Bunco and Bounce Houses

I just returned from a fantastic Bunco night with the ultra-cool school moms in the neighborhood. I say fantastic because: 1. I consumed enough calories to last me 2 days, 2. I got to catch up on the latest neighborhood gossip, 3. I got to know the ladies better, 4. I got to check out another neighbor's beautiful home, and finally 5. I won the jackpot!!!!!!!! So I took home more money than I brought, which was none because I forgot, but a nice friend let me borrow and I paid her back with my WINNINGS!

...oh, you want to hear more about the kids, not me....

Bryson cracks me up. He's been helping out at church camp. During camp hours, he and the other volunteers are not allowed to jump on the bounce houses due to the obvious....little kid+big kid+bounce house=some type of injury. The leaders made a wise decision to set up a time after camp to let the tweens/teens play. Bryson's been soo excited to bounce after camp each day, and then tonight during Bible study, they let them bounce again. This is the same little guy who was so apprehensive about ever going into a ball pit because of an unfortunate incident when he was 3 (swallowed by the pit and Mom, nine months pregnant, had to crawl through the "gerbil" tunnel to grab the sinking boy by the arm so he could breathe). This is also the same boy that would NEVER take off his shoes, not even to make a paint impression of his darling foot on a t-shirt for a music program in preschool. He didn't have a foot angel on his shirt and some really rude lady in the back wondered if it was against his religion because his shirt was blank. It was the same for bounce houses at parties too. He wouldn't take the shoes off. I am so glad that my son has outgrown his insecurities and that he can laugh about how he use to be. I was never able to to that. I still have a hard time. I love the boy he has become. I love that he longs to jump in the bounce house even if he is 12.

Meltdown

You are probably asking why I entitled this post, Meltdown. It's not because it's THAT hot and that I am melting, although I swear that I am having hot flashes. I hate sweat....In fact, I just realized how lame I was to take a shower this morning in preparation for my sweaty run only to shower after I returned. Back to the subject of meltdowns. Cayden, my sweet-quiet-hardly-ever-complaining son must have been really tired yesterday because he chose to cry and pout instead of going to a friend's to swim. And that isn't the kicker. I told him that he should go to his room and rest for a while and he stopped crying and said, "OK". He's spent the greater part of this week at church camp and it's a bit overstimulating for any kid, but I highly recommend it!

Bryson is volunteering at camp and really put up a fuss when I woke him up in the morning....I am beginning to see the teenager in him. He's only 12, but he is starting to sleep in when he can and he likes to "hang" in his pj's until I ask him to get dressed, which sometimes is not until lunch.

On the same afternoon, Rylan, the preschooler, decided that his shirt was too wet to wear. I had wiped off some toothpaste and attempted to dry it quickly with a hairdryer. He, like his brother, decided that crying would be easier than putting the shirt back on. It's funny, you know...2 of my boys would never change their clothes if they didn't have to, but Rylan wants a new shirt or pants when he drips water or gets a little dirt on his pants.

The final meltdown came from yours truly. You know that PMS that I had last week? I've extended the week. I won't say what the issue was....mostly because it really wasn't an issue until I made it one. Just keeping Jerrod on his toes!

Things have simmered since yesterday and we all look forward to an early bedtime.

Bryson's Birthday

Today is Bryson's 12th birthday. He was so small when he was born (4lb, 13oz) and you could curl him up in the palm of your hands. I am reminded of so many things from 12 years ago. Jerrod and I were still in college making a collective $300 a month to pay for Top Ramen and toilet paper. We drove 1 hour to Mom and Dad's every 2 weeks because we needed to do laundry. This boy has transformed our lives in so many fabulous ways. Because of him, Jerrod and I both settled on majors and got serious about school. Because of him, we became a family. Because of him, we wanted to have more kids, and because of him, we don't want to have more. (He sometimes acts like me and I can't stand it. Or when he says "I know!") But as this day begins and everyone else is asleep but Bryson and me (B playing his new video games, me blogging), I am filled with a rush of emotions. 13 better not be this emotional. Please tell me that is isn't. I may not look forward to their birthdays anymore. Good news though, I know they get bigger and I know that there is no way to stop that, but I know that he doesn't stink yet and that he doesn't have armpit hair. He too, like his mother, is still waiting for puberty to hit. There's no rush to grow up. Take me for example!

The Dentist

Due to changes in our dental insurance...as in, like, finally having it, the boys and I went to a new dentist that is located close by in HB. She is very nice and her office is pretty and clean. First off, our dental insurance is really crappy. Jerrod keeps reminding me that it would be much worse if we didn't have any. But in 2 visits, she showed me that Cayden has 3 cavities, 1 which will not be filled because it is a baby tooth. I mentioned in my last blog about my cavities and bony mass. I went religiously every 6 months to get a cleaning, but passed on the x-rays. It's amazing what x-rays can show you. So, now we'll be spending all of our "back yard landscaping" money on the dentist. I am sure that the dentist was SOOO thrilled about MORE visits from the Bonner family in the next few weeks. Rylan was a terror in the waiting room....but his teeth checked out fine. Poor Cayden! She filled one cavity today and he was so numb that he couldn't feel the drool on his face. He kept telling me that there was something in his mouth and that he wanted me to take it out. It was really just his tongue. He was so glad when the numbness wore off...he could then eat his Dino Buddies!

Bad Mood

For 12 years (maybe longer) I have been in denial about PMS. Today I realize that I am moody and grouchy and irritated and bloated I am going to blame it on PMS. Those boys that could, have run across the street to avoid me and the lil guy, oh, he's a trooper. He did mention that he wanted to play with "Matt" the door-to-door salesman that came by this morning. Rylan keeps asking, "When's Matt coming over?" Maybe he thinks that "Matt" will save him from the torture of Mom's moodiness. We have, though, snacked on some delicious and non-nutritious items such as M&M's and cookies because of my "illness". That may explain why the dentist told me today that I have 6 cavities, a boney growth on the side of my chin (trip to see the oral surgeon, yay!), and that I need a filling replaced with a crown. The positive: more gold in my mouth=greater self-worth.

Tonight we will be going to Red Robin to celebrate Bryson's 12th b-day. He won't be 12 for another week, but I need the oil/salt coma TODAY! He is such a great kid. Although he does have an attitude and some mood swings (where could he have gotten those?), he is respectful and responsive to what Jerrod and I ask of him. So, Happy Birthday Bryson! I LOVE YOU, and you can come home now because I am in a better mood.

Beach Bon Fire

My boys LOVE fire! Tonight they will enjoy a dirty pit full of it at the beach. We will burn hot dogs and make flaming marshmallows all evening. What is the attraction? Is it the danger of 3rd degree burns? Whatever it is will be keeping me on my toes.

Speaking of the beach, we have visited the sand and sun many times this week. It amounted to enough times to actually fork out the money for an annual pass. Now we won't need to pray for our lives as we cross PCH. It will make rolling the cooler to the sand a more enjoyable trip. It will also decrease my running mileage by a quarter mile. My knees thank me and will take what they can get.

Summer Boredom

Aside from the fabulous run this morning, my boys and I did absolutely nothing today. It is all part of the "get-ready-for-school" plan. We've taken away most of their t.v. and computer time which gives them the option of either playing outside or reading a book. This plan leads to more napping, because there's nothin' else to do, and more play-at-the-neighbor's house. Yes! A win-win for me, although it just occured to me that they might be watching t.v. at the neighbor's house...but they're interacting with friends so it's ok.
Bryson, the oldest, tested his responsibility-skills by biking to Carl's Jr. with his wallet filled with a whopping $3 in cash. I am currently waiting to see what he comes home with. Does he know that ketchup packets are free? Can't get much with $3. Rylan, the "baby" is sitting at the table scratching his head thinking about what he'll glue to the table next. You're thinking right now, "She's got to be crazy to give her 3-year old a bottle of glue and scissors!" Well, I am. At least he isn't complaining that he's bored. Cayden, is the sporty son who can always be coaxed into playing outside, but today, like many other days, he has chosen to practice his new soccer moves in the house. I can't put limits on my soccer stud. He's gonna put me up in a nice house and pay my mental health bills when I get old...which is tomorrow.

Day 1

Today is the first day of my blog cataloging all of my wonderful thoughts about being a mother of 3 boys. Of course, it won't all be about my boys. I may feel the urge to blog about my "man" or complain about something (because if you know me, I always have something to complain about). I feel a complaint coming now: Those blisters on my feet are seriously killing me!...and dumb me, I thought it might be a good thing to run on them last night....and I am still having nightmares about that GU that I "ate" half-way through my 10 M run on Sat. I gag just thinking about it 'cuz that's what I did when I tried to "eat" it. Pretty random, I know.

So today started off to be one of the greatest parenting days of my last 3.75 years. My son, Rylan, pooped in the potty 2 times today. That's a lot of poo.....not having to be cleaned from his underpants or from a diaper! Yes! Small victories for this mom. That's not the best part. The best part is that for months I've been bribing him to go with these words: "If you go on the potty, we can have Mc Donald's for dinner." For months I've been telling my son to go sit on the potty just so I could get a Big Mac, fries, and a coke. Tonight, we feast!