That's How God Made You

Tonight when Goose was taking a bath he told me that he had two bumps you know where. Being mom, I started freaking out, wondering why he had bumps. Then he started saying how they kept rolling out of his hands like balls. Yes, we're already there. I told him that was how his body was supposed to be. Upon hearing this the Baby Hulk immediately asked "why" at least ten times. Somehow saying "that's how God made you" didn't work. Both wanted to know exactly why God had given them balls.

LOL

Can I say how much I hate the use of LOL? Especially from the younger generation. "I have to take a test, LOL." Am I missing something? Why would you need to take write LOL after that statement. "Totally sucks" might work better in that situation. The use of LOL on Facebook makes me want to stop cyber-stalking even more than people's political updates.

We Are Thankful

It's been one of those days where I just wanted to go back to bed. And to make matters worse, nothing bad even happened. I just didn't get enough sleep and was tired and sore from my work out yesterday. Poor Lance, he kept getting text messages during his show about why my morning was so, so bad.

I read something about having an "abundant life". I like how that sounds and generally think like that. It is busy and there is always something on my list, but that doesn't take away from the joy. And there is so much joy in our lives. These boys are truly a gift to us and my hope is that we treat them as such.

The picture was taken this morning and it's our grateful tree. Every one in the family contributed, some more than others. It took us a while to get here, my plan was for us to write something every night in November and talk about what we were thankful for during dinner. Nobody was interested. Finally, the Baby Hulk and I started our tree yesterday and had things ready for the other boys when they came home from school. I had to bribe No David with food to let me trace his hand. Lance didn't understand why he had to trace his hand, and the Baby Hulk said "I guess I'm thankful for my family."

Looking at what everyone wrote, we are grateful for a lot of things, but mostly each other. I am so grateful for my amazing husband and four beautiful sons. I'm grateful for the chance to hold another baby soon. We're grateful for friends, two special girls in our lives, grandparents, cousins, football, Snoopy and my favorite from Goose and the Baby Hulk...God, Jesus, Mary and the Saints. Abundance is a good thing.

Happy Thanksgiving from The Zierlein Family

Daybook~ Thanksgiving Week

For Today...November 21, 2010

Outside my window...it's dark and warm again. Why can't the cold weather just stay here?

I am listening to...football. I've been listening to this all day long. You might think I could listen to music while driving in the car, but nope. If football is on, Goose is watching. I love this new side of him.

I am wearing...jeans and a black shirt. And my beautiful heart pendant! I love this gift from my husband.

I am grateful for...a weekend away with my husband and Goose. Lance and I hadn't been to New Orleans since I was pregnant with Goose, seven years ago. We decided to farm out a few kids and take who we thought would be easiest. We had a wonderful time, and so did the other boys. I am grateful to my parents for not only wanting to spend time with my boys, but also taking care of them for the weekend. Tonight when my mom left, two of them were crying.

Goose...was an amazing travel companion. Lance and I love art, we love talking to artists, going to galleries and museums. Goose seems to be picking up on this as well. It's exciting to me for him to be this interested at this age. He has his own opinions about what he likes and why. He couldn't believe all the Saints' paraphernalia throughout the city. When we explained how they won the Superbowl last year, his only comment was "do you think they were happy when they lost to the Cleveland Browns?" This kid is going to get his ass kicked one day because he talks so much crap. He is very aware of how his Longhorns are playing this year, but he is a trooper. Saturday, he made sure to wear his Longhorn shirt and today he wore his Texans shirt.

I am creating...lists. List of gifts for others, list of gifts for my kids, Christmas card list, birth announcement list, grocery list, menus, Christmas baking lists and lastly, my wish list! I am so upset that I have basically nothing so far. I figured we would hammer out things while driving, but got nowhere. So very frustrating. Plus, everyone wants to know what my kids want. Which is nice, but they don't want anything this year. Not kidding! Plus, we're trying to figure out Godparents for new baby. Who knew this could be so hard? Then I suppose I should figure out what I have left to do before baby arrives.

I am praying...for a wonderful holiday season. Things get started this week and it seems we'll be nonstop until after Christmas. Last year, we had a wonderful Advent and Christmas. I am hoping to focus on being grateful this week and then start preparing for Christmas after that.

The highlight of our trip...The swamp tour. There are things I have to do, and a swamp tour was one of them. Goose was super excited, Lance not so much. So we dropped him off at a casino and drove out of town. The tour was fine, but let's be real, we all wanted to see alligators. Nobody really cared about the ecological problems of the swamp, as bad as that sounds. We weren't disappointed. Goose even held a baby alligator. I touched it, but couldn't bring myself to hold it.

Around the house...my walls are painted!!! I love the color and am so happy that my husband forced us to look yet again before the painters arrived. The walls look great and my beautiful Mother's Day painting looks so striking against the new color. NOW...I have to contend with my crappy fireplace again. AND...we need shelves. I thought I had found IKEA ones, but...they are white and my furniture is walnut colored. If they were built in cabinets, I wouldn't mind white, but now I don't want white. This week I am finding something.

From the learning rooms...We finished G week and learned a lot about "being Green" and our Guardian Angels. We have one last little project to complete before moving onto H. This week we are looking at staying Healthy and Holidays. I have a pretty good week planned out. Lance has asked that I go over the previous week so we can discuss progress and potential problems. I kind of like that. I have the next two weeks planned, then we'll take a break and just read and prepare for Christ with all our Advent books. Prepare for Christ and have a baby!

On living the liturgy...prepping for Advent and deciding which Saints we'll discuss this December. Since I just ordered two new books, Saint Nicholas and Saint Lucia, we'll obviously be discussing them.

From the kitchen...healthy food. Eating out nonstop will do that to you. Plus, it's picture time. I don't need to add more pounds to my face. I bet my family thought they would get out of taking a family picture this year since I am a super preg, but nope.

One of my favorite things...my husband. He is just it. Period.

A few plans for the week...spin, walks with the family, Thanksgiving Day with our extended family, baking, shopping, Chelsea (be warned, despite UT's dismal record, I am sure BAM will bring up Bama's two losses) and nesting.

A picture thought I am sharing...

Getting ready for baby...

More Thieves

We leave for New Orleans without a freaking money card because someone stole our check card info and charged about $800 worth of stuff in Pennsylvania. Freaking fabulous. The best was the charge for $134 at a fast food joint. Really? Thanks a lot, assholes. As if dealing with XM wasn't enough to stress me out.

Am I going to need a Label for Theft soon?

XM Radio=Thieves

I am so freaking over XM radio I could scream. I so want to lose it with the customer service people, but what good does it do when all they have to do is accidentally hang up on you mid-scream. Then you get to wait another ten minutes on hold before actually speaking to yet another moron. Ten minutes on a good day. We bought the Escalade about five months ago and it came with a free trial of XM. We were already planning to transfer the service from our previous vehicle, but something didn't work right in our car. XM said it was the wiring, and since I have yet to find time to take out three car seats and get to the dealership, I had pretty much given up on having XM in my car.

Then the assholes decided to charge my credit card for three years service without my knowledge or consent. WTF? I called and they said it would be taken care of. That was over a month ago. The second time we called, we were told it would be ten business days. Last Thursday, they were going to expedite things so that it would be fixed within twenty-four hours. Of course, during all of these conversations, they tried to throw in several deals to keep our money. Do I have the money back on my credit card? Of course, not!

I am so over it. I love, love, love channels 54 and 47, but no more. I will listen to the same songs over and over from my IPOD before getting XM again.

Daybook~Sick Boys

For Today...November 14, 2010

Outside my window...it's dark, dreary and cold!!! It's about time. Hopefully it will stay this way for the next several months.

I am listening to...my husband and Goose LOSE IT. The Texans just lost. Again. Poor Goose, he is SO into football this year, and both his teams just really suck. On a positive note, it is nice (I think) to see Lance and Goose bond this way. Goose has always been my boy, so I'm not used to the extra attention Lance seems to be getting these days.

I am wearing...black pants, a black shirt and a grey sweater.

Today at the store...a woman came up to me and said she read my blog. She recognized Squirt who was shopping with me. And then...she said I looked tiny. TINY. I was so happy to hear that. Esp since my husband looked at me this morning and said he hoped the baby was petite considering how big my belly is. Now his statement didn't come out as rude as it sounds. And while I am mostly boyish when it comes to things like sports and cussing, I am ALL GIRL when it comes to my weight. So to hear a woman say I looked tiny was a wonderful thing, even if it isn't quite true. So thank you!!! Even better, I only had two kids with me so she didn't catch me snapping at my boys!

I am super excited...about next weekend. Lance and I are going to New Orleans! And of course, the boys are sick. First, it was Goose, now it's the Baby Hulk. Here's hoping No David gets sick tomorrow and not Friday morning. The boys always seem to get sick when we leave town and it's really hard on my parents. And us...do we stay or go. We always go, and I feel guilty the entire time we're gone. We are taking Goose with us (the joy of loving football these days), but Lance isn't really open to having anyone else tag along, esp a sick kid!

I am grateful for...my husband and weekend getaways.

I am praying...my kids get better soon. There is nothing worse than a sick kid. And the Baby Hulk does pathetic REALLY well. Plus, I'd like my bedroom back.

To be fit and happy...Is it bad to want my kids well so I can make it to spin?? Okay, that's not my first reason, but it's a close second. I have less than five weeks to workout before I stop for six weeks. These interruptions are killing me!

From the kitchen...menu planned again. While I hate the fact that the kids are at school, I do love the routine it forces me to take with our meals.

Around the house...the painter arrives tomorrow at 10. Fingers crossed. We have settled on a color, and I can't wait to see how it turns out. Then I get my shelves. Maybe my family room will look the way I want before Thanksgiving!!! Of course, the shelves are from IKEA, so that means we have to put them together. So maybe the week after Thanksgiving...

From the learning rooms...What a week we had on F week. We studied Fire Safety, Football, made Fall leaf pictures, and practiced writing the letter F. (F week happened to line up perfectly with HWT this week.) I have noticed a great improvement in the BH's coloring this week as well. He is reading harder books, much slower, but still with a positive attitude. Basically, he loves his school time and No David is getting much better during learning time as well. We're onto being Green this week. Maybe I'll learn something myself. I'm not the best at recycling.

On living the liturgy...This week we studied St. Martin de Tours, a great saint. We talked about helping those who need it, even just acknowledging the person on the corner with a smile when we have nothing to share in the car. We missed Super Saints because of sick kids, but still did our own work at home.

One of my favorite things...Snoopy. I admit I've been a bit worried that Goose's love for Snoopy would be diminishing as he grows older, esp recently with his love for football. Last night I asked him what he wanted for Christmas, and he said a new bank. A football bank to be precise. A Snoopy football bank, like Snoopy catching the football. This bank does not exist. I spent all night looking for it and all I found was Snoopy sleeping on a football bank. And of course, nobody is selling that bank.

A few plans for the week...getting well, OB appt, trip to NO.

A picture thought from a few weeks ago...

Batteries Not Included

I just went through Goose's room and closet to clean things out. Even though I have done no shopping for Christmas and his gifts from me will probably end up along the bookshelves, I assume he will be getting some toys from the grandparents.

Here is what we are donating: anything that requires a battery that did not come in the box. And that means, basically all the gifts from last Christmas that have never been used. Now this is not a commentary on the gift givers, but instead us. But here is the simple fact: if you buy a gift for my child that requires a battery, please provide it for me. I will soon have five kids, yes, I am pulling out that card, and while life is busy is for all of us, I can assure you that we will be donating more of the same, unused gifts next year if you don't include a battery. Just ask Squirt, he is still waiting on a battery for a cool $80 road racer of sorts that sits in his closet to this day. Sometimes I think he keeps it to remind us of what schmucks we are when it comes to stuff like this.

Inventory

It would seem that I am having a baby on December 17th, 2010. That means that as of now at 6:40 pm, November 12, 2010, I have less than five weeks before birth. (I obviously won't be shopping on the 17th for anything.)

Let's see what we have for little girl so far: bathing suit and cover-up that were passed on by another mom, nightie, ballerina socks, beautiful outfit (past three items from Stacy), one ACDC onesie for the summer, a Snoopy onesie for next Halloween, and a pair of gold ballet shoes the BH picked out for his little sister. Basically, I have nothing. Add that to the lack of Christmas presents I have so far, and I feel pretty screwed right now. I might need to get moving on getting our little girl some clothes, especially her homecoming and Christmas outfits!

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday, Mom! I hope you have a wonderful day! I love you!

Long Week

The other day someone asked Lance if I had help with the kids. She couldn't believe we didn't have a nanny. I asked him if he told her I also clean my own house. Even after having a C-section you will see me on my hands and knees cleaning the floor. Personally, I think she would have been more blown away by me not having a housekeeper. The thing is I love my kids, and I actually love cleaning my house. Unless someone is sick. When two are sick, I hate it all. Like this week. Tonight was my breaking point. Lance had to go somewhere, and I was alone with these four kids. They pissed me off so badly, they were all in bed by 8:30. Of course, No David is up to his usual antics...turning on the lights while the others are trying to sleep. Everyone thinks the girl is getting her own room. It's No David who will probably be getting his own room before she does.

As I've been sitting here annoyed at my kids, I was thinking of things people have said to us over the last few weeks...here are my favorites.

"Oh my God, are those all your kids?!"

"You are having a girl, right?"

"You know what causes that?" This one is my personal favorite and it seems that only men say it to Lance. How I wish he would just respond once with "yes, and thank God my wife loves it." (It's interesting to note that not one male has told him congratulations on this baby. Okay, maybe his brother and father.)

It amazes me that people are so weirded out by more than three kids. We really don't have that many. Although I did just realize that when we fly, we will take up more than a row. That kind of sucks for me considering I hate flying. Then again, Lance has said that we aren't flying anywhere with all the kids.

My other favorite quote of the week was from the Baby Hulk after I told him to do something: "you're not the real boss, Dad is."

On another note, I wrote Goose's teacher an email and she took several days to respond, then finally referred me to her class site. It had NOTHING on it. Am I a bad wife if I complain again about homeschooling???

On the Feast of All Saints, we listened to one family pray the litany of the Saints with their favorite Saints. Goose was really upset that St. Sebastian was not included in their list of Saints. I LOVE how the boys are claiming Saints as their own and forming a relationship with them.

On the Feast of All Souls, the boys prayed specifically for Bisa, Uncle Richard, Uncle Ed and Jessica's grandmother. These are the only people they know who have died, and I love that they remember to pray for their souls. People think I'm a freak, but I am constantly telling Squirt to pray for my soul regardless of what well meaning people say after I die. I can pretty much guarantee I'll be hanging out in Purgatory for quite some time before ever going to Heaven. Now he doesn't need the details, he just needs to pray. Hopefully, he will pass that on to his younger brothers and sister!

I'll end on a positive note: I made contact with a friend from law school last Spring, and the other day she asked if I wanted to pray the Rosary together! How awesome is that? She's not Catholic, but is really pulled in by the Rosary. Who knows where this will lead for her, but for me, I know that it does bring me much peace and joy knowing someone is praying with me and for me.

All Saints Day

These are the crafts the little boys made for today. Each chose their own saint cards for their mats. I'm going to laminate them so we can keep them forever!

All Holy Men and Women, pray for us!

Braces!

Before and After