Dragon hunting

The most recent imagination scene at our house:

Two tents are set up in the toy room, mommy and daddy are sitting in the living room after cleaning up from dinner.  

Feet come stampeding into the living room with shouting:"Oh no, there's a dragon!  Save us Eligh Daddy.  Save us!"

Eligh whips out his play gun and shoots at an imaginary dragon. 

Addyson and Kinsley are on the floor under my feet, shouting, "Mommy save us!  Pull us up from the water.  Please, save us!"  

I pull on their little arms and up they come out of the water sucking in air. 


Off they run back to the toy room....

Cute Baby Saturday - Fishing

Another post filled with vacation pictures (yes, these are a couple weeks old).  Addy had been asking repeatedly to go fishing with grandpa and finally had the opportunity to do so.

Of course the twins had to go after Addy came back talking about how awesome it was.

Only Addy and Eligh will touch the fish

Friday Night Leftovers - back and forth

• Another week of swimming or visiting the spray parks.  
• I even took the trio on two different occasions by myself to the pool and spray park.  I feel accomplished (yeah, it's the little things)
• I'm really tired of certain people in my life and am thinking of washing my hands of them.  People change. 
• I miss a couple great friends horribly.  
• I picked up two different birthday gifts for the twins (yes, it's still over a month away, but C will be leaving soon so I have to do this before he leaves).  
• Addy has some new phrases that are irking me, "I've never done xyz before."  You know because doing this activity or whatever it may a week or so ago means it never happened. 
• I drove over an hour drive to see a specialist who wasn't even the right specialist to be referred to someone else (which will be a completely different day).  
• I did a lot of fighting with myself this week and am tired of doing this to myself.  It's just plain stupid and a waste of energy. 
• If Eligh has his pants down he has to be touching his "junk."  One boy is enough. 
• I told the husband that I want him to get snipped for my birthday gift.  Do you think this is unreasonable? 

Stop by our fabulous host, Danifred, to see what others are bringing to the table tonight.  

A request for a slap

I am the most indecisive person you could probably meet.  I never want to make the wrong decision in any aspect of my life and would rather someone just tell me what the right answer is so I wouldn't have have to do the back and forth discussions with myself (don't worry these happen mostly in my head not loud enough for others to hear).

I had an opportunity to go in for an interview, which I ended up turning down.  After turning it down and the entire day fighting with myself on what to do, I made a decision (or at least I have for a little while).  There is absolutely no point in working this school year, when it would require putting three children in day care.  For what?  My own personal satisfaction with working again?  That's just stupid, and I wish once again, someone would be my voice of reason. 

I know I have enough on my plate this year with Addyson starting part day preschool, dance class once a week, actual one-on-one time with the twins, and working on my master's degree.  Next year the twins will be close to turning four and Addy will be in full day school, so if I want to go back to working, next year would make more sense.

The hardest part of this decision is that I have had both experiences: working full time and staying at home full time.  If I had only one experience I wouldn't necessarily understand all that I would be missing, but I do know what both ends entail and I want both.  I want to be teaching again some way some how, but I also want to be here for my three.  I truly do enjoy both.  Obviously at this point in my life I can't do both and when I looked at the kids and thought about possibly sending them to daycare I cried.  They want and deserve to have one parent home, and I am the only one who can do that. 

Working moms and stay at home moms have often debated, and instead of debating who is right and wrong a simple act of empathy is really what should be handed out instead of the guilt trip so many try to give.  Making the decision to stay home and live on one income or working full time while putting kids into daycare is never an easy decision for any parent.  Nor is one way right for all. 


Please, I ask all of you to immediately slap me in the face if I mention working this school year.  I am serious, and I would totally do the same if you needed me to. 

Truthful Tuesday - Struggling personally and professionally

This post needs more than a couple post-its, but that's all I feel like digging at for the moment.

Seating

A totally random post about seating around the dinner table.

Growing up and still today we had "assigned" seats around my parent's dinner table:

 

Once we left the house, my parents still kept their seat and even when we come to visit, our seats are always there and welcoming us to remind them of dinner as a family.  My parents have purchased a much larger table they use in the dining room which hosts all the adults during our big holiday dinners as all four of us kids are married except for one.  My parents have eight grandchildren with a ninth to be born in just a couple months.  Now the grandchildren sit around the kitchen table my siblings and I grew up sharing many family dinners together at, with a few added chairs.  

At our kitchen table we have musical chairs at every meal.  No seat is claimed, but we are all together for dinner and sometimes even breakfast and dinner.  Where we sit depends on the children and where they want to sit and who they want to sit by.  I'm ok with not having an assigned seat at our own table, just as long as we are all sitting together that is all that matters (even if meal time is chaotic and sometimes downright stressful).

So, what does your kitchen table look like? Do you have assigned seats?  Is your table filled with "junk?"  Do you even sit down to eat together? 

Cute babies Saturday - vacation pictures

4th of July Beauties

This is how we swim 

This is how I swim

"The Babysitter"

Oh how they loved the sandbox

Friday Night Leftovers

• Addy is off the wait list and heading to dance class in just a couple of weeks for the year.  I was waiting for the end of the week to decide if I would have to take her 30 mins away and pay $10 more.  Relief and excitement. 
• Cody has been home quite a bit this week and when he isn't here in the morning Eligh makes a super angry face when he wakes up and declares, "Daddy is home, he is NOT at work."  Then, he inspects the house and the girls tell him that daddy IS at work.  He is attached. 
• We have gone to the pool every day this week, and we are declaring no pool today.  We all need at least a day away from the pool (or at least that is what I am trying to tell them).
• Do NOT watch "Rango."  Inappropriate, some bad language (hell and damn), cartoons should not have any foul language in my opinion.  
• I used the treadmill this week three times along with other exercises and it has been great having it near a tv.  I can catch up on my shows, workout, all while the kiddos are playing in another room.  
• Cody is definitely heading to some training for six weeks all around the time school starts up.  I know the monkeys are going to be maaaad. 
• I ordered Addy a backpack and picked up some school supplies.  Sigh.  It is going to happen, she is going to be leaving me.  
• Eligh and napping/not napping is driving me batty.  He can go a couple of days and nap with no problem and then days like today, I have to sit on his bed and wait until he is asleep before leaving and having some rest time for myself.  
• All of the pictures are finally up and in place.  It is now "home". 

As always stop by our host, Danifred, to see what others are bringing to the table and to tell her congrats on her pregnancy, and send a little prayer that things continue to go well for her and the baby.  

No "woman" can have too many shoes

When deciding which shoe to wear, why not choose both?

Swimsuit attire gone wrong

I have to talk about the dreaded subject of swimsuits, because it is driving me bananas. 

We now have a much quicker and two minute drive to one of three free pools.  The one we have visited the past two days has two diving boards, a curvy slide, and a toddler zone with a mini pool and sprayers.  Tomorrow I am going to walk to the smaller pool that is just a walk away, but has strange hours. 

Anywho, I am just flabbergasted at what women/men think is appropriate swimsuit attire.  Now, I will offer my advice on "what not to wear at the pool:"

• If you have stretchmarks circling around you like the rivers all over the world, do NOT wear a two piece.
• If you have loads of loose skin that flaps around, do NOT wear a two piece. 
• If you have rolls while standing up, do NOT wear a two piece.
• If you have a booty that is cottage cheesed filled and can rest an entire dinner plate on, please make sure your bottoms FIT. 
• If you are largely pregnant, please do NOT tan your belly.  (You may disagree with this, but I think it is ridiculous, but I'm also not a fan of tanning and prefer to take baths in sunscreen)
• Men are NEVER EVER allowed to wear "banana hammocks" EVER

I can say all of this, because I have many of these qualities, but cover up in appropriate attire that hides all of the flappy, hanging, stretched out skin.

What are some other "no-no's" to swimsuit attire you have recently witnessed?

Jabber Jaws X2

Ms. Addyson has become quite the lengthy story teller.  Any and every conversation automatically requires a minimum of five minutes. 

"Ok, so, mommy we are going to go upstairs, brush our teeth, put on our pajamas, read a story, go to bed, wake up, eat breakfast, and then play outside.  Because, I want to ride the tractor and go round and round really fast, but I don't want the babies to ride with me.  Ok, mommy?"  

"I can't find my Rapunzel brush."

"Did you look, here, here, here, and there?"
"Yes.  I looked under my bed, I looked in the chest, I looked in the drawer, I looked in my Barbie case, I looked every where.  And, nope, no where.  Hmm...I wonder if Grandma has it.  You will have to call Grandma and see if it is there.  I can't find it, it has to be there."

Every single thing that comes out of this girl's mouth is repeated by her double, Kinsley.  Yes, EVERY single word.  Imagine two little girls talking non-stop echoing each other.  Now the five minute conversation becomes a minimum of ten minutes. 

By the end of the day, my head is full of buzzing and humming of the girls' voices.  No wonder I can't remember a single thing, these two don't let me have a moment to do so. 

When potty trained children sucks, part 25

• At the dinner table my children take turns going to the bathroom, especially the twins.  I gave them the threat tonight that if they continue to go to the bathroom 50 times during dinner, I'll just throw their food away.  (Yes, I said that, I was just a tad bit annoyed)
• Nap and bed time now includes 33 bathroom trips before finally settling down. 
• We have three bathrooms, but the three of them still fight over the bathrooms. 
• I am still having to assist Kinsley with retrieving toilet paper and wiping her arse.  If I take too long to get to her she will grab half the roll or not wipe at all and I later find shit stains in her panties. 
• I am always in the middle of doing something and here comes Eligh with his pants/underwear either in hand or at his ankles.  He really needs to learn how to pull up his bottoms.

I know this is all better than changing diapers and much more cost-effective, but it is still quite a bit of work with these three monkeys and their little "potty games."

Settling

The bullet posts are going to continue for a bit longer, as I am still feeling a little misplaced. 

• We have curtains in all three kids' rooms up as well as decorations throughout the house. 
• We still need to put up all the pictures in the house
• Kids finally came "home" yesterday sometime after 4 and they had so much fun exploring their new house 
• Bedtime was less stressful and they all went down for naps so much easier than before.  (Please don't let these words mock me later)
• My mom and sister left this morning, but we will see my parents again in two weeks when they stop here for a day or two before they head further south to Branson 
• I put off all my assignments and postings until Thursday, which is causing me to panic
• Cody still has to bring all his military gear to the new house, mow the lawn at the old place, and do a quick clean before Tuesday
• Let me add - Cody is napping as he became suddenly ill after lunch
• Chugga chugga choo choo - it will all get done
• I am going to try and play catch up with commenting, otherwise I will be back shortly with more regularity

Beaten down

A rundown of the past three days:

• Tuesday 
• Leave IL around 7 a.m. (Cody, myself, and my younger sister).  Monkeys stay with my parents. 
• Arrive in MO near 1:30 p.m.  We load up our personal vehicles with the kids' mattresses and bed frames. 
• Sign the lease at 4 p.m. which takes nearly an hour. 
• Unload and put together beds.  
• My sister and I run to the store for a few items.  Cody finishes up the beds and other odds and ends. 
• After dinner, we load up the vehicles again, as I forgot our "moving buddies" to help assist moving large items.  
• We pass out around midnight.  
• Wednesday
• Load up the vehicles and Cody and I drive over more furniture. 
• Head back to the old house, drop off a vehicle, and go pick up the moving truck. 
• Spend 4 hours loading up all our crap causing me on nasty wound from getting my leg stuck between some old wooden planks.  
• Unload the vehicle for the next 3 hours 
• Put together our bed and do some very minor organizing and head to bed again, near midnight.
•  Today
• Wake up at 6 (what the freak is with me waking up so early even though the kids are not even here?).  
• Cody and I drop off the moving truck and go to the old house.  
• We load up both vehicles with everything but a sink full of clean dishes, a closet full of jackets, and military gear 
• We have all the rooms "set up" and just have to put up the wall decorations and pictures, break down some boxes, and eventually organize our office area in our bedroom and a few minor items need to be moved around outside.  
• Not too bad for really just two days of moving.  I am sore, tired, aching in places I haven't ached in, in forever, but most importantly I miss my three crazy monkeys and can't wait until tomorrow when they are here.  

Eleven

I have this "issue" with setting an alarm, where the number cannot be even or a multiple of 5.  For example, if I need to wake up at 5:30 I would possibly choose 5:29 or 5:31, but never 5:30.  Strange, I agree.  
 
Lately, Addyson has been on this kick with telling me how much longer she can do something and it is always the same number. 

Example:

Mommy:  "Addyson you can swim for 10 more minutes."

Addyson:  "How about 11 more minutes?"

Mommy:  "Addyson, you can play for a couple minutes before taking your nap."

Addyson:  "Can I play for 11 more minutes?"

She has chosen 11 as her number for an unknown reason, as there is nothing I would tell her or either one of the other monkeys in which I would choose 11.  I would choose multiples of 5 or maybe even the number 2, but never 11.  Maybe Addyson will have an interest in numbers and develop these strange number "issues" like her mommy.  Only time will tell. 

Friday Night Leftovers - visiting family edition

• Week full of later bedtimes and earlier mornings. 
• Playing outside all day long
• First time fishing for Addy - she got 3 good sized fish and her anticipation equaled her actual enjoyment. 
• Kinsley has skinned up both knees and the spot where your foot meets your chin on both legs, as well.  She does NOT want band-aids.  She is a tough girl.
• Grandma can't stop spoiling them with outfits, smaller toys, and all their favorite foods. 
• Addy is now jumping in the water (with her vest) holding her nose and going completely under water.  Just this morning she swam a few feet under water while holding her nose, as well.  If it was up to her, she would be a mermaid.
• Grandpa treated everyone to eating icecream at the store last night and they all had to have something different but with sprinkles, please. 
• Mommy has not done any running or working out (except chasing these kids all over the farm and swimming every single day for hours on end) and is not eating the best. 
• Tonight I am having a Scentsy party, and if anyone is interested in placing an order you can either contact me directly or just click on the link and order directly from my site.  There is a new cupcake warmer that has a lid (a new type of warmer all together) that I am totally buying for Kinsley's room, as she will now have her own room.  Plus, there are 20 scents out for just this month.  You can order all the way up until tomorrow night and if you really want to order and can't do so until Sunday, just send me a quick email so I hold off on closing out the order. 
• I'm going to attempt to do some form of homework, as my motivation was left in Missouri. 

As always, check out Danifred to see what others are bringing to the table this evening. 

Cross - eyed tired

• 6:30 wake up every single day, except for one day which was 7. 
• Brush teeth
• Kiddos jump up and down picking out their clothes
• Breakfast
• I shower/get dressed
• Go outside to play with riding cars, push cars, scooters, giant sandbox, bubbles, bubble guns, climb giant rock, sprint the ginormous land, convince daddy to take them on several Rhino rides
• Come in for lunch and naps
• Work on homework/run errands with my mom
• Kiddos wake up
• Lather them up with sunscreen, swimsuits, and swim till dinner
• After 5 million trips to the bathroom and a couple trips up and down the stairs, kiddos finally fall asleep
• I have to attempt to read/complete homework assignments as my eyes are turning inward from exhaustion
• The day we head back sans kiddos, we are signing our lease, packing, and moving the next day
• Yep, no break here for a while

"Vacationing"

• Posting will be spotty for the next week or so.  
• We have had family and guests over at my parent's house every single day since we have arrived.  Today, finally feels like a normal day.  
• Kids played outside all morning long, I got to hang laundry on the clothes line (nothing beats the smell), and the monkeys are all taking naps.  
• Addy's eyes were so swollen and red yesterday, as she hadn't napped in two days and had been up till 9 nearly every night playing HARD.  
• Today, they all woke up rested, and with soft hair.  Chlorine really does a number on all of our hair, plus add in the mounds of sunscreen I keep applying to them.  Even, my hair has had to take two doses of conditioning and has a slight tint of green in it.  So, glad I didn't color it before we came up.  
•  Tonight grandpa is finally getting the opportunity to take Addy fishing.  I can't wait to hear how it all goes.  She has been begging to go for a while now, and I'm thinking the anticipation may be greater than the actual activity. 
• I must work on homework, as my teacher has added a big flip in our week's assignments. 

When bedtime really sucks

Yesterday morning we packed what we could with the boxes/containers we had, and even found time to take apart the kids' beds before hitting the road right after lunch. 

I would really, really, REALLY like for a company to invent some sort of sound proof partitioned wall in minivans.  We had a couple fits from each of the kids as well as two different yelling matches, which makes for a wonderful six hour road trip including construction and loads of holiday traffic. 

Got to my parents' house around 7, kids ate, and then we all swam until 9 when we put them to bed to crash. 

Do you think these monkeys would reward us or show any appreciation for bringing them to grandma and grandpa's house, letting them swim at night, and stay up late?  HELL NO!  These monkeys do not appreciate their parents, and woke up even earlier than normal, 6 freaking a.m. 

Today was filled with swimming before lunch, lunch, naps (they all actually napped which was wonderful and greatly appreciated), swam for hours more, had their cousins over to join their swimming and playing. 

It is 9pm and they are all in one room tonight and tomorrow night instead of being split between two rooms as my parents are having other guests over for their shindig tomorrow.  It is a night mare trying to get these overly tired, blood shot, rubbed raw eyelids to shut. 

I'm ready for it to be Monday night when the added guests leave and the partying ends, because then they can go to bed at a little more reasonable time.