A Week in the Life

It has been a pretty normal week in the McDrano household. LOL! Lots of stuff going on. Lots of running around. Last week was crazy, scout crazy. So this week seemed almost calm in comparison.

First off, Sunday. Had to finish a cake and make it to Court of Honor by 2pm. Fortunately, it wasn't supposed to start until 4. Efrain took Eric at 2. I didn't make it until 4. But I did get the cake done. It was supposed to be a walking stick. It ended up being a walking branch. But, hey, it's a cake.

Monday was Cub Scouts. The boys earned their table tennis belt loop. It was fun. On Tuesday morning, the Webelos met again to earn their Readyman pin. Thanks, Ms. Shaunna. You are awesome! Tuesday was also the day Lauren woke up with strange red splotches on her face. By Wednesday morning, it was clear she had gotten into poison ivy again. Isn't she gorgeous?

So off we go to the doctor for a course of steroids. Yay! She looked worse by Wednesday night, but much better by Thursday morning.

Thursday afternoon, Lauren headed to Grandma's for a visit. Aiden showed us Thursday night that he can swim. The little boy who insisted on wearing a floatie swimsuit (usually his sister's pink one) plus a ring floatie and arm floaties all at the same time, now doesn't want to wear anything! That stresses his mommy out, just a little bit.

Friday brought a new chore chart (yay!) and snake feeding day. Watching the snake  eat makes me gag, just a little bit. But he is so cute all the rest of the time.

And then there was today. Today was supposed to be the pool party for the Webelos. Unfortunately, a storm prevented that from happening. Grandma brought Lauren home. No way was she going to miss a pool party. They came in. Everything was fine. Except for the whole phone call frenzy. Cancelling and rescheduling the pool party. Ugh! Then I walk Mom out to her car. And realize there is a limb in the driveway. And there is black safety glass everywhere. A limb fell on the Suburban and broke out the back glass.

Occasionally, it hits home just how lucky I am. Although a limb fell on my 'burb and I now have to replace the glass, It didn't hit anything but the weatherstripping and the glass. Nothing inside the 'burb was damaged. No painted surfaces were even touched. The thing that the glass rides in was not damaged. Lucky, right?

And then it hit me. Where the limb fell was right where Mom and Lauren were walking just a few minutes earlier. And where Mom and I were walking a few minutes later. More than just lucky, blessed.

And then Sarah gave me bugs. My favorite kind of bugs. They don't buzz or sting or crawl or fly. They just sit there, looking cute.

It's an awesome, charmed life I lead. And I wouldn't change a thing.

I love my kids!

My kids often shock me, with awesome behavior and not so awesome behavior. And it is always crazy around here. This week was no different.

Sarah asked me to pick up her holds at the library for her. Sure, no problem. Turns out her holds numbered about 15. Good grief! We haven't seen much of her this week.

Eric and his snake are adorable together. I swear the snake comes out of hiding whenever Eric is near. Atlas is my favorite pet ever. Doesn't smell, doesn't make noise, only eats once a week. Favorite. Pet. Ever!

Caleb has entered the stage where he wants to be anywhere but here. Can I go? Can I go?

Lauren has poison ivy. Again! On her face. Again! Nothing a course of steroids won't fix up. (And yes, I am slightly jealous.)

Brynna built a ghost trap today. She says our house is haunted. Our doorbell does keep going off by itself. It needs replacing. But if anything is misplaced, Brynna says the ghosts took it.

And my Aiden, my sweet Aiden, who has always been more cautious of the water than his 'have no fear' sister, swam today! He swam all the way around our 24' pool with no assistance, no floaties, never touching the wall. And when he was done, he climbed out and jumped from the porch into the pool and swam over to the ladder. I could not have been more impressed!

I love these people. When they are doing really impressive things and when they are doing ordinary, everyday things, I love them all to pieces. They impress me, shock me, occasionally embarrass me, and always make me proud to be their mother.

So Sweet!

Yesterday, Brynna got a Dora tea set from Grandma. She is so in love with tea parties. Sarah and Eric and Fred attended a tea party this morning. Eric invited a pet rock. Brynna fed them 'so much' brownies. Rocky kept making messes. Brynna was very busy! Between serving and running to get napkins, she barely had time for her own tea! Fred was not the only bird in attendance. Brynna invited a few 'maginary birds, so Fred wouldn't be alone.

How awesome is it that Sarah and Eric took time out of what they were doing to play tea party with Brynna? And amused themselves doing it? Without making Brynna lose her mind?

I love these people!

A Whole Year? Really?!?!

It has been a year since I posted anything? Really? That is just sad! In my defense, I have been a little busy. Scouts, kids, scouts, kids, scouts, tkd, scouts, blah, blah, blah. I read through the older posts to find out what I was writing about last year. I had forgotten some of those things. I absolutely have to get back to blogging! If left to my brain, the My Size Barbie story would never have been remembered. And that would just be sad.

So, let's catch up. This month, after 2 years of Taekwondo, the kids and I decided it was time for an extended break. They achieved their black belt status and this mom is tired.

Last summer I became the assistant den leader for the Pack 64 Bears (Caleb's den). Now I am the co-leader of the Dragon Patrol. I so wanted them to be the duck tape patrol. The patch has a duck taped to the wall. But, alas, it was not to be.

For one of Lauren's Christmas presents, I let her join Brownies. Which led quickly to another assistant leader position. Yay me! In September, I will be the Junior I's leader after Lauren bridges.

Scouts is a slippery slope! Now, Sarah has rejoined the scouting program. She is going to be a Senior Girl Scout and a member of the Venturing Crew. She is currently working on her Silver Award project.

Eric will soon achieve his Star rank. He has also grown by leaps and bounds this year. He is currently 5'11", 150 lbs., and wears a size 15 shoe. He will turn 13 in November. He is working feverishly on merit badges. He took Reptile Studies at summer camp and is dying to have a snake now. I am totally caving on that one.

Sarah has been wanting a parakeet for a few months now. While we were out looking at snakes and stuff tonight, Sarah purchased her new pet, Fred. The kids are all wound up about snakes and birds. Which leads us to tonight's 'my kids crack me up!' story.

Sarah is sitting next to the bird's cage, reading a book. Aiden says,"Sarah, can I lay on you?"

Sarah,"No."

Aiden,"Can I lay on Fwed?"

Sarah,"No."

Aiden,"If I lay on him, will I be smooshed and trapped in the cage forever? Would that be hilawious?"

He cracks me up!

And Ms. Brynna was very concerned about the sheet they put over Fred's cage. "He's all alone! He'll be lonely."

Sarah assured her that he would be fine.

Brynna,"Is he gonna fweak out?"

My children continuously amaze me. All of them. And sometimes, they make me fweak out.