Some Things Never Change

If you've been reading my blog for a while, you have found a pattern: My kids do NOT like to clean their rooms. I don't know why they allow their rooms to become so messy; they always act like it's such a big surprise that I want them to clean up their messes! Why is that? I don't know... Perhaps they have short-term memory loss.

Today, I have made an ultimatum for the older 2: No lunch until your rooms are clean. I made the ultimatum at 10:30 a.m. More than enough time to clean their rooms before noon. It is now 2:40 p.m. and I still haven't made their lunches. Why? Their rooms are not clean yet! Argh!

They must not be that hungry, though. They aren't working very hard--at all! I have gone back there every 15-30 minutes to see their progress. Fortunately for each of them, there has been progress. Otherwise, I think my head might explode!

I desperately want to feed them. But, this is one of those Mommy times where I have to stand my ground. *sigh*

10 Things You Should Know About Me by Aurora, Age 8

Aurora was given homework to bring back for the first day of school. Her teacher had a form for them to fill out the following information. I thought her answers were quite interesting and, well, Very Aurora.

1. My name is: Aurora Lynn

2. I love: my little sister Elliana... for now.

3. My family: Robert D, Helen E, Aurora L, Ryan D, Elliana N :D

4. I like to: read books and watch TV

5. My favorite animal is a: 1) Bunny 2) Dog

6. My favorite sport to watch/play is: I don't watch/play any.

7. An interesting fact about me: I don't really have favorites... I'm just jotting down ones I really like!!

8. The coolest place I have been to is: ??????????

9. If I could have one wish, I would wish for: World Peace

10. When I grow up, I would like to be: I don't really know. I guess I'll have to wait and see :)

Ryan "Shredded" his pillow (FOD)

I went back to check on Ryan during his nap time today and found a pair of scissors in his crayon box. Now, knowing Ryan, it's terrifying that he even has crayons in his room, much less scissors! But, I looked around and saw that only papers had been cut. I did have a slight heart attack, though, when he came out of his room and announced:

"Mommy, I shredded my pillow!" and he seemed so proud and ran back to his room to show me what he was talking about.

Fortunately, he came out, thigh deep in his pillow case to show me how he "shredded" his pillow. I explained to him that when he says the word "shred" it usually means to cut something up into tiny pieces. He looked at me like I had grown horns and said:

"No. Shredded, like, you know, when animals shred out of something tight!"

"Oh! Bubba, you mean 'shed'!"

"Yeah, I shedded my pillow!" and he proceeded to show me how he sheds out of his pillow case!

tee-hee!

10 More Days!?!?!?!

Oh, sweet blessedness that is the first day of school... How I long for you. How my children long for you. This summer has been miserable without your impending joy and entertainment.

Yes, people, even my children are ready for that first day of school this year! There is no dread in this household. Oh, no! Just the opposite. My kids are bored. I am preoccupied with everything baby and it's too hot to send the older 2 outside to play. When it hasn't been too hot, it's been too wet (like these past few days, but boy have we needed that rain).

*sigh*

The end is in sight. That light at the end of the tunnel. That glorious sunrise after a long, dark night. That first day of school.

The kids have been at each others' throats the past few days. It's getting old. Yesterday, Aurora kicked her brother. Today, Ryan punched Aurora--in the face! Now, in each situation, they both deserved it. I'm sure of it. However, we need more constructive things to do than practice our self-defense skills.

Unfortunately, everything to do here in Tulsa requires $$$. Something of which we are lacking since I have not gone back to work. Oh, we're making do. But, that extra few bucks to go to McDonald's or some other childhood form of entertainment is out the window. It's been too hot to spend even a morning at the zoo. My kids are too loud for the library--when I take them. Rob swears up and down they're good and quiet for HIM when they go to the library! Such a strange phenomenon, that is.

In the meantime, we have rooms to clean and more messes to be made. With the weather turning cooler these past few days, I'm hoping a trip to the zoo can be placed on the agenda. We've got cabin fever.

Poor Aurora (FOD)

It has been a rough day here in the Rose household. These kids are so restless and this Mom is ready for school to start again. (12 more days--HOORAY!!!!)

I have had a short fuse today and the kids have pushed every button imaginable--even the baby! Now, I preface this with: I do not spank my baby. At all!

But, the older 2, I do still spank. Aurora, not so much anymore, since you can talk things through with her, but Bubba got multiple spankings today. He was told to do things and didn't; he was told not to do things and did them anyway. It's been a tough day for him.

Anyway, to get to the point: Aurora was sent to bed early tonight because she refused to eat her pizza. What warm-blooded American child doesn't like pizza? This is always a contentious point in our household. Furthermore, we have pizza once a week, so you think she'd learn by now, right? Oh, no. Not Aurora. She's a stubborn one.

As a result, I sent her to bed. Ellie was FINALLY taking a nap during our dinner time, so Ryan and I got to eat together--just the two of us. That doesn't happen very often, so I took full advantage of it. We ate our slices together and talked about The Avengers (well, as much as my knowledge would allow us). After dinner, we ate ice cream right out of the container. It was a sweet time.

When I was getting Ryan out of the shower tonight, Aurora opened her door and informed me that I loved Ryan and Ellie more than I love her. I said I didn't, so she downgraded their status to "Favorites". I told her that if I had any favorites, SHE would be my favorite first-born, Ryan would be my favorite son, and Ellie would be my favorite baby. Not to be outdone, I further mentioned that if Ryan was my favorite, why did he get 3 spankings today and she got none? That threw her for a loop. Her response was great, though:

"You've given me, like, 5 spankings today!" she said.

"I haven't spanked you once!" --Me.

"Yes you have. You've given me brain spankings. Those are the worst!"

I just laughed and kissed her goodnight. Where does she come up with these things?

If You Can't Stand the Heat...

Well, that's just too dang bad this summer! My GOSH! It is so stinkin' hot (and I mean STINKING--P. U.)!!!

July was our hottest month on record, EVER, here in Oklahoma. I'm so glad I was here for that (sarcasm). Our electric bill for the month, just to keep our house at 80°F, was over $300!!!! The HVAC specialists in the area are trying to tell people that your A/C will not cool your house to 70°F when the outside temps are over 100°F. It's just unrealistic, they say, to expect anything cooler than 20° less than the outside temp. *sigh*


Because of the heat, Rob and I are having trouble sleeping upstairs. He has to take no less than 2 cold showers at night. One to get into the bed and settled down. When he finally settles down enough to get to sleep, the bed is too hot already and he has to go take another cold shower to cool himself down. It's a vicious cycle.


My coping mechanism has just been to sleep on the futon in Ellie's room. Her room is the smallest of the bedrooms. As a result, it is the coolest room in the summer. In fact, it was almost cool in her room when we woke up this morning. Almost. I was covered up with the comforter and didn't feel like I was going to melt. Rob doesn't fit on the futon with me, so he sleeps upstairs. Last night, he quipped, "We should move our mattress into Ellie's Room." I was all for it! However, it was 11 p.m. and neither of us had the energy to move a queen sized mattress down the stairs. If we don't get some reprieve from the heat soon, moving our bed's residence could become a sincere reality.
In case you can't tell, Rob and I don't do the heat well at all. We are used to cooler temps and actually prefer Fall and Winter to Spring and Summer--ESPECIALLY here in Oklahoma! Spring is scary here; Summer is relentless. Especially this summer. I assume it's like this all across the United States, from the news reports I've seen and all the facebook posts from my friends in various other regions of the country. I mean, when Wisconsin hits the 90's in the summer you know something's gotta give!

In the meantime, we are just trying to stay cool. I'm grateful for the air conditioning in my house and for my ice maker in my freezer. We're becoming well acquainted.


How are you all staying cool this summer? Got any "Beat the Heat" advice?

30 Things I've learned about Oklahoma

In honor of my turning 30, I thought I'd share a few things I've learned in the last 4 years:

1. There are a LOT of famous people from Oklahoma: Gene Autry, Garth Brooks, John Denver, Vince Gill, James Garner, Mary Hart, Ron Howard, Toby Keith, Reba McEntire, Dr. Phil, Mickey Mantle, Brad Pitt, Carrie Underwood, James Marsden and many more!
2. The Native Americans do NOT still live in teepees
3. Oklahoma still has Native Americans, but they aren't offended when you call them "Indians"
4. The "Indians" out here look just like you and me, but they get special license plates on their cars
5. Apparently, you only have to be, like, 1/92 Native American to get that special license plate (I'm going to start doing some genealogy tomorrow! Surely somebody in my family married an Indian... Right?)
6. The people out here will bend over backwards to have a conversation with you
7. Not only that, but if they find out you have any needs during that conversation, they will give you the shirt off their backs if it would help!
8. Oklahoma has only 3 seasons: Cold, Hot, and Windy aka Wet, Dry and Tornadoes
9. During the Cold season, everyone wishes for the Hot season.
10. During the Hot season, everyone wishes for the Cold season.
11. Nobody wishes for the Windy season, except for the local weathermen, who get overly excited when they find a funnel cloud.
12. During the Tornado season, men are expected to go out on the front porch to look at their impending doom.
13. Your "safe spot" during a Tornado is locally know as your "Hidey Hole"
14. A "light breeze" in Oklahoma is 15mph, a "steady breeze" is 25mph, and a "strong wind" is 50mph. Anything above that requires a "Wind Advisory". Because the debris flying through your front yard isn't advice enough to stay inside, apparently.
15. There are approximately 2 weeks out of the year where it is comfortable enough outside to leave your windows open. Unfortunately, those two weeks are random days scattered throughout 12 months.
16. Oklahoma is actually civilized; bandits do not roam the streets on horses anymore. Just sayin'
17. Time goes a little slower out here in Oklahoma. If you want to get somewhere on time, you better leave early. People on the interstates are never in a hurry and they believe you shouldn't be, either.
18. There is a Wal-Mart OR a gas station on every corner.
19. Speaking of corners, all the streets are straight out here. The cities are built on grids.
20. Not only are the streets straight, but they are flat, too. Elevation changes are very rare.
21. When it rains, it pours. Literally.
22. When it doesn't rain, the whole area is placed on water restrictions.
23. When water restrictions are enforced, stuff catches fire.
24. Stuff catches fire because the temperatures reach 100°F for weeks straight.
25. Since I've lived in Oklahoma, we've endured over 100 days where the temperature reached over 100°F.
26. I do NOT like 100°F weather
27. I do NOT like strong winds
28. I do NOT like tornadoes
29. I do NOT like straight roads
30. But I sure do love the people here!