Thank Heavens for Betsy

Usually I try to only put positive posts on the blog, which isn't hard as overall, I have a very blessed life :) I have been struggling the past few weeks though and thought I would write a little bit about it so my kids can read it someday and know that their struggles as parents isn't something out of the ordinary.

I just can't seem to get my batteries recharged. Last quarter (combined with pregnancy and pneumonia) just wiped me out. I don't seem to have as much patience as usual and my kids seem to be a bit brattier than usual. They are usually super good kids and they still are really good, but lately Megan has been very whiny, Kylie keeps falling apart over the stupidest things, Beth keeps throwing fits when things don't go perfectly, Jack keeps yelling at me and being mean when I don't do exactly what he wants when he wants it, and Eva has been super needy. I know their behavior and my exhaustion are related and I've been trying to do more fun stuff with them to help, but it seems the more fun stuff I do, the worse their behavior gets. Sometimes I wonder what the heck I'm doing thinking I can handle another child when the five I already have are acting out.

Then I look across the room and see Beth and Eva curled up together on a chair as Beth reads a book to Eva. Or Eva climbs up on my lap and wraps her little arms around my neck and plants a wet kiss on my face. Or Jack climbs up and gives me a huge hug. Or Kylie jumps up to help out with something without being asked twice. Or Megan tells me I'm the best mom ever. And it puts things back into perspective.

Anyway, this morning I was particularly tired, Eva was particularly cranky and Jack was in a particularly bad mood. It was not a good combination. Jack wanted me to help him play Age of Empires, which I did for an hour and he won his game. Then he wanted to play another one and I told him we'd do that in a bit. He got very upset at me, which affected me more than normal. It was not a good morning. I posted some jokey comment on facebook asking if anyone wanted a 4 year old. Five minutes later, my friend Betsy texted me asking if Jack could go with her to run her errands. I told her she didn't need to take him, but she was happy to. She came and picked Jack up (he even got to ride in her jeep with the top down! - don't worry, I put sunscreen on him)

Jack got some one on one attention, Eva got time with me, and both Eva and I got a long nap. Betsy had a lot of fun with Jack, who talked non-stop for three hours and kept trying to blow the wind out of the jeep. He waved to construction workers, stuck his feet out the window, and wheedled a lollipop out of the lady at the bank :) And got all tired out :)

Thank heavens for friends like Betsy who loves my kids and who is loved by them! Eva tried to walk out the door with her both when she came to get Jack (Eva even turned and blew me a kiss that time) and when she left after she had brought him back.

I had several other responses to my facebook post. Some were moms who sympathized with having "that kind of day". Several were friends who offered to have me ship him to them (one even offered C.O.D.). I am so lucky to have people who love me and my kids. And I am so lucky to have my kids :) The bad days just make you appreciate the good ones :)

Butterflies at the Botanic Gardens

Kiki is changing jobs and had a week off between her old job and her new one, so she invited the kids and I to go with her to see the butterflies at the Botanic Gardens. We pulled the girls out of school a couple of hours early and set off for Fort Worth. We weren't quite sure what to expect, but it turned out that the exhibit was in a conservatory in the main building. We walked in through a double set of doors (so the butterflies wouldn't escape) and found ourselves in what looked almost like a rainforest (it felt like one too - very hot and extremely humid) filled with butterflies.

These were the most common. The spots resemble owl eyes and discourage predators.

Pupae I think ~

Megan examining a butterfly and figuring out what type it was ~

Check out the huge moths (I think they were Prometheus moths) above the kids' heads!

A guide brought over a chrysalis (or whatever they call it for moths) for the kids to see ~

Jack examining a butterfly ~

We thought this plant covered in butterflies was pretty cool ~

Jack was THRILLED (and the rest of us were jealous) when a large butterfly picked his head to land on ~

The butterfly even stuck around when we started walking around again. Jack decided it wanted to come home with us and be our pet. Upon hearing that suggestion, the butterfly flew off ~

Another moth ~

This one was my favorite ~

Jack and Kiki examining a butterfly ~

Kylie, Megan, and Jack checking a couple of butterflies out ~

I kept Eva in the carrier as she kept trying to grab the butterflies and plants. She didn't like being kept from touching everything.

Watching the butterflies eat ~

After leaving the conservatory, they told us there was a room set up in the building across the parking lot with some activities for the kids, so we headed there. We got sidetracked by some fun statues along the way. Megan is such a goofball! :)

The kids' room had butterfly wings and other things the kids could use to dress up. It also had a couple of exhibits that talked about butterflies. The kids had a lot of fun!

Eva decided she wanted to color and was undeterred by the fact that the marker didn't show up on the black paper ~

Butterfly Jack looking at the world through butterfly eyes ~

Kylie, Beth, Kiki, Jack, and Megan making bracelets that explain the life cycle of a butterfly using pasta ~

Kylie with her finished bracelet ~

Kylie the moth ~

Eva hoarding all the fish and frog toys at the fake pond ~

Kylie and Jack as bats (which apparent have frog heads) ~

Goodbye Elder Lora!

Elder Lora has been in our area for several months. We knew he was going home soon and told him to sign us up to feed him dinner on his last night. We got a text yesterday morning asking if we could feed the elders dinner last night and of course we said yes. We've told them to let us know if there are any nights they need dinners. We didn't realize that it was Elder Lora's last dinner, so I just made pasta that we needed to use up. I wish he had mentioned that he was going home today (we never got a date); I would have made him a much better dinner! He said it was more memorable this way :)

Anyway, we spent a bit talking after dinner and then Rob gave him the infamous handshake. Elder Lora's response was one of the best yet! He turned to me and his companion afterwards and said something like "you know, you imagine how awesome it will be to finally get a handshake from Bro. K, but it's even better than you think it could be!" It made me laugh :)

Eva saw the camera and insisted on me taking her picture :) Several times. She's such a cutie! ~

And a family photo with Elder Lora ~

Beth's Kindergarten Zoo Trip

Every year the kindergarten class goes on a field trip to the zoo. Most families get to go once or twice, or possible three times. We just went for our third time and are looking forward to the next three :) This year, for the first time, Rob took the day off work and joined us. My friend Betsy came too. Her youngest, Caitlin, is Kylie's age, so she has no more kindergartners coming through. The last time we went on this field trip was for Kylie, so Betsy and Caitlin were there as well and Jack spent the whole time hanging out with Miss Betsy. All my kids love her :)

Anyway, this time Jack really wanted to see a rhino. Beth was just excited to be there, and Rob wanted to see the Siberian tigers and the river otters. My favorites are always the meerkats and the otters, but I just like the zoo in general. Rob entertained us with random animal facts (did you know that cheetahs can't retract their claws?). It was a really fun trip! We only had two hours, but managed to hit most of the exhibits.

Jack's rhino ~

Beth climbing the fake termite mounds ~

Eva practicing her poker face ~

Eva, Jack, and Beth riding the carousel ~

Eva was not impressed ~

Jack, Beth, and Eva on the crocodile statue ~

Miss Betsy and Eva watching the otters play (Eva LOVED the otters and didn't want to leave them) ~

Beth and Jack posing in one of the bird sections ~