My First Boy

This guy? Right here? He's 11 today.
When I was in labor with him, I called the hospital to let them know I was coming.
The nurse told me that it was hot out, and I should drink water and take a bath because my  muscles were just dehydrated. She said there was no way I could be in labor if were able to speak to her on the phone.
So, we waited.
About an hour later, we just went to the hospital.
They still didn't believe me. Twenty minutes later, we had a baby.
JJ is named Jerrald, for his dad, and Conrad, for his Grandpa. Grandpa wouldn't let us name him LaVern. I'm happy for Grandpa's wisdom!
We thought J.C. would be a rather lofty nickname to live up to, so we went with Jerry Jr.
I am proud of my young man. He's come a long way. I don't just mean height and longevity. I mean in learning to live with people.
He was diagnosed with ADD and anxiety, and casually diagnosed autism. (by casually, I mean we didn't have brain scans done and analyzed to tell us exactly where in the spectrum, and what the official name of his 'condition' might be.)
We were assured that if we continued on the path of discipline (not punishment, for those concerned and over reacting already) that he would grow out of the ADD and anxiety.
By 'grow out of', the doctor really meant that he would learn to have some control over his emotions and find outlets for the energy that he experiences when he becomes anxious.
Anyone that has known JJ since he was two or three, knows the journey he's been on up to now, and if we run a playback in our minds, it's clear the maturity that has occurred.
I am blessed to be Mom to this young one, and I am looking forward to several more years at home with him.
Happy Birthday, kid!

Creative Outlets? Please?

Ideas are swirling around in my head.
I know. We've been through this before.
I have to put them down someplace, though, or they will stay ideas, and most of them will swirl right on out of my head.

I have tie dye supplies - except for the things to tie dye. need to get on that
I want to pick up some jewelry findings, as my children have expressed an interest in making a few things this summer.
I want to paint. The boy's room, the girl's room, the back bathroom, my bedroom, the living room, the kitchen. (I know this is lofty. I will be tired of painting after the first room.)
I want to paint the bunkbeds.
I want to reorganize the shed so I can find stuff.
It would be amazing to finally put the mop boards up after 5 years.
I want to build a computer station into my pantry and get the printer and computer off of the kitchen counter.
When I change paint and colors in the living room, I want to believe that I could really live with a change of color from the red and green. I like red. A lot. But, I also like turquoise blues and oranges.
Can I *DO* it?
I want to crochet. A lot.
I want to find someplace to put my scrapbooking, paper crafting stuff so that I can access it and use it!
I want to continue walking and increase to running.
I want to create a comfortable, fun, safe living environment for my kids.

That's all. For today. I'm sure something else will come up later.
My mind fills up with things I want to do, and how I want to do them.
Thank goodness for Pintrest boards, or I'd never remember what I saw, where, or when!
Often, my creative ideas are never given birth. It's terribly a terribly sad thing. 
It's to a point where it is almost painful to think of some of these projects over and over, each detail becoming a picture in my head, and I can't make it happen!!!

Here's to a summer filled with completed projects.  What are some of yours?

Back School Sales, Already?

When I was in school, and we were out for the summer, we would go shopping with Mom.
There was a time in July, just after the fourth, when I would be offended by the promotions at all of the stores with their 'Back to School!' sales and specials.
Really? Wasn't that rushing things a bit? There was still an entire month before we needed to get ready to go back to school!
I, for one, wouldn't be thrilled with the smell of a new Pink Pearl eraser for *weeks*!

Now I get it.
My children have been out of school for three weeks, and already I am in the throes of preparing for next year.
If you were to look at my online accounts for a couple of bookstores, you'd see that I have wish lists that go on for miles.
I go in to look at something particular, say, 2nd grade math. Then, my attention is drawn by some really cool science curriculum that we could use in a few years. My breath is catches at some really neat pre-school program created for home use that we really don't need, I probably wouldn't have time to use, but it looks SO fun!
I fall in love with different history and social studies curricula, and put them on the wish list. You know, to go through later.

Then, I find myself digging through the cupboard at home where we keep school supplies and extra workbooks. I am not sure how it is that I bought roughly 100 pencils at the beginning of the year and now we can find exactly 0.
There are about six crayons left, no markers, and a few broken colored pencils.
One of the children, I know for a fact, will take a pencil to a class, and return without one. Every time.

I am looking forward to the back to school sales so I can get those packs of supplies for 10 cents each, or buy one get one free, or the local Staples often has some of the basics for a penny each for a short time.

Early back to school sales mean to me now that I can be organized and ready before the week that school begins.

We've already heard a couple of ads on the radio, and I've heard a chorus of groans following.

I have to admit, my favorite part of back to school shopping is still for clothes.
I know, we don't need so many since we do school at home, but we still like to look nice when we go out, and I do require that everyone get dressed each morning. Okay, most mornings.

Dealing With the Heat

We really don't.
Have you seen the weather maps on the news lately?
The entire country is red, with temps 90 and higher.
Except for the Puget Sound area.
That's where we live.
It's not a joke that we complain about the heat when it's 75 out.
It's funny, but it isn't a joke.
Today is when our summer seems to begin around here.
We are sliding easily back into the routine of which windows and  blinds get opened when. When the fans come on, and where to play in the yard.
Our house stays nice and cool until about 4 pm, then the temp rises to between 80 and 90 in about three minutes flat.
The shade under a tree is cooler than the house.
That's when we grab cheese and fruit and veggies and crackers and eat dinner outside.
This usually happens for about three weeks out of the year.
I'm on pins and needles, though, reading news articles about the heatwave across our country.
About massive storms and power outages and water shortages and people dyeing because it is so hot.
Wondering if it will happen here.
We've had temps over 100. A few times, for a few days in a row. That isn't pretty for people who strip down to their lightweight fleece for summer.
Sure we wear shorts, with hoodies! We don't know how to be hot and dry.
I guess the malls will see a lot of business when the temps go up as we attempt to find some air conditioned relief.
Okay, so I'm not complaining. Right now, I'm enjoying. The sun is out - a rarity here - the ground isn't slick and muddy, and the temp is comfortable.
Enjoying the present!

Happy Fourth!

It's Independence Day!
Hooray!
Today, a friend of ours that came to the USA from South Africa will be attending his citizenship swearing in ceremony with many others in Seattle.
There will be fireworks and bbq parties and patriotic songs everywhere!
It's fantastic that a country so divided over politics will still celebrate one day in unison, with pride and joy.
Happy Fourth!

When Plans Change

Today I was going to write a blog post.
I didn't know what it would be about.
I didn't have even an idea.  My brains storm list didn't hold anything promising for today.
I went over it a few times, and nothing seemed just right.
Then, I was distracted by facebook.
And, I ended up praying with someone.

So, here's today's post.
Find someone on your friend list, and pray for them.
In fact, type out your prayer and message it to them.
Don't just say 'praying'. I mean, that's nice, but do you always truly pray for someone when you say you will? Or do you get distracted and forget to.
Be specific. With just one person today.
Do it.

Down to Two

There are just two kiddos at home right now. The youngest two.
2 and 3 years old.
Yesterday afternoon, was quiet, relaxing and strange.
The little ones wanted to play out front riding their bikes and playing with other wheeled toys.
Since there weren't any bigger kids at home, Mr. TheZoo and I stayed out front to watch them.
We put up a couple of camp chairs and hung out in the driveway.
We had conversation. We joked around with each other. It was refreshing and weird.
I began to reflect. Was life this casual and relaxed when we only had two children? The older two.

As I looked back, I thought it might have been, but it didn't feel like it at the time.

Both of us worked, there was day care to drop kids off at and pick up from. There were soccer practices and games, there were all the things that we were part of to go to meetings for and activities to do.

There was the learning how to be parents of two instead of one.

These days we are not on any committees.  We are part of very few groups.  We still volunteer for things, but now they are individual, short term things rather than long involved commitments.

Instead, we raise seven children.
That's pretty time consuming work.

And, it has never happened before, but for a few days, the older five kids are gone. And we are down to two.

They are loving it, and so are we.

We get to celebrate the younger two for a few days.  We got them a couple of treats that they don't have to share.

I had forgotten how far a box of cereal goes when it serves two tiny people instead of seven ravenous ones!
When I was at the grocery store to pick up a couple of staple items, I decided to do something different for dinner. Since I wasn't making a meal for nine, I decided to buy a package of refrigerated pasta. The kind that I never buy because the servings in each package are usually two, and they cost about five dollars each. I would have to buy five of them to serve our family.
I picked up some ravioli stuffed with mushrooms and herbs.
It was so good.
We do serve our kids 'grown up' food, but truly, we also grocery shop frugally.
That means that we don't use many expensive ingredients. Like mushrooms that aren't canned.
Mr. TheZoo enjoys mushrooms a lot.  I used to make stuffed mushrooms. BUT to make them now, for the entire family, would be a cost akin to us eating out.

Bedtime is relatively easy. They are little, they play hard, they are tired at bedtime.  They don't need to tell us a thousand things before they go to sleep.

Mr. TheZoo and I watched two movies last night. Back to back. And we both stayed awake through them.
Wow!
Mornings are fairly quiet.
There are only two children making breakfast requests (the one meal that the children get to make individual choices - within reason).

But, having just the two youngest ones home isn't anything, really, like having only the two older ones.
Now I have voices to miss hearing, and necks to miss hugging, and cheeks to miss kissing.  Now instead of the house feeling full of activity, it feels quiet and empty.

I am pleased to enjoy a bit of 'time off'. I know this is an extremely rare occurance.
But I'm also looking forward to getting back to normal.
Well, what passes for normal at TheZoo, anway.