Practice makes Perfect. Or not.

Last night I had a miagraine. And was tired. All that walking really wore me out!

Bow, Rayley and I had gotten up and went to Matt's school for his 'olympic day'. He was thrilled. We walked around for a few hours and watched him compete. The kids were split into groups of 5 and the High School had sent over students to be in charge of the groups, and Athletes to compete against the kids, or help them. The Tug of war with the Football boys is always a HUGE hit.

And they even involoved Rayley. She got SUCH a thrill out of high-fiving the High School Boys, and them telling her how good she did! A few even raced her. Its so great to see them out there having as much fun as the little kids do. Our 'tour guide' was Matts' baseball coaches' sons girlfriend. So she knows Rayley and Bow and Matt (or hoover as she calls him) and was able to interact with them. And she didnt feel bad about threating Matt when he got a little rambumctious! LOL I had tried to talk him into wearing his chukka's today. BUT he refused. so he did all the field events in his cowboy boots. I swear this kid is a bubble off plumb! But it really doesnt affect him to wear them. He runs and jumps and slides and acts a fool. Just like the kids in tennis shoes.

Matt did pretty well. He had alot of fun. But we did have to leave after a few hours. Bow was an angel. He sat in his stroller the whole time and never said a word! But I was just not up to staying out there that much longer.

Speaking of Bow, he has a new trick. Rayley used to do this too. It would scare the daylights out of anyone watching.

They sit in your lap facing you and you hold their hands. And they flip themselves backwards until they are standing on the ground. Rayley used to do this for HOURS. Till you were so worn out you couldnt hold her any more. And now Bow has started it. He will just SQUEEL when he does it!

Matts lip is doing MUCH better. Its almost normal again. He is even talking again. And not drooling! This is a major improvement. The kid that hit Matt the other day was on our team. OH LORDY. He really isnt as much a bully as just an agervating, rude, meanspirited little brat. And this is coming from a mom of 4 mean brats. I couldnt deal with this kid for 5 minutes with out wanting to use the tug of war rope to tie him to a tree.

He had been picking on Rayley all day. Matt told him a few times to leave his sister alone. and the girls told him to be nice, that she was sweet. He called her dumb, tripped her a few times on purpose ( but only when he thought noone was looking), took things away from her, hit her with stuff, But one time he told Rayley that she was a stupid little girl. ('cause she made a washer in the box in the washers game and he didnt) I dont recommend getting smart with little Bertha Sue. Remember she has 2 big brothers, so she has NO qualms about knocking the hell out of a kid bigger than her. Or putting her hands on her hips, and berrating them within an inch of their lives. But this time she walked up to him. Got toe to toe, and stuck her finger in his chest. ( he is 8 she is 3, his chest was at her eye level) She told him, all the while poking him in the chest; "You better watch your mouth BOY, I'll flatten you so fast I'll make your head swim, you dont know who you are talking to. I am NOT just some silly little girl. I AM Rayley Rolena Byerly and I dont deal with idiots!" He looked at me like I was going to save him. Then the two girls on the team that were in Matts class told him he better be nice, cause they would get him if he messed with her. I did tell her it wasnt nice. and she shouldnt be mean to other kids, especially those that were not as smart as she was. But it was hard to do with a strait face. And his attitude did change for a little while. She just looked at me during my little speech and then said "Well, I dont deal well with idiots. He's even dumber than Brett and Matt. and he's ugly too. And I KNOW I could whip him."



Her name ISNT Rayley Rolana its Rayley Lorena. She was named after BR and I, our middle names are Ray for him and Lee for me, and the 'lady of the night' off lonesome dove.
Thats the truth.
Her name is misspelled cause my sister in law got tired of her not having a name after 3 days and BR had just decided on a name when she got there that night. So she filled out the birth certificate 'cause BR said he didnt want to-- his handwriting was too bad. In my drug induced state (I had just had a C section) I didnt realize her name was spelled wrong.

I realized the other day that I also should have spelled Bow's middle name differnt. And, had I picked out the name before he was born I might have thought of it. But I gave BR a list of 2 names before I went into the delivery room : Beau Landry ( after Tom) and Bowdrie Marshall. When I came back out of surgery he was on the phone giving the good news and I heard him tell someone that he was named Bowdrie Marshall. Had I had my wits about me, I would have spelled marshall, Marchell. same pronounciation, but with a CH like Michelle. Oh well. I do wish we could have went with Bowdrie and Landry. those were my favorites. BUT with Byerly that was too many long EE's.

Anyway, sorry, I got lost there. I tend to do that sometimes. :)

We didnt have a game last night. Thank God. Matter of fact, Brett doesnt have another till the 16th. His coach said we would get together for practice or something. We will need to. Thats 3 weeks with out a game.

Today was a lazy day. BR came home at 8 this morning and since he was out of hours he couldnt work tonight. He took a short nap and then we went to the ballpark. My mom offered to keep Rayley and Bow, so I let her. She said Bow was an angel. He didnt cry and just played and ate!

The boys hit for a while in the batting cages, Brett did really well. I dont know what is up with him in a game. He doesnt even try to hit. And Matt did REAL well. I understand what is wrong with him. He gets thrown to in the cage and then a pitching machine does it in the games. Thats a big change. But he did hit very well.


Then we went to the field. They did okay. But their throwing is still off. for a while BR had Matt playing 2nd and Brett playing 1st. to take some infield. Matt did really well. but his throwing was a little erratic.
So BR brought him up and told Brett to stand about 15 feet away. BR would give him a little short hop ball and Matt would feild it, pick it up and throw it at Brett. He did wonderful. 46 balls he did this way and only 4 were not catchabale. And we moved further and further away. He was throwing them so hard and so true that Bretts hand was stinging. But this goes back to my original thinking. If you DONT let Matt THINK, he does GREAT! But when he thinks something gets all screwed up adn he will be facing you on the pitchers mound and throw it to third base! He lets his brain get in the way. And thats saying ALOT for Matt.

WHen we had Matt on 2nd and Brett on 1st I was playing catcher and BR was hitting them balls.
I swear Brett would wait till I wasnt looking and throw the ball to me. Most times I was safe. As long as I stood still. They couldnt hit me if they tried. But I did get pegged a few times. One time it was right below my knee. It hurt like hell. But I wouldnt admit it. I think they use the chance to hit me with a baseball as their revenge. If they ever get real accurate I am screwed.

Of course no matter how good they do out there, I know once we get to another game they will look like they cant fiqure out which end of the bat to use and wonder how to put on the glove. They wont remember how to stand and bat, will watch balls go by and THEN chase them. and throw things 20 feet off target.

One time Matt missed a fly ball and it hit him right inside the arm, in the bend. He picked up the ball, threw it to me on second base and held his arm for a few minutes. Then the next time a ball came to him he stuck the glove up and it hit RIGHT in it! It was the most beautiful catch I had ever seen him do. Then the ball and the glove fell to the ground like you had hung it on a stick and the ball knocked it off. Come to find out it had numbed his arm when it hit him so hard right there. He couldnt feel anything. His best catch of the day and it was done with a numb arm, and he lost it!! I have a friend that used to tell me "chelle is not an accidnt looking to happen, she's an accident that is going to happen. and SOON. Well Hoover took after me. TO that I have NO DOUBT!


We had a good time. Brett did pull a jackass moment. Matts sunglasses were on the ground and he stepped on them. On purpose. I swear, sometimes you could just gleefully walk up to him and ring his little neck. But this is highly illegal. So I dont recommend it. We took care of it though. :)

Once we got over that, we played a little more and then loaded up to go and eat. I wanted another fried cheesecake. But I wasnt consulted.
About two weeks ago Burger King opened back up here in town. It had shut down years ago. From the second they opened they had cars lined up for blocks. I kid you not. I swear people were actually sitting there for over an hour to get a freakin premade hamburger. I had no desire to go. period. BUT Matt has been begging to go since they put up the signs. He has never been to a Burger King. Sonic, McDonalds, and Dairy Queen are the extent of his burger joint expeireinces.

Well, since there was no line today BR drove there. Just my luck. I really was wanting some Fried Cheesecake.

Everyone ordered. and the two kids who had just been begging to go got the same damn thing they get every time. A plain and dry hamburger, with lettuce and ketchup. thats it. I got a whopper with cheese and bacon. BR got a steakhouse burger?? No-one was impressed. Brett didnt even touch his. Matt ate about 1/2 and BR's looked awful. Mine just tasted like a normal fast food burger. with a little too much mayo.

When we got home we put Bow on the floor and that child played till 10:00. He was crawling all over and having a blast! Matt would get in the bassinet (its sitting on the floor holding Bow's toys) and Bow would crawl up, pull up and look over the side. He loved the game. especially when Matt hid from him.

I finally got everyone rounded up and in bed.around 10. Brett kept falling asleep on me, and when I would tell him to go to bed he would start telling me he wasnt sleepy.

I have cleaned the kitchen, changed the new betta fish's water and am fixing to go to bed myself. The betta is the ugliest thing you have ever seen. Its all motteled and speckled. I let Rayley pick it out yesterday. She picked out a white fish, with splotchy purple and blue and black. Not even alot of color, just a little. They had red ones and blue ones and black ones. Even all white ones. But since they didnt have a pink one she picked out this one. Cause it has just enough red in it to be muted to a almost pink color. honestly, this fish is so ugly you cant describe it. I put it in my Lucky bamboo planter. Its a fish tank that I used to have a betta in then when it died I put bamboo in it. I would like to put some more. Its a cute set up. But I need more stalks of bamboo. I just cant find any thats not 20.00 for 3 sticks. Oh well. Maybe I will come across some.

the head is connected to the shoulders, which are between the thighs.

Well I have exhausted all avenues of getting someone honest to return Matts bat. I knew it was stupid to try. I just have to wonder about the people that would see a BRIGHT orange expensive bat in their kids hands and not ask where it came from.

Oh well. Its his own fault I reckon. I cant fix it. And I have to tell BR. This morning I called the local radio station and put it on there. Matt made up flyers and put them at the ballpark. I even offered a reward. But I am sure that the name on the bat has been scratched off, and the kid has convinced mom and dad that it was given to them by someone on their team.

I think I am going to get some spray paint and paint all kinds of grafiti on Bretts bat. really make it look awful. Its an expensive bat too. (I am not talking a 300.00 bat for a 9 year old, but it is a 150.00 bat. in last years colors, so I got it for 70. and it was a present. so I dont feel like it was an absolute waste). Anyway. If I spray paint them and make them look like total crap, it will solve a few problems. No confusion with other kids having the same bat, and two, who would want to steal it? Plus if I did see someone with it I could identify it quickly. :)

I dont know how the moms that buy the 300.00 bats deal with it. I would have my hands on that thing at ALL times. I would be standing at the dugout when he left the plate to get it and not let him have it back till he was walking back out to hit again.

Anyway, on to a better subject. .........

I didnt get a phone call from any principals today.

yep thats about the best thing that happened.

Matt did ask me if I was going to go to his 'olympic games' tomorrow. I said yes, I just needed to know what time. "oh no!" he says.
"what?"
"I dont have the peice of paper that tells you"
"why not?"
"I walked into day care and gave it strait to Meme ( my mother in law) so I didnt loose it"
"well crap. Okay, I will call her"

So I did.
"hey Martha, Matt said that he gave you a ...."
"OH HELL!"
"yea, that peice of pap...."
"I forgot all about that!"
"...its okay, I just need to know the time off it. I dont need the...."
"I cant imagine what I did with it!"
"... oh... well did you read it?"
"no, he handed it to me, told me it was important and then I folded it and.... "
"you dont know where it is?"
"I cant imagine... let me call work and see if they can find it"
"okay."
"I'll call you right back."
so I waited.
She called back.
"its not there on the desk"
"did she look in the trash?"
"no, can you just call the school tommorow?"
"well.. I could. BUT if they start at 8 and some classes do, and thats the first time I will be able to call, I wont be able to get there till he's been outside for a while, doing his stuff"
"well she looked. I remmeber the paper, he handed it to me, told me it was important and I folded it up and now I dont know what I did with it."
"alright."
"why cant you just show up at 8 and then you will already be there?"
"cause there is a chance that his classes 2 hour slot is at noon. I dont want to sit there and stare at the inside of my truck for 4 hours trying to keep Bow happy"
"oh, well, I am sure it will be okay if you dont go"

NO. it wont be okay if I dont go. but I am glad that everyone else is taking it so well. This is why I wrote a note to Matts teacher and asked the EXACT time.
But at least I know he got his HIA syndrome honest.

When we got to the ballpark I told Matt to take his flyers to the concession stand at the other end of the complex, and come RIGHT back. and handed him his walkie talkie. Off he went. 20 minutes later I called him.
5 minutes later I called again.
and then again.
Finally I hear a womans voice say "he left his walkie talkie at the concession stand." aha! HIA strikes again.
I waited another 10 mintues, then decided that since the other team was up to bat I had a chance to go and get Matt then get back before Brett batted. he was up 2nd when they left the field.

I gathered up Bow, walked to the truck, drove around towards Matts field and started looking. Matt came running up to the truck, When I asked what he was doing he told me that he had been playing with a friend.
That was NOT part of my instructions. Even if there was a slight communication problem, you can NOT get "play with friend" out of "go put up one flyer at that concession stand, and COME RIGHT BACK, here is your walkie talkie, dont loose it. "

I asked him where his walkie talkie was. He just looked at me. Good thing his head is attached.

I asked him where the other flyer was. He got a dumbfounded look. I told him that he brought 2 flyers, one for each concession stand. He said he hung it up on the back of the concession stand. and one on the front.

I told him to go and get the 2nd flyer, the walkie talkie and get his butt back to Bretts field NOW.

I drove back. He beat me there with his flyer. I asked him where his walkie talkie was. He told me it was in the back seat. I told him NO, I had handed it to him BEFORE he left the first time. He just looked at me with that blank deer in a headlights look. I promise this kid would loose his head if it wasnt attached. Honest.

I told him he had 3 minutes to get BACK to the other side, get the walkie talkie and get his butt back to Bretts field.

I finaly got Bow out again. Just in time to see Brett get a strike.
He ended up striking out. which is good, cause he went down swinging.

Matt showed back up. He had his flyer. I told him to go and put it at the concession stand and get back over here to me.

He went. with out the walkie talkie. He had set it down beside me.

He did show back up quickly. To ask for money. I dont buy from the concession stand. For one, its too expensive. For two, you could feed these kids mud if you sold it to them from a concession stand and they would like it.

I made him sit beside me for the rest of the game. Brett walked his next at bat. and got a stand up double. If walks counted in your batting average he would really be a jam up player. He stole 3rd on the next wild pitch and came on home. I guess this is good. Since he bats at the bottom of the lineup he takes his scores where he can. Unless they get walked most times they dont get on base. (neither does he) So he just steals his way around. Maybe its his forte. or would be if he was faster than a snail on salt.

When it was over I went to fetch Brett and his crap. Matt went to the bathroom. 10 minutes later we started towards the truck. Brett wanted to go find Matt. I told him no. So we started towards the truck, from 150 feet away I could see the back door open and told Brett that he was already there. Then we see Matt off to our right. I asked him what the hell he thought he was doing. The truck door was open. He said "I know, I opened it"
I told him that was NOT the point. He shouldnt LEAVE it open. EVER.
And while I am letting the kids know they dont have the sense God gave a goat
I hear laughter. Its a guy I have known for 20 years. Matter of fact he was a teacher of mine in HS. And I have gotten to know him in the last few years through the schools and the PTA and the store I used to work at. One of his kids is a year or so older than Brett. I asked if he wanted a few more and told him that I would sell him mine. He declined.
But did tell me that he was impressed. I asked of what.
"you havent killed them yet."
That is true.

I do wish sometimes that there was a nice remote training device that I could attach to them though. For those times when you cant reach out and pop them up side the head. Just push a little button and it gives them a little zap. Nothing to hurt them. or not badly. Just to get their attention. It wouldnt be cruel. it would actually be nicer than I am once I finally get close enough to them to get a hold.

I am not talking stun gun here. more like 9 volt battery to the tounge.

We did have to go to walmart. I needed caffine. and shake and bake. I found 93/7 hamburger meat for 2.00 a pound. that was a great find. Usually its 3.46.

When we got home I didnt even have to send them to bed. I was unloading the groceries ( all I needed was Dr pepper and shake and bake and dog food, how did I manage to get 114.00 worth of food?) they disapeared. They were in the bed. Nice as that was, I didnt appriciate having to unload it all by myself. ANd neither did Bow. He started throwing a fit. So a ticked off kid came out and said "I guess since he is crying so loud I will hold him while you finish that."

So nice of him. so VERY nice.

Then Matt, the one who cant remember to zip his pants on an hourly basis, says to Brett. "we forgot to make our lunches. You can go and make yours, I'll hold Bow then we can switch" Cause for some reason he has also remembered that I cant allow both boys in the kitchen at the same time. Something will get broken. usually something of mine.

Brett says "shhhhhh, if you dont tell her she will forget and maybe let us get a hot lunch tomorrow."

Matt told him "you know she wont. She says its too expensive"
and Brett said "well maybe she will forget alltogether and we just charge the hotlunch."
"okay, maybe so."


I got the last of the groceries in and the cold stuff put up and was walking back in the living room about 5 minutes later. I thanked them for holding Bow and told them it was time to go on to bed, they had to get up a little early to get their lunches made in the morning.


In their mumbles and gripes I head "See STUPID! you should have went and made yours when I said! Now we have to get up early! I hate you!"

"oh shut up! at least I tried."

I just wish they would put half the effort into doing things right the first time that they do trying to get out of doing things at all.

Murphy's law.

Well, I have already typed this once. And this stupid freaking blog has an autosave feature, but tonight it didnt work. I blogged all about yesterday and then today. I was done. went back in to put in periods, fix some typos' and acidentaly highlighted it somehow. then the period erased it all. EVERY FREAKIN BIT OF IT! I could scream. I want to scream. BUT if I scream I will wake up the brats that I worked SSOOOOOOO damn hard to get to sleep tonight.

Instead I will eat a few peices of the strawberry Jello cake Matt and I made tonight. I am SO mad. I could just cry.


I will rewrite some of it.
and I notice that the damn thing is saving EVERY minute now. so if I screw up it will at least save THIS for prosperity.

Stupid freakin blog!

----
okay, yesterday Matt's nurse called me. At 8:32 in the morning. School starts at 8. He said he had a stomache ache. She started off by telling me that he had the fatest lip that she had ever seen. And was I sure that he didnt need stiches? I told her that no, my cousin said it was fine, and he is over the nurses at the ER. She told me that she thought he wasnt really sick, he was just embarresed. I got on the phone with him and asked. He said no, he just had a stomache ache. I told him to go to the bathroom. He wasnt happy about that. When she got back on the phone I told her if he came back to call me, but he would go back to class now.

When he came home he told me that every adult he saw had stoped him to look at his mouth and told him he needed stitches. He said he kept telling them that his uncle said it was okay.

He also said that a kid had punched him in the mouth. I asked why. He said the kid had said it was to see if it was really hurt and if it would bleed again. I asked him why he didnt beat the snot out of him. He said that the teacher told him not to. This is one time when I would have taken my kids side and there would have been NO concequences at home.

I did ask him about his tummy hurting and he said that it didnt hurt any more. I asked what had happened. He said he thought it was all the pancakes he had ate at daycare that morning.

Once we got that all cleared up they went outside to play. I had to set off the truck alarm to get them to come home.

Today was a decent day. I did get a phone call from Bretts principal. Seems he has had problems this week with a kid in school. It had started on monday when the sub had called him by the wrong name (Brent instead of Brett) so the kid called him that all day. The kid did go to the principals office eventually. He just kept on and on. Then yesterday they had a slight problem and both went to the assistant principal. I didnt know about this. He had failed to mention it yesterday. But the principal today told me that she thought the assistant had fixed it. Aparently NOT. They got in trouble this morning and then it continued to escalate to this afternoon. One of them threw a pencil at the other. Brett swore it wasnt him. But I didnt really care. I have told him and told him that he needs to learn to ignore people. He wont listen.
luckily I have a good relationship with his principal. She was a teacher of mine and always helped me during those years. She asked if I wanted to handle it or should she. I told her that I would handle it when he got home and she should handle it there. She laughed and said she fiqured I would say that. She offered up lunch detention. I told her that didnt phase him, so I told her to beat him with in an inch of his life. She just laughed and said she couldnt, but would give him a lick. I emailed her my permission right then.

When Brett got home and I asked him about it he told me that she was nice, but told him that he needed to stop acting up. I asked what happened to the other kid. He told me he got suspended. So either this will help Brett or hurt him.. I dont know which. The whole class had been bad all week. They had subs and a differnt one each day at that. Plus this class isnt the best. Its mostly boys.

Of course BR had stayed home this evening later than usual. He wanted to spend some time wiht the boys. They had been begging to shoot their guns. Usually he is gone before they get home. They all headed out and shot for a while. Of course Rayley was mad cause she didnt get to shoot. And she had spent time dressing for the occasion. She went through 3 outfits. She was able to get muddy though so it kinda evened out. Except on my laundry pile.

Matts lip is looking better. And he did tell me that he got his revenge on the kid that punched him. He hit him in the nose. I asked him if the kid had hit him again.
"no, not this time"
"well why did you do it?"
"cause you said I should have!"
"I said NEVER start a fight, but DONT get bullied either!"
"well he started it yesterday!"
"NO MATT. there is a window of oppertunity! you missed it by about 24 hours!"
"a window? like the 5 second rule on food?"
"yes. just like that!"
"oh."
"well, what happened?"
"I had to change my color"
their 'color' is a set of colors , 5 I think, that have clothes pins on them. When they get in trouble they have to change their color and depending on the color you get so many points off, or have to write sentences, get your mom called, or go to the principal.
"so the teacher saw it?"
"yep"
"what did she say"
"she asked why I did it"
"and....
"I told her my mom said I could"
OH HELL!
"I told you to FINISH a fight, never start one!"
"well he was fixing to hit me first!"
"how?"
"everyone was talking about my lip looking better, and he said 'I bet I could bust it again', and then balled up his fist, so I popped him"
"ahhhhh okay. well you still shouldnt throw the first punch."
"but what if his hurt too bad to hit back?"
"then you look like a baby.... never mind that! just suck it up."
"the girls do pay me more attention since I told everyone I was in a fight..."
"you mean the fight with the boy?"
"no, I told them thats how I got a fat lip"
"ahhhh..."

BR walked through about that time and I was telling him. THen Matt mumbled "best 35 sentences I ever had to write"

I could see this was going NOWHERE, so I tried to change the subject. I asked Brett how his day went.
"I love you mom"
"He got a lick at school today mom!" Matt blurted out
"she knows! She told her to give me one!"
"HA! thats funny!"

This resulted in another tussle.

Bow found him a new pastime. The big fishtank is right behind the couch. So he discovered it yesterday. He sat on his knees on my shoulder and watched it for a long time. Then decided to follow the fishes. He liked to have killed me. I cant get him to ignore it now. He even tries to position himself when he is nursing so he can see around the edge of the couch and watch the tank.

And Rayley was on a tear. She has decided that we need to start eating that cereal that says "shut up steve" on the box. But I need to 'bry' one that says "shut up brett".

I kinda agree.

Oh and Bow also has a new playtoy! Other than the cat. He is IN LOVE with the vaccum. I did know that if I put him in the excersaucer thingy and vaccum he will stare at it. Or if he is pissed cause I put him in it he will stop screaming when I start the motor.
Well today I had to do an emergancy vacumm and he was on the floor. I wasnt gona go close to him so I wasnt worried. Till he started crawling/scooting/swimming towards it. He was so excited. He was bound and determined to catch it! I thought it was funny and turned off the vaccum before he got his fingers caught. When BR walked back in the room I was going to show him. So I set Bow about 5 feet away and started it up. He started towards it and then Rayley came into the room screaming and going into hysterics. She started screaming and hollering that I had to stop. to please not vaccum up her baby. She loved him and didnt want him to die! I had to turn off the vaccum and assure her he wouldnt fit in it! She was not convinced.

I offered to show her.
She didnt talk to me for 2 hours.

Stupid is as Stupid does...

Well, Poor Hoover didnt make it to school today. I woke him up and he was swollen up even worse. He almost looked like Bubba Blue from Forrest Gump. Imagine him with a fat lip and there you have it. I even pulled out a bag of frozen shrimp out of the freezer and asked him if he wanted shrimp kabobs. He didnt get it. And I couldnt get him to say "shrimp kabobbs, shrimp burgers, shrimp ...." I tried.

I kept him home. BR got mad cause I didnt take him last night to the ER and get stitches. I had thought about it. But when we mentioned it to him he went into hysterics. I fiqured it was safer to not go to the ER. Had I not been able to make the bleeding stop it would have been the only option. But it did stop bleeding before he even went to bed.

Brett was NOT happy about Matt not going to school. He felt it was unfair. I reckon Matt was thinking the same thing. Not about going to school, but about having a huge swollen appendage that he couldnt get rid of. I am sure he would have traded places with MR. Poorpitifulme in a heartbeat. Brett was so mad at me that he wouldnt even tell me good bye. It made him even madder when I laughed at him.

When Matt did wake up he came in and sat beside me. I asked how he was feeling. He tried to talk and couldnt. Finaly in his agervation he got up and got a peice of paper. And a pen. All I could think was "oh great, now I have to read chicken scratch ALL day. This kid writes like an afflicted chicken. I promise you. He would have to improve his writing 100% to become a doctor.

But when I got the note to the question "are you hurting bad?" it said "no"
plain and clear.

Not bad...

I asked are you hungry. "yes"
"but I cant eat"
ahhhh I didnt think about that.

I offered ice cream. Then realized, it had been MONTHS since I had bought any. So I went and looked. Yep. ALL chrystalized. it looked like supermans home planet.

I talked him into chicken broth. He agree'd. He ended up finding an old soup spoon and would pour it into his mouth, holding his head at an angle and swallow. It was funny to watch. But his grunts and hand signals got rude when I would laugh at him.

I knew the next thing I wanted to do would be met with absolute resistance. The ice that I tried to make him put on it had been. But I had to make him do the lysterine. I started by telling him that he really should go to the Dr. and the only way to avoid that was to pour this on there. Otherwise they would have to take a scalpel and scrape it away, give him shots and then give him something that burned like alchol. No, I am NOT above lying to get something done.

Heck years ago I told them potaoe salad was mashed taters with cherry's in it for them to try it. They LOVED it. I have kept up the creative marketing since then.

He agree'd. So I poured it into a cup, gave him a Q-tip and asked if I could dab it on. He declined. He wanted to do it. I was sure one touch and it would be over. But it wasnt. He said it didnt hurt. so then I went to the pouring it on there. Before long he was doing it every hour or so with out me telling him. He even said he liked the taste of it. That sounded great to me. I wouldnt have to stay on him to do it.

It took about 4 hours before he would mumble. And it took a good 8 hours before he didnt have drool constantly coming out of his mouth. He looked like the English Mastiff on Hooch. it was kinda funny. But again, it pissed him off if you laughed.

He did play, and was tossing a ball around by 11 am. asking when Brett would be home. He played with Rayley. WHo would get mad cause she couldnt understand him. She kept asking him to speak up. And he was great with Bow. He helped me clean the kitchen. helped me make lunch and was a great kid. I know he hurt. and the few times I would make him laugh he would get tears in his eyes.

I told him that I would call his baseball coach to say he wasnt gona play tonight if he wanted me to. He said that he didnt want to play. But since he was so entergetic I couldnt understand why. Till he explained that he didnt want folks to laugh at him. I tried to explain that noone would, everyone has had a busted lip and if nothing else, it would get him lots of sympathy and compasion. He didnt want to admit he had fallen and busted his lip.

But he did decide after Brett got home to play ball. I wasnt going to make him. But he did have to go to the ball park. I had to take Brett.
I think he realized it would be better to play than to just sit and awnser questions all night.

My mother in law had saw Matt when she dropped off Brett and called me. She said it was awful and that maybe I was right and should have taken him to the ER. She said she had never seen a kid go so crazy being hurt. And that with all his theatrics last night it was hard to tell how bad it was. I told her I knew. And that this had really been the first time either one had gotten hurt like that. THis is shocking to both of us. How they have never broken a bone or needed stiches before is just by the Grace of God. He does take care of fools apparently. I was just glad it was Matt and not Brett. Brett pukes at the sight of his own blood. I fiqure he would faint if he ever saw that much of his own blood.



I did call his coach and tell him about it.ANd asked him to not make a big deal otu of it since he was embarresed. He told me to tell him to tell the other kids he had been in a fight. This appealed to him. LOL

First I took him to my cousins house. He works at the ER and I wanted to find out how much damage I had done by not taking him in last night. He said it looked good. and they wouldnt have stitched it up anyway. He did tell me to add some peroxide to the lysterine and that it would just be real sore. This sounded great to me. I can just imagine how much money they would want. Plus you know they would have given me a perscription for something that has the same general make up of lysterine and costs 100.00. With out insurance I swear they really stick it to you.

His game went well. He batted in a run and played good defence. I left right as his game was over and went to watch Bretts. It was already in progress. I walked up as he was walking back to the dugout. He had struck out. Matt showed up and was batless. he had his bat bag, but no bat. I asked him where it was. He didnt know. I sent him back to find it. This is a 90.00 bat. His birthday present last year.

Then Brett missed a ball in center field. The kid got a triple. When his next at bat came up He had 2 strikes and 2 balls. then he got hit under the knee in the shin. He started limping down to first base and I told him to shake it off. From where I was standing I couldnt see 1st base, so a few minutes later I decided to walk down and see how he was doing. The coaches were discussing something and the pitcher was keeping warm.

Come to find out the 1st base coach was getting in a pinch runner. I asked what the deal was. Brett was coming off the bag and then when he saw me he said "I can run, it doesnt hurt". His coach asked if he was sure. He said yes.

I asked if that was what the hold up was. And the coach told me that he was hit on the shin. He was sure it hurt. I told him that when he saw Matts lip, he would understand that Brett would do just fine. Brett just shook his head. I think he was getting sympothy and didnt realize it was gona screw him out of the baserunning. he just liked the attention. The coach wanted to make sure he was fine and asked me if I thought he was hurt. I told him that if he wasnt flailing around like a fish out of water that he was just fine.

Well, the next pitch went wild and he had to run. He took off light a light. I dont think I have ever seen him run that fast. The coach just looked at me. I said, "you just wait, you'll want to kick him in the other shin when you see Matt".

Brett managed to steal third. And then stole home. Matt came back and couldnt find his bat anywhere. He cant remember if he had it when he left the dugout or droped it on the way. I cant wait to hear about this from BR. I called the coach, and a few other moms. they hadnt seen his bat.

After the game Matt and I went to get Brett from the dugout and One of the coaches saw Matts lip. He was shocked. He asked him what happened, and since he was in uniform asked if he had played. Matt told him that he had. He couldnt belive it.

Brett hollered at the first base coach to look at it. Now it was Matts turn to get attention. He preened as much as a kid with a busted lip can preen. Brett tried to take credit for it. The first base coach told me that I was right. Brett could deal with the little pop on the leg. it had hit the dirt before it hit him. I just laughed.

When we got in the truck I asked Brett what the hold up was. He swears the coach was insistant on him being more hurt than he was. ANd I asked if it still hurt. He said "by the time I got to second I had forgotten about it" He did say he could hear me hollerin at him to RUN.

We drove around the ballpark for 20 minutes looking for the bat Matt had lost and never could find it. I guess I will place an ad in the local peddler tomorrow. offer a reward. It does have his name on it. Engraved and in sharpie. But I doubt that means much to anyone. And there are NOT that many Byerly's at the ball park. Matter of fact, mine are the only ones. I fiqure we will never see it again. And you know good and well that some parent is telling their kid "wow, what a great find."

When we got home Brett was getting undressed and said "ohhh look, its got a little bruise". Matt said "oh no... I have a alittle bruise too". Brett asked where. Matt just looked at him. Looked at me and said "your right mom. he can be dumb as a box of rocks..."

I told Matt that we needed to medicate his lip. And I poured a little peroxide in a medicane cup and filled it up with lysterine. He was skeptical. But I reminded him of what Johnny had said. And he let me pour it on there. I expected it to sting a little. But instead it became the most facinating thing the boys had ever seen. The way it bubbled up and turned white just intriqued them. I asked Matt if it tickeled. He said he couldnt feel it. I guess thats a good thing.. LOL

I am going to send him to school tomorrow. He still cant close his mouth and sounds like a fish out of water with all his slurping. But at least he is controlling the drooling now. Since he and Brett go to differnt schools I am sure he will tell them all that 'the other guy looks worse'.

Its all fun and games. Till someone looses an eye.

Whew, I am SOOO glad today is over.

The kids decided they didnt want to go and practice baseball today. I dont think they realize how hard it is for their dad to get up early in the day and take them up there and work with them for hours and then come home and go to work. I guess they think since they are alseep he is too. But he hasnt had a day off for almost 2 months. And works about 80 hours a week. One day they will regret it but hind site is 20/20.

Instead we went over to my grandfathers and walked some land boundries. I dont like to walk. It just isnt my type of thing. Plus I dont like to sweat. But we did both. When we got there I realized Brett had on his hat for baseball. I told him "DONT LOOSE THAT HAT!" He has a game tomorrow and I dont want to spend hours searching for it.

He swore he wouldnt. And they went to see my mom.

When we got back from our nature hike she offered to keep the kids while BR and I went to Walmart. I had on dirty clothes, had been out in the woods all day, I am not even sure I brushed my hair this morning. But off we went. When we got back to pick up the kids Brett told me that he 'had to tell me something'.
I asked what.
My mom informed me that his hat was in my grandfathers truck. And it was locked. AND they were gone to church.

I could see red. I started to berate Brett. I asked him "what is the LAST THING I told you when I left you here?"
"But... "
"NO, what is the LAST THING?"
Rayley said, with her hands on her hips mind you... "she said 'Brett dont you loose that hat'".
"but mom, its NOT lost. I know EXACTLY where it is. I just cant get to it."


When we got home BR went on to work and I decided it was time to cut the boys hair. But first I had to fetch them out of the dewberry patch. When I got them inside they were ate up with skeeter bites and had dewberry juice ALL OVER. Matt literly had a purple ring from under his nose to under his chin.

I got Matts cut and him in the shower, then my MIL and FIL came over. so I came in here to visit with them.
Matt knew they were here and came running out. He hadnt even gotten the hair off him. He still had berry juice all over and looked like a clown. So I was making him go back and rinse off. On the way he and Brett started playing grabass. They always act a fool when someone shows up. I could just kill them.

Instead they tried to kill each other. Brett followed him into the bathroom and the clothes I had told them to pick up the last few days and put in the laundry room became a hazard. Next thing I know Matt is screaming and his mouth is full of blood. LOTS of blood.

He had fallen and hit his mouth on the bathtub. At first it was just hystarics cause it hurt. Till I told him to spit. Then it was full fledged, absolute terror. There was enough blood to choke a horse. Or in this case a jackass. I tried to make him take a cup of water and swish it around. I ended up having to pour it in his mouth. Just to get a good enough look to see if he still had teeth.

His lip swole up quick! we got a wet wash cloth on it and I made an ice bag. He came and sat in my lap for a while. He couldnt talk, just kept mumbiling. and telling me to whip Brett. And anytime Brett got close enough he would try to kick him.

I have told them and told them that its all fun and games till someone gets hurt.

He says his teeth are loose on bottom.When he made this discovery he went crazy again. I assured him they would tighten back up. ANd I would even take him by to see the dentist in the morning if he wanted me to. Once I got a good look at it I can imagine they are. His inside lip is all busted up. and one tooth went plumb through to the outside.

But everyone thought he didnt need stiches so we just kept with the ice. After they left I put him back in the shower. He whined and screamed the whole time. I think it was really burning. I cut Bretts hair and got him in the shower. Then tried to get a good picture of Matts lip. I was having issues with getting a close up and ended up saying yes to a reformat on the camera. This means I lost every picture I had.

EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM. From before Easter on out. I hadnt had them devoloped yet. I am heartbroken. I dont take pictures very often anymore. And I dont do anything with them when I do except put them in a box. I know I should take more of them. But I feel guilty knowing that when the boys and Rayley grow up they will wonder where the pics are from their baby hood. I cant produce them. They all burned up. So I dont take pics of now. Stupid I know. I really should. Its not fair not to. Anyway. I am heartbroken that I lost these pics. Bow's first easter and all. Oh well. Easy come Easy go. At least thats the only thing I can remember being on there. If I knew what else was on there I would be even more upset I am sure.


ANYWAY. the whole time Matt was in my lap crying and hurting, Rayley was in drama queen mode. She is so jealous of anyone getting attention. One time she tried to crawl up in my lap. She accidently hit Matt in the mouth. He was still IN my lap.

WHen I was putting the kids to bed Matt got all upset. I was trying to talk to them. I couldnt understand ANYTHING Matt was saying. It was like they were 2 and 3 again. Back then Matt didnt speak. Well, I take that back. He spoke. But it was not english. It was Mattish. Noone could understand him except Brett. Brett would translate EVERYTHING Matt said. And Matt would just nod his head. It was cute. Unless Brett and Matt wernt together.

Amazingly Brett can still understand him. He was able to translate everything Matt said tonight. But there was some confusion. Poor Matt was drooling so bad. His entire front was wet. He cant shut his mouth. AT ALL. and his lip sticks out about an inch. Well he was all upset, and mumbiling.

I kept asking what he was saying. He would just mumble LOUDER. BRett wasnt translating. He was saying "I did NOT!"
I was confused. till Matt hollered "NOTh eww! uTha KITHS!"

He was saying he couldnt go to school cause the other kids would make fun of his drooling. I tried to reassure him that he wouldnt have to go if he was still drooling like that. and it seemed to calm him down. Till he went into the bathroom and took a look. This started the awful caterwallin all over again.

Once again Brett had to reassure him that it wouldnt look like that forever. I said No, just a week or so...

THis was NOT the right answer.

Rayley wasnt much help. She would go over and try to hug Matt. and would hurt him worse.

At least Bow was a good baby the entire time. He didnt even fuss. He just sat back and watched the drama.

And right as Matt was falling asleep I realized there was still berry juice ALL over his face. I have a feeling I wont be able to get this off. No way is he gona let me near him with a wash cloth.

And I got a good look at Bretts hair. The high and tight is a wee bit crooked. alright. ALOT crooked. I am not sure how I am gona fix it. maybe he wont notice.