Mom Life strikes again

It was one of those days when I was in the "Mom Zone."  I was determined, focused, on target for getting stuff done and managing the kids.
John was out of town on business and it was a long, dark week taking care of business back here on the Homefront.
Literally long and dark.
For some reason, the daylight savings time change has been really really dark this year...like "oh my goodness, is it midnight!? at 4:00pm."
 So it was one of those afternoons, the kids came home, tired, cranky, hungry.....I knew we had Awanas club that night at 6:15, so I reasoned that we had a good hour to kill before I would strategically take them out to Burgerville for dinner at 5:00.
We'd have a leisurely dinner out before I would drop them at Awanas  promptly at 6:15, and then race out to meet some girlfriends for dinner and drinks before picking them up again at 8:15.

Two blessed hours of adulting.

I was motivated. I had this plan dialed in.
Being a dark, cold, rainy afternoon, I decided that watching the Christmas classic "Ruldolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" would be a great activity before heading out to Burgerville. So, we sat, nestled on the couch, the kids really happy (until the Ice Monster scene when Caleb hid behind pillows.)

Anyhow, after the show, at exactly 5:00, I loaded up my children and we headed out to Burgerville.
We arrived, the kids knew what they wanted, and we didn't have to wait that long before four brownbag kids meals showed up on the table. The kids began to happily eat their burgers. All was going according to plan.

Then Levi had to use the bathroom.
Evie volunteered the take him, which I was grateful for since all our burgers and food were completely  and comfortably sprawled over  the table.

However, in a few moments she comes running back and says that the bathroom is locked and needs a numeral code. We ask the teenage boy working behind the counter and Evie runs back to let Levi in. I go back to the table when all of a sudden I see Evie sprinting in a panic back towards the table, screaming, "MOM!!! LEVI!!!!" In the background I can hear Levi from the area of the bathroom crying and screaming as well. Everyone else dining in the restaurant notices our panic and begins to wonder what is going on.
"LEVI PEED ALL OVER!!"
I get up and power walk over to the still locked bathroom door and nearly slip on a huge puddle of urine, Levi still standing frozen over it; his pants, shoes, socks and even shirt completely soaked through.
He's screaming.
Evie's screaming.
James and Caleb who I abruptly left at the table in the dining area are screaming, and I just pause, take a deep breath and say, "Well, looks like we need to head home. Everyone pack up your dinner!"

Part of me did entertain the thought of just forgetting Awanas. We were practically there; and now at 6:00, heading back home, in rush hour traffic to change only to then come right back this direction just seemed exhausting.
But, atlas, those two hours of promised adult conversation was enough to motivate me to march my kids back in the van and do the deed.
When we arrived home,  I instructed the kids to stay put while I took Levi in the house for a quick sponge bath and clothing change.
We loaded back into the car and head back the way we came to Awanas, albeit a little late. After depositing them in their classrooms, I head back the way I came to meet some friends for dinner.

I was able to finally relax and order some food when I randomly check my phone and realize I missed TWO calls from Awanas.
In all the years we've done Awanas I've never once been called. I call back the teacher and apparently James is having stomach issues and they need me to come back to Awanas. So,  I bid farewell to my friends, Get back in my mini van, zip across town.
When I entered the building, a concerned teacher leads me back to the kids' bathroom, and there on a small little potty is a sad James, sitting hunched over on the toilet. He looks at me, crying. I try to comfort him as I gather all my other healthy kids from their classrooms early, them crying and moaning in protest of their early departure.
 I think "So much for my well thought out plan!" The jokes on me tonight.

This is a Mom's Life, truly. What I learned again that night is 'pride comes before the fall'; despite my confidence that I was going to "rock the night solo parenting", masterfully transiting and transporting children, I had to accept that sometimes, life doesn't cooperate.

But sometimes it does, and it's just grand. Like agreeing on and finding the perfect Christmas tree so quickly.

Yep, this is the one

And managing to get the star on top of the tree, straight

And decorating the tree without breaking any ornaments !

Yes, it's important to recognize what does go right.

Thanksgiving Fun

On our way home from preschool on Monday, Caleb asked what I did during his absence. "I picked up a turkey  at the store." I replied. 
Silence in the car.
"You mean a real one?" asked James.

I looked in the rear view mirror.
"Yes, a real one. But it's not alive anymore," knowing that they pictured a bird fully feathered, wandering around our basement. 
"Well, where is it?" 
"In the refrigerator, in a box."
Silence again.
"Mom, who killed it and how?" inquired Levi sincerely. 

James turned to him before I could answer, "The Farmer, Levi...with a rake!" He said it with such certainty that it was a little alarming. 
"No, no James!!!  countered Levi, "I think it was the butcher with a knife!"
Caleb stayed silent and looked contemplative and sad. 

Hmmm,...this conversation was getting a little disturbing; I mean, how did they even know about killing or knives or anything like that!? Weren't they supposed to live in my bubble I've created for them?!  :( 

When we got home, three very determined men were scaling the tree in front of our house, sawing it down, branch by branch with a loud chain saw. This tree had been marked for weeks; we knew that it was an expiring tree that had to be taken down, but I wasn't expecting it to be today. 
 The sight of them sawing my tree up made me shutter. The boys stood in awe and sadness. 
Talk about butchering up a turkey, and now this?! I know it was a dying tree, but still, watching these men hack away and butcher up our tree limb by limb seemed barbaric in this moment. 
My boys were truly being thrust into the real world this afternoon. As soon as they were done the man came over to me, shook my hand and told me the other tall tree in my yard was dead and that he should come back and saw that one down too. I reluctantly agreed and he painted a big green X on it and drove away. 
So much for the dream of living in an old growth forest. 

I walked inside, a bit depressed that my yard was going to be treeless. James and Levi followed me in a bit sad as well, but Caleb? Caleb, as usual, decided to turn lemons into lemonade . He was perched proudly on top of the remaining tree stump, singing his heart out ("Tomorrow! Tomorrow! I'll love you tomorrow!"), preforming for all the neighbors and stray cats. He had a huge grin on his face, for he declared that he had a new stage. 

Earlier that day the boys had their preschool Thanksgiving party. It wouldn't be Thanksgiving without homemade pilgrim hats and colorful paper feathers. 

Preschool forever in my heart

I volunteered to help out with it because I so want to soak up this final preschool Thanksgiving experience.

 

 I helped serve their "feast," little rolled turkey lunch meat, dishes of mandarin oranges and pumpkin spice mousse. It was a sight to behold, all those little preschoolers eating together in a civilized manner on their beautifully decorated table. 

Last week I coordinated Evie's Thanksgiving party for her class. One of the Mom's made cornucopias out of ice cream cones, filled with all sorts of candy. I read the class "The Blessing Jar", which encouraged them to recognize the blessings in their own lives, and we then made blessing jars of our own. 

Pin the tail on the turkey!

Aw, these years!! These sweet sweet years of classroom parties, years when they actually WANT Mom to be there with them. 
So innocent in their childhood lives, that even hearing of a turkey's death brings despair. 

John had to be in NYC for work a few days before Thanksgiving. He ordered the turkey weeks ago but I had to go pick it up with instructions from him to "have it chopped." 
"How do you want it chopped, Ma'me?" the butcher asked me.
"Um, in pieces." 
John is truly the Captain of Thanksgiving. I feel like he trains the entire year for this one day. It's his marathon, his big event, and he takes it very seriously.
 He wanted the turkey chopped into sections because he had several ways in which he wanted to cook each part. Experimentation. 
Culinary adventure.
 The works. 
This is what it excites him. He will settle for nothing than the best. 
Will this be the year he masters Thanksgiving?!

I participate by preparing my traditional sweet potato casserole. It's a pretty basic recipe but everyone says they look forward to it. It's the kind of thing you can only eat once a year. 
I kind of want to make it in the middle of July sometime, just to see if people are still as excited about it. 

I gave Evie and Levi the task of skinning the sweet potatoes for me. It turned out to be a messy amusing task, but they eventually got the job done. 
Caleb sat in the corner making little paper turkeys to decorate our table.
James, well he lingered around the Chef, requesting the job of "taste tester" of all sweet things. This boy knows his place in the world. 
The day of Thanksgiving arrived, and we started the morning out with our annual "Friendsgiving". One of the greatest blessings in my life is living so close to three dear family friends. Showing up in pajamas, John unveiled his new TV downstairs and we had on the Macy's parade along with some simple breakfast and coffee. Our adult conversation covered topics such as the "best vacuum cleaner brands" and  "why mini vans are the way to go". We had no idea who any of the pop singers were on television. We laughed at ourselves when we realized that we are fully immersed in suburbia family life and we've become "those people" we vowed we'd never become! I love it.

Later in the day was the finale! The Thanksgiving feast! We had John's parents, his brother, Rob, wife, Melissa and their two girls and his Aunt Mary. 13 people in all! 
This year I nixed the kids table. I extended the table to include everyone. I set everyone with "real" plates, and "real" cloth napkins and "real' silverware. It was a sight to behold. It didn't seem too long ago when we were hurriedly eating Thanksgiving dinner while I put the boys down for their nap! 
Or being completely and utterly exhausted by the end of the day that I was spinning. This Thanksgiving was so so different. The cousins played so nicely together. The boys sat politely at the table. We watched a movie as a family and everyone paid attention and enjoyed it! I felt relaxed, joyful and really really grateful. 

One of the highlights for me was the pie raffle. As always, we seem to have at least five different pies for dessert. This year, the cousins made a smaller, individual pie out of the remains of the other pies. They had the brilliant idea of "raffling off the pie" to one lucky cousin who could enjoy the entire thing for themself. Who do you think won it?! 
Caleb. 
Needless to say, he was absolutely thrilled when his personal pie was set before him. He sat requested ice cream on top of it at least three times and refused to give up his position long after everyone else retired to the couch. 

James on the other hand was absolutely devastated he didn't win the coveted pie. Eventually I was able to convince him that having as many slices as you want of any pie you want at the table was just as good. Yes, I do permit my kids to indulge in as many slices of pie as they want on Thanksgiving. And they do take advantage of this freedom. 

At last we all digested on the couch, watching Toy Story. It really was a wonderful Thanksgiving, and of course, we ended the day with Christmas Pajamas! I like to commence the long anticipated Christmas season with festive sleeping attire. I hear by grant permission for Christmas music, Christmas decorations, Christmas movies and all things Santa related. 

This year, actually as I write, Gramie and Grandpa treated all six grandkids to Portland's Singing Christmas Tree production downtown. We loaded those kids up in their Expedition and bid farewell for a few quiet hours. The car was electric with excitement and I'm eager to hear how it all went. During our kidless afternoon, John and I were able to get downtown and enjoy lunch at Portland's top ramen soup spot, Marukin Ramen with Rob and Melissa. A real treat. 

Now to Christmas! 

Darker days, colder nights and sweet memories

There just have been too many pumpkin smiles to count this fall. My love for pumpkin patches and all things pumpkin certainly took over our lives this past month as my family and I traipsed around various farms and fields in search of the most perfect pumpkins and vilest looking gourds.

One particularly ambitious afternoon I managed to wash, gut and carve all three of the boys pumpkins in one sitting as they hovered over my steady sawing and directed all my incisions. It depleted all my focus and determination for the next week, but nonetheless, I did it.
When all was said and done, I felt like I accomplished a day's work in one afternoon. Before me sat three different pumpkin faces, two batches of roasted pumpkin seeds (one burned black..so I guess that doesn't count...) and two loaves of pumpkin bread.
Now to clean up the mess.
I'm going to need some candy corn.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

With the time change now, it really feels like fall.
Darkness penetrates large portions of our days. The hardest part is getting used to after school in the dark. By 4:30, the kids are wandering around asking for dinner and I'm asking for bed!

Gone are the long afternoons at the sunny pumpkin patches and cow train rides.

Cow train magic!  A Patton Pumpkin Patch tradition!

All aboard!

Pumpkin magic

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In other news...Evelyn lost another front tooth. She came into the car recently after school and casually commented that she pulled out another tooth during class. Hmmm. Why does a child who supposedly is terrified of her wiggly teeth at home suddenly decide to yank them out at a school?!

I have some theories here.
1. She waits until school to pull it out because she gets more recognition and a prize
2. She sees her friends at school who have this really cool techie watch. It reminds her how much she wants to continue to save up for that watch and decides that pulling her teeth is easy money. 

Teeth. The new investment strategy.

Another curious decision in our household recently has been our boys sleeping in boxes. Levi and James  decided one night to forgo their beds and instead sleep together in a rather large shipment a box. 
It was all giggles until they realized there were one too many people to get comfortable. 

The rain held off for Patton Trick or Treating 2018. After a somewhat blustery and cloudy Halloween day, we were delighted that by night fall we could walk the neighborhood without carrying an umbrella or running for cover.

Iron Man, Captain America, Flash and Miss Kitty Cat were able to satisfy their sweet tooth and journey through the neighborhood, dodging dark shadows and creepy house cats. 
 We had a large trick or treating caravan this year; in addition to our family of six, we had John's parents and my mom! Those kids sure have a fan club!

Yes, my Mom came for a weeks visit, staying just long enough to trick or treat with the kids. She was able to see Evie's last soccer game (and trophy ceremony) 

Another trophy for showing up

She spent an afternoon at the pumpkin patch, played countless hours of make believe and "Mother May I", sat in the back of the car, and listened to Evie as she practiced reading her chapter books. 

A definite highlight for Evie was that my mom and I helped out in her classroom  on Monday. Evie was so ecstatic to see us both. She ran right up and gave Grandma a huge hug, holding both of our hands as she walked proudly down the hallway. This kind of excitement for Mom and Grandma at school will only last so long, so we are going to embrace it!

Overall, the fall has been wonderful. 
I find myself pausing a lot during the day and noticing the beauty because it is just so magical. I never want the changing seasons to be something I zip past. 

One day my family and I  were walking in the woods and there was a fallen log among leaves. I stopped right in my tracks because the colors were just so stunning.  The wood and leaves looked like they were electric, glowing radiantly. I simply couldn't take my eyes off of this. Pictures don't do justice. 

SO Onward, onward we march...toward darker days and colder nights... and handprint turkeys and little pilgrim hats!  

James is already excited about the pumpkin pie. 

Fall Fun!

"Dear God....
Thank you for this day...
please let tomorrow be a good day...
and please let there be a full moon tonight instead of a half moon again. 
Love Caleb." 

 Shaking his fist at the heavens, Levi demands that the winds stop blowing leaves onto his neat lawn and tidy leaf pile. "Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!"
My daily experiences in the laundry room allow me to empathize with him. 

"Go Mom Go! Go Mom Go! Go Mom Go!" My children chant an encourage chorus as I attempt, with all my strength and might, to push an extremely large pumpkin over a bumpy pumpkin patch in a wheel barrel.Banging my shin into the side, I soon realize that it has a flat tire. 
Nonetheless, I was one determined mama to get my super sized Patton Pumpkin home and make it a magical day for my kids. 

Magic pumpkin day

James about to devour his sticky Carmel apple treat at the pumpkin patch

"It doesn't get any better than this!" declares my dear friend Emily as we pass yet another brilliant fall afternoon sitting in the cul de sac while our kids circle us on scooters. 

She's right. 

When I look back on a year, I tend to focus on those "big moments," those Life Events. 
That is why I think my years keep going by faster and faster and faster! I tend to skip over the small little moments while I plan and strategize about the approaching milestones.
My friend reminded me that I am spending a lot of time passing time, when the time I'm passing is my life! 
However, this fall has had so many little moments that I have really enjoyed. As I sit here and try to remember the funny phrases and cute little stories I am filled with so many visions of beautiful afternoons with the  kids, under trees, at playgrounds and with friends.

This fall we could actually enjoy and play in the leaves! It has been so beautiful and dry; the leaves aren't goopy and wet from rain.

I'm one of those people who never gets tired of the change of seasons.





I wouldn't want to live in a place where the leaves don't change color and the air doesn't get crisp. The older I get, the more I really really appreciate and anticipate the beauty of each month.
Yes, I even like the rain.

We've had so much going on in our family the past month. There has been vans, trucks and workmen coming in and out of our house daily. We had to have our entire house repiped  and redry walled and repainted. Although it was an inconvenience, I am so grateful we are able to complete all these projects and just get it done. It truly was surgery on our house.



We completed these projects in the "Nick of Time", hours before John's entire work team flew in to conduct their annual meeting in our basement.

I have really relished in the changing leaves. They are more beautiful to me than ever before. I have often times spent afternoons after picking up my boys at the preschool playground, letting them run around and enjoy the sunshine.

"Can you make this into pumpkin bread mom?"

We've enjoyed sunny Saturday mornings at Evie's soccer games, cheering from the sidelines. 

Bottle this day up

Evie is really enjoying her soccer season playing on the "Cute Cuddly Puppies" team! 🐶

The tooth fairy also visited our home again.  Complaining about her front tooth for weeks, I got an email from the school nurse that Evelyn marched into her office at school and wanted her to help pull it out! (She won't even let me brush her hair!)

 Levi walked around trying to pull his own teeth out because he could use the extra cash too.......

The boys had their field trip to Lusher Farms. Again, it was on a beautiful fall morning and John and I both got to go with them and help build their scarecrows and tour the farm. 

They were very proud of their work.

The boys and the scarecrows. I can not believe this is the last preschool farm field trip!

Caleb following the farmer's directions and tearing up lettuce to feed the earthworm. He's determined to do a good job. 

Despite the chaos in our home this fall, I've really really enjoyed this season. I don't want it to end. It is bittersweet that this is the last fall with my children at preschool, and sometimes I simply stand in the preschool playground and just soak it up. 

The surrounding trees at BCP are so colorful. 

We had a great time as a family at Fir Point Farms picking out our pumpkins.The kids loved finding their perfect pumpkin. Now, we just have to carve them all!!

And, James really wants me to cook him more pumpkin spice goodies. 

And finally, it wouldn't' be fall without our annual Family Photo Shoot!

Here are some of the highlights. 

Girls Unite!

Nothing more special than Daddy, Daughter.

James was in a mood this year and had a hard time smiling.....

Love them, love them, love them.

My life