Thursday, June 26, 2008

Toilet Paper Philosophies

I'm having a issue with toilet paper. Is there ever enough toilet paper???? One would wonder in this house. We have 4 bathrooms and two of them are used very frequently. Our master bath and the kids bathroom which also happens to be the one that any lucky guest would use if they happened to stop over...and I actually answered the door. I feel like I am constantly changing the toilet paper. Every time I go into one. Am I the only one capable of changing the roll???? Apparently, it does require my superior intellect.
Anyway, we have been going through cases of toilet paper as of late. One reason I guess is that I can't seem to quit peeing due to the fact I have someone stomping on my bladder every time I turn around. Another is Liam. I don't know where he gets his ideas but, they're great, I tell ya. He has in recent months finally decided it would be a good idea to go to the bathroom in the toilet. However, we he goes number 2 he wipes, and wipes, and wipes,...and wipes....and wipes a little more, until I'm sure his skin will be rubbed raw. The catch is that he uses HUGE amounts of toilet paper in the process with little actual progress...if you catch my drift. Also, he thinks that the TOILET paper goes in the garbage can and not the TOILET. Every time he goes I try to convince him that infact, TOILET paper does go in to the TOILET. As a result of his aversion to putting the toilet paper into the toilet, I have to change the garbage bags in the bathrooms way more frequently then any normal person would have to. Also, the toilet paper stuffed into the garbage can always smells great and has nice little surprises waiting for me too! I LOVE IT!!! Can life get any better???!?! I think not.
Don't brag people, you all know how much luckier I am than you!

On another note, today Liam helped me claen up the entire living and dining room areas! This is amazing. He's not one for helping me out much. He keeps telling me what a big boy he is. And he is. I love him to death, poopy toilet paper in my garbage cans and all!!!!!

Monday, June 23, 2008

Good Grief!

Today is one of those days where you just want to curl up in a hole and die. I'll try to hold this desire at bay. Someone came and fixed my sump pump today. and put a new porch light on for me. Oh the joy.

Friday, June 20, 2008

Help Me, Help you

Okay so I guess this won't really be helping you at all but, it may make you feel good to know you helped. I would love it if all of my faithful readers would come to my blog every day (or multiple times a day) and click on the little blue add in the corner of my blog. Apparently, I am supposed to make money from this process. It's a per click thing, so click away!!!! I'll let you know how the process works or if it works.

Sunday, June 15, 2008

My Father

So today was father's day. It's been a year and a month and a half since my dad died. I really miss him on days like today. You could always tell when he was really pleased or excited about something even though he wasn't as vocal as the rest of us Trapp's. Like, if we all got together for his birthday or for Father's Day, he had this smile that would crack and just wouldn't stop. My dad had a quiet spirit about him and I miss having his calming voice around to hear. I just never realized how long it takes to adjust to these things. Maybe I never will.



This is his headstone last year when it first got put up. I think if you can click on the image it will get bigger. My brother Joseph isn't buried there but they were thinking of moving him there I believe. He is buried in Cincinnati and doesn't have a stone, so my mom wanted it on there for geneology purposes.
This is the back of his stone. there was some pole in my way that isn't there anymore. But, it has all twelve of us on the back and there sealing date in the temple. There is also a really cool pic of them in front of the temple. I love their stone. I should take a picture of it now because I joke and say it is the trailer park of the cemetary now! With so many of us visiting it all the time there are like 42 different flower arrangements and memorial thingys there all the time!



So, Tristan, Cedric and I made Jeremy a Father's Day breakfast this morning before church. They each wanted to cook something themselves, so I let them. Cedric made toast. He would put the bread in the toaster and let it sit for about 10 seconds, then pop it back up. I said " Cedric, that's not toast, it's warm bread." He said:"There's more than one way to make toast, Mom." He had me there. So, we had warm bread with lots of butter.
Tristan made scrambled eggs. He got the pan out, cracked all the eggs, beat them, and cooked them up. Without burning himself. He insisted upon putting his "secret ingredient" in them too and I let him. the "secret ingredient" is cinnamon. So, we had cinnamon scrambled eggs. I contributed homemade waffles, with a home-made strawberry sauce, and cool whip. And sausage. We were out of orange juice though...suck.
Jeremy loved the breakfast I guess...or the thought of it. While at church in his Sunday school class, Cedric mad Jeremy a really cute card and brought a pack of zebra cakes home for him and dad to share. It was really cute because he came home from church and got to saucers out and put one cake on each saucer, then served himself and Jeremy.
We went to Jeremy's parents house for supper and had steak and chicken off the grill. Then drove around and showed the kids some of the flooding.
So happy father's day to all you dad's out there!

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

The Fun of Yesterday

This is my life every single day and I have to start accepting that. I'm learning (slowly) to bear my burdens well so that I may be blessed abundantly for it in the future. This is just one story...
k, so yesterday was my ob checkup in Quincy. I got up in the morning and did the usual: get dressed, get all the children dressed, fed, looking presentable, diapers changed, bags packed, etc.
I then asked one of my dear friends, Pam, to take the older two boys so they could play with her twins while I was in Quincy. My mother decided to go with me because she had to go to Kohl's Wholesale foods and it would save on gas. So off we went at 10:30 for a 1:00 appointment.
That's when I realized that in all the hustle and bustle of the morning, Jeremy and I had forgotten to exchange debit cards so that I could get gas in the van. So, I had to drive all the way to Carthage first to get the card. good grief! Finally we made it to Quincy. I stopped at ShopKo to get Asher some diapers. That's when we had the first atomic bomb of the day! He was soaking wet, through his diaper, shorts, and his car seat! And it freakin stunk!!!!!!
I didn't bring any extra clothes so he got a new diaper but now new shorts and had to sit in his wet seat which I wiped out as best I could with wipes. We went to Kohl's, got the food and loaded it up. Then Liam had to go potty, so with 5 minutes till my appointment, I went to McDonald's, took him potty, got them fires and a drink, and loaded em back in the van. Asher was a screaming, crazy kid most of this time, I think probably because he was uncomfortable in his puddle of wet crap.
Finally, to the doctor. I leave my mom and boys in the van, eating and reading books. Now usually, I go in, sit in the waiting room for about 5 minutes, pee in a cup, listen to the baby's heartbeat, thank the doc, schedule the next appt, and out to the car I go. Total of 20 minutes. Well, not yesterday. I got into the room pretty quick but then my doc had a delivery or something and I sat there for over an hour!!!!! Crap a freakin dog! I read three magazines front to back and soon took to staring at the ceiling. At last he comes in, I listen to the heartbeat and run out of there as quick as possible because I told Pam I would be back by 2:30.
When I get to the van, I see that it is shut off and there is a trail of something coming out from under it. I open the door and my mom proceeds to tell me of the fun she had while I was in the doctor. the car blew up or something and starting smoking and spewing stuff all over. she describe all the interesting looks she received and how well the boys took it. they were restless and ready to get out of their seats. I thought, okay, we will go put water in the van, and get home as quick as possible to relieve Pam.
I drove to a gas station and some old man brought me a bucket of water. He put it in and it came out just as fast as he poured it in. Poop! He thinks I had blown a hose and sent me two blocks to some auto place. I went there and drug the kids out to the waiting room while they checked it out.
side note****** Can auto repair places have any worse wait areas. They are always incredibly filthy, surrounded with things you can't touch, and maybe two magazines that are always car related!!! wtf??? Can we try a little harder? Especially when you are usually sitting there for a while.
anyway, this is where we had the second atomic bomb. I picked up Asher, getting one side of me soaking wet with a nice mixture of pee and poop and took him to the bathroom. That was frightening! It was really tiny, so I laid paper towels down on the dirty floor which was also covered in cobwebs!!! I changed him as best and as quick as I could. Picked him up and went out to the waiting room where I realized that not only was one side of me covered in Asher's bodily fluids...he also had drooled chewed up reese's pieces all done my boobs and stomach. I looked like a mental patient!
My boys thought it would be funny to laugh and run out the front door (which was propped open) towards Broadway and fast moving traffic. I started getting the whole braxton hicks contractions thing and was ready to pull my hair out! When what to my wondering eyes should appear? The mechanic, full of good news to hear! YAY!
My hopes were dashed when he said that it didn't blow a hose, the entire radiator needed to be replaced to the tune of $450!!! Yikes!!! I told him I had $6. Would he like to barter the children? Crap, he said no, and laughed. (He thought I was joking.)
I called Jeremy and he said that we should tow it to his dad's dealership in Hamilton. He told me to stay there. I said OVER MY DEAD BODY. I limped the van two blocks to county market and went inside to get us all something to eat. We bought stuff for a picnic and then limped three more blocks to a park. Jeremy had called his brother, tyson, and he was on his way to Quincy with a new van for us. and was going to pick up our van. thank goodness for Tyson and his car trailer. ***Did I mention that it was raining all day????????
So at the park, we were covered in mud and rain. It did quit raining long enough for us to sit outside but the playground equipment was slippery. And atomic bomb number three!!!! Dear God, can it ever stop!!!!! I was down to two wipes. At this point, who cares??? we were all a mess and ready to drop.
We played and had a reasonable good time at the park otherwise. Tyson came and saved the day. We switched all the groceries,car seats, bags, children, etc. into the other van. Tyson loaded our van and we left for home.
I picked up Tristan and Cedric at about 5:45pm...FINALLY. They were having the time of their lives at Pam's house. she had taken them all to the library to cash in their book bucks they have accumulated through the summer reading program.
side note:: my kids won the reading program for their grades at the school this year (second year in a row for both of them!) and are well on their way to winning the summer reading program as well!!!
So after all that I cooked dinner, gave baths to the younger two boys, read stories, brushed teeth, said prayers with each boy, and tried to relax. Only Liam wasn't quite ready for bed and bugged us repeatedly for about another hour or so.
Yes, that is the rather lengthy, surely boring to all those who weren't there, story of my day. Even if you guys haven't read all the way to the end (and I wouldn't blame you) it helped to write it all out. It doesn't sound as bad all written all out.
Oh by the way, in the past week or so here is a list of the things that have broken in our life:
1. the dryer, luckily Pam just got a new one and gave me her old one!!! I LOVE her!!!!
2. the sump pump. It's rained off the hook for days on end and our basement had flooded repeatedly. Super.
3. the radiatior
4. Our stove. We had to get a new one
5. Tristan came home with poison ivy. Okay, so he's not broke, but it sounded good!

Also this morning, Liam peed through his pull-up in the night and soaked Tristan's bed thoroughly. and Asher peed through his diaper and completely soaked pillow and all in his crib. k- I will stop complaining now...maybe...
Oh crap, I think somebody stinks...like poop!!!! AAARRGHH!

Friday, June 6, 2008

It's Getting Big in Here!

This baby is grew like 12 feet in a week or something because all of a sudden I am in severe discomfort. And oh how I longed for summer to get here...it's my favorite time of the year! But, alas, I am hating it right now. I can't get cooled off for anything. I was thinking of digging a pond in the backyard. How long could it take? Or maybe I could get someone else to dig me a pond in the backyard! Any takers? I have plenty of popsicles for all involved. and you can even take a dip in it when you're done! Ponds are kind of muddy though, huh? Maybe not. No, not.

Thursday, June 5, 2008

Tuesday, June 3, 2008

The Dish Detergent Dilemma

Wow! What a crazy night. So last night, I posted a couple of new posts on here at around midnight. then I went to bed and read my scriptures for a bit and fell asleep. I woke up at about 3:00am to what I thought was the storm of the century! Also, I was very uncomfortable because Cedric had 007-ed his way into the bed and stolen my pillow barricade, causing my severe discomfort. So, I got up and checked the weather on the computer and saw that we were indeed getting a very nasty storm. I started to worry about Tristan and my mom camping on the wagon train with all this crazy lightening going on. So, I couldn't sleep. I said a prayer and had to convince myself not to call my mother's cell phone and let her know what a complete lunatic I was!
so I laid in bed, after some serious adjustments, and thought of all the horrible things that could happen to my mom and Tristan. then, I realized that I was not exercising any faith at all in God and tried to clear my mind. I did yoga breathing for a while and soon was asleep again. So that leads me to my nutty dream and a pet peeve of mine. Here we go:
One of the things that is most awkward and annoying to me is the simple act of someone asking to help or me not knowing whether or not to help at dinner parties. What am I talking about, you say??? Let me try to explain.
When I invite people over to my house for a party, dinner, cookout, whatever; I expect that I will be hosting people at my home and that they are not my servants...they are my guests. right? When I am invited to other people's homes I don't go expecting to cook or clean...if I wanted to do that I would just stay at home. But, there is always that weird moment at the end of a meal where you ask if you can help clean up, to be a polite person, and of course the host will usually decline because they don't want to put you to work. Or rather, you would end up wandering around their kitchen, asking them forty million questions about where their forks go, or where their towels are. Ridiculous.
so in my dream, I was invited to the White House for a presidential dinner with President Bush! Wow! Right?!?!? I was about to jump out of my skin in my dream and had a wonderful meal, conversation, overall good time with the Pres. But, at the end of the meal, I remember thinking in my head, do I ask to help clean up. Certainly not at the White House!!! What kind of idiot would ask to clean up at the white house!?!?! So, that is how awoke...faced with this moral dilemma, that I like to call the Dish Detergent Dilemma.
I do appreciate the thought of someone asking to help me clean up a meal that I have cooked for them, but it is just not necessary. Then, I feel like I am barking orders the whole time telling them where everything is or how to correctly load my dishwasher! ( Cuz, we all know we do it differently:)

I don't know, I'm pretty sure that I have way over-thought this matter on way to many occasions. these are the things that occupy my mind about 50% of the time. weird stuff. I also wonder about how to end phone calls without hanging up on people. I can say what I want in about 1-2 sentences. I hate talking on the phone any longer. JEremy gets mad when I say what I need and then hang up. He thinks it's rude. I think I am saving cell phone nimutes!

Monday, June 2, 2008

Tristan's Journey West





So, this year on the Pioneer Wagon Train Re-enactment the group is only going to Omaha. Then next summer they will end up in Wyoming. and the next summer they will reach the Salt Lake Valley. My dad did this for the sesquicentennial about ten years ago, only that year they did the whole trip to SLC in one summer just like they did in the 1800's. So, my mom got herself and Tristan signed up to go on it for a week and Tristan was over the moon! I don't know if I've ever seen him so excited.
He's been on it since Saturday and will be done this coming Saturday. He isn't going all the way to Omaha. He's getting to learn all about the horses and riding and the wagons... and loving every minute of it! I called him tonight because there were thunderstorm warnings out and he couldn't stop talking about everything that he has been doing. I'm so happy for him but, of course I have to keep reminding him to be careful! (can we say worry-wart?) He's also excited because I let him take a six pack of Pepsi on the trip and he hardly ever gets caffeine! (Who wants to deal with overly hyperactive children???)
*side note:caffeine wreaks havoc on your body...read up on it.
I'm sure everyone on the wagon train loves me. He never stops talking anyway much less with caffeine in his system. He must get that from his dad!
He's calling himself the Horse Master now! LOL! It's so good to see that he has developed some affinity for the things that I love too. What with me being doomed to never have a girl to make a little carbon copy of myself!
*side* do you remember from the movie OVERBOARD, with Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell? Where she was this spoiled rich lady and her husband wanted her to have a baby, so she called her really rich and stuffy mother for advice? And her mom goes:
"But, Dahhhr-ling! If you have a baby, then you won't be the baby anymoorrree!"
(She says it in this really pretentious, obnoxious voice.) haha!
I think about that line alot...only I relate it to not having a girl. As in , if I have a princess then I won't be the princess anymore! HA! I wish I was the princess in this house. I'm more like the maid. and I always seem to be the one getting pooped on, peed on, farted on, burped on, etc. But, they do always do it with a laugh and smile!:)

Cedric's Birthday...finally!






So I finally got some of Cedric's birthday pics up. We had his party at Adventure Zone and he had a really good time. I on the other hand was feeling moody and sick the whole day and didn't feel like being there. Hopefully I wasn't too big of a monster mom for him. He's now 6 years old and very proud of himself!