my luck would be that Josh would hide out alone and I'd be hanging out with all seven kids anyway.
Their is the exception to my "NO SUITE" rule and that is when we take our annual Fall trip to Disney World. We typically stay at Saratoga Springs resort and go for 2 weeks. In that case, I like to have the 2 bedroom roomy suite to leisurely cook breakfast in. I know the day ahead will be packed with non-stop fun!
This trip, however, is going to be nothing but leisure and the thought of having to cook, clean and have a washer and dryer calling my name just makes the whole word "leisure" lose it's umph! We are road-tripping it for the first time (actually the kids keep reminding me that we did drive to South Dakota. Does that really count though? It's only a five hour drive!) We are really looking forward to the whole experience and are going out of our way to make this not just any "road trip".
First stop is about five hours away from home. We will be stopping at Arches National forest for a small mile and a half hike. I am sure by the time we get there the kids will be more than eager to get out and move. Not to mention my ADHD hubby! Once we finish that little adventure we will be driving another eight hours and staying the night near Zion National Forest....in a hotel...do not panic, we are not crazy enough to camp out on our already psychotic "vacation". Early the next morning we will be hiking the narrows, basically a really narrow canyon that you hike through in mostly water. It is supposedly beautiful! It is about a six and a half mile hike so it will take us a few hours to get through, but hearing our friend talk about it, I know it is going to be worth it! Once that feat is accomplished we are heading to Corona Del Mar for some beach fun (about another nine hours)! OK, OK I will confess we are doing a couple days of Disney while there, but it is not the focus of this particular trip!
We are so eager for this fun-filled family memory building experience. My parents are flying out and spending 7 days with us and flying back home. Big wimps, couldn't handle the thought of a road trip with seven kids. Actually they could've probably handled the kids easier than they could handle Josh and I and all our quirkiness! (who knows we may end up in a whole different sate by the time it's all said and done) Oh well, all in all Saturday morning can not come soon enough for this brood!
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Eye Exam
Graysie has worn glasses since she was four years old. Everyone asked me when she got glasses how I knew she needed them and my answer was always "well when your child looks at you like this ..(I'd go cross-eyed here)...it's a pretty good sign that SOMETHING isn't right" When we had her first exam they told me that one of her eyes is near sighted and one is far sighted (that explains the crossed eyes huh?) so her eyes were having trouble working together. Now, personally, I had never heard of that, although I still have 20/20 vision so I haven't spent much time in the eye doctor office either. They also explained that in the next few years her eye sight could improve.
Yesterday, I took her to the eye doctor and her one eye did improve but her other eye had worsened so she is still in glasses. Like I told her birth mom, Amanda, I think she is adorable in glasses but I am also not the one that has to wear them. The good news is that Graysie is very responsible when it comes to the care of her glasses so it is no hassle for me.....which is very important of course!
Now, the point of this story is not to tell you Graysie has glasses still. No, the point in this story is what happens before and after the eye exam ( and any other appointment we have for that matter). Yes, we are like our own little traveling circus. When we walk into places we definitely stir up questions. Picture this, I walk into a quiet building with seven kids in tow. First thing people have to do is decide WHO the mom is, considering the height on Emma. Once they have it figured out they hesitantly ask if they can help me (I think they all secretly pray that they can't) when I say I am here for an appointment they always ask "for ALL of them?". In this case I say no, and they hand me a clipboard to fill out. Most people get directed to the waiting room, I , on the other hand am told that I can sit in the waiting room but that they are sorry for the small size and that they don't have enough chairs for all of us. I usually say something like "oh, their kids they don't mind" as I walk towards the waiting room. My kids love to look at the magazines and books so they are perfectly content to sit and look (and the ones who aren't are hopefully remembering my threats from the parking lot). Once they call us back for the exam I always give them the run down on our way to the room it goes something like "I'm sure you don't have a room to accomadate and audience of this size?" they say something like "it will be snug" where I proceed to tell them "what I'd prefer, so we aren't all crammed in and distracted, is for the children who aren't being examined to sit in the hallway and we will leave the door open so that I can still see them but we can stay focused on the task at hand" I am pretty sure they are always thinking "great six kids sitting in the hallway for us to walk over for the next 20 min" but they always let me do it, and I have to admit I don't know how it would work any other way. The great thing is that my kids are really awesome so they never distract other patients or get in the way. At our pediatricians office they know the protocol so they give us the room next to the book shelf so the kids have something more to do than wait. Again, the kids are so great that when we are leaving we have more questions than when we are coming in. I think partly because they are relieved to have their lobby freed up and because they have finally realized that as insane as I look, I am a pretty normal human being after all.
Yesterday, the funniest question I think we've gotten to date was "can you each say the kids in your family in order really fast?" Of course they can, so they each showed this extraordinary talent to the receptionist who was in awe. By the time Graysie's prescription was filled the receptionist could rattle off the kids' names in order too! Fun world we live in isn't it?
Graysie has worn glasses since she was four years old. Everyone asked me when she got glasses how I knew she needed them and my answer was always "well when your child looks at you like this ..(I'd go cross-eyed here)...it's a pretty good sign that SOMETHING isn't right" When we had her first exam they told me that one of her eyes is near sighted and one is far sighted (that explains the crossed eyes huh?) so her eyes were having trouble working together. Now, personally, I had never heard of that, although I still have 20/20 vision so I haven't spent much time in the eye doctor office either. They also explained that in the next few years her eye sight could improve.
Yesterday, I took her to the eye doctor and her one eye did improve but her other eye had worsened so she is still in glasses. Like I told her birth mom, Amanda, I think she is adorable in glasses but I am also not the one that has to wear them. The good news is that Graysie is very responsible when it comes to the care of her glasses so it is no hassle for me.....which is very important of course!
Now, the point of this story is not to tell you Graysie has glasses still. No, the point in this story is what happens before and after the eye exam ( and any other appointment we have for that matter). Yes, we are like our own little traveling circus. When we walk into places we definitely stir up questions. Picture this, I walk into a quiet building with seven kids in tow. First thing people have to do is decide WHO the mom is, considering the height on Emma. Once they have it figured out they hesitantly ask if they can help me (I think they all secretly pray that they can't) when I say I am here for an appointment they always ask "for ALL of them?". In this case I say no, and they hand me a clipboard to fill out. Most people get directed to the waiting room, I , on the other hand am told that I can sit in the waiting room but that they are sorry for the small size and that they don't have enough chairs for all of us. I usually say something like "oh, their kids they don't mind" as I walk towards the waiting room. My kids love to look at the magazines and books so they are perfectly content to sit and look (and the ones who aren't are hopefully remembering my threats from the parking lot). Once they call us back for the exam I always give them the run down on our way to the room it goes something like "I'm sure you don't have a room to accomadate and audience of this size?" they say something like "it will be snug" where I proceed to tell them "what I'd prefer, so we aren't all crammed in and distracted, is for the children who aren't being examined to sit in the hallway and we will leave the door open so that I can still see them but we can stay focused on the task at hand" I am pretty sure they are always thinking "great six kids sitting in the hallway for us to walk over for the next 20 min" but they always let me do it, and I have to admit I don't know how it would work any other way. The great thing is that my kids are really awesome so they never distract other patients or get in the way. At our pediatricians office they know the protocol so they give us the room next to the book shelf so the kids have something more to do than wait. Again, the kids are so great that when we are leaving we have more questions than when we are coming in. I think partly because they are relieved to have their lobby freed up and because they have finally realized that as insane as I look, I am a pretty normal human being after all.
Yesterday, the funniest question I think we've gotten to date was "can you each say the kids in your family in order really fast?" Of course they can, so they each showed this extraordinary talent to the receptionist who was in awe. By the time Graysie's prescription was filled the receptionist could rattle off the kids' names in order too! Fun world we live in isn't it?
Thursday, July 16, 2009
It's Better To Give
Sometimes the kids blow me away with their thoughtfulness and giving spirits. Mihya has been growing out her hair for many years. As a matter of fact we use her hair as leverage sometimes when trying to squeeze the truth out of situations. It goes something like --
"ok, so are you sure that is what happened?".
"uh huh" Mihya answers.
"So...if we find out ANYTHING in your story that is not totally the truth we can take you and chop that hair off your head?"
"uh....well....MAYBE, I hit him first and that's why he hit me" (or whatever else may be the issue at hand)
So, when we went to Sweet and Sassy for Mihya and Graysie to be the "Diva's for the day" (haircuts, style, manicures, pedicures, and facials) I was really surprised when Mihya asked how many inches she needed to be able to donate her hair to Locks of Love. We got our ruler out and measured 12" and she decided that she could handle short (shoulder length...ha!) hair. She was so proud of herself while donating and is thrilled to know she has given something that someone so desperately needs.
Now, I can't say she unselfishly gave. No, now, this is Mihya we are talking about and as I have explained many times before she is THE princess! The crown is worn daily (I am not joking she really wears a crown) and if you decide to touch the crown you will pay for it (just ask Kayela). So, when she is proud of herself, and she was very proud of herself, she EXPECTS all that surrounded her to understand that, they too, should be proud of her! We flaunted the hair all day yesterday. Today she woke up and asked when her "hair cutting party" would be. Ummmmm...thinking.....NEVER!!! Don't get me wrong, she is very honored to have given her hair and understands the importance of it but ya just can't take the "i" out of princess! Nope, we've tried!
To "honor" Mihya's donation I'm posting some pictures (although she may be disappointed that I am throwing in some pictures of Graysie, since she got to be a "Diva" too!)
Monday, July 13, 2009
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
The Good, The Bad & The Ugly
I'm thinking that maybe, just maybe I should update my blog!
Father's Day
Good: We spent the day at Water World celebrating Josh's 11 years of being a great daddy!
Bad:It wasn't all about me!
Ugly: I had to wear a swim suit in public
Our New House
Good: Having two acres to play on
Bad: Having two acres to maintain
Ugly:Having two acres for the mayor to try and track me down on
Adoption
Good: We have the most perfect baby, who is thriving and has fit right into our family
Bad: As perfect as he is,he still poops and pees in a diaper
Ugly: Our adoption is still far from being finalized
Summer
Good: We have no schedule
Bad: We have no schedule
Ugly: We have no schedule
Baseball
Good: Kaidon made an All Star team and is thriving at pitcher, short stop, and outfield.
Bad: Kaidon has three nights of practice and two games a week
Ugly: Making six other kids sit still and watch him play a very slow game of kid pitch baseball
Soccer
Good: Emma has had a few weeks off from soccer
Bad: Emma has ADD and really needs to have something to do
Ugly: I've been trying to keep Emma occupied
Growth
Good: Our office is growing and Josh is still loving what he does
Bad: The kids are still growing and I miss their babyhood daily
Ugly: Emma has now reached to be over 4" taller than me
Outdoors
Good: We live in Colorado where we have so many fun things to do outdoors
Bad: Guilt sets in every time I am indoors and not taking advantage of the outdoor fun Ugly: Josh has gotten into road biking where he will go for 60+ miles on any given morning and he thinks I will enjoy it. In order for me to convince him otherwise I am going to have to try it at some point!
Denver Aquarium
Good: We hadn't been in years until last weekend and we really enjoyed it.
Bad: We got suckered into a years membership
Ugly: I will have to go once a week to make the membership worth the money
Well, I think that is all our updates!
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