The Missing Pieces

Besides being terribly behind on blogging about birthdays and family trips and the usual Tali antics and Davidisms,  I have also been remiss in reporting a few other small details of our lives....like starting a family business...and, oh, having another baby. 

The business came first - an idea inspired by Ben's chance comment about his future in the entertainment industry.  "Mom," he said to me one day while standing in the kitchen, "I want to be the guy who shows up at the party with the moonbounce and the magic act and the cotton candy machine."  A lightbulb went off in my head, my ears literally perked up (they can do that you know, if sufficiently aroused) and I said, "Cotton Candy!  Hmmm....."  And thus was born Squeaky Clean Entertainment, the proud peddlers of old fashioned party entertainment and all natural NatureSpun cotton candy.

For years I've been feeling a pull to start up a family business - something all the kids can be involved with, something that will be there for them as they get into high school and college and need to earn money, someplace where our more compromised children can find a niche, a laboratory for the arts, science, math - the Uber-Homeschool Project.  And now here it is - hawking cotton candy and marketing party entertainment. 

We thought this would be a great time to start up a business.  Having lost years of our lives and the dream of owning and living on a farm to the mess of a church from whence we came, we were beginning to talk redemption - reclaiming what we lost, moving forward, putting ourselves on a fast track to long-neglected goals.  And we were resting from having children.  Twelve was a good number.  Long ago, Tad said he'd get to twelve and consider the contract (I said I thought we'd end up with 16 but I granted him his considerations).  So we started off on monthly monitoring and a whole slew of other nonsense intended to temporarily cease any new fetal development.  In true Klopcic fashion, however, it wasn't long after our business was adopted into the family that number 13 showed up in my womb.  Yes, we know how *that* happens but really I have no idea how it happened this time around - we had it all figured out - or so we thought....and now we have a wee one due on or about April 1st.  God's joke on us - a wonderful, glorious joke!

Dear October,

Please stop acting like June.  The internal temperature of my pregnant body is already high enough without you flirting with it and egging it on to go ever higher.  Besides, you know I'm trying to change all the clothes over to our Fall and Winter wardrobe and you are making this much more difficult than it needs to be.  You're not funny - so just get on with it please. 

Regards,

Mairs

Happy Birthday Little Man!

Nathan's twin finally caught up to him in age - just a few weeks late...He invited his very best friend Gabby over and her little brother Benjamin. The two of them fit right into the chaos and loved every second of running around with all the kids.  They made their own pizzas together, had cake and then Miah enjoyed opening his presents. Although, I'm not sure who enjoyed some of the presents more... 
Happy Birthday Little Man!!

Boys and Tinker Toys

I love these things!  They've always fostered such creativity in my kids.  Now they're getting high tech too.

Today's Excitement

So today this little fella was running about on our driveway and in our garage.  I took this picture with my cellphone sans zoom - I really got this close and still the little scamperer didn't even flinch.  Ben found him and the little thing immediately latched onto him and began to follow him everywhere.  Ben went out to the driveway, Baby followed him, Ben went in the garage, Baby followed, Ben climbed up a tree, Baby scampered up about two feet and then got stuck there. Everyone who went outside today was privy to his shenanigans.  He just would not leave our family alone, as if to say "Look, you already have a gazillion, don't you want me too?!"  A bit worried about his behavior and not at all familiar with juvenile squirrel antics, I put in a call to Animal Control.  Mr. Animal Control guy arrived and identified our little friend as Orphaned Squirrel - round about age 4 weeks.  He suggested Mama Squirrel probably met up with a car somewhere and left little Jr abandoned to the wild world.  He captured Orphaned Squirrel, put him gently in a cage, had me sign a paper saying I was the owner of Orphaned Squirrel and I was willingly relinquishing him to the care of Mr. Animal Control and then set off in his van to deliver Orphaned Squirrel to a local rehabber who, he promised, would carefully care for Orphaned Squirrel for the next two weeks and then release our little friend into the wild.  So long little friend!  May you fare better than your poor mum!

It's Official...

I now have a son taller than me.  I tried to squish down those dreadlocks but it just didn't work.  He has me by at least a half inch....sigh...

Tali A-Go-Go

Happy 4th Nate!!

Swim Lessons

Nine kids. Two hours. Ten Days....GO!

On the second day of class JM came to me and whispered in my ear "My teacher is wearing a zuchinni."  "Oh dear," I said.  "Did you tell her that's not allowed in the pool?"  His eyes got bigger and he said "Why? Is there a sign that says that?"

Where I've Been...

So it all started about two months ago or so.  Ben, who has been enjoying providing entertainment for a few of my friends' kids' birthday parties, was discussing his hopes and dreams with me one day.  He said, "Mom, I want to be the guy who shows up at the party with the moon bounce, the entertainment and the cotton candy machine.  I want to be the guy all the kids love."  Cotton candy...hmmm....great idea.  And the next thing I knew my whole life was turned upside down. 

Tad and I have had a life-long dream of owning our own little piece of Earth - a small farm, maybe 20 acres with a stream, woods for the kids to romp in, a big roomy old farmhouse, a place for the chickens to free range, maybe a pony for the girls....but there's been problems along the way - wrong turns in the road, decisions made away from our dreams rather than on a path toward them.  And so we've been thinking and praying and counting up our pennies and realized if we want to get back on that road less traveled we'd need to bring in some more income.  But with 12 kids with whom we really enjoy spending time, more time away from the family for Dad didn't seem worth it and Mom, well...not much demand for MA's in Theater History these days - even if it does come from an ivy league....

But cotton candy...who can resist?  I couldn't and I began to research the ins and outs of owning my own machine and spinning sugar for a living - or at least to have some money to throw at a dream.  And so we are now the proud owners of a Paragon Spin Magic - turning out 3 cones of all natural goodness per minute inside the double bubble and set upon a beautiful little cart.   It's the perfect business for a large family.  Who can resist the Research and Development phase when it involves inviting your neighbor friends over for free cotton candy?

So, while I've been neglecting my blog, I haven't been lazing about.  I've been researching health department regs and license requirements, filling out forms, meeting with The General about liability and taxes and spinning sugar and brain cells to pull it all together.  It's gonna be good.

The parent company is there for Ben...and Betsy...and whoever else grows into the talent to provide entertainment and for John Michael who wants to get into the food industry and for those who will need to learn a trade so they can stick with us and for all of us to see our dreams come true.  It's called the Squeaky Clean Entertainment Company and it sells a product called NatureSpun cotton candy which is made with all natural ingredients - nothing artificial in our white clouds of fluffy goodness.  We're having a blast growing this thing together and working toward a common goal.  So I apologize if you don't hear from me - follow me on facebook, Squeaky Clean will be there soon - and if you have an event you'd like us to serve just give me a ring or shoot me an email and I'll come spin ya some suga, Suga!  But for this week, it's more forms and spinning and Circus Camp at our house!

Another Month in the Year of the Teen

It's Philip's turn to turn 13!  As usual, his birthday involved his buddy Nate.  Happy Birthday Phlip!

DOD

I was in the basement folding laundry today when David came down, stood next to me and proceeded to do what looked like his pee dance.  But before I could get out the question he blurted out, "Mom, I *don't* have to use the potty, I'm just *that* excited about having s'mores on the Fourth of July!"

My Little Naturalists...

FAITH:

and TALI:

It's *That* Kind of a Day

It's been a really rough day today.  The whole day literally went to the dogs but here's an excerpt just to give you a sampling....

I've been rearranging furniture in our office and have lots of books and important papers and what-not stacked up everywhere.  So I saw Tali head for a pile and sternly instructed her *not* to go where she was heading.  Of course, not only did she head in that direction but she took off her diaper on the way and proceeded to relieve herself on the floor with a widening puddle approaching my piles of books and important papers.  I picked her up and unceremoniously dumped her into the tub then used up the last 4 baby wipes to toss on top of the puddle until I could get there.

Meanwhile, in crawls Faith, also in need of a tubby.  I finish up with Tali, toss her into bed for the night and strip off Faith's diaper only to find that she has pooped.  Of course, where are the wipes?  Yep, used up on the puddle on the floor.  I rediaper Faith into her poopy diaper and go in search of a new pack of wipes.  I get her wiped up, sit her in the tub, get her cleaned up and jammied.  Then I turn to the toilet to rinse out the poopy cloth diaper only to find the toilet is clogged.  So I set the poopy diaper back on the floor next to the potty and begin to unclog the toilet at which point the clean and happy Faith crawls back into the bathroom, spies the poopy diaper and crawls as fast as her little legs can move toward it.  I pick up a foot and place it on her forehead in order to slow down her progress as I continue to plunge the toilet.  Getting the picture?  Hopefully you find it more amusing than I did in the moment.

I could go on and on about the rest of the day but I think you get the idea...

Tally Ho to Two!

Tali had a great birthday - started off by licking the beaters for her cake, then a dinner of cheese, crackers, grapes, applesauce cups and popcorn (very popular with the whole family), a piece of cake and presents!  She's really not the princessy type - the sword is much more her style although she was pretty psyched to try on those underpants even if she has no intention of ever using them for their intended purpose...
Happy Birthday Squeaky!