Learning to let go...just a little...

So we have neighbors, and they have kids. They are older than mine and they like to play with mine. That should be ok, right? I'm having a problem though. I'm so not used to having somebody coming around all the time asking if my kids can come play! I feel a little violated! Maybe just annoyed that someone is coming into our world. Don't get me wrong, I want my kids to have friends, but I am used to organized play dates. I grew up in a farming community where most of my friends live a ways away. You couldn't just walk there. Every time we wanted to play, we had to beg and plead with our parents to make it so. So this whole neighborhood kids thing is so foreign to me. Dustin doesn't think its that big of a deal, though he is probably used to it growing up with friends just around the block to play with all the time. And I'm sure its good for them in some aspects, but I just can't help but want to shelter my kids from that right now. I guess its because the kids are older, I don't know the parents except by first name "We're you neighbor" kind of thing, and they pretty much run all over the neighborhood and I want the kids to stay close.(I mean they are 5 and 3, right?) They act different too when they've been around them. A little more mouthy and lippy and Gracie, especially, is alot more obnoxious than usual. So how do I balance this playing with random friends, which I know helps build friendships in the future, with wanting my kids to be at home where I can supervise them, their mouths and their attitudes? Suggestions?
I have been limiting the time they get to play with these friends. For instance, after school (we are done at 1:45p.m.) they get to play till 4 p.m. This is with friends or at home. Then they have to come inside and they work on homework, chores and generally stay inside the house and get ready for our night time schedule.(The kids are in bed between 7 and 7:30) Then on Sundays, its family day so no friends. And they have some activities and planned play dates throughout the week to break it up. It seems to work and they don't beg to go out, so hopefully this helps. I'm trying not to let it bother me but its hard. I had a tough time letting her go to Kindergarten, let alone run amok with neighborhood kids! And they are so little, I'm not ready to let them grow up and want to be with their friends all the time! I want my babies at home! I'm a little selfish and I know I'm a bit of a hermit, but I really like our little family and we usually have a pretty fun time together! The kids do get on my nerves once in a while, so this going outside to play thing does help some afternoons. But sometimes, I just wish the neighborhood kids would just go away for awhile!

Kids are funny!

Kids are just hilarious aren't they? I love some of the things they come up with! Like the other day, we had just picked Gracie up from school (the boys and I) and we were walking toward home when an ambulance came racing down the streetwith sirens and lights just a going. We stopped to watch it go past because Brody really likes those kind of things. Well when it went past, it was really quite loud and little Cooper didn't think that was very cool! He just started screaming! Poor little man. Anyways Gracie says, "I'm going to tell Daddy to tell them to turn those things(ambulances) down because its too loud for Cooper." Yes you do that honey because I'm sure they'll do it for you!

Then a few days later as I was making dinner, I got mad at the kids. I am no saint and yes I do occasionally raise my voice to my kids. (OK sometimes I yell!) I had a nasty cold, really bad headache to go with it, trying to make dinner and had been listening to the kids bounce off the walls all afternoon! I was walking a fine line and decided to send them to their rooms before I really blew a gasket on them. They weren't listening then either so I finally told them if they didn't want to see me really mad...they had better go to their rooms! Well they started off and Brody says to Gracie "Uh-Oh, this doesn't look good Cissy." I started to giggle and it did make me feel a little better. Not enough to let them play in the kitchen anymore but a bit.

I love my kids. They do drive e crazy most days, but they always brighten my worst! One silly little grin from Gracie or Brody and I'm good. And Cooper, I'm sure will be just as crazy as the other 2! I love them so much!

Fun Times in Anaheim...

So we decided to head to Anaheim...just to get away and we had to go visit our Ontario Grandparents...Rob's mom and dad. They sort of adopted our kids as their grandkids since they don't have any of their own yet. Since they were down for a bit we went down and had dinner with them and Rob and Jess. It was fun and they always bring the kids a little surprise so the kids were pretty excited. And they get a little taste of grandkids...so hopefully they won't bug Rob and Jess for any for awhile!
The next day we had breakfast with Woody and then we went to Disneyland! I just love Disneyland....I think I could live there...ya I could..no problem! We had to check out the new Toy Story Ride...which is so much fun! I think its better than Buzz Lightyear! Its in 3-D and you get to shoot the targets and it adds up your points just like Buzz, but there are different games like ring toss, break the plates, darts...so much fun! Dustin said it was even worth the 30minute wait! We did all our favorites and Gracie finally got to do Mulholland Madness, she was finally big enough...and she liked it so much she had to do it 2 times. She didn't get to do Space Mountain though...it was down when we got there...she was a little sad.
The next day Dustin went and played golf with Woody in the morning while me and the kids lazed about the hotel. I love mornings like that, when you can sit and watch cartoons and doze all morning! That's a vacation! Then we went to the beach for a picnic and then to the Angels game. That was fun...but man sports fans are die hard! And of course if you are wearing the colors you are considered one of them! Since the Angels won, everyone is highfiving everyone and that includes my children! As you walk down the aisle to get out, the friendly intoxicated (not just beer, but could ol' fashioned competition) people, are saying "Ya lil' buddy! Good Game! High Five!" It is quite funny that everyone is such a large happy family!
All in all it was a wonderful weekend. Very laid back and quiet. Not too much hurrying, and we got Brody a bed! He doesn't have to sleep on a mattress on the floor anymore! We got a bunk bed from Ikea and stained it to match his dresser. It looks great and he thinks its wonderful. Though he does want to sleep up top, I don't know if I'm ready for that. He has too many night time trips to our room and he rolled off the mattress quite a bit. I think he had better get used to being in a bed again first. Though he looks so little in it!

I begin my blog...

So I'm blogging...I'm starting this as partly my journal entries as the pen and paper kind have really not gone so well! So I am starting a blog. As you know, we are living in Bakersfield, transplanted from Southern Alberta, Canada. we do enjoy it down here, though we miss home. Sometimes more than others! LOL! I do enjoy the winter weather here, I don't have to shovel the walks and my nose doesn't freeze before the car warms up. Though I am turning into a wuss. As soon as the thermometer hits about 15 degrees Fahrenheit, I think its pants weather! I remember back home as soon as the sun came out in the winter and the Chinook rolled in, everyone is in shorts! Ha! Good times!
We have made some really great friends down here, some from Canada that worked with Dustin and some from here in Bakersfield, mostly through church. I am so thankful for the church for that particular reason. No matter where you go, that is one constant that you will find everywhere. The church is always the same and we have always found wonderfully helpful and friendly people at both of the wards we have lived in. I remember our first Sunday here and Dustin's parents had just left the day before and we were both a little down and we went to church. And people there were so nice and friendly, I came home and phoned my mom and said its going to be ok...we always have the church! I just felt like even if we weren't super close to anyone, I always new that we could phone someone in case of an emergency or something. I just felt a little more confident that it was going to be ok! And it was. And even though we kind of live like hermits (I would rather stay at home with the kids and Dustin than try and go out all the time...) We have really become alot closer as we have had to depend on each other alot more because at first, we only had each other. Which sometimes can get very interesting!
I do enjoy it here and try to make each day as happy as I can for our family, as I'm sure all mothers out there try and do. And so this will be my little outlet and update of my family for others to view if they like. I promise to try and update with pics and fun stories of our little family for all of our loved ones that we can't be with right now and hopefully we will be able to live closer one day. So goodbye for now...have to get ready for this weekend of fun in the California Sun! Disneyland, Beach and the Angels Game! Yeah for us!