Law and DISOrder

As you are all well aware 'Swim Season... OH NO!'... is still underway and that means I'm still stuck with the rug rats EVERY NIGHT... oops; I keep making typo's, what I meant to say was... I get to spend "quality time" every night with our beautiful children.
I really do love being a Daddy... I just happen to like it better when they act like they were raised in a loving home... not a ZOO... I'd even settle for a barnyard... It's slightly more domestic than MONKEYS and ELEPHANTS; they are already pretty good at acting like pigs.
As most of you know children of their ages don't always transition so well... so there is usually chaos when I get home, for a little while anyway. Although I'd have to admit that being part of the disorder is kind of fun since most of the time I'm the "Enforcer". I am beginning to learn that chocolate milk, hot chocolate, and s'mores aren't always the best ways to get them to calm down?!?! Captain Obvious Struck Again! But they are things we can make together, and they are things we all enjoy.
Any healthier suggestions?
Apples and peanut butter are just a for Daddy; knives are sharp and Ella is too much like me.
Cleaning Grapes isn't all that Fun with out spraying water all over each other... not that we'd ever use the kitchen sprayer for a squirt gun when Mommy wasn't here.
Cookies are fun, but just as bad when you put 2 tablespoons of frosting on each one.

Back By Popular Demand!

IN... still with me?... Means in the Belly of this whale of a wife I have for the next couple of days. The food mentioned is in reference to what she seems to prefer these days... still with me... what she usually eats, ingests, or consumes during her normal pregnant day.
OUT... Keepin' up so far?... Means after the birth of number four, this child that is currently IN... OUT also meaning outside of the belly, in the world not the womb, or more easily stated OUT. Milk, the stated food in the end of this lesson refers to what is produced in the breasts after the birth of a child... what in many cases if possible a child would drink, formula may be a substitute for this MILK, but is still often referred to as MILK.
So summing all this up... still with me?... Start eating junk like spinach, strained peas, squash and macerated turkey and this child will leave the IN position he is holding right now and got OUT for some good tasting MILK... Get it...
I know that my thoughts are Random... and make little sense from time to time... well... mostly they make very little sense to those of you in the right mind... and I still hold on to my excuse of being sleep deprived.
Thank You for you patience. Also, I might add...I was asked in person what that post meant...so don't feel bad that I had to simplify it for you all.

Name Game

What's in a Name... Didn't Shakespeare ask that question in Romeo and Juliet? Has anybody really taken the time to answer our great writer's question? Not to my knowledge, so I'll try!
With every one of our children we have given much thought and consideration to their legacy called a NAME. We have considered the respected relatives of prior generations. Biblical definition or history. Admittedly Brody's first name did just happen to be one that we liked with an Irish twist, but his middle name Aric actually translates from German to Richard which is one of his Great-Grandfathers. Cassidy is mostly a tribute to our Irish ancestors and Her middle name Riley is my Mothers Maiden Name. Ella, Ella, Ella... well she is a testament to our family's belief and trust in God. Gabriella means devoted to God and Renee means to be born again or to be made new, which we can credit or Savior and Creator for.
Our forth has given us such a challenge... is He our last or does God have other plans for us. Should we show thanks for all that God has given us with a Name like Samuel, which means Gift of God Or God hears, as if to say that he has answered our prayers again with another son. I have had many relatives that have touched my life in ways that can't repaid with simple "thank yous" as I'm know Jesse has also.
We would LOVE to give this child a name he can "live up" to... and Name that he can be proud of... and almost as important... something he won't be made fun of for having.

Volunteers Needed!

One of my most vivid memories from my childhood was going to get Dough nuts after church from SweatHeart Bakery... of course it's a memory of food. My children have started to follow in my footsteps... they enojoy "Nough Nuts" on Sundays as well.... one minor difference is that they get theirs before services... Don't YOU think that loading them up with sugar is a great idea before sending them off to Anette Davie and her Army of Volunteers in our children's services at Church each Sunday... Like any 4,3, and 2 year old need help with their hyper-activity. Really I enjoy seeing the kids pick out their own "Nough Nuts" and then get home and share/trade to get the one that their brother or sister picked out that became tastier the second we sat down to enjoy our SUGARY TREATS... One tip my sister and I could share from our own youth was to order at least 2 of whatever you wanted, because MOM... "Camp NaNa" would always seemingly take THE ONE that you ordered for yourself.
So... Long story even longer... If you see a Volunteer in the 4 yr old room, 3 yr old room, or Walkers... wish them luck because the Boda's are on their way to Church right now.

Best Friends.

Hunter, our dog, truly is Man's Best Friend. He is quite hyper-active, but has a calming affect on me. He is a great companion for walks in the evenings or early mornings, we both don't care for the Fox Terrier down the road, who usually walks in the morning. He will fetch whatever you throw where ever you throw it... Hunter never complains. He seems to understand his purpose... for our pleasure and entertainment... just as God intended.

But I must apologize to all my neighbors for playing fetch at Midnight!

RIDDLE???

How many MEN does it take to wash your windows?

One Great Husband... ME.... Do you hear that... that is the sound of me patting myself on the back.

I think nesting extends to the MAN of the house also!

IN or OUT!

IN equates to... Brownies, Sugar Cereal, Fruit By The Foot, and Just About Anything Processed and Tasty, Yet Bad For You!

OUT means... MILK ONLY!....

Which would you decide?

Enough Already!

When is this baby going to come?!? I can't sleep... I eat everything that is BAD for me... and I'm impatient, so I can't stand the waiting... I don't know how you women do this whole pregnancy thing?!?

Anatomy...

Enough about children and the gross stuff that they have learned from their mother... it's premier week... Grey's Anatomy tonight 9:oopm. Who has time to blog.... kids to bed, clean up, let the dog out and play fetch... only a few throws though and a quick chat with the neighbor; then get the snacks and warm blanket... and probably a few more snacks during commercials... and enjoy the show!

Kids are great at snuggling but Mommies are even better!!!

Fall Clean Up!

Cleanliness is close to Godliness, Did your Grandmother use to say that when you were a kid? Mine didn't either, but it certainly does sound like something a Grandmother would say doesn't it? Without knowing when this baby is going to slip out and make his debut, we have been doing things a little earlier than usual... So this year we started our "Famous Fall Clean" First Annual to be exact. We... meaning us men, you know... Brody and I... started shortly after the girls left for school. We picked squash... and then mashed up the ones that the rabbits and squirrels already tasted for us. The pumpkins were next on our list so we took a BREAK and waited for the girls to return... then we had to BREAK again due to child labor laws and our union heritage as well. The girls really liked being able to pick out their own pumpkins and really cut them from the vine... then of course, next was our lunch BREAK. After lunch the kids went to take their naps or rest time while I went out to use the rototiller... which was quite a surprise... either someone broke into our shed and gave it a tune up or my father did it in the spring when he and my mother planted the garden with the girls while I was in Buffalo.
Then after rototilling (did I spell that right?) it was BREAK time... and I was able to go to an OB appointment with Jesse this afternoon... we left the girls at home... they know enough already. No new news... so we came home, ate dinner and then it was time to finish the cleanup... I started to cut the grass... then it got dark... So I used those lights that everyone wonders "Who in their RIGHT mind would ever use those things?" well We haven't found that guy yet... just ME.
We all seemed to have fun and didn't get everything finished, do you think it could have been all the BREAKS... I think that I must need more power tools.

WHAT?

I really don't know what Jesse does with these kids all day while I'm gone, but I must go on record as not being responsible for this one. Last night as we were getting ready for bed Ella stopped right in front of me.... pulled down her drawers... and shot a cannon at me... YUP... a BIG STINKY TOOT! Where in the world would she have learned something like that, probably Veggie Tales right?

What a Fathers LOVE Should Be

LOVE IS Patient, LOVE IS KIND. It does NOT envy, it does NOT boast, it is NOT proud. It is NOT rude, it is NOT self-seeking, it is NOT easily angered, it keeps NO record of wrongs. LOVE does NOT delight in evil but REJOICES with the TRUTH. It ALWAYS PROTECTS, ALWAYS TRUSTS, ALWAYS HOPES, ALWAYS PERSEVERES.
LOVES NEVER FAILS.
1 Corinthians 13:4-8

Priceless?

Usually our new baby finds the time on the way home from the hospital to go shopping for his older siblings... so today Ella and I were talking about a few things I may want to suggest to her little brother while he is picking out her present for HIS birthday, that will hopefully be here SOON!
The convertible for Cassidy is out... she can't drive. Brody really doesn't need too much, he'll be happy to have a brother to play trains with, although I think that will be a few weeks until the new baby is up to playing... after all being born is a lot of hard work... isn't that why they sleep soo much?
Ella would like a hamster... I let her know that maybe I'd agree to a fish tank instead, yes... she can also have the fish to go with it! Since her brother is going to be a little low on cash without a job, Mommy and Daddy will help brother out. Ella pointed out that the fish would probably be better anyway, cause water is free and they (the fish) won't need much more than that.

Picmic

What a beautiful day... we ate breakfast outside at the picmic or most commonly known as a picnic table.... drank coffee and read the paper outside on the porch while the children played in road... not with permission, I really expected them to stay in the yard or driveway, that is why I moved the cars into the road... then we ate dinner outside at a friends house as well, Mommy sure is glad not to have to clean the floor around Brody's chair before bed tonight. Fall is my favorite time of year, not too long and we'll picking our winter squash and pumpkins from the garden... then will come the dreaded snow that we hate to dive in, but love to play in!

8 Miles?

Our neighbor is an avid runner... and this evening he was getting ready to go for a relaxing 8 mile run. That really doesn't sound all that relaxing... it sounds almost as crazy as having four kids. So... as he was preparing to physically exhaust and torture himself... sorry what I meant was... while he was preparing to go for his run, he asked if anyone would want to go. Ella seemed excited as did Cassidy also, Brody is too much like me... it already sounded like too much exercise before Bob even explained how far 8 miles would really be. Bob patiently explained distance in ways a four year old could understand... Ella got a good idea of how far he was going to run... she decided we'd still join him...but take the car instead. I guess this is one of those ways that she and I are also alike?!

Round TWO

Second night of AWANA... I made it! No... I was not successfully tied up and locked in a closet. We all had a lot of FUN... and I think I may have learned a new verse, Funny how God works. These boys have got a lot of energy, I'd have to say it is still only equal to two and a half red bulls.

On the way tonight we happened to pass Miss Carrie... so we had to BEEP and YELL HI! Once we got to the church parking lot we spoke to Miss Carrie and I copied a few things she had to say...rather than my daughter finding amusement in it, as she does when she copies me... she notified me that I was embarrassing her. I thought I had a least a few more years before I did that.

All in all a Great Night for all of us.

God Bless.

Sunny Love

The past few days I've been thinking about all the ways Ella and I are alike... Also how Cassidy and I are similar in many ways too... Brody and I are the same also, we both like to laugh and be silly from time to time. Although all of us have common traits we are all sooo different in just as many ways. Why do children have to complain about every meal... even the one they just requested... you'll never see me turn away a home cooked meal, or any food for that matter. Bedtime's a real treat... who is going to refuse to brush their teeth after drinking Soda from their Sippy Cup, or who's going to refuse to go potty, or better yet just plain refuse to sleep, even when they are so tired they look like a drunken sailor. I never refuse sleep... I wish I had nap time or that Jesse read a story and tucked me in EARLY!

It's amazing to me how crazy, irrational, and just plain chaotic bedtime, potty time, or dinner time can be, maybe that is why WE love these little monsters we call children. I've said before and I'll say again... I never realized how much my parents prayed until I got a child just like me... and now that I have THREE I think I've still underestimated even that.

I've heard that a parents Love is much like the SUN, it's still there even on cloudy days, though it may not look like it.... It's very easy to see the Love on days like today.

Forgiven

Acts 2:38

Peter said to them "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit"

Carousel

While Ella and Mommy went to a Birthday party earlier today, my blond haired blue eyed duo and I went to ride the horses. It's something we do from time to time because the kids really seem to enjoy it very much. After every ride Cassidy has to kiss her pony and tell them what a good job they did... it really is quite cute, if you can get over the germs she must be ingesting while she kisses them. Brody likes to ride on the inside so he can make faces at himself in the mirrors as the horses circle round and round, he never seems to get tired of doing that. They always work up an appetite after riding, so off to Auntie Ann's for some cinnamon sticks and usually a red or blue drink... but today we mixed it up a bit and got orange creamsicle instead.

To end our day of fun we went to Mr. Don and Mrs. Jeanne's for pizza... NO Soda in a Sippy Cup tonight... I'm sure Mrs. Jeanne and Mommy wouldn't have allowed it. The kids seem to enjoy terrorizing our neighbors... sorry... what I meant was visiting our neighbors. I was very happy that the kids used their "please and thank yous"... but must have run out of them by the time we got home. One thing that Brody must also do while saying goodbye to Mr. Don is "HONK" his nose rather than a kiss or a hug. They really are quite cute aren't they!?

Coffee Breath

What would YOU think was a necessary staple in the daily routine of a sleep deprived parent?

COFFEE !!!

What always comes with coffee... BAD breath of course! This evening Ella and I had to have a little talk about TACK...since this isn't one of my signature qualities, Mommy is a little more qualified for this one. I told her rather than wipe off my kisses... just to tell me that she is rubbing them in, because wiping them off hurts my feelings. Well, she forgot about that conversation just a few minutes after we finished it. So I asked her what was the best way to solve this problem. She simply answered... eat those little green and white or red and white candies that Great Nana has. Hmmm... more sugar, that should help keep me up too! This kid is full of great ideas!!!

MEATLOAF... YUK!

So this afternoon as Jesse was leaving for swimming she mentioned how much she wanted/ was craving MEATLOAF... YUK!!! So when she returned from swimming what just came out of the oven, but golden brown MEATLOAF... YUK!!! She also had no dishes to load or unload from the dishwasher or pans soaking waiting to be done, just us running around screaming in the front yard waiting for her to come home. Dinner and taking care of children all while doing dishes and cleaning up after the three little pigs.... how does she do it?.... WITH A SMILE. So I guess you are thinking what are you complaining about "Sallie"... if she can do it every other day of the year, you can do it for a few weeks. My response would be... WE (men) are not built the same.

Wanna Help?

First night of AWANA at church today, for both the girls and I. The girls were off to Cubbies and Cassidy wanted to do everything by herself... while holding tightly to Ella's hand most of opening ceremony. I on the other hand, may have been just as scared as little Cassidy... for a few reasons 1) I'm helping with 3rd thru 6th grade boys 2) I'm not sure that it will be safe to consume to amount of "red bull" required for me to keep up! 3) Soon I will have 2 boys of my own and this insanity that is called TNT boys will be my home on a daily basis.

The first night seemed to go quite well... the girls came home happy. I too came home happy... in one piece and actually had a lot of fun. We played games and worked in groups for a while, I'm looking forward to helping this year!

There's a Doctor in the House

This evening my daughter Ella informed that Polly pocket just got married and would soon be having a baby.... I must admit I was very happy that she put those events in just that order.
Our conversation didn't stop just yet.... before I proceed I'd have to say either she has gone to a few too many appointments with Mommy or has watched a few too many "A Baby Stories" on TLC. She very accurately told me that the baby would come out "down there" and then added not so accurately... or so I've been told... that it would not hurt! She also went as far as to share details about taking deep breaths and pushing.... What have we done to this child? Can you imagine the phone calls we'll get from her pre-school teacher this year? I am sure glad she didn't ask how that baby got there... hopefully I'll be out of town for that dissertation.

27 Days

Just 27 LONG days left... I think WE really hit the uncomfortable stage... I think WE hit the stage where you don't sleep so well... and I KNOW WE hit the cranky stage!

Forgiveness

Ephesians 4:32
"Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you."

Warm Apple Crisp

Nothing quite says welcome to the fall, like warm apple crisp. Last weekend we went apple picking... slightly earlier than usual due to the Mommy that is about to explode a baby... So with fall comes cool nights and colorful leaves, as well as apple picking and with apple picking comes apple sauce, crisp (my mother's recipe is best!!!), baked apples, and apple pie (which is my mother-in-law specialty). And with all those apples comes one FAT expectant father for the fourth time! Which reminds me maybe I should rake those leaves rather than bag them with my new riding mower?!

Soda In A Sippy Cup!

Yup! No mistake there, Root Beer in a sippy cup. Only this happens while Mommy is at swimming! Tonight we all...all minus Mommy...jumped into Daddy's car filled with "junky smell" ( I don't smell it, but Ella does) and went grocery shopping. After a relaxing trip to Wegman's, I decided that rather than make a meal for these uncontrollable monsters, oops what I meant to say was these cute little children of mine, that we would get PIZZA! And what goes best with PIZZA and wings but ROOT BEER SODA! And we wouldn't want to make a HUGE mess for Daddy to clean up, hence soda in a sippy cup!

Love,

Psalm 127:3

"children are a gift from the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward."

Today the kids and I were running a short errand while Mommy was at swimming. Looking in my rear view mirror I saw Ella sitting there and just couldn't believe that it has only been four short years, then it dawned on me that in about a month I would be given another gift from our Lord and Savior. This is both scary and refreshing to me. Am I really worthy of all these beautiful children and equally beautiful wife and mother. Often I am guilty of really showing my appreciation to God and my family, they both bring me such joy. I am glad to really know the the love that is unconditional, patient,and kind! Now that They all have shown me that love, now I pray that He teach me how to show it as well as they do!

You'd never guess, but that is a picture of Ella at 1 month.

Swim Season... OH NO!

For those of you who don't know, Jessica is a Girls Modified Swim Coach for our school district. Evening meets as well as afternoon practices must mean that she actually trusts me home alone with our children. So you probably are thinking that the kids and I sit in front of the TV while she is away working. Nope! Sorry to disappoint you all, but instead we made apple sauce full of sugar and cookie "samiches" with lots of frosting, then ran around getting dirty until Mommy got home. This was all in celebration of our first night of freedom from rules.... oops I meant to say Mommy's first practice.

Everybody's Doing It!

So here it is... Random, Hopefully Enlightening and Ocassionally Humorous!

Okay, I just could not resist. Every night I get on the computer to check our family blog, to see what new pictures have been posted while I was a work. Then after leaving a comment about my own beautiful children, I surf through other various blogs leaving the occasional facetious comment.

As a father and husband I have a lot of growing to do and I think this may help me; and entertain the rest of you while sharing thoughts and stories about my children (who often scare me beacuse of how much they are like both Jesse and Me as children). Sometimes they make me laugh, cry, and pull out my already thinning hair!

Welcome to My World!?