Everyone sleeps

Last night we turned a corner. The 4yo slept, no puke, just a little snoring...all night long. The 9yo thew up at 1130, but not again, and slept...all night long. I held her hair at 1130..and then I slept...all night long. Last night was borderline blissful. After getting through the newborn and sleep training years of small children, illnesses are the only time I lose out on sleep. My girls are such good sleepers, we can do pretty much whatever we want after their in bed. Now, to be honest, the 4yo does stall at bedtime and sometimes she makes me go up there to answer inane questions before she agrees to shut it and sleep. But overall they are the best sleepers ever. And, now that I think we'e in the clear for vomit, I get to sleep again as well.

So it seems we'll be all better for the weekend.

Ah motherhood

Parenting brings a lot of unexpected...happenings? consequences? ...STUFF.

I spent last night on the couch, catching the toddler's vomit every few hours. I have decided she's lactose intolerant. Maybe not 100% intolerant, but she definitely has a threshold. The nachos for dinner was not a good idea, the last time she had nachos, she also threw up, but I blamed a cold instead. She does have a cold now as well but I still think there's a lactose issue. So, no nachos and we'll lay off the dairy and milk products as much as possible. What do you feed a kid that only eats chicken nuggets and spaghetti and shredded cheddar cheese, when you have to cut out the cheese?

The strangest part about last night was that I could hear her start to throw up almost a half second before she realized that's what was happening. So I would FLY out of my spot, over to her end, pull her up and over the towel I set up to catch each episode. She doesn't do toilet or bucket puke yet, in time, in time. It's almost like the body has its own kid emergency receptors and I just flew into action almost involuntarily. I flew, its really the fastest I can move I think, if I could run a 5k as fast as I run to catch puke...well, I'd be winning some things.

Tonight is going to be a repeat of last night, I'd bet cash on it. While I was on the teadmill tonight she threw up her spaghetti dinner. I knew she would, her head is all congested and she can't breathe very well. Poor punkin. If I could just take it from her, I would. But the best I can do is cuddle her and let her sleep on the couch with me, so I can more easily catch the puke..and then let her rest and watch tv tomorrow while she recovers. Preschool has been one stupid cold after the other. I feel very very blessed not to have had to take her to the doctor much because of it. Last year we ended up in the hospital with dehydration..and preschool wasn't even involved. So..she's building an immunity. Right? RIGHT?!

Baby girls and laptop glare

Well, today was a little interesting. It's rare lately that I have work that keeps my interest so solidly. Ok, that's not that interesting. You're right. So...

I threw a baby shower this weekend for my sister-in-law. It was in Illinois at the great-grandparents house. She was coming into Chicago to take her Boards (Board Certification orals) and visiting the great-grandparents at the same time. So we took advantage and got as many family together as we could and planned her a baby shower. They live so far away that it's hard to see them very often and this new baby needed a shower. It was really great. It was great to see her and her little 7month basketball belly and it was great to see everyone that made the trip to see her for the shower.  She got a lot of really nice and super adorable gifts in addition to some that were sent directly to her from her amazon list and the cake was adorable and it all worked out really well. It made for a bit of a long weekend, but it was worth it and wonderful.

The cake

The spread

The cake and oreo cookie dessert with pacifier favors

It made today sort of difficult, since we did so much traveling and partying, having to get up for work the next day was a little bit ... torturous. It was really nice to be back in our own beds, but it would have been nice to have one more day to decompress. Oh well, and so it goes. There's not much else going on with us, we've made it through most of the wedding showers and baby showers and friends visiting and plans we've had and we're mostly in the clear for awhile. The weddings begin in May, then July, then September and hopefully we can do a whole lot of swimming in there as well.

Speaking of swimming, does anyone have a laptop screen glare thingy they'd recommend? I want to sit outside this summer while the girls swim and I need to be up on the deck with them in case I'm needed for rescuing or toy retrieval...and to tan myself of course. So I need to work outside, in the sun, which is very glarey. So I want to get something like this but I want one that will work at least well enough for me to get work done. The last couple summers I've been putting a beach towel over my head, which works..but it gets really really hot in there and I can't see the girls...so it's sort of...stupid. So..recs?

So...hey.

Um. I don't have much tonight I guess. A few things happened today I suppose.

Today was Science Day at the 9yo's school. I had planned to drop over there around 1:30..and right when I was ready to go, I got an email that the school was on lockdown because of a shooting. Not as alarming as it sounds, they're very cautious and super protective of the kids, which I love. The shooting was at some local college apartments, where things tend to happen from time to time. Lockdown was less than an hour and I was able to get to Science Day after all. If I weren't so lazy, I'd put a picture here. She was re-exhibiting her Earthquakes research from an earlier earth sciences project. She didn't want to do a new experiment or project..because it was just 'too big' to do. Heh, I hear that.

We're prepping to entertain some family this weekend, so I may be unable to post tomorrow night, depending on how things go and where we are exactly. But I will try. I'm throwing a baby shower for my sister-in-law. Tonight we went around town picking up some last minute things. I found the most adorable Hawkeye dress at Target tonight. We went all the way across town to Von Maur to look for something, but they had nothing, not a single hawkeye thing. Target..came through. It's so adorable, I kind of want to buy it in a bunch of sizes so I can just send them periodically for the baby to wear all the time. I'll have to take a picture of it next time I'm there...I've already bagged it up for her so...yes, I'm lazy. Anyway, I'm excited for her baby, and her shower, and for the people that are driving quite a ways to come to it. It's fun, and exciting and I hope it goes well.

We took the girls for a SURPRISE tonight after all our shopping and dinner. Took them to Orange Leaf for the first time. They liked it, but they weren't as excited as maybe I thought they'd be. The 9yo had a pain in her leg, so I think that was really distracting her, and the 4yo..is particular about things. She really just wanted the toppings, which was fine, but they were touching the yogurt she didn't love, so I helped her eat some of that. The pineapple froyo is so good, I could eat a whole bowl, and the toppings bar is really a test of my willpower. So..many..good...things.

I should be able to post again on Sunday, if I can't tomorrow. I will try though of course.

So. Tired.

Wow. So I took a sick day today because I knew I couldn't function on the little sleep I got. So the kid and I hung out on the couch today. I tried to nap, but every time I would doze off she'd start talking to me.

Can I have more juice?

What's on tv next?

She went to bed fine, but around 9pm we heard odd coughing and then whining. That was the puke. So cleanup, cuddling on the couch and then we all headed to bed at 11ish. Then she whined off and on every hour or so until 3am. So I'm asleep, listening...then whine, check on her, back to bed...wait, whine, repeat. Oy. So at 3am I brought her down to the couch. Set up sleeping spots on the couch and slept until 430 when she threw up again. This little tummy of hers cannot handle any amount of snot. None. Vomit every time. Slept off and on until 645 when the husband headed to work, and the napped until 730 when I got the other one up for school. Somehow the toddler slept through all the school prep and we went to sleep until 1030. The rest of the day was fine, and I just put her to bed....and heard the dreaded coughing again. Ugh, so we'll see how tonight goes.

Update: She threw up again last night at 9:30ish..but then slept all the way through, so I think we're on the way out. She went to preschool today and I'm working again.

School stuff

Whew. Tonight was a bit of a marathon. Tonight was Sophie's school musical program. She's been working on it for awhile now and tonight was the night. We got to also check out the school's new Concert Hall which was really nice and had comfy chairs. In years past we've had to sit in the elementary school gym on bleachers...not so comfy. The musical was "A Kid's Life" and it was really cute. She had a great time and Lexi enjoyed watching it. Grandpa came too (the girlfriend is out of town or I'm sure she would have been there, too). The best part is that this school knows what it's doing. Everything about it is run smoothly including the musical programs. They're always on a Thursday night, so there's very little reason for any student not to be able to make it. And they're short. Thirty to forty-five minutes at most. It's pretty awesome. I'll have videos to post tomorrow, it's too late tonight to convert and wait..so, tomorrow.

Theme song: A Kid's Life


Let The Games Begin


Ghost Story

Jump Rope Rock

So we went to McDonald's immediately after the husband got home from work so we could eat and then off to the program and then we headed to DQ afterwards for some 'hey, good job' ice cream.

I didn't have any.

I'm back to tracking my calories. I clearly have no self control.

No Video Games

So because of the recent headaches I've stopped playing xbox. I'm trying to give my brain a break, if its the games/TV/late nights...I wanted to eliminate all those things to test my theory. It took a few days for the headache to really fully go away. It's gone now. I'm really hopeful that it was just a migraine trying to eat my brain and that it wasn't related to anything really. I miss my video games.

It's been a week. Thank GOD for Words With Friends and DrawSomething.

I don't have much news. Tonight was church night (Awana) for the 9yo, which she loves. So I don't have to run (yay) and I feel like the night is mine. Without video games..I'm at a loss. So it's been words with friends and I've started reading Bossypants by Tina Fey.  So far, so good, but I've been interrupted so much I hope I'm not missing anything hilarious. The 4yo came with me to take the other to church, cuz daddy was golfing. Then we came home to swing a bit before it got dark and cold outside. She loves to swing so much. I soooo much want her to learn to pump and swing herself soon. I love pushing her, but it's super boring. What?  I'm sorry, its boring just pushing a kid on a swing. I could be DOING things during that. Reading, WWF, writing this. Come on. Mama gots things to do.

Perhaps tomorrow something exciting will happen. Or I'll win my battle with eZPublish. Both highly unlikely.

My five

(A really long time ago) @Chookooloonks tweeted this question: "5 best decisions of my adult life so far: go to law school, move to London, marry @marzjennings, adopt Alex, quit law. What are your 5 best?"

My five:

1. Getting married at 19 to my highschool sweetheart. Everyone always says it was young, but I don't see it that way. We were old enough legally, mature enough (mostly) and we had it planned out. So it worked for us, perhaps it wouldn't have for you, but it worked for us.

2. Having babies after being married for awhile (and stopping after two). Waiting to have kids until we'd been married at least 5 years was great. We were able to do a little traveling, have our own interests and time and do things on the fly, when we wanted, however we wanted. Kids throw a giant wrench into all that, which we knew, so we didn't want to jump into that too soon. I think we waited the perfect amount of time to have kids, and between our two kids (nearly 5 years).

3. Taking my current position which meant being able to work from home, doing work I really enjoy. It was a risk, what if it didn't work out, what if I was awful at working from home, what if my old job wouldn't take me back (they no longer exist)...so many what ifs. I'm glad I went for it, best career decision so far I think.

4. Savings. Saving in a 401k started early for both of us, saving with Edward Jones IRA accounts. Planning what we spend, and buy and do, so we can retire when we're ready and not when we can or have to.

5.  I don't know. I can't think of anything right now...I'm sure I will eventually. Right now though, all I can think of are all the things I'd like to do still, like the things on my life list and the organization things my house needs. some day.

I guess these would be my five SO FAR. I hope I make other great decisions in the future. Although, I think #1 and #2 will stay on whatever future lists I make.

Easter

Happy Easter everyone. Today turned out to be a pretty great day. The girls woke up and found their baskets and were thrilled about the dry erase boards and decorative foam stickers for those.  They had fun hunting for the plastic easter eggs that I hid filled with m&ms and then we kind of just hunt out for awhile. Got a text or two from my brothers and headed to lunch at dad's house (he and his girlfriend, whom I love, prepared everything). Pork chops were delicious. DELICIOUS. And steamed veggies were excellent, I started smelling broccoli and my mouth watered..so good. And then PIE that my brother brought. It was really fun, visiting, and the kids played with their cousin and we hung out, and some of us napped and we watched the Masters which turned out to be a bit more interesting than we thought it might be. The girls really really had fun running outside with my brother and brother in law and playing hide and seek. And it turns out that the 4yo is much more cunning and crafty than her 8 and 9yo cousin and sister :) She's a wily one, that's for sure.

My original hope for today was to go to church. Honestly, that's my hope for every Sunday, but it just doesn't seem to work or happen for us. We like to sleep in and catch up on sleep from the work week and getting up for church prevents that. Also, the 4yo in particular hasn't been a fan of Sunday school (nor is the husband really), so I've ended up taking the 9yo to Sunday school and the husband brings the 4yo later for big church, and both girls sit in there with us for that. It's an ok arrangement, but I do wish the 4yo would agree to Sunday school and the nursery so I could focus a little better during the sermon. I also really really do not want to be easter, christmas attendees, where we only show up for holidays when we think God is watching. I'm not that person. I believe EVERY day, not just holidays.

Honestly, I haven't been a huge fan of the Sunday school classes I've attended either. I think what I'm looking for may not exist. And I'm a little hesitant to find a new church or anything, because we like this church, we believe what they believe and we were married there, same pastor even. In fact, his daughter is whose shower I'll be attending next weekend...small world. I guess what I'd like from my Sunday school, and I'm probably not being fair here..is to come out of it with clues about how to get through the week. How do I respond to X and do I have to forgive X and what about forgetting X and I guess...real life situations that I struggle with every day. And maybe I just haven't attended enough, or the right class to find that. They do seem to offer more focused classes at Sunday evenings. Maybe I'll keep an eye out for something that fits me in that time slot. Look at that, sorta solved things a little myself.

My future fears about not attending church are for my girls. Not only their spiritual futures, but also for their personal futures. Will they meet the right man for themselves if they aren't regularly involved in a place filled with men that believe what they believe? I met my husband at church...so it's a match I'd sort of like for them to make as well.

Ok enough of that...I exhaust myself sometimes.

I woke up at 6 with a charlie horse in my calf as well. Holy mother of all that is holy...OW. I've sort of changed my running technique lately, to run more on the balls of my feet, it was feeling like less work and less impact than the heel toe stomp. Maybe my calves just aren't ready for that, but I am going to keep trying it. I really need to start doing longer runs so I can make sure I'm ready for my 5k in July.

You know what else is funny...or interesting. At the same that I hope people read my blog, and like what and how I write it, I also hope no one reads it, because its a great way to just blurt and ramble and get what I'm feeling out of me. Huh.

Random thoughts

So far blogging every day hasn't been so bad. Other than the day a migraine tried to thwart me, it's going pretty well. I'm not even using all the pre-started posts I've got yet. Today is nothing special so my plan is to ramble until I'm done rambling.

Random thing I love: our pop can box from the Can Shed. We used to save up all our empty pop cans and take them to the store to return and get our deposit when we could no longer get past the boxes of cans in the garage. Typically about $12 worth. Over spring break this year the husband decided we should just get this box from the can shed. It's like the ones you see at the grocery store, fill it up, return it for $$ and get a new empty one. Genius. I'm not kidding, it's genius, we love tossing our cans in it so much we may be drinking more just so we can. It's so much better than hoarding all those 12-packs and hauling them back.

My headache: I'm headache free at the moment,I've taken 9 ibuprofen a day the last couple days. Today, none so far. I'm staying away from video games for a little bit, a week or so, and I'm trying hard not to stay up so late that I don't get a decent amount of sleep. I had trouble this morning sleeping past 8 after going to sleep at 11:30. But I did get up and get my running time in before anyone was up, which was really nice, since I take Sunday off from running, I'm done for the weekend.

I think maybe this headache thing was a combination of late nights with video games ( looking at you gears of war 3 horde), an attempt from a migraine to eat my brain and trying to keep track of all the weddings, shows and school things coming up. So hopefully, this restful week will help and I can play my new Lego Harry Potter game soon.

 We've got four wedding invites this spring/summer. Two are on the same day so we have to choose and there are showers for all of them of course. I've squared away one gift, mailed it today because I can't make the shower. I wrapped up another gift for a shower next weekend and I'm throwing my sister in law a baby shower at the end of the month so I'm workin' on making sure all those details are worked out.

Sophie also has her school musical and school spring pictures next week as well as some MAP testing I need to make sure she gets enough rest for. I'm sure it'll super storm the night before. Today I finished grabbing a few things for Easter baskets, although I could kick myself for not picking up the new baskets I saw at the dollar store earlier this week. They're long gone today of course. Since grandma and grandpa already brought them a bunch of candy I went with dry erase boards for their bedroom doors, foam sticky things for them to decorate those with, two candy items only, dry erase markers, and little notebooks, and two pair of Easter socks for each of them. Next year I'll get new baskets...or maybe just one if the oldest figures out the sham this bunny laying egg hiding thing is. Please let her figure that out....

Update:  Sorry about no picture of the genius can box and the no paragraph breaks prior to now. Apparently posting from the iPad means no breaks.

Deal? Deal!

So a few nights ago, we tucked the girls in bed at regular time. I grabbed my workout stuff so I could head to the treadmill. We came down to the kitchen and found this on the fridge.

This is from the 9yo 3rd grader. She's getting up in years and has become smart, talkative, and resistant to trickery and tom-foolery. Usually each summer I make a chore chart, one for each kid. It contains things they should do on their own, but don't, and a few things they should do because I want them to and because they I want them to be responsible adults, right? Making your bed, brushing your own hair and teeth, it's not asking to much. It is not. Don't argue with me. I believe this is the 9yo's way of saying she disagrees.

READ THIS!
I made my own chore chart. If I do them all, I get two dollars. If I do some, I get one. If I don't do any, I get zero. So, Deal?

P.S. I'm starting the chores next week, cause it's in the midle of this week already. Deal? Deal!

Clearly she believes we've struck a deal. I couldn't even see the chores she'd selected for herself, they're so small on her chart. And her use of this notebook paper makes me feel like it's pretty unlikely she'll duplicate the process next week. Part of me is inclined to let her try this, or maybe I should have her help me make her chart in a more repeatable format. Of course, my printer doesn't work right now...so...she may be on to something.

The other part of this is how funny she is. She's not trying to be funny, she's serious most of the time if its not an obvious playtime activity. She knows chore chart time is coming (summer) and she's trying to head it off with easier chores like make bed, brush hair, brush teeth, nice to sis, kind to dogs, help family. I think it might be time to add in some slightly more difficult tasks. Empty and reload dishwasher, wash windows. I love that she's left off 'clean room'. She's hilarious and smart and beautiful and I wish she's stop growing up already. I'm not ready for ten...or twelve...or...or...teenager years.

Working from Home

I started this post months ago, after I read a dooce.com post about her making a video about working from home. I hadn't watched it yet, and honestly, I can't remember if I ever did. Oh, hold on, let me go refresh my memory, so my opinions make sense.

Ok. I'm back.

Considering she works with her husband (or did until the separation), has an actual assistant and I believe she also has child care at least part of the time...it's really more like she has an office in her house. Working from home means something different to me. Obviously she faces the same child/time management issues, at least part of the time, but working FOR someone FROM home is very different. I should make a video. But I'm not going to, because I'm NEVER ALONE.

So, I agree with several of her points and have a few of my own.

First, it's important to set a schedule and stick to it. My schedule starts with getting the oldest ready for school. While she eats breakfast, I take the stupid dogs out. They're cute, so I'm allowed to declare them stupid. Once she's on the bus, I'm at my laptop, working. The younger one gets up later unless its a preschool day (which won't matter next year because woohoo for afternoon preschool).

Second, I think its important to shower/cleanup and get dressed. In something other than yoga pants or pajamas. I typically shower before I get the second kid up, get her up, feed her breakfast and then back to work. I don't shower right now on preschool days. I just don't have the time to get one kid up, on the bus, shower, feed the second one (who is the slowest eater on the planet) and get her to preschool, not on time anyway. So those days...I shower after my nightly exercise instead. I don't love it, but it's what I have to do. Next year she's going to afternoon preschool, so it won't be a problem.

The video recommends a separate space..but that just isn't possible for me. I don't have child care for the preschooler and I can't leave her alone anywhere in the house, so I work at our family desk, and she plays. Both of my kids (nearly 5 years apart) have been great about mommy working during the day and they self entertain really really well. And yes, I turn on the TV sometimes, in the afternoon because she's so great at playing and she's ready for a rest so the TV is on, with something appropriate. LazyTown, Olivia, or Max & Ruby. Hmm I'm not sure how appropriate Max & Ruby is...where are the parents? Anyway...I would love my own space to focus and work, but once the preschooler starts Kindergarten, I'll have that, so for now, this works for us.

An assistant. I'm not even going to address this because I don't think I'll ever make enough to hire my own assistant, since I work for someone else right now. I also don't need one, a nanny or maid, yes, but an assistant for work, no. So I'm sure its necessary if you work for yourself at home and travel a lot and have a lot going on, but for me, not so much.

I also workout after the kids are in bed. I don't have the motivation to do it in the morning (except some rare saturdays when I want my weekend free) so I do it at 830 at night M,T,Th,F,Sat. It works for me.

The other part of working from home are the perks. There are plenty. The refrigerator is RIGHT THERE! It's too close, but also, yay, it's close. I don't spend anything on vending machine food or soda, I have my own. I'm here when the oldest gets home from school, and I'm able to get the youngest to and from preschool. My bosses have been great and the company is very flexible about schedules. I also feel a little bit more pressure to perform and complete work in a timely manner. I keep very close record of what I do and when so that I know I'm delivering what I need to be since no one is hovering over my shoulder. My biggest pet peeve is when people hear that I work from home and assume I eat candy and surf the web all day. I get paid to do actual work, and I work hard at it. Sure, my schedule is flexible, but I am WORKING.

I guess that's it. That was quite a ramble. Whew.

April Fools!

I used to think it would be funny to leave a fake positive pregnancy test for my husband on April Fool's day. Perhaps it was funny a few years ago, but since we've decided not to have any more kids and taken steps to prevent it, I don't think we'd find it as funny as much as terrifying. Our kids are getting to the ages that they're a little bit self sufficient, fun to talk to and have their own great little personalities. It's really difficult to imagine starting over. So...fake positive pregnancy test...not so funny anymore. I never actually did it of course, that'd take research and planning and ...work. Not such a fan of those either.

In other sort of related news, I'm super super excited that my sister in law is having a baby. A baby girl even! I'm so very excited about it, it's a little bit ridiculous. I can't wait to see her in about a month and see her little baby belly and throw her the baby shower she deserves. I am at the same time super pleased they decided to have kids (ok, one kid to start) and also super super excited that IT'S NOT ME! WOO! I always wondered if we'd regret not having more or not leaving the option open...but I. DO. NOT. The Hubs doesn't either.

So...I'm pregnant. April Fools!

After I typed that..I felt wrong..somehow like I'm just ASKING for some miraculous conception to spite me and my happiness with my growing children. So here's a little more..to distract the universe from my mockery.

This also starts my commitment to  NaBloPoMo for April 2012..I'm really going to do this, even if I have to schedule posts ahead of time or write something at 11:59pm some nights. I WILL DO THIS. I have a few conceptual posts already saved and waiting for some fleshing. out. So...here we go!

Darn. They grow up.

Remember when you were in school, and time dragged on and on. And then in high school, and you thought you'd never be done and never escape the rules and study. It seemed to take forever for me, and I didn't mind school. I wasn't in any hurry for it to be over really. But it dragged on.

Why is it that the time with my children isn't dragging on as well? How did I get to already have a third grader? She's halfway through the year, we're almost into fourth grade...and then middle school..and wtf slow down! And the little one..preschool this year and next and then she's into it also. Why is it going so fast when I'm not the one in school.

Damn. They grow up. And so fast is not even accurate..they grow up at the speed of a blink. In the blink of an eye. Before you know it. Right in front of you. All the clichés.

Out back

Last weekend we were trying to decide where to take the girls for dinner. We'd like to go to restaurants, but unless there's a kid menu and/or chicken in kid form, it's not a very safe bet. The husband mentioned he'd like to go to Outback and the 4yo heard him. Daddy, you can't eat out back!

Oh the things the children say.

In other good news, the master shower looks fantastic. I have pictures to show and such but I want to wait until the whole room is complete before I write it up with pictures. The shower was the biggest part, he tore out the old one and put in a new pan, new plumbing and tiled it up beautifully. There are niches for our shampoos and two showerheads. TWO showerheads. And enough room to turn around, do a dance AND shave my legs. I can't wait to use it. First we need to rip out the vanity, toilet, paint the walls, tile the floor, and install the new vanity and cabinet and pick out a toilet. THEN I'll have the whole story to tell. It's going to be awesome, though, I just know it.

Joy Dare Catch up

Day 21: one thing in the sky, one thing from your memory, one thing that's ugly beautiful.

1. The sunshine. It's not here right now, but on the days it does show up in the winter, it's wonderful.
2. Sledding with my siblings, and roller skating, and ice skating outside, on a lake, not in a fancy schmancy rink.
3. ugly beautiful? I don't know...the 4yo tush when she asks me to wipe her poo :)

Day 22: one grace wrinkled, one grace smoothed, one grace unfolded
1. My mother in law, although she's really not that wrinkled and if she read blogs, she'd not appreciate this much probably. But I do so love her so very much. She's my stand in.
2. My chin..after this zip decided to leave? Seems superficial.
3. The new towels I'm planning to put in the almost remodeled master bathroom.

I don't know what I was doing to prevent these this weekend. I spent most of the weekend grateful that my girls were playing so well together, even though they were trapped inside all weekend. And I was able to read several books, which is always awesome. Plus a trip to the library where they both found books they also love to read, that's probably my very favorite thing right now. I want them both to grow up loving books and reading as often as they can.

Path of Resistance

Of course we know the saying '...path of least resistance...'  and what it means. Sometimes it's ok to take a difficult path and other times its much much easier to take the path of least resistance. Sometimes the path you take is a reflection of parts of you.  How about a reflection of my parenting skills... I find myself doing this sometimes, with my children, in shopping areas. You know, when I KNOW they're going to want the candy/cookie/stuffed animal we're bound to pass  and the path of least resistance becomes some long roundabout way through the store to avoid that item. It's ridiculous. One would think I could have a little more control of the beggars. I hope it's not just happening to me.

That's how they get ya!

How am I supposed to decide what sheets of photos to keep and buy from my youngest's first school pictures ever? How could I decide to return any of them? I will, of course, because i'm cheap frugal. But clearly, this is how they GET ya, with the cuteness and sweetness and oooo a class photo. Curses!

Ok forget it.

I'm really screwing up this NaBloPoMo thing. Apparently I don't consider weekends as part of the month or challenge, so I just randomly skip the days. This weekend was sort of busy I guess, with the oldest turning 9. NINE! And the in-laws came up to visit and see her and we just generally had some things going on. Good things, trips to the library, movies, McDonalds, because a birthday isn't complete without MickeyDs.

Honestly, my brain just can't hold enough information or content to keep the household running AND blog every day. I guess I'm a reader, not a blogger.  Sigh. I guess no blogging fortune for me. Maybe I can write slower..and turn something I ramble into a book. A girl can dream.

Smart Kids or Maybe Not

So from what I've read in a few places, here, for example, kids brains do not fully develop until they're nearly 20 years old. Thank God for that.

So..here's some background. I get my oldest dressed in the morning for school. Usually I wake her up, pick out her clothes and help her get dressed. Sometimes I leave the drawers in her dresser open so that closing them doesn't wake the other kid. So a couple weeks ago, I left the two bottom drawers open, so I don't wake the other kid and we can just get moving. Remember that, I left 'em open.

So, she comes home from school that afternoon, wanting to play her Nintendo DSi, great. I say, I put it upstairs, in your room, on the floor, in front of your dresser. So she goes upstairs to grab it. About five minutes later she comes down, Mom, I can't find it. What? I know it's there, I put it there myself yesterday AND I saw it this morning. So I go up, to help her look. I walk into her room and I almost dropped a F bomb. She's standing there, with the bottom drawers of her dresser STILL OPEN. She's actually walking AROUND the open drawers "looking" for the DSi. I said ... Are you [in my brain #$#%@#!] kidding me? Did you LOOK WHERE I SAID?! She looks at me. Then sticks out a foot, and pushes a drawer closed. Voila! There is it, RIGHT WHERE I SAID.

My mind was seriously blown. How can you look in a place you cannot see? Without  MOVING the things that block your view. She was walking around the open drawers. It still blows my mind now.

Thank GOD their brains are still developing.