Sunday Brunch

Success was ours for the taking!!!

Today was the "Tasting Brunch" and debut of the OMOS (Our Mother of Sorrows) 75th Anniversary Cookbook! Today was also my first official OMOS event, and can I tell you those ladies have it down. With the help of 70+ recipe contributors and our 14 person committee we had over 85 dishes for the parish to sample. Every one of them looked, smelled and tasted wonderful. We estimate over 300 people joined us for the event and we have sold over 200 books already!!

When the women of OMOS host a functions it is done to perfection. All of the napkins, tablecloths and paper goods match perfectly. There are silver candelabras, punch bowls and serving plates, with doilies, used to present the dishes. If not silver, glass or ceramic is used. Ms. Pat said "Why go through all of this trouble and have the presentation look cheap!" Each table had a fresh flower center piece and when the function is over, a family with several sons, appears like angels and takes down all of the tables and chairs (heavenly after 6 hours on your feet).

My favorite part of the day was having Helena there with us! She was so well behaved and such a good helper - several of the ladies even told her she did a great job and thanked her for sharing her Mommy with them! She helped put out place cards for the dishes, make labels with Ms. Louise and served up some punch. She also grazed her way through the day - ha ha ha.

I really enjoy my time with the women of OMOS - they are a hoot to say the least and teach me a thing or 2 every time we meet! ;)

Big Happenings Around the House

We have had several big happenings occur over the past week or so and all have been positive....

- I got to go to the Moms of Multiples Convention and had a great time
- When I got home everyone was well, including Jason - but I see a little more grey around his temples since I left :)
- While I was gone the shed fairy finally delivered, now we can get our garage back
- Grandmom Beverly and Pop George along with several other family members left for a cruise and it sounds like they are having a blast
- Helena got a great report at her conference on Monday - Mrs. Chance said she is well on her way to K!! Now we work on reading skills.....
- After several weeks of talking about it, our (me and Helena) trip to Alaska to visit Pam and the family in June came to fruition!! Jason booked our flights and such so we are Alaska bound right after Helena's Birthday (I know I owe him big time for this one!!!)
- The Church cookbooks are supposed to arrive tomorrow, which means we will have them for our tasting brunch on Sunday!! Yeah!!
- Jason has a new technique for cutting the grass, when in doubt - just hook up the cart to the tractor and pull the kids around with you!! Trust me, on the shore this is not a new idea!!
- Parker's Godfather - "Uncle" Willie - called this week and asked if he would be the ring bearer in his wedding this November. I told him, if he was willing to take the "risk" I would be right there with him....he said that he and Laurel were game - I said BRAVE!

All in all not a bad 2 weeks I must say!!

What Happens In Roanoke......

Stays in Roanoke!

I am not at liberty to confirm or deny if this pact was made, however......

Ladies I had a wonderful time!!!

Thanks to Jason and all of the other husbands/dads who very willingly sent us on our way for a weekend of fun, food, sleep (even in the middle of the day!!) and relaxation. I am looking forward to next years trip already - I think I still have some legwarmers if anyone needs an extra pair for 80's Night!

Chicken Poo??

Last night while I was reading and snuggled under some warm blankets in bed I heard the strangest thing come from Jason:

"Chicken s**t, Chicken s**t, I have never seen so much chicken s**t!"

Then he rolled over and said it again?!?! By now I am laughing, I couldn't stop! So I proceeded to wake him up, sleepily he told me I woke him up at the best part of the dream. We were getting ready to plant some peas in our garden and a farmer just dropped off some chicken poo for the fertilizer. The pile was as big as the house! (Now our garden is only 40' x 20' so that is a lot of poo)

I proceeded to tell him why I was laughing so much and he asked me if I actually heard him say it out loud our just in his dream?? OK. So this morning I called him at work to laugh about the event and he had no clue what I was talking about - ha ha ha....again I laughed so hard and so did he, he asked me if I was making this up??? I don't think I would have thought of this one on my own!!

The Fast and the Furious

Apparently that is me! On my way to the Benedictine School (a school for disabled and special kids that teaches them job skills) to pick up some aprons for the church cookbook tasting, I got pulled over by a State Trooper - all 4 kids in the car mind you. He politely told me I was doing 68 in a 50 and asked for the usual stuff. After several minutes of sitting in his black unmarked vehicle, on a not so major side road, he proceeded to give me a ticket. (so this is the fast)

Then he asked me if I have ever had a traffic violation - now I know he just looked at my record, so I proceeded to tell him that the last ticket I got was my freshman year of collage. His reply "Well that was a really long time ago!" OK, I am not that old, maybe I look older than 34, but hey give me a break! This whole time my little angels were being just that as well - no one let out a peep!!! Can you believe it, not even one. (this would be the furious) And to make matters worse, he told me I should go to court, because the judge is very lenient on new offenders like myself, so he would probably reduce the points (ugh!) and fine.

So I want to know - why did he give me the ticket if it will likely only cost me court fees??? Not to mention a day of work for Jason and a day at the courthouse for me!!!! Someone help me understand this craziness!!!

Pearly Whites x 4

Today was another big day in our house - Parker, Preston and Peyton had their first dental visit with Dr. Collins. (She is soooo fantastic!) Helena had a routine cleaning as well. She is the perfect role model for a dental patient - she goes in, picks out her movie, puts on her sunglasses and sit in the chair with her mouth wide open.....never flinches at all during her cleaning. She was given a big job today, she got to pick out everybodies toothbrush - big stuff!!

As always, Helena's cleaning was uneventful and she got 2 thumbs up from Dr. Collins - we (I) just have to work on flossing a bit better. Next came the boys, first we did pictures - they will mail them to us, then came Parker. Dr. Collins made mention that he sounded like an Opera singer when he screamed - Daddy and Uncle Dan, you need to work on this!! Preston was not quite as fussy and Peyton was holding me so tight around the neck we had to pry him off. Luckily everyone looks good, but we have to give up some of our favorite snacks (raisins, craisins, dries fruit snacks, chewy granola bars and juice, which I always water down anyway) because it looks like they have weak enamel - most likely due to being multiples.....This also means - I have to floss them 2x per day. This should be a fun challenge, no???? I will let you know how many fingers I loose!!

But I really can't complain - 4 thumbs up and no visit for 6 months - I'll take it!!

Nice Treat!

Tonight I had a board meeting for the MOMS club, one of the few nights a month I get to myself and the best part of this night out was actually 2 things:

1) Whenever I have a meeting, weather it be for the MOMS club or church, Jason always makes sure he works his schedule so that he is home on time for me to leave......
and
2) Tonight when I came home, all of the toys were picked up, all children bathed and the kitchen was put back in order!!!! What a nice start to tomorrow.....Thanks Honey!!

Question of the Day

While preparing dinner...
"What have you done around here today?"

(Now my day suddenly went down hill)
- got up made breakfast
- changed diapers, got boy dressed, fed everyone breakfast
- unloaded dishwasher and washed crock pot that was soaking
- did a load of laundry, folded load in dryer
- made beds
- played with kids
- called in Scholastic Book order for Ms. Chance
- got Helena ready for school, did handwriting homework, put milk money in bag, approved homework
- made lunch for kids, fed kids, brushed boys teeth, changed diapers
- got dressed, combed hair
- put boys down for nap
- brushed teeth with Helena and waited for the bus
- got Helena on bus, did 2 more loads of laundry, folded
- did some paperwork/made a few calls for Church cookbook
- called shed company about delivery, called to make Drs appt.
- organized some things for Parker, Preston and Peyton's Birthday
- organized some things for Helena's Birthday
- made some phone calls (Room Store about sofa cleaning, Davey Tree about next turf application, Benedictine school about order, etc.)
- ate lunch (2:30)
- did another load of laundry
- when Helena got off of the bus took everyone to Atlantic Tractor, looked at potential birthday presents for triplets (battery powered tractor and backhoe)
- came home and played outside for 1.5 hrs
- came in, got dinner ready, sat down to eat and then

During dinner -
"It is going to rain, so make sure you go outside and put all of the kids toys away."
My Response: "Why do you have to be so rude, why can't we just do it together?"
"I am not the one that got them all out."

After cleaning up kitchen from dinner, putting away indoor and outdoor toys and getting in a pi**ing match over what I did today- I went to get diapers...
"Can you pick me up a snack for later?"
Really???