Sunday, April 22, 2018

7QTs - The Walking Dead

Linking up with Kelly ... 

---1---

Okeeeeey.... this week. Let's discuss. 

First part of the week very boring/normal-ish

Second part of the week very NOT boring and NOT normal-ish (praise the Lord for not being the norm)

Monday - It rained so no soccer practices... great things slightly less hectic

Tuesday - E and I swim in the AM. The evening holds AHG for E (R is pretty much done as of last week)... awesome except Lee and I literally cross paths in the driveway as I am taking her because... 'tis the pool season and aint nobody trying to load up 4 other kids who are at or nearly at bedtime just for the heck of it

Wednesday: 




A is quite the scooter-er.... We went up the road to visit our neighbors which is something I appreciate and remember doing when it was ONLY E and R. That's crazy. I love afternoons like this and so do the kids. 

Also Lee and I did a great dinner menu for the week and he grilled everything for the week on Sunday so there was just about ZERO for me to do for meal prep #winning 


---2---

Thursday is where it started to get hairy....



This is C as I am feeding her a .... you guess the fruit?... Then about 2.5 minutes later that fruit and all the milk she had after her rest came hurling out of her tummy about 20 minutes before picking up the big girls from school.... 

Awesomeness.

She didn't seem terribly bothered but little people throwing up is a bit nerve racking. 

So cancel E's soccer practice. 

Pick big girls up from school. Deposit them at Jibbe's. C and I head home. We go on a walk because I don't know what else to do with her as I wait for an encore performance. Jibbe feeds everyone and drops dinner off and takes R to tee ball practice (I have the BEST mother in law EVER). Lee gets home from work. I put everyone in bed. I go to R's tee ball game which is pretty much taking place in Arendelle. Get home. Go to bed...

IT GETS BETTER...


---3---

Backing up to earlier in the week at some point... M's eye started crudding up a bit but the pollen is RAGING in between the 80s and the frozen temps about here BUT

She woke me up at 11:45 on Thursday night because her eye was crusted over... 

SWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET pink eye. Did I mention I'm sleeping in C's room because A. I'm worried up her throwing up again (suspense killer... she doesn't totally isolated incident) and B. I'm feeling a bit under the weather and Lee has a super big Friday and we don't want to get him sick. 

Lee leaves at 5:55 to set a fiberglass pool!



This is how she wakes up... 


This is her after getting cleaned up before breakfast. 

The masses wake up. R announces her tummy hurts and I realize my day is going to pot so I tell her to go back to bed and E hustles to get the heck out of dodge! 


---4---

So it is not off to work I go and after dropping E off I call the pediatrician and I'll get a call back. I run by the office and pick up some things to do at home with my resident sickies and head home. As I pull in the driveway I get a call back from the nurse (hoping for a Rx and I'll jet right out and get it because pink eye is pink eye, right?).

Negative

Me - Well you see... C was throwing up yesterday and R says her tummy hurts and I have A with me so can I just get a prescription so I don't have to bring sick kids with me?

Nurse - Since Ms eye was swollen she has to be seen. Morning, afternoon or tomorrow...

Me - SIGH... (thinking tomorrow is too late and it might spread to someone else, afternoon... I don't know how E is getting home from school) morning and if something changes I'll just call you 



My Walking Dead... R kept on asking what The Walking Dead were and why were there dead people walking around. 


We survived the appointment... barely. And headed off the the closest pharmacy with the pick up window because.... getting 4 kids out of the van for a tiny bottle of medicine... Not cool

Except I get to the window and they say  - Oh that just came through it will be 30-60 minutes.

SIGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Get gas because I've been on E^mpty for too long. Head home without said tiny bottle of medicine and devise a plan to secure the medicine and E. All the while texting another mom friend of five because we have solidarity texts pretty much all the time. She offers to pick up AND deliver said medicine - because I got the best of friends. 

We chat.... I need mom chat more than ever

Everyone loads up to get E and then we are home. 

I touch base with Lee for time numero DOS for the day. Looks like I'm in for the long haul. 

E desperately wants to go to soccer (and she didn't go last night and so I take one for the team) so our best of neighbors helps facilitate that and all I have to do is pick up. 

---5---

I load up the troops for one last run of the day. 


We grab E and take the long way home at the little kids request. I let everyone get out and see the cows. E said she "only got out to support A" - drama

Everyone goes to bed. 

R never threw up and as much as she said how bored she was and how her tummy was better - maybe she just needed the day off. So whatever the day was shot (from a me trying to work more than 15 minutes at a time - stand point from the get go)

Lee rolls in sometime at or close to dark. 

He gets a showers and gets dinner...

I know how his day has shaken out with a late truck and missing parts so my turn!

Me - You know that R didn't go to school today right... 

Lee - Nooooooo.....

Me - You know I had to take M to the doctor today....

Lee - Yeah but 

Me - All four little ones.

Lee - ......

---6---

Saturday was so uplifting and full of promise: 



It was picture day at soccer which always makes things way more interesting than necessary. 

Lee stayed at home while E and M and me went to M's game. It was a great game and M scored a handful of goals. 

We headed home with the van still on E^mpty from last night and then 20 minutes later after a quick regroup E and me head up for her game - with Papa and the gang following at game time. E's game wasn't nearly as fun as last week. You know what, it is kind of really fun to win. And you know what? It is really hard to coach your kid because they act differently for you.... 

I might be throwing in the towel on coaching a team of E's in the future because she is a whiner for me but I enjoy coaching but I think it will be better for her in the long run. We had multiple discussions about it so I'm sad for me but believe in her and want the best for her. 


Then we shoot over to R's tee ball game without Papa who had to leave for work..... at noon. 

A and M played in the dirt. E was the batgirl again. 

R had some good hits and did some nice base running. 

Then (no photographic evidence)

We went to Sams at the peak of lunch and rest times because I didn't have a choice - after getting gas of course

We survived. I wished I had space on my phone for a pic. 

Papa got home. 

We decided to go out for M's celebratory goals from LAST season BEFORE dinner. 

We get Sno-Balls 

We pick up pizza 

We go to bed


---7---

Lee is exhausted and still not 100%. I'm tired and want a redo on the last 3 days. 

We decide to go out to family breakfast at a nice restaurant after church but they don't take reservations so we are just going to rolls with it. 

About 9 something A has a nightmarish fit. He is not awake but I take him out of his crib (to not wake up M) and he is literally kicking and screaming and rolling on the floor for a few minutes - it is the weirdest thing

11 something M comes in and says her eye is crusted up again - NOT nearly as bad - get her cleaned up. 

3 something E comes down and says her tummy hurts. I'm on the couch so I tell her to get on the other one because I'm on the big one. I've half convinced it is because what she ate yesterday. Well she gets sick... a few times. 

Did I mention I am not a 'good sick mom'? Because I'm not and I know it. I think God knows this and He's working on me. Can't you tell? 

Then M wake up and Lee and I do a quick and thorough Lysoling of the downstairs. R emerges and says she is going to throw up. So the upstairs is the new sick bay and I've got a gate between my sickies and non-sickies - and I'd like to keep it that way. 

R does in fact get sick - so maybe she was sick Friday? Who knows...

Our neighbor brings us some keifer and we all cross our fingers this will work while Papa is at church. 

I listen/watch Mass on EWTN because... what else should you do in between dumping Legos downstairs and cleaning toilets upstairs? It was the Sunday of the Good Shepherd and the priest noted that we need to know our Shepherd like He knows us - do we know what He wants from us? and that there are people now who know more about fake news than the Good News. Sad but so very true. 

So it looks as if my Monday is shot even though E and R have been okay since mid-morning. They will be taking it easy tomorrow for school even though they'll be bouncing off the walls. 

Happy Sunday yall 

Saturday, April 14, 2018

7QTs - Sweets, Sports, Squirrels

Linking up with Kelly ... there's been a mountain of happenings this week!

---1---

The tail end of this week swirled with amillion and a half baby comments. 

ExampleS...

When the next one... 

What if you keep on having babies...

Andrew needs a little bro...

How many carseats can you fit in your van?...

Well its about time for the next one, right?

Are pregnant? You/re not pregnant, right?

OH MY GOODNESS

I kinda cannot handle it. Do I look pregnant? I mean i know we have five kids but gracious. There is not another baby to speak of at this point in time... but on God's time maybe we just might have another one or two or three or I don't know. I just cannot think about it because life is crazy^loca. We will loving and graciously welcome and be blessed by any future Kibbe babies. But for now let's not talk about BC or TT or Vs because we don't do that. And let's not be surprised in 3 or 6 or 9 or 12 months that there is another Kibbe baby because let's face it babies are A-mazing and they seem to be in the cards these days. My mom and mother-in-law totally pegged me for it when I was pregnant with C so if you are DYING to know when I'm pregnant then ask them.... because you know how we keep things under wraps until 14ish weeks.

Anyhow... happily Kibbe party of SEVEN... (that's insane!?!?!?) for now. 

But if I cannot come up with a quick and witty follow up to baby innuendos... well whatever 

---2---

More and more soccer.... 


M took about a zillion videos after her practice this week. All of them lasted about 1 seconds so whatever. The weather has been bizarrely chilly so Papa was home to man 3 of 5 so it was M and E and me for the long haul. 


---3---

Big news for little peeps...


C started MMO this week. She's doing great and I'm getting the hang of this whole having to drop a kid off at daycare thing - like with names on bottles and snacks and stuff - the kids preschool converted from half day into half day and full day about 2 years ago so the state regulates the rooms and there just a lot more paperwork but still the same great atmosphere... It is taking some getting used to but C is actually in a class of kids all less than 12 months and I half expect her to crawl up to me one day when I pick her up.... but for now no. She's also got one nice shiny tooth in the bottom of there little bitty mouth. 


It has also been a big week for A... This guy has been interested in using the potty / accepting of my potty treats (aka bribery). He actually came and got me today and said potty and walked me into the bathroom. So turning a corner maybe? I'm not getting my hopes up but I'm also not trying to totally ignore him because he is motivated and interested. 

---4---

We are out of the Lenten meal schedule and onto some of the weekday favorites... (except by Lee but he is hungry so he eats it anyway)


TACOS!!!

Which brings me to my main point. The meat and more importantly the grease. The grease from the ground meant from a store is kind of a watery goo. The grease from the 1/4 cow we got from 15 miles down the road is straight grease. We'll be welcoming another 1/2 cow here before too long and we're trying to use all the meat we have before the new one. Lee cooked brisket today (hello temp sensor cooker) and it was a-mazing. 

---5---

This picture pains me so...   



The cleats I had since high school finally bit the dust last week. like dry rotted and the pegs fell off during practice. #ripcleats   Also those cleats hurt my feet because they were way small so after some price and SIZE shopping these are the new keepers. Trying to not memorialize my old cleats too much but gracious... babies will do a number to your foot size and also I need a new pair of Brooks running shoes and those are more expensive than these cleats!

---6---

The last 28 hours have been a barrel-o-monkeys.... 



Thursday evening was R tee ball and E soccer practice. We stopped at the Dollar General for marshmellows because R has bake sale for pizza luck the next day and Rice Krispy treats are my game for bake sale. BUT DG was not taking credit cards and I carry about .24 cents in cash around so that was an 8:15 P to the M bummer. I wen't out and got the necessary mellows after showers.

Lee woke me up to make them. I was happy to get to make them because when E had pizza lunch and 2nd was on bake sale duty it was the FLU OF 2018 around these parts so they settled for store bought goodness. 


On top of the pizza lunch (which I have never been to) there was a fiesta wrapping up our school's annual fundraising campaign which I somehow ended up co-chairing. So Sno-Balls it was


A and M snuck in


A got a Sno-Ball and a half because the lady doing it gave him another half after he and I polished off the Blue Raspberry because he kept asking for purrrrr-plllll. 


As if pizza lunch and Sno-Balls weren't enough. E got an extra blast of sugar because it was one of her classmate's birthdays. 

Basically for me that meant

7:38 - leave house
12:14.99999 - pick kids up from preschool
12:38 - get home
1:17 - leave for sno-balls after doing lunch for littles
1:43 - get to school 
1:45 - wave the snowball guy into parking lot
3:18 - leave school after snowballs and stuff and talking 
4:02 - leave for R and M's last swim lesson
4:35 - start swim lesson...listen to E whine about how hot she is (even though I brought her a bathing suit) and keep A from walking into pool
5:45 - go to park
5:59 - toss E into soccer clinic; Lee exchanges A and R (who is going with friend to bubble funness)
7:29 - Get home, wonder where Lee is (hello busy brew mill and dinner pick up location)
8:24 - get A in bed
8:50 - send girls to bed 

BECAUSE...................................


---7---

Saturday kicked off Spring Sports Season 2018... 



Soccer for E
Teeball for R 
Soccer for M
Spectating for A and C

We did lunch in between the soccer and tee ball games (praise the LORD we live close to the fields) but still we opted for eating at the field. Lee and Jibbe were able to be at both soccer games (again Thank You Lord) because I was coaching. And E's group is kind of really intense which is really fun and nerve racking at the EXACT SAME TIME. 


M's team is cute. They are the Flying Squirrels. M wanted to be the squirrels but Flying Squirrels sound way cooler. But also she and I tell E and R we eat squirrels for lunch everyday and it drives them crazy so it is kind of an inside joke between me and M -which I love. M scored 2 goals and after a sluggish start pepped up and looked great. 


R had tee ball for the 4th season if I am not mistaken.


They're going to get married one day. 


C was a trooper but was sooooooo  so so very done when the tee ball game started. 


A was pretty restless too and melted down on the way to the van which was excellent because Papa wasn't there to intercede so it was double fisting A and a stroller because that's how we roll sometimes


R had a good hit in the game (but then forgot to run)


E had a good game. She ran a lot and played goalie for a quarter (chip off the old block). She cried about the ref-ing and complained that she didn't want pink on her jerseys but SE LA VIE... pretty par the course for her. Her team won a good game and it is such a joy to coach even if my other kids are melting down


E is trying to wrap up a bunch of badges for AHG. 

#mayiscoming

Which is exciting and nerve racking at the same time. 

Here's to it all.

Wednesday, April 4, 2018

Pascha/Easter 2018

We had a great start to the Paschal season but before Easter, we had to get there. 

Lent. 

Lent was okay for me. I really could have done better and wish I had. I like to fall into the trap of - okay I'm bringing the kids to services and that's my sacrifice. That is a huge part of Lent for me because taking kids to services right at dinner and bedtime and not having help from my partner in crime is tough. But I haven't had his help and I rarely get his help so then that's just a cop out for me. I really need to do more in the reading/prayerful sector of Lent next year. I think I could do better in the fasting area of Lent as well and Lee and I have already discussed that. 

Anyhow Palm Sunday rolled along and that was great but it is also the true test of can you hack Lent in our family. First it is the start of Holy Week and Second, palms and tree branches in church? That's asking for trouble. A didn't catch anything on fire which was most excellent though he did whack a few people. Church endorsed liturgical distractions. 

We survived Palm Sunday just fine and then it was Presanctified on Wednesday with Anointing of the Sick (yes, Eastern Catholics receive that sacrament once a year - not just if you are sick or dying). Then Holy Thursday we were back in the Mount with a procession at the end (and why candles are passed out I will never understand because they are out with the wind within seconds of walking out of church). Friday E and I went to Stations. It was peaceful and prayerful. Then we loaded up for Vespers of Entombment with another candle distribution and procession of sparsely lit candles. 

We dropped the big girls off at Grammy and Grandpa Joe's after vespers which turned out to be awesome for all parties involved. 


Lee had a whole day in the kitchen to cook in peace
I had a day to legit clean - like vacuum and mop and clean the van - Lee kept looking at me funny because I NEVER have time to do that kind of stuff
E, R and M got to dye Easter eggs
A & C got to rule the roost 
Grammy got to bake some A+ cookies and had some great decorators 
Grandpa Joe got to impart his crosswalk knowledge to the girls and play some Uno and Sorry


Also, Lee and I watched The Passion of The Christ when we got home from Vespers. It seemed quite appropriate and we hadn't watched it in YEARS. I had forgotten how intense it is and it definitely puts a whole different perspective on some of the things we sung at vespers - "The Creator is slapped by the creature" and I also couldn't help but think about that on Easter morning at Matins and Liturgy.  I hope we make it a tradition to watch it but hopefully we'll start it before 9:30 pm on Good Friday. 


The crew for our family pic. 

A walked around church with his tie unzipped - yes it zips in the back and is the coolest invention ever - for most of church. He didn't love it but he had to wear it just like the girls had to wear their bows except E who is currently boycotting them. 

After some amazing food - there's a big luncheon after church (hello City Chicken and Pascha cheese) we headed to my parents. 


There were lots of baskets to be found that Uncle Kevin hid ( they got to hunt the ones from G&G when we arrived and they hunted the ones from Lee and I after rest)


Bubbles and chocolate bunnies


Jump ropes and dresses


A got a ball and decided to keep his tie zipped after we left church


Books, bathing suits and Kindereggs ( the proper ones with actual toys inside not the ones you get here that the FDA sensors)


Saint peg dolls 


Flashlights and chips - the chips were a big hit



The bakers


A and his tie he wouldn't take off even during rest


The saint peg dolls!


I gave E and R 2 each and M one. I custom ordered most from here and I was thrilled. Props to anyone who can name and figure out why I gave E and R the ones I did. Clues are all in the blog archives : ) 


A got a bubble machine because the one we had bit the dust


I cannot say I love this one but whatever... C seems to like it


I found these neat Lego flashlights for everyone except C and Leia is missing and if you want to figure out who got which and why you'll have to hit the archives as well.