A not so interesting day

While I would like to say today was an interesting day, I'm not sure that would really describe it well. For the month of October, in Ohio, the weather was beautiful! I wanted so badly to go outside and play with the kids all day long. I also read Boo at the Zoo was happening today. I had been looking forward to that since a group of friends got the kids a family membership to the zoo for their birthdays. (Thank you again to that group of people!) But, I could not muster up the energy to do much at all today. I was able to sit outside with the kids for a few hours and watch them play in the leaves and run around. I so wished I could have been out there running with them.

Instead, I tried to push through pain without medication, found that my incision has flared up and that I may be having a reaction to the sutures, and I felt like I was smacked in the face by ignorance. First of all, I shouldn't have tried to go the entire day without help to get through. Tim finally forced me to take something a few hours ago and I feel so much better (though I wonder if this blog will actually be coherent when I'm finished). The ignorance, I was able to get over it pretty quickly after talking it out with a friend over the phone. I still feel a little burned and even though I expect it sometimes, it still hurts; especially at this point in my life.

After some outside play, the kids and I came inside and sat down to watch a movie together. Normally, our family movie time lasts about 10 minutes before one, or all, of the kids find something else they'd rather do. But, today was different. All three of the kids cuddled up with me on the couch and watched the entire length of Beauty and the Beast. It really was the best hour and a half I could have asked for today.

Time went by, as usual. Trynity became a little crankier than normal but wasn't too bad. We took them to bed and Kharter and Trynity were asleep within 5 minutes. Ryen, on the other hand, was not ready for sleep tonight. He asked if he could watch a movie-- by asking I mean he came into our room and said, "Mr. Incredible? Now avaialble on DVD." We obliged.

Today was not an interesting day-- at least not what I would expect others to think is interesting. But it was as interesting and nice as it could have been. As I end the day, I can reflect on the gifts we have been given and scream to the (enter "unknown figure" here) responsible for all the hurdles we've had to overcome this year, "Ha! You will not take down this family!"

Photos from 10/23/2010

Scaring our children

Tonight we took the kids to a Haunted Car Wash down the street from our house. We have driven by the place every day for the past four years but have never been. Since we can't really take the kids anywhere this year, because I can't take walking for hours on end, this was a nice, inexpensive substitute. We hear they do a pretty good job on detailing, too.

We decided not to take the chance with Trynity so we traded her for one of our neighbors kids. We all piled into the SUV and headed down the road. $5 for 5 minutes of fun for 5 people and 5 years of memories-- yeah, I'll take that!

Without giving away all of the details, it was a fun time for the kids. Tim and I laughed almost the entire time but one of the guys did get me-- okay, twice. To see (actually, hear) a few minutes of the Haunted Car Wash, see my video on YouTube.



It's strange to think that we pay people money to scare us. Personally, I don't like being scared. I don't watch scary movies (maybe once every 5 or 6 years) but I think that is a hazard of being born on Friday the 13th and thinking the 100-year-old home you grew up in was haunted-- I'm afraid of everything! Tim, on the other hand, is a different story. He loves horror films and can't seem to get enough of them. I'll never understand it.

But, that time of year is upon us again! And while we don't "celebrate" it, we do allow the kids to have fun with it. And tonight we enjoyed 10 minutes of fun.

Watch out for predators

Sitting in the living room this evening, minding my own business, Tim looks up at me and says, "I'd like to jump in the shower. Are you okay for a few minutes?" Of course, I've been feeling better and I say, "Sure. No problem." He walks up the stairs and leaves me alone with the most intriguing, yet terrifying creatures alive. Our children.

There are three of them, as you may know. They were given the names Kharter, Ryen and Trynity. They are wise in their years. Alone they are quite easy to defeat; together they have learned that by joining forces they are able to bring even the wicked to their knees to beg God for salvation. Usually with little to no effort.

I hear the shower water and I know soon the chaos is will commence. The little one walks calmly to my side with big, pouting eyes. She will be used as the distraction as Ryen runs to the pantry to grab a bag of tortilla chips off the top shelf that is even too high for me to reach. He succeeds! The little one gets the signal and runs to the front room where they will meet up to bask in the glory of their achievement. The oldest gives a look, "Should I tell or should I join?" He considers momentarily. He joins.

Of course, I pull myself off the couch as quickly as I can. But, they know, I'm old, weak. I am recovering from an attack of nature of one of the worse kinds. I'm slower than usual and maybe I'll just give up. If I don't, they surely know they will be able to take me down quickly.

I swiftly snatch the bag from the little ones hands. She cries out to the Lord, "My God, my God. Why have you forsaken me?!"The middle child laughs out loud... "Mwhahahaha" and he tells the little one (with his eyes), "Have no fear little child. We will once again be free."

I roll the bag up and put it as high as I can reach. I look the creatures in the eye and give them a warning. "Your Daddy will be back any minute." They cringe in fear. I think I am successful and return to my original overlooking position on the sofa.

The little one tries a different strategy and she climbs on the couch next to me. It looks as if she will cuddle, if only for a moment. She tricks me! She does a quick 180 and leaps off the arm of the couch onto the center of the sofa at my perch. The middle child thinks this looks fun! He grabs the opposite arm of the couch and they both count together, "One. Two. Three!" as they leap towards me simultaneously.

I give one more warning. This time, they suffer the consequences of their action and will receive a time out. They look at each other with the look only thieves could give. They have received their instructions....

...JUMP!

I jump up (by jump I mean crawl slowly from the sofa) and put them in time out. They cry. Boo, hoo... they are not shaken in the slightest. The story continues on for the duration of what was a quick shower for my husband. In total, maybe 15 minutes. I break under pressure. I offer cookies as a solution! Of course, a cookie will surely help now!

The kids are calm. Tim walks down the stairs and smiles. "Were they good?" he asks.

I respond, "You're children are trying to kill me," I say with a grin.

"They only attack when they are provoked. What did you do to them?" he asks.

I laugh-- it was all worth it.

New Blog Title?

So, I've decided to go forward with publishing my blog with a dedicated web address! I'm taking the steps to make this something permanent. Though, in order to do that, I should probably decide whether or not I want to keep the name as it is or make a change...

I could use some help here! Any followers want to help me name my site? Oh yeah, I only have one! LOL

So, here's a few options:

www.TaoOfKathryn.com (I think this is my favorite!)

www.KathrynsTao.com

www.andforthatimthankful.com

www.clausechronicles.com

www.2010equalsfail.com

Give me some of your thoughts... and I will be thankful!