My fav part of the air show

Okay so I don't so much care for the screaming noise of jet planes flying 100 feet above my head. It makes me a little on edge...so to distract myself from the fact that 10 tons of metal were racing toward my noggin and the respective noggins of my precious sons we sauntered over to the Chrysler display and there in all of it's glory is the new Chrysler mini-van. -sigh- It's just as beautiful as I imagined...though my version of lovely is probably a bit skewed because any van that doesn't have 3 inches of cracker crumbs and 12 half empty juice boxes rotting in it is considered lovely in my mind. The kids and I dig the table that it comes with that you can put in. Though just as the reviews say, huge design flaw. Their knees were already touching when they all sat down(can you hear the brother bickering now?) so I can only imagine that they would look like twisted pretzels with their lanky arms and legs that they will all posses 4 years from now. What a nightmare that would be. So definitely a no-go on the table whenever we do buy another van. Which in all fairness I hope is still 3 years off. Though the kids were all fired up about the possibility of a new van at some point, I thought that was pretty funny. They don't ask for toys, but mention a new mini van and they are all about it! Guess that is what happens when they are the product of an overly domesticated mother. The picture is of them with the pouty faces asking daddy for a new van....guess their getting tired of the sweat sock smell it possesses? I love my van, stains and boy feet smelling and all. We have had that thing for 10 years, it has close to 130,000 miles on it, it runs great...well, it runs..let me just say that and it's very much paid for. Second choice:a hot convertible. Yes it is too practical!

Air Show fun

Buncha planes came to town...think they call that an air show. I must say however that when your kids come home from the hospital to a home that is surronded by airplanes...to a dad who flies airplanes....and all of your friends' dads' fly airplanes...to a super cute airplane rug in your bathroom(okay, they don't care about that, but I love that airplane rug!) planes don't quite have the wow factor for them. They did have fun though checking out dad's old digs via the T-6(he's old so he actually flew the T-37 but they didn't have those there..so I pretended) and the T-1, I had a mini-flashback to pilot training when Jason & Jordan were 1 1/2 & 2 1/2..wow, look at them now. Oh, and Kristi! Look at the pilot standing next to Jason! Your neighbor from 4 doors down! At least he says he's your neighbor...could be some weird stalker guy. I asked him if he knew you guys and then we chatted about ya! It's a small world after all!

Got extra kids? Get Disney Bingo!

Ahh yes, Disney Bingo...my go-to game. If you have kids over to play and you are trying to do other things...like say, read a really good book that is hard to put down...just pop in Disney Bingo and you have instant entertainment. Every kid loves this game! Go, go buy it now! Why are you still sitting there reading this when you should be at the nearest Target buying this game! And again, my lawyers have requried that I specify that I in no way will be offering a money back guarantee if your strange kid hates this game...I have no money.

Lessons in life via the Welch children

Lesson #1....girls are very different than boys. I don't know if that is news to any of you...but wow, spend a couple hours with one girl in a house full of boys and the difference is clear! My friend Christina had a meeting the other night so I volunteered to hang out with her two kiddos, Ellie & Easton, they are too cute and it was nice to have some more estrogen in the house for a change...but wow, are they ever different! For example, when her little brother wants a snack she gets him a chair, scoots him up to the table, talks sweetly to him and hand feeds him his snack one bit at a time. Now this ladies and gents would be contrary to what happens in a home devoid of girls. Little brother wants a snack? Well first taunt him with said snack and pretend that you are going to eat every last bit of it without sharing with him and once you get him crying good and hard, throw it at him at top speed and use his mouth as target practice so you can improve your pitching skills. Thanks Ellie for the peak at the other side of life! You rock!

Homeboy got skills

I forgot how young it is that kids can begin problem solving. Exhibit 1:Easton. I gave him a graham cracker when we were all having a snack...but he wasn't putting that puppy or soccer ball down for nothing...but as they say, where there is a will there is a way! The picture is a bit blurry because he was running but it was too cute to pass up. If he could, John would steal this kid and adopt him...they are buds. But then we would have to change his name to Jeeston...so that it started with a J...and that just sounds funny and kids would probably be mean to him so it's probably better that he stay with his own weird mom and even weirder dad. Oh, and for any parents out there who really did name their kid Jeeston...no offense meant..I just thought it was a somewhat funny commentary as it relates to this story..so please don't write me angry letters...or yell at me...I hate that.

Sincerely,
Jsonia...(see how stupid that sounds!)

The box saga comes to a close

What to do when things get tough? Bring in the big guns...aka..the husband. Homeslice busted through those boxes like nobody's biness'. 84 squares of cardboard. Again, ref. previous blog...I do not reccomend it!! Thanks babe, I know you're like leaving in the morning to like go fight a war and stuff but thanks for taking the time to first rescue me so I don't break a nail cutting boxes. You da best.

Here lies Bella

Here lies Bella. She was a good dog. She ate. She drank. She fetched if she was in the mood. She slept. She slept in somewhat akward postions so I had to take a picture and after that was done the only logical thing to do would be to cover the poor canine up with a blanky, so that is what I did. Oh, and she's not dead really for those of you that were concerned..so don't call the ASPCA on me just yet.

World trade w/a 6 year old

These kids should really be a part of the UN because as much discussion and debate that go into their constant trading of baseball cards their skills of communicating and negotiating could certainly be put to good use solving world problems. Ahhh, baseball cards, all the rage in our home right now. Today:Baseball cards. Tomorrow:World Peace

Jack in the box

No not the restaurant...though I do love their milkshakes...but the boy, much cuter! Why do you have giant boxes in your living room Sonia do you ask? Well, let me tell you.(since you asked) Fair warning if your son's teacher calls you and asks you if you would please cut out 84 book covers from giant boxes...take my advice. Say no and run screaming the other direction. Okay, you don't neccessarily have to run; that is optional; a brisk walking pace would surfice. This project is horrendous! Do you know how hard it is to cut through cardboard 84 times X 4 sides of a square? I don't either...let me grab my calculator. Okay, it's 336! Are you kidding me? I mean I love my kid and all, I'm just not sure I love him that much.

Look out he's gonna blow!

1 kid under the weather...that can only mean that 3 more are not far behind? Christina wanna come over and our kids can throw up together? Sounds like...well, sort of a playdate?

My Favorite Show!

What is up with a re-run last night? I was not prepared for that! I had my margarita ready and everything!

My fav purse

Some have Gucci, some have Coach, some have that Gabonna guys purses, I have eggs and bacon. I just love this little bag! My friend Megan a few months ago was making all sorts of downright adorable purses, well, I can't sew to save my life so $6.99 later at Target and whammo! An egg and bacon purse! What more could a girl want?! Though Megan, you are going to have to give me sewing lessons one of these days!

What $44 at PetSmart can get you these days

Before & After

Coconut Cream Creamer...my love!

I so look forward to getting out of bed in the morning and sipping in pure bliss via this coffee creamer...have you tried it? It's my fav, sometimes hard to find so I buy about 6 bottles everytime I find it. As Rachel Ray would say..Yummo!If you try it and you don't like it simply send a self addressed stamped envelope with proof of purchase and I will glady refund your money....oh who am I kidding, I have no job! I have no money!

Ice cream for dinner

So every year if your last name is Martin you get to have ice cream for dinner on the first day of school. Yes, we are cool people, this I know. I guess that's what happens when you have your first kid when your like 12, you come up with bone head ideas like ice cream for dinner. Seriously though, it's something they all look forward to as it is a once a year thing...364 days till we do it again!

What I did today Volume 1

Okay, so as mentioned in previous blogginess, I am down to two kids in the house all day while the twins are away at school. Wanna know what I did day 1? Since the house was relatively clean to begin with I resorted to stuffed animal washing to fill my time. How sad is that...seriously people I must get a life and I must get it soon. Does anyone know if they sell lives at Wal Mart? Are they on blue light special this week? Rollback priced perhaps? Let me know and pick one up for me and I'll pay you back.

Looking back

I can't believe how much they've changed! The pics with their little backpacks was their 1st day of preschool at our amazing church in IL...First Baptist O'Fallon..if you are ever in the area...they would go one day a week, they looked like such babies!

How did these 2 turn into these 2?

Well, it's official...twins have started 1st grade. 2 down, 2 to go!(the bigs start on the 2nd of September) For those of you that do not know, I have resigned my position at the boys school and I will once again be an at home mommy...can I get a amen! Due to a variety of circumstances the twins are now attending on base and the older two will stay where they are. Can we take a minute and look at what this means?!.....FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE ALL FOUR WILL BE IN SCHOOL AND I WILL BE AT HOME WITH NO KIDS IN THE HOUSE....what to do, what to do! This is truly a crossrods type of moment for me and all I can say is I feel old. I miss tooling around Target or the grocery store with a cart full of babbling toddlers and babies. Okay, okay, I'm sure that will pass when I stretch out into my new found freedom, but for now, for this 1st day of school morning, I am feeling a bit sad. Though I can't wait to fill my time with cooking again(woo-hooo!) volunteering in their classrooms, having lunch with them and baking pies for no good reason. If I could be June Cleaver and stand in my kitchen with my apron on all day I would be very happy! John calls me domesticated but I love it! Gotta go put some more vacuum lines in my carpet, gotta run!

The friend Olympics

I love Jason. Homeboy has the best imagination and is an ESPN anchor in the making. In lieu of all the Olympics he decided to create the "Friend Olympics." He organized their activities printed out certificates, found a prize for the gold medal, had commentators and all. He is quite remarkable in his talent for this type of things. They had a great time!

A new level of dumb...

Okay so last night I made peanut butter milkshakes for the gang...then promptly put the ice cream "away" in the microwave instead of the freezer. So I woke up this morning to microwave my coffee(because it must be mouth searing hot or it's just not good!) and found my newest 30 year old error. I will say in my defense..if you can call it a defense... I ALWAYS microwave the ice cream tub so I don't break my wrist and/or ice cream scoop retrieveing said ice cream out of the container...it is much easier to do once in the wave for a few seconds. I think I am one milkshake away from being committed! Help me!

My favorite purchase

You know there are the things you buy for your home that are good and then there are those things you buy that are just downright awesome. Score one more for the awesome list this backpack/lunchbox/shoe holder/thingy thing we got from Ikea is way cool. It holds everything! No more looking around for someone's shoes and such, each kid has a cubby for a lunch box, 4 hooks each for their coat, backpack, hat, whatver else, and two shoe cubbies..one for tennis shoes, one for sandals & kleats. Seriously, if I could just give a shout out to all of my preschool friends out there...I wish I would have bought one of these 5 years ago when my kids started school. Tis da bomb!