HAPPY Friday!

I can't believe that messy picture of my living room has been left on here front and center for TWO WEEKS!

I am starting my 9th week working next week. Still waiting for the full time help to come back full time. She has completed three half days so far.

The office is supposed to be closed Fridays but we've worked every Friday since I started. Just Brent and I. And Marcus on occasion. We've been giving a whole new meaning to the name Applewood FAMILY Dentistry lately. The rest of the staff never comes on Friday. So that means we operate without a front desk lady. . .or a babysitter. Two weeks ago it was Marcus's birthday and I resented that I had to work the whole day. I insisted that I wouldn't part with him on his birthday. I woke him up with the whole family singing carrying a lighted stack of birthday pancakes. Brent thought it was a bit ridiculous (He thinks I overdue it on Birthdays)  but I was thinking this may be the only thing he gets all day. Once at the office I set him up in the upstairs staff room with his favorite babysitter. . . Netflix. I also brought a bean bag and plenty of snacks. Plus he had a fridge fully stocked by our front desk lady.  She usually has an assortment of stuff like hard boiled eggs (he cracked those), fruits and veggies, juice, dips, cheeses. And all right there on Marcus's level. He did fine with the arrangement. The only amenity the nursery lacked was a men's room. The bathroom was down a steep set of stairs to our level and at least twice during the day he didn't make it.

Anyway, we worked from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m!!!! On a Friday!! On Marcus's Birthday!! Finally I took off in a sour mood to celebrate my son's birthday. By 7:30 I was home and had the kids all loaded up for a trip to McDonald's Playland and Brent pulled in just as we were leaving. We played till they closed up the Playland at 9 p.m. I was smart and didn't even order him anything but a milkshake because I knew he wouldn't touch it. Then we came home and opened presents and had a store bought carrot cake (first  cake I have ever bought). I have always taught Marcus that carrots are dessert (they clean out his teeth) and I thought it was a fitting way to celebrate under the circumstances. He was thrilled and didn't complain a bit about the way his 24 hours were spent turning 3. I am quite sad that he isn't two anymore. Why can't I keep my babies a little longer? They keep growing up on me and forcing me to want another one. I honestly don't know how this ever ends. The babies grow up. . .the mom wants another baby. At least that is how it usually goes around here.

Not that I even have time right now for the five I have. I am pretty torn because Brent and I are becoming a good team. Sometimes it seems like this is the way it should be. It's like we are back on the farm spending our days together solving problems. Except we get along so much better now than in the early honeymoon days teaching me to drive tractors and be a farmers wife. A dental assistant is much easier. And he can't get mad at me anymore. Nope, not in front of the patients.

But then I come home and have to make the huge decision constantly. . . Do I clean like a mad woman all night  OR   Do I relax and enjoy the little bit of time I have to be a Mom today? Sometimes I chose the better part and do the latter and sometimes I come home and yell and nag all night while I run around trying to make up for 8 hours not spent at home that day. So basically I know now for the first time how you working mothers do it, I've done it and amazingly life just goes on and we are doing fine, but something has to give you know?

So today is a Happy Friday, because I finally convinced Brent we needed a break and we didn't schedule anything. He is off visiting a specialist learning something new and Marcus and I have the whole day ahead of us to. It feels so good. Can't believe it used to be like this every day.

Here's a brief update on my children.

Kennon -Got her own room when we moved here. It's not really a good thing. We frequently remove her door or take her room away all together. We need to get squished in a little house again so we all can  family time. She has become way too territorial and something of a hermit back in her cave. We convinced her a couple weeks ago to play Monopoly with the fam. She had fun. See?

Caroline had the most fun. She almost beat her Dad! And that was her first time playing.

Savannah- The only thing that gets removed from her is her computer privileges. I don't think I will ever get used to how hooked up kids are nowadays. She skypes with her friends constantly. She also started ordering stuff online. All free of course. We have got all kinds of random samples. She signs us all up. Kennon got adult diapers, Caroline- travel kleenexes, Marcus- individual Miracle Whip packages, and Savannah- three bags of Cheesits. Lately it's one box a day in our mailbox. I don't know how she gets these ideas.

Camille is busy practicing away for her grade school play. She loves all the solos she gets but doesn't feel flattered about the casting. Not when she has to recite lines like. . . " I big, I'm fat, I'm slow". She's Horton the Elephant.

Caroline is busy losing teeth. She lost her top middle tooth one evening after having her Dad hook it with a piece of floss and then jumping up and down over and over yanking. It was only slightly loose. Then two days later she came to me before church and pointed at the bottom middle one and said, "Mom, when did I loose this one?" So one yanked out and one swallowed. Sounds line one of Brent's patients.

 Caroline was upset about something last week and made the above mask and stuck this on her face to express her unhappiness. When we finally noticed her. . . . It got the point across way better than words or tears. Her Dad loved it. He is the one who took the picture. He was laughing pretty hard. I think I am going to put Caroline in charge of making some more. We will need 7 of them. Much better than crying, right? Who can't give in to that face?