Last Minute Trip

So Jerry's family was all going to Disney Land and we were not planning on going.  But plans change.  We decided on Friday that we would go to Disney Land with them on Monday.  It was an action packed day.  The kids had a ton on fun.  It was worth it.  We are all beyond tired today.  Got home last night about midnight.  James has minimum schedule this week. So instead of 11 - 2:30 its 7:45 - 11. Throws the whole week off.  But we are rolling with it. 

Every once in awhile I let go, and fly by the seat of my pants.  It's harder to do doing the school year. But now we are good with Disney for a couple of years again. Or at least until Caroline understands standing in line.

This is life

It's just about 8 in the morning.  I am starting another load of laundry that I won't get around to putting away.  Everyone around here has clean clothes they are just wrinkly. 

Kids and I are fed.  Coffee is being consumed. 

Gym is going to be attempted.  But first I have to pack a lunch for James.  He has to eat lunch before he goes to school.  School starts at 11:00.

Come home put baby down for nap.  Take shower that is needed after gym, but can't be taken while baby is awake.

Pick up James at 2:25.  Take Hannah to ballet at 3:30.  Chase Caroline around lobby and listen to James whine for 45 minutes. 

Start some kind of dinner.  Clean rooms (fight with children about cleaning rooms).  Baths and good night sweet children.

Get ready for the Senior pictures I am taking on Wednesday. 

Do it all again but a completely different schedule on Wednesday. 

3 baskets of Laundry that need to be put away. A very helpful baby wearing hand me down Jammies.  A poor dog that needs to go on a run.  This is life and it's all mine.

Weekend Warrior

I have never looked froward to a weekend like this since I worked.  I have to say last week was one of the  busiest weeks I have had in a long time.  So what do we do over the weekend? Paint Hannah's room and move Caroline in. 

Lots of girl power pink in here.  James declared he wasn't playing barbies with Hannah anymore in this room.

I still have to get around to painting the kitchen set white.  Dragging my heels on that project.

Yes the closet is purple and I love the color.  All organized and put together.  Let's see how long it lasts.

Hopefully there won't be any climbing in drawers to get down stuffed animals. 

The Monkey of the House

Peanut's Hair

A couple of weeks ago Peanut cut her hair again.  It was a nice chunk just behind her ear on the side that is visible.  So I decided I had enough of her hair lying funny and sticking out.  I gave her this hair cut.  Why would any mother with no hair cutting experience decide she should be the one to give a four year old a "chunky" bob?  I don't know.  But it needs to be fixed.  The one thing I can say is Peanut looks good with short hair.  I love her with a bob.  Her big brown eyes just pop out.  It works on her.  Lucky for me.  Not the best hair cut but a cute kid anyways.

3 Things List Time

Procrastinating as usual.

Last 3 things I have googled;
1. Zhu Zhu pets
2. Iphone
3. canon lens

Top 3 things I should be doing;
1. laundry
2. cleaning
3. playing with my kids

Last 3 things I have complained about;
1. sick kids
2. economy
3 not losing the baby weight

3 things I am thankful for;
1. kids
2. husband
3. staying home

Last 3 things I have eaten;
1. wheat thins
2. mac and cheese
3. yogurt

3 things I have thought about posting;
1. sick kids
2. pizza delivery guy
3. sick kids

3 things I am looking forward to;
1. wine
2. finishing the cookbook
3. Jerry coming home

Not even nesting

I have been working very hard at getting organized lately. Cleaning and organizing and giving away as I go. I have several large bags to take to a woman's shelter. The hardest part is keeping the momentum going. Jerry has to be home and we can't have a ton of other things to do. When does that ever happen?

The laundry room, garage, and our bedroom are done. The kids have had their closets raided. The two big ones have their stuff pretty much organized. The office is the last big one. Because it holds baby stuff, bill stuff, craft stuff, books, sewing machines, etc it is the hardest to clean and organize.

To make it even more complicated Caroline is getting two new teeth on the bottom row and she is crabby! I am most productive when she is asleep. But she sleeps in the office. See why it's a mess?

I also finally today put away the rest of our Christmas decorations. There is one last box that we have to deal with because we took apart our tree there isn't enough room in the boxes any more. A trip to Lowes to get a storage box needs to be made before we can be finished.

Hi-larious

The kids were playing house today. James when he is playing anything, usually wanders out to check on me and what I am doing. Well he got caught up in the show I was watching. Hannah pushes her babies out in the stroller and tries to get his attention.

"Husband! I need your help."

No reply from James.

A little louder this time "Husband! I need your help!"

James still doesn't respond.

"Husband! I need your help!" And this time when he doesn't respond she rams her stroller into him.

He turns around, all surprised like, where did you come from and why did you do that?

MONKEY SEE, MONKEY DO

Is it December Yet?

I did this whole "post everyday" thing with good intentions. Yet it turns out it is making me resent my blog. Not the same effect it had last year. I should have left it alone.


We keep having a recurring conversation in this house. You know the one about how I don't have any energy? Same can be said here. I don't have much energy to put into my postings.


Waaa waaa.


I try really hard each morning before I get out of bed to make the day a positive one. Some days I can make it work. Some days I can't. I bet when I sleep a whole night through again my days will become more positive.


I am picturing Donkey from "Shrek" right now signing I am all alone. I don't know why.

The lost me

I used to be on the ball. For most things I would say. Now I forget most things and feel flustered most of my days. I have been losing things lately. I think one of the biggest things lost would be me.

One of Jerry's aunts asked me if I was already done Christmas shopping. I almost died laughing. Now the old me, that could have been a possibility. The new me, the one with 3 kids, no way. My wheels have been spinning since April.

I can't get anything cleaned up. And as soon as I do, it's ruined with in minutes. I think I might have thought I was invincible, now I know I am not. I am the barely showered frazzled scream at your kids mom you see everywhere. I am sure one day I will find myself again. But for now, we are just surviving.

Do nothing day

Apparently I am lame. If I have one busy day the next day becomes a complete "do nothing day". I guess with 3 kids I have to recuperate a whole day. Nobody got dressed today. We watched NASCAR and played. The dishes are done and the kids are bathed but that is about it.

Busy week ahead. I can't believe it is Thanksgiving time already. Holy Cow! Maybe after I get to the bottom of all my sinus issues I will have more energy and my house will become clean. And if I am really dreaming big I might get back to the gym again too.

It's clean, for now

We cleaned today. Now it's time for the kids and Jerry to move out. I think that may be the only way to keep it clean.

More cleaning to come. Birthday Party on Friday. I am not doing any more birthday parties until Hannah turns 5. I think I will even skip Caroline's 1st.

What my house really needs is a fresh coat of paint and the carpets clean professionally.

Here's dreaming.

Is it over yet?

This year this challenge is tough. I am not witty or creative. I don't have much to say and I don't have much time to say it.

This blog is for me and this is how I will remember this time in my life. Hectic.

For instance, today I was at Trader Joes buying some food for the family. I get home and I am unloading the groceries. I look up and I see that we are the snack helpers for school tomorrow. This would have been nice to have noticed before I went shopping. So I scavenge to see what I can throw together for a class of 16 plus 3 adults.

The menu:
Mini bagels
String Cheese
Mandarin Oranges
Raisins
Milk

I had to steal some cups from the birthday stash and they get little paper plates. I really, really, really, didn't want to make another trip to the store.

Last year I put such effort into snack. Oh well. We have snack again next week. Maybe that one will be better.

Keep Moving Forward

Nothing went as planned today.

Gym trip was ruined by a crying baby.

Kids did some naughty things.

Projects went unfinished.

It's 8 and I am just getting started on a project that has to be done for preschool in the morning and I just remembered I have to take in something for a birthday treat for James's class.

So I squeeze in today's blog post and I keep moving forward.

does it really help

The boy leaves his soccer shoes outside on the ground. I look out find the dog chewing on them. I run out grab the shoe throw it at the dog. Turn around throw the other one at the boy's room. Come inside, slam the door. Yell at the boy. Return to my business as usual.

Will anything change? Does it ever?

Socks

I haven't folded a sock in years. Who has time for folding socks? If it's clean and mine it goes in my drawer. They get sorted by person and put away. No folding.

Last night Jerry couldn't find two socks that matched. It was dark in the room. But, this got me thinking about our socks.

Today I have a big vat of adult socks soaking in bleach. If they have a partner and are free of holes and crazy stains they will make it back to their drawer. Does this mean I have to fold them? Maybe just today.

In My Head

You know when you have so many ideas floating inside your head; projects to create, things to do, people to call, & future plans.

That the ideas overwhelm the time to implement them. So you just sit down and watch TV and keep the ideas locked up.

That's where I am at these days. I will be efficient one of the days, I just know it.

A tale of Two Children

I don't know if I can do this story justice with my story telling skills. But I will try.

I have been battling the toys lately. I have been trying really hard to make sure the two kids have cleaned up the living room and their rooms each night before bed. For some this may not be hard but for us it is. You see I don't like the fight. Most nights it is just easier to let their rooms be a mess. Well back in July, I did the mommy freak out, and loaded all their toys into garbage bags. The toys were in the garage for a couple of weeks then they earned them back. Needless to say this worked, on one child.

My son James, is a sweet boy. He is very sensitive and empathetic. He has a huge heart and is easily scared by threats.

My daughter Hannah, is a funny little creature we haven't yet figured out. Cute as a button but feisty as heck. We haven't found the key to disciplining her.

Can you guess which child the garbage bag system worked on?

Tonight it was clean up time and I told James "go clean up your room." And he did. I told Hannah "clean up your room, start by putting the stuffed animals on the widow ledge." She told me "I can't." Actually she whined "I Caaaaan't." So I proceeded to just close her in her room. I told her she couldn't come out until she had picked up the stuffed animals.

James finished cleaning up his room so I bargained with him. "You helped Hannah make a mess, you help clean it up, and I will let you have some lemonade." OK. He was off to help her. Minutes later he is out "I can't clean up her room when she is just playing with her toys."

No kidding.

Then dinner was ready so I brought them out to eat. Cleaning was put on hold for awhile. Jerry called from work and I was asking him "What are we going to do with this child?" As I was on the phone I told her to pick up her toys or they were going in the garbage. Hannah shrugged her little shoulders and said "do it." No joke. I actually had to hide from her because I started to laugh.

I set the timer for 10 minutes and what ever wasn't up was going in the garbage. James started shrieking and running around and crying. Hannah just stood there and looked at me. So I turned off the timer and grabbed the garbage bag. So you want to play, do you?

I went into her room and started putting things in the bag. At this time James is in hysterics. I am hugging him trying to explain they're her toys and she doesn't care, don't worry about it. Nope. I put a white teddy bear in the bag and he starts crying "that's my favorite!" OK, go put it in your room. Hannah starts crying.

OK! I finally got to her. Nope. She grabs the bear and sticks it back in the garbage bag. She then starts picking up her floor and putting the toys in the garbage bag. She isn't fazed in the least bit.

So I have her come with me to the garbage can. On the way out, the garage door gets her toe a little bit. I get to the can. Throw the toys in the can and she starts crying. FINALLY! I got through.

"So, Hannah, why are you crying?"

"My toe hurts."

Augghhh!

I come back into the house and try to peel her brother off of the ceiling.

What am I going to do with these two?

Baby Sitting

I need to apologize now for any past or future baby sitters. I have the hardest time leaving my kids. I might be one of the most annoying parents.

It's not that I don't trust the baby sitter. Because I do.

It's not that I worry about the kids. I know they are fine.

It's not that I miss them. It's nice to get away now and again.

It's not that I think I am the only one who knows what to do. I don't most of the time.

It's not that I feel guilty being away. Because I don't.

It's that I know how much work those kids are and I worry that I have become a burden for the person watching my kids. I worry more about the adult than I do the kids.

I call too much and I rush to get back. Whenever I talk to who ever is watching the kids they are always fine. I mean I survive everyday, why is it that I think another adult can't.

It doesn't matter who it is, I worry about being a burden. I guess I have this mentality of, I birthed them so I had better take care of them. It's my job and my responsibility. It's fun when they are good but it's hard when they aren't. Now how many kids show their true colors to anyone but their mom? I don't even like asking anyone to watch them. Only in a pinch will I ask for help. Part of this could be my whole, I can do it myself, mentality.

I need to let it go. I think my kids like it when I am gone. They need a break too.

Toys

Not the first posting about toys.


The problem is there are too many toys.


The friends and family like to buy them toys.

The kids don't know how to clean up their toys.


The mom takes away the toys.

The lesson learned is they don't need so many toys.

The dad gets tired of the mess in the garage and back comes the toys.

The kids go back to playing with all the toys.


The mom wonders how she is going to manage the toys.