Friday Night Dinner Date(s)

I love that picture floating around that says, "Woooohooo, it's Friday night!  Oh, wait, never mind I am a parent."  Oh ye, with young children, do you feel it, too?  I love my kids but we can't help in the midst of Friday night chaos drift off in our own thoughts of what pre-children Friday nights were like.  I can say with almost complete certainty I never expected these two conversations to occur while out to eat with the family on Friday night. 

Isaac proudly wore his construction vest tonight to dinner.  We made him put a jacket on because you know it's COLD out but he took it off the moment we hit the door of the restaurant.  Should I mention that he had nothing on under his cotton vest that leaves a half inch of his stomach exposed?  I noticed right away but said nothing.  Who wants to fight with a bull-headed 5-year-old over something like that.  Apparently Jereme did. 

Jereme:  Put your hoodie back on, Isaac. 
Isaac:  No. 
Jereme:  You need to put it back on now. 
Isaac:  Why?  I have on my vest!
Jereme:  You can't wear that in here. 
Isaac:  Why??
Jereme:  Isaac, you can't wear something like in a restaurant!
Isaac (oh yes, I am going to use shouty capital letters b/c if you know Isaac you know he does NOT talk quietly):  LOOK IT'S FINE.  I CAN TOO WEAR THIS BECAUSE MY NIPPLES AREN'T EVEN SHOWING!!!!

Well, how can you argue with that reasoning?  I guess you can't because guess who wore his vest the entire time. 

And, then partway through supper...

Luke:  Daddy, move!
Jereme:  You have enough room, Luke. 
Luke:  Daddy scoot over now!!!  I gotta poop and it's GOING TO BE A REALLY STINKING POOP!!!

You've never seen Jereme move that fast.  And, the people sitting around us were so obviously blessed by our family. 

And, that's the precise moment when I drifted off to my happy spot of dinner and drinks once upon a time...

At least one more random vacation post...

Table Rock Lake (1 of ???)

I hope you like the way I don't post for 2 straight months then jump right back in with a serious topic and  move on the next day to one about my child peeing at church like no big deal.  That's just how we roll around here.
Getting ready to hit the road

Will that be enough beer to get us through 7+ hours in the truck with all three kids?

Not even a chance!

Now back to...

...the regularly scheduled reality of my life. 

Last night at church our Sunday School class was serving supper.  My kiddos had eaten and were outside playing.  No Jereme last night so I was not paying attention to them, multitasking.  I overheard a group of kids coming in saying, "someone has their pants down outside!"  About 10 seconds later, Jorden comes in and tells me near hysterics, "MOMMA!!!  LUKE NEEDS YOUR HELP!"  I go outside and there is my darling 3-year-old standing in the midst of 50+ kids with pants around his ankles and several kids were yelling at him to pull his pants up.  He was crying because he couldn't.  I rescued him, of course, and all was well. 

Oh, why were his pants down, you ask?  Well because he had peed like a big boy.   Right in the middle of the playground.  At church.  With everyone watching.  I am CERTAIN Pratt is completely delighted by our return, aren't you?

I've been caught off-guard...

I had no idea moving back to south central Kansas would lead us to being in contact with a group of people so vehemently against Monsanto and bio-technology.  If you didn't already know it, my man works for Monsanto.  PROUDLY works for Monsanto.

It's fascinating to me.  To us, actually, living in such a rural area that there is such vocal opposition to biotechnology, with Monsanto being the target.  But, when you're the leader it's expected to be the target, I guess.  I wonder if these same people who spread propaganda against biotechnology also realize they are disrespecting one of our nation's hardest working group of people...farmers. 

I am all for each family doing what's right for their own little family unit.  If you want to get your own 1-acre plot and grow all your own food (without chemical or GMOs, of course!) and be self-sustaining, more power to you.  I support it.  And, when you experience Mother Nature in the form of drought, wind, flood, hail, tornado, etc and/or invasion of insects and/or complete crop failure in any given year, you'll be okay.  Why?  Because you can ride your bike on down to the local grocery store and purchase your over-priced- but-still-guaranteed-to-be-organic food and feed your family.

That is an option that is only exercised in America.  Your crop failure won't be life or death but for the farmers around the globe, crop failure is a matter of life or death.  Go on, feed your family the way you want...organic farming is a genius niche of the agriculture community and we support the agriculture community.  Monsanto will continue to be a leader and innovator in feeding the WORLD!!  And, also a leader and innovator in conserving our natural resources. 

I'm not a farm kid.  In fact, Jereme occasionally teases me for still being a 'city girl'.  But, it's an honor to love a man who is so passionate about the land, the farmer and raising up the next generation to understand what taking care of the land truly means.  Maybe south central Kansas needs a town hall meeting to help educate that particular community about what biotechnology really is.  I know just the guy to lead it...

12!

In the past 18 days, we have:
*Moved
*Moved into a house mid-renovations
*Moved into a house mid-renovations with no baths upstairs, no appliances, no kitchen counter tops, etc.
*Attempted to move 3+ car garage into a small 2 car garage
*Given away a LOT of crap
*Worked around contractors here at any given hour of the day
*Noticed a lot of dead spiders from the bug bombs we set off
*Had a boy with a massive asthma attack/flare-up
*Had a man with West Nile virus
*Had a 2-year old only nap about 2 of those 18 days
*Had a lot of meltdowns
*Remembered the dead spiders after finding out our contractor was bit by a brown recluse and headed to hospital
*Went under contract with a pesticide company to rid us of the apparently ongoing spider family residing here
*Wondered what in the he!! we are doing
*Asked a dear friend who is a therapist if she could get me in a for a little 'break' at Larned
*Cleaned up puke off the brand-new carpet that was installed...break it in sweet boy, break it in!
*Vaguely remembered around 12:30 pm that today is our 12th anniversary.

Happy, happy anniversary, JJH!!  As he so romantically put about 15 minutes ago, "there is no one else I'd rather be scrubbing puke up with than you, baby!"

I don't know whether to be thankful and proud or embarrassed that I have 2 parents that can still pretty much outwork me! A lot of work was done on the house in Pratt this weekend. Seems crazy that 7 days from tomorrow the movers arrive. Also seems a bit crazier that this will be our 6th move and 6th home purchase in 12 years. Some of those were really challenging moves but looking back, I wouldn't change a one. I have never felt God's blessing on a move like I do this one. His hand has been in it the entire time, even in the details. I foresee a lot of happy memories made on Myrtle St...don't be jealous that I am going to live on a street named Myrtle either!!

 When I got back home last night, the little boys were full of stories for me. Loved these two stories.

 Isaac
 Momma, you know some days when I am trying to take my nap, some big taxi drives up and down the street, ringing his bell and playing music. It just infuriates me. I mean it, JUST INFURIATES ME!!

***How does he know how to use that word correctly and how have we made it 5+ years w/o them knowing that's the ice cream truck??***

 Jereme had to wake the boys up one morning to work...needless to say our boys are pretty spoiled by sleeping till whenever they want most days. Jereme said if looks could kill he would've been dead by the way the kids reacted to being woke early in the morning...he said it was a very clear glimpse into our future! They definitely are their parents kids with wanting to stay up late and sleep in a little later.

 Jorden
My favorite part of being with daddy was playing at the park in Concordia. I like that park. My least favorite part...{20 second pause}...was when daddy woke me up this morning!! DADDY WHY'D YOU DO THAT? WHY DID YOU WAKE ME UP LIKE THAT SO EARLY????

 Jereme and I are both blessed to have been raised by great dads. I am also so blessed that the boy who captured my heart 14 years ago is a great dad, too! Happy Father's Day!