I got a taste and that was more than enough

Father's day.

Scott worked nights this week and he did Father's day eve.So we let him sleep.  Alone-in quiet.

 I pondered not going to sacrament meeting today without him, but we did. Alone-again.

We sat somewhere different and I swear the family behind us talked about us. Being sensitive to the day, I didn't know if it was because we "stole" a pew or because our dad wasn't with us. Nevertheless, services started out ok, with a talk on food storage. Surprised, but I was grateful a bit. The kids don't usually pay deep attention to the talks, so I was just happy for me. Then without my notice. the primary kids congregated. At first I couldn't figure out why Wes was crawling over me.

Oh no here we go, I thought.

It was and wasn't as bad as I thought. My kids were unsure who to sing to. Wes' eyes were shiny in the light. I thought he might be upset  because Scott wasn't there. Kelsey was clueless. She was in her own world in her purple floaty dress and loves the singing leader so much that she was looking at her all the time with little angel eyes.  Kennedy was enjoying not having to sing-smirking at Wes' pain. I felt a burn come on in my throat as I watched them sing for no purpose. Wes finally decided to sing and look at me. I thought we shared a moment of knowing, but women are so much more complicated, that it probably was all in my head.

At the end of services the dads were asked to stick around, it was awkward for us, sitting/standing there with a delay too waiting for nothing. But feeling that if we left we would be rude. No one talked to us or asked us about Scott. It was awkward. During the delay, Kennedys' YW leader asked her to help and a bit later I had Wes help too. It helped the awkwardness of having no purpose to sit there.

I drifted away down the hall, grateful that Scott was only in bed and not gone. IT would take some strength to maneuver that situation each year with grace- grace I don't have currently.
Then I read a post with this scripture: "“A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling.” -Psalms 68:5. 

we are not fatherless, yet I believe God takes care of us when Scott can't. I should have remembered this before church to help wes. Wes was singing to a father, his Father in Heaven.  I should go see my dad's grave and have a chat today.

Never Yell "Fire" in a Movie House and other good advice

We have lived with a pyromaniac for 3 years now.

It all started one fateful evening in the grandparent Scarbrough's house with a bathroom trash, matches in reach and two little boys ages 2 and 3 respectfully.

With the bathroom door closed these two little boys gleefully smoked themselves out of the small room. AND into Grandpa's waiting hands. Who, I'm sure, giggled his famous Burt Reynolds giggle as he took them to their mothers.

Smoking trash can in hand and little boy shirts in the other, Grandpa deposited the little fire bugs into the incapable hands of their parents. Giggling at the thoughts that were dancing in his head like "Man, who put the matches there?"

We dutifully punished said offenders. One received the message, the other did not. Boy #2's love for all things fire has grown into a passion. I should know. Boy #2 is mine.

Boy #2 has started many fires since then. He gets caught only about twice a year. Once was when his older sister took a blurry pic on a cell phone of him crouched furtively over a box of matches near the fireplace. The other was Sunday.

I was asleep with the baby on the couch. I had told him in my drowsy voice he could NOT light the fire in the fireplace. Later my daughter came into the house screaming,

"Mom, Open your eyes!!" which I did so to behold a blazing perennial.

After choice swear words, buckets of water (because the hose would not reach) and a little boy hanging out his bedroom window supervising, ---All was over but the memory, and a smoking bush.

Valentines Day

We woke up early; Scott made breakfast. I am so glad that even when I start breakfast that he ends up finishing it. I know that it is his favorite meal and he cooks it like he wants. Yea for me (yea for him too). We did some chores randomly through out the day.



Along about 1, he says "Do you have a baby sitter" . I wasn't planning on it and was ok with the idea of going out, but was ok staying home,too.



I took that as a hint and started at the last minute getting one. It is so good to have a pool of girls that you see on a daily basis. You can get to know them in such a way that you know how they will be at your house. So if anyone needs reccomendatations just ask me!

Anyway, after searching, i got a girl who was not so comfortable with the baby. I didn't know that before, I should have asked. But it didn't matter anyway, The baby was being a pill and we took her with.

Nothing like Romance with attachments :)

Dinner at Grumy Jakes yummm, Grand Terino (wheww too much cussin'), babysitter home and bed.

Did I mention the phone calls from the movie about Wesie throwing up? 3times. Yea, the sitter earned her extra money that I paid when I got home. Come on, who wants to clean up someone else kid?

New Year, New Seat in Primary

As with every new year, my children change Primary levels, teachers and reorganize.

( I am 1 year from letting my baby rooners go to nursery - is this bad or good? yea, nursury; boo: no excuse to get out of class, church or ...?)

but I digress...

So, today after church while eating a hodge podge lunch of tuna and cheese sandwiches, cheese crisps, hohos, oranges, and candy, Sister had this to tell about Li`leMan,

K: Mom, guess what Wesie did today?

Me: ( is this a question?, 'cause I can guess endless things he would think of to do- see the early days with Kelsey) What sister?

K: He brought his girlfriends to Primary.

Me: giggling, who went ?( Backhoe, B`chelle#2, Loops, Papa, Pepsi, Idaho, or...)
(BTW if you don't know, Wesie has 5 dudes, 2 brothers, Burr and Budger, 2 dogs, Blue dog, and Fancy, Baby Boy, Baby girl , and all 6 girlfriends, Goldynecklace ....)

K: Backhoe and B`chelle.

Me: what did they do?

K: They sat in the chairs on either side of him. He told Kayson not to sit on Backhoe.

ME: What did his teacher do?

K: (making a snorting noise) gunnsnnikkk. She laughed at him.

ME: Then what?

K: He put both his arms around them.

She motions with her arms wide open in the position of having arms around their pretend shoulders-grinning back and forth and nodding at the two "girlfriends" like the Fonz.

That's my boy. Never let it be said that I have dull kids.

Out of Jail... Whoo Hoo!

Dad and Wesie night 2 or 3

After spending a week in confinement,-they had a sign on the door to Wesie's hospital room that if you came you had to wear gloves, mask, and gown- we are finally released!!! I feel set free from prison (so I can imagine). I can't breathe enough fresh air. The Lord must have know we were getting out today because we are blessed with a "sunshiny" Indian summer day.

Kennedy and Wesie day 5

Going back to the terms of confinement-if people coming in had to protect from Wesie, why was I allowed to be in there and do I have what he has now? After extensive "poop" cultures and blood tests, the dr. decided that it was viral, VIRAL??? Seriously, 10 days of intensive stomach cramping, not eating, crying, no sleep virus. I know which one of us went to med school and has practiced medicine for 47 years, but the person who didn't thinks it was NOT a virus. No one in my family esp. me is sick.
I went over Saturday and stayed. I came home Sunday to pack, shower, sleep and get the week ready for MNH- Mom Not Home. I know people were praying for my sanity as well as Wesie's health because i had the most patience I ever had. I could feel something stopping me from getting angry or frustrated. There were only 2 times I lost it and they were over the same thing. The meds they orally gave Wes to help with the cramping was nasty and it got to the point I would sit on him, and while holding his arms down with my knees, pinch his nose and shove it in. Of all things to be resistant to...

Well, it is over and if it doesn't effect him as an adult, or shorten his life span WHO CARES, We're HOME and we will never drink from the cow drinker again!! 10 lbs lost and Hard lesson learned.

Wesie and Jacob aka double trouble day 7

Weight and Sick or sick and tired

Yea: I have not gained any weight.

Boo: I have not lost any weight. It is back to my starting point....

Wesie has been admited to the hospital for who knows how long...I am going to pack a bag and stay unti he is out. I am frustrated b/c this is not how I wanted to spend my last week of maternitiy leave. I hope and pray I don't get sick too from being run down. I was up alot last night when I took my shift with Wesie. He was up every 15 mintues or so to go to the bathroom. It got to the point that he was just going when ever he cramped up even if he didn't really go. Too tired to post anything else...

That's our number

the other night Kennedy was counting-I think she was doing her homework. She said something about a 3.

Wesie pipes up from in the living room. "Thats our number, huh Dad!"

Our brand is the ^3 (rafter 3). Good times with little kids. We have branded way to much in his little life. Now I wish he could count all the numbers correctly.

Random Wesie-ism

I have waited too long to tell all these stories in order, instead of waiting for the memeories to come, I am going to random them. Even if they are not in order, they are still funny/annoying ( depending upon if you are me or someone else laughing 'cause you're not me).

One Thursday evening I went up to the high school to check in on my room. When I got there the sub was still there working on grades due for the 4.5 week check-this must have been right before the milk incident, now that I remember.

Anyway, Wesie was bored; I was talking to the sub. He asked to go out and with out really listening to him, I said "Sure, Wes, whatever you want." A little later I see his scrunched up body hunching to stay afloat in my tall window. How he manages to climb a brick wall to look into my classroom I will never know. Nevertheless, I waived him off and didn't listen to what he was trying to say throught the closed window. Big, BIG mistake ( like Julia Roberts' character would say in Pretty Woman to the sales clerk who wouldn't wait on her).

He got down and disappeared;I finished talking and went outside. I called and called him name. He didn't answer the echos against the brick walls of "Wesieee, Wesieee". I walked through the halls, no Wes. I went down to the football arena. I looked around at all the kids playing behind the bleachers at this home JV football game-no Wes. I asked a church friend to keep an eye out for him as I walked away from the field and up to the baseball fields. Far in the distance, I could see varsity practicing, but no Wes. I started to PANIC. Should I go to the backside of the school and look near Otis' office, or maybe the auto shop? It had been around 20-30 minutes and I was very late for picking up Kennedy from ballet. Who should I worry about more now? Kennedy or Wes? I started to leave to pick her up. I fugured if he saw me drive away it would serve him right for being scared. As I was walking back to the game, I see our church friend with Wes in hand. Relief flooded my heart and I started to cry. I thanked our friend who was laughing-he is on the other side of raising his wild bunch of boys.
Kneeling down I shook and hugged him, thankful that I didn't have to ask Officer Nickel for help locating him.

Got Milk? How about... Got Manners? (another post on the Wesie Watch 2008)

So, there we were; Thursday of week 2. I had exactly 7.5 weeks left before I had to (wanted to maybe, kinda, ya, no?!!!) go back to teaching school. We had started painting my remodeled bedroom 'cause you know some day I will actually sleep in that room instead of my oldest daughter's room with the jack and jill bathroom door hitting my side of a queen size bed (yes this room is THAT small and on another day I will tell you more about the unique characteristics of this room) We had washed brushes and such, now it was time for dinner.

Anyway, I know you are dying to hear more about Wesie. We went to ballet, not we, Kennedy did, we just waited outside or something. I dont remember now. Not sleeping can do that to your recollection of the details.We stopped in at our local grocery store IGA, aka Wilburs. I got milk and milk only... ;picture... One cold gallon of milk in right hand getting heavier as I waited, small baby drapped over left arm drooling on floor, me feeling like ummm..., not right because spent too much time on feet painting, son 5 and daughter 6.5, spinning like whirling dirvishes while they waited for our turn to pay. Line was long... I know, how long could a line be in a town of 3,500? Well, I was standing in the cereal isle... And the first person in line was annoying me.
There was a perky, thin, exactly right colored red head in front of me with none of my same baggage carrying a cute purse to boot. I avoided her gaze 'cause I didn't want to see pity.. maybe distaste. Well, could not avoid her for long. WESIE hit

the side of her knock off gucci bag with his hand as he whirled around in the store. Now, I wasn't ignoring him, I had been hissing at him like a hissing cockroach to stop. She, the red head, looked at me, and then mumbled something that sounded like "uggh,blgek, bjeaad, adggeitt"

I comented right back: ""SERIOUSLY, LIKE HE DID IT ON PURPOSE"Nobody does that to my Wesie except me. Really people, she was rude. by the way, he got sent to the truck for misbehaving.

Hair Cut Round 2 with a buzzy ending /Wesie Wednesday

Ok, so I had decide to let Wesie's hair grow out, baldy spots and all, from the previous Monday's hair cutting ugliness. But no no it could not end there. When I was in the bathroom getting Kennedy ready for school on the next Wednesday, (it has now been 9 days of Kelsey's new life for those of you who are confused) Wesie brings me scissors. To which I said "Thanks Wes" not caring about or wanting those scissors. Then he brings me wisps of brown hair. Yes, folks he has done it again. Apparently, Tuesday night he found the scissor in my jewlery box and cut again. OH<> MAD.

Now, I was going to "DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT." I called my mom for moral support and looked for the hair trimmers. For years Scott has been telling me how easy it is to cut boys hair and even said that he would let me cut his mop. But no no, I have no confidence in myself and didn't want to do it for fear it would be ugly. However, TODAY, the fear was replaced by anger. I put that boy on the stool, found the trimmers, and went to town.

When I got finished with him, he wouldn't have hair to cut, and he didn't.

Monday, Monday ...Wesie, Wesie

So here is another part of What Wesie Has Done: one week into new baby home. I was doing my thing with the baby. (Not being able to take a shower until 10) and I noticed that Wesie was gone.I called and called his name. I figured he was down at the barn or wandering around being a boy. Then I see him jump out of the weeds at the front of the house. I got on to him for being in the road and went back into the house. A few minutes later I called his name again from inside the front room. Through the gauzy curtains, I could see him sitting on a blue coke cooler on the sidewalk. When he heard me calling him, he went to a unused flower pot, put something in there and open the front door with an angelic "What Mom?" face. I saw him put a yellow Popsicle in the flower pot and upon closer examination realized it WASN'T one of our brand. I questioned him and he said he went to Aunt Rhonda's and was thirsty so she gave him a Popsicle.
He said she didn't let him into the house but made him wait outside for it. I wonder why she did that... but he got in trouble for running away down the road.
I am so afraid he will get hit by a careless driver going to the Meadows Ranch down from us.