Super power mom

I have little endurance and not a lot of cardiovascular stamana BUT I am pretty darn strong. I call it "mom" strength (I think it is a super power) because I can carry a giant kid on one hip, purse, diaper bag, and hold my other childs hand all the way from the farthest end of a paking lot to the store without breaking a sweat (farther than the husband-I might add). Before kids this task would of killed me. My littlest chunk wants nothing more but to be carried around all day, so I guess I have him to thank for my upper body strength. The other day I noticed I actually have a bicep, a real muscle you can see! Now I just need to get my run on.

Leap Day sillies

Kindness

If there is one thing I hope to give my kids to take with them on their journey of life it is kindness. Treat everyone with kindness, and treat others the way you want to be treated. Kindness is contagious and seems to be synonymous with happiness. -And secondly work your ass off. Got to have a strong work ethic to make it anywhere in this world.

Mr. Perfect

That would be my husband. Never met a person who didn't like him, never met a kid or baby that didn't like him, never met a pet that didn't like him-seriously! He just might be the most likable person ever. I like him because he's sweet, funny, and a great daddy. He's always there when I need him, although it can be kind of annoying to be married to someone who's usually right (but not always) about everything. He picks out funny cards and always gives me the perfect gift. He makes me feel better about losing the cat. I guess I got lucky when I found my Mr. Perfect.

Super Good News

Our friends Nick and Rachel are expecting a baby girl in July!!!! Yay, so excited for them. My only parenting advice to them is to politely listen to every ones advice (and stories), but in the end just do what works for you (or what you must to survive). There are a lot of things that I have done as a parent that I said I would never do but sometimes you just have to make it through the day. It is easy to make judgements about parenting from a care free, kid-less lifestyle, but once you cross over to the "why can't I get this kid to stop screaming and making a scene in public" lifestyle-you understand and sympathize. Not to scare, I'm sure your baby will never do this, hee hee. Congrats Nick and Rachel! We love you!

Nick and Rachel are Abi's god parents.

Sammy, where are you?

I'm feeling pretty bad that I lost our cat Sammy, I guess technically I kicked her out. Her time in our house was up but I was planning to have her be an outdoor/garage cat. I tossed her outside after she clawed our new BEAUTIFUL leather couch. After years of throwing up on my pillow and ruining our furniture I just had enough. I figured she'd hang around outside and wait for us to let her back in, which has happened before when she has gotten outside. It's been two days and I haven't seen her. I go outside and call for her, leave food out, but nothing. Hmmm, I hope she's OK. If I never see you again Sammy cat-I hope you have a good life somewhere.

I may have to revise the blog name? -A day in the life with two (CRAZY) kiddos, two chickens, and one dog.

Country Village

We went to the Country Village to get hair cuts today and it was a bit of a diaster. Note to self-never schedule them to get their hair cut at the same time. They were both screaming and crying and I can't be everywhere at once. So I ended up holding Ben on my hip while standing next to Abi while the poor stylists tried to cut two crying kids hair, lovely. At least we played in the park and took the train around Country Village afterward which was fun and there were no complaints from the kids. Geez, I can't take these kiddos anywhere without making a scene. At the grocery store over the weekend we made a big scene and I'll leave it at that.

Ben-pre hair cut with maple syrup styling gel



 Favorite new toy-microwave

 Post hair cut-so handsome

Abi-post hair cut (and I was lucky to get that).

They took an inch off but it still looks pretty long to me.

' Mom really, I'm too busy coloring.'

Country Village train

 

Preschool Castle Party

Abi refused to wear her new purple fairy princess dress, of course, and decided on Cinderella over Rapunzel (without the sleeves or crown). Although she looks happy in this picture she was an ubber grouch at the party. Ben is either a very fierce Knight or a a very grouchy little. I am surrounded by grouchy littles today.

Yummy

If I'm going to have a bad food day or weekend (calorie wise)- I'm going to do it right.

Sorry cougar gold, I will always love you but you have been replaced. (at Costco)

 Best ice cream ever, period. You can taste the whiskey, it is like heaven.

Coffee & Malt Ice Cream with Whiskey Carmel Swirls & English Toffee Pieces

The remote

I believe it exists but it is hard to find and rarely ever seen, like Sasquatch. Ben loves to play with the TV remote so either he has taken it and put it somewhere or we have hidden from him and subsequently from us as well. Sometimes Abi "helps" us keep the remote away from Ben by hiding it as well. Or it could always be in the couch, under the couch, or behind the couch somewhere. Matter what I'm doing I can tell that Ben has ahold of the remote by his mischievous giggle and pitter patter of little feet running away. We don't watch a lot of TV so it's OK that finding the remote is more of a scavenger hunt than anything else; that is unless I left the channel on something that Brad can't stand like the fashion police.   

Craig's and freezer jam weekend

Good Craig's list karma this weekend, my obsessive night and day search has paid off. I found the dining bench I was looking for -only $20. Both the kiddos LOVE to sit on it to eat. We also found the perfect bunk bed for Abi, full on bottom, twin on top, style we wanted -only $100. We haven't picked it up yet and I need to paint it white so pictures to follow.

We found the super awesome, real leather, in perfect condition, not too poofy couch we wanted for our front room $350-which really is an awesome deal. We were expecting to use a big chunk of our tax return for all this stuff but will end up spending much less, love that! 

Yes, Ben has a giant bruise on his cheek and as I was typing this he ran into the table and got another goose egg on his forehead.

We spent Friday night making strawberry and raspberry freezer jam-yummy. This will make a lot of PB&Js.

Fairy princess

Cute fairy princess thanks to Zulily.com

Baby feet

Oh, how I love baby feet. They really are the only kind of feet I love. I don't even like my own feet but I love, love chunky, chubby, dimply, sweet, little, smelly baby feet! I am like a baby feet addict. Any time Ben has a foot free I have to touch it and kiss it and smell it. Sounds weird yes, there might be something wrong with me but I was the same way with Abi. Just gotta love baby feet.

Sister

Beyond happy to report that my sister is doing wonderful!!! She called me tonight from the hospital and it made me sooooo happy. She had open heart surgery today and it went perfect. She is in some pain and will take weeks to fully recover but I am so happy that she will be fine. I love, love my sis and couldn't imagine life without her, I wish everyone could have a sister. So much relief, I will sleep well tonight.

Love

(After a few rough days and nights of Ben crying, for no apparent reason, and Abi's sass it's good to remember I have the sweetest Valentine's of all.) 

Abi and Ben- Thank you for teaching me what love REALLY is.

Thank you for making me a better person.

Thank you for bringing me such happiness and joy.

Thank you for making me laugh everyday.

Thank you for teaching me patience.

It is an honor to be your mommy.

Redneck family

I was flossing last night in front of the mirror and discovered I chipped my front tooth. Not super noticeable, but it is. Probably from all the fruit snack and granola bar wrappers I tear open with my teeth, something I know I shouldn't do. Or it could be from one of the many times Ben has head butted me in the face. Now that both Ben and I have chipped front teeth we can officially be called the redneck family, especially since he usually has a black eye to go along with it. At least his tooth is going to fall out in a few years but I'm stuck with mine forever.

I have to say boys are SO much different than girls, Abi was a pretty good toddler didn't get into much, but Ben, not so much. He knocks the lamps and alarm clocks off the night stand daily, climbs up and stands on top of everything (had to move some furniture to the garage), he will NOT stay out of the toilet, oven, frig, or dishwasher, any drawer without a baby lock is done for, the remote for the TV (what remote?-exactly). He's my adorable, lovable, sweet, relentless, little stinker.

The original silly stinker. Is it possible to be sweet and bossy?

 

Me time

Never before has "me" time held so much value. You know that rare special time after the kids are asleep in bed and the house is quiet I can finally do what I want to do! Read, watch TV, sit uninterrupted at the the computer, eat ice cream, cuddle with husband, do anything I WANT time. It might be sad that this is my favorite time of day and it sounds selfish but we all need it to survive. It always comes and goes too quickly like most enjoyable things but I savor every moment of this "no one needs anything from me" time. Sometimes I can't help but laugh about life before kids, so much "me" time how did I even know what to do with it all. One more thing I can add to the list of things I can thank my kiddos for, helping me appreciate "me" time.

We have been sick all week so "me" time has mostly been spent passed out on the couch. Luckily we all took naps everyday this week, which is unheard of around here. I'm very bummed I was supposed to go visit my sister this weekend and help take care of Evie so she could get stuff done since she has open heart surgery on Tuesday but we were too sick to go. I really wanted to see my sis and help out so I'm feeling sad :(

Pre K

Today I registered Abi for Pre K next year at Cedar Cross. I knew it would be difficult to get her in the AM class because it's the most popular so I was thinking of putting her in the PM class anyway. But seriously when I got there to register her right when it opened there was a line of people camped out in camping chairs that had been there for hours! Crazy and so not worth it for a Pre K class. Needless to say the AM class was full and there is a waiting list so I happily signed her up for the PM class. I'm not sure I'm cut out for the world of competitive parenting.

Favorite things

Best shampoo ever

 9 grams of fiber (3g protein) in two waffles, now I don't have to feel bad for the once a week waffle breakfast.

Valentine cuties

Sweet, sweet little mushy face-LOVE!

The Ladies Heart Me

Not sure why they were making this face but I like it.

Love Rules

Sweet feet

Heartache

I wish I had more good news to report about my mom but really she is doing about the same. We are making baby steps in that her balance is a little better at times and I hope she'll be able to walk again eventually. She is coming to terms with the fact that there are things she'll probably never be able to do again, like drive and babysit the grand babes, and it is VERY sad and hard for her. It makes my heart ache that she is hurting and I am so far away and can't do more. Her speech, vision, and hallucinations are still up and down, good days and bad. It's extra difficult now because my sister has open heart surgery next week on Valentines day and we can't help but be worried about complications. I just have to remember that is out of our hands and we just have to have faith that she'll be fine and have a quick recovery. Fingers crossed, prayers, well wishes, and love is all I can give.

Happy place

This blog is my happy place. I usually choose to write about things that move me and make me happy-mostly my kids. I hope to have the same outlook on life, focus on the happiness and dwell on what's good. Not to say that parenting (and life in general) doesn't have it moments where I think I might go crazy but those times pass and the good days are so good they far outweigh the bad. Isn't that the reason we have families, for those moments you can lovingly look at your spouse and your happy beautiful children and think life is perfect. That or to ensure we have someone to help take care of us when we are old ;) Some days my kids fill me with such happiness I think I explode and other days I think I just might explode. Just another day of living the dream, that is until everything falls apart tomorrow (waking up way too early to grouchy kiddos, cat puke, and spilled milk) -but that's tomorrow.  

Fire fighters

Fire fighters came to Abi's preschool today in a fire truck. I really wanted to stay and take some pictures but Ben was getting wiggly so we had to go. Abi was super excited and thought it was super cool. They got to sit in the fire truck and see all their equipment. She talked about it all day-too cute!

Ben is off the pacifier! Thanks to a cold and stuffy nose we've had for over a week. He was congested and couldn't breath out his nose so he couldn't suck on it. He was very grouchy about it but I think he's finally getting past that and is done, yay!

 

Today happiness is..........

Abi getting her first birthday party invitation from a friend at school.

Realizing this is the first year Abi and I will make Valentines for her schoolmates.

This picture of my niece Evie.

Finding out the lot number on my birth control is NOT the one being recalled.

Ben's squinty squished little dimpled smile face.