Wine + Hullabaloo = Party!!

Tonight with dinner my husband poured me a glass of wine, that usually means he’s looking to get lucky…terrible, I know. That is a whole other topic entirely…stay focused. So as I finished my glass of wine the dinner conversation at the table just got better and better and I found myself just laughing for no real reason. My sneaky husband generously re-filled my glass while I was making my 13th trip to the kitchen for who knows what! Now, I don’t drink often, as a matter of fact it is so rare that I can’t even remember the last time I was officially drunk. Being pregnant for so many consecutive years has left the urge of alcohol back in my early 20’s. SO me and 2 glasses of wine….look out!!! My kids got the game Hullabaloo for Christmas and it is a great game! It is even better after 2 glasses of wine. So picture this, me not standing so well, my husband looking at me so embarrassed that I’m hammered off of 2 glasses of wine, and my 4, and 3 year with a look of excitement greater then Christmas morning that all of us where going to play this game together. The music starts we all start dancing and get on our first spot (you throw a bunch of colored shapes with pictures all around the floor) and then it is like twister. “Put your hand on the green circle, spin to an animal and act like that animal, touch your nose to a triangle and at the same time put your knee on a square.” Oh yes, can you picture this we laughed so hard and had so much fun that we played Hullabaloo well past bedtime! I can see why people could get addicted..LOL

My Mom Confessions!

I'll let you in some of my holiday secrets, my mommy confessions. (If you are reading this please leave me your mommy confession!)

Did you ……..

coordinate outfits for family photos? Yes, what a nightmare

bribe your children with candy to make them smile? No, that would have been a good idea!

send out tons of cards to show off how adorable your children are? Yes, I love sending and receiving them

did you or your kids pick out daddy’s present? My kids made it!

shop before 8am or after 10pm at night? I thought I never would, but Yes

lie to your children that Santa is watching? Yes

let your children know the True meaning of Christmas? Yes and we will be having a birth day cake for Jesus this year!

promise you will start your diet in January? Yes!

How many………….

hours of sleep were lost due to shopping or present wrapping? At least 10

times to did you yell at your children to not touch the ornaments? 20? I lost count

Christmas cookies did you eat? That will be my little secret, but more then I should!

times did you make it to the gym? 1, I’m just donating this month

items did you end up buying for yourself? The sales were crazy this year, I couldn't help myself

hours were spent in standing in lines? at least one

times did you hug and kiss your babies whether they are 1 or 40? a million

OMG, there is a mouse MY the house!!!!

No, I didn’t capture a picture of the mouse. I just wanted to show how creepy these gross, little, monsters are. I always loved the charm and caricature of an old farm house. The wide plank floors, archways, old hardware, and creaky hand made doors add so much charm. With that charm you get poor insulation, cracks in walls, and plenty of little crevices for sneaky little mice to get in. The other day I found little mice droppings, which look like black rye bread seeds in a drawer in our kitchen and I screamed. The idea of a mouse in my kitchen makes me want to throw up just thinking about it. Of course I make my husband set a trap, I tell him to set five but he thinks I over react. So he caught the mouse last night, Yeah, but you will never believe it. I heard another one, so I pull out the poison pellets and put them in the drawer. With that I walk away and in a matter of seconds that mouse was ripping into the poison, I hear him munching and I freaked and told my husband. He freaks that I put mouse poison in our kitchen so he stupidly goes to the drawer to take it out. AYHYYAHOAUODAO!!!!!!! The mouse JUMMPPPED OUTT, “AYYYYYYY” I scream and run as fast as I can into the other room and instead I slip and fall face flat on the floor and now I’m screaming more because I’m on the floor with the mouse!!!! OMG (Oh my God) I can’t take it, I will not sleep tonight, the mouse ran under the oven and until I see another mouse in the trap I will not sleep….PRAY FOR ME!

I ate a whole gingerbread house...

I bought a little gingerbread house kit thinking, what a fun activity to do with my kids. We built it, covered it with icing and candy and I have found it to be irresistible. I didn't even know I liked gingerbread but when you coat anything with enough sugar it tastes delicious. After we built it we were all excited to bust into it. It started with the tree and some gumdrops. When the tree was gone I moved on to the house, but how do I inconspicuously eat the gingerbread house with no one noticing. I moved to the back corner of the house and began chipping away. As the house got weaker and weaker I knew it would soon fall and the boys would say+ "Who ate the gingerbread house?" So to save myself the humiliation I got the kids excited to crush it and put it in a plastic bag. I told them it would stay fresher that way. This made my new gingerbread eating obsession even easier. Over the course of the past week I have managed to eat an entire gingerbread house all by myself with just a little help from my kids. Does this mean I have a problem? Is that borderline eating disorder? I'm easing the pain by telling myself that when the holiday's are over I promise to be good but why is it so hard?

NOTE TO SELF: Next year skip the gingerbread house!

Santa is running out of time!

Snow and ice are covering everything and this was my last chance to be Santa while my kids were at pre-school. I shouldn't have procrastinated so long but I don’t even know what to buy. Last weekend we were supposed to go see Santa. Call me a bad mom but when we got to the mall and the line was 300 kids deep I told the boys that Santa likes letters better anyway. They were fine with the idea of sending Santa a letter but the problem with the letter is the indecisiveness of it. We currently have the letters sitting on the table with two lines saying “Dear Santa, We were very good boys this year and we would love......." Blank, I only let them pick one thing and they can‘t make up their minds. Hence, I have not a clue what to buy. I just realized I need to get off the computer and get those letters to Santa done because I only have 5 days left.....God help me!

Feeling Guilty

My kids watched way to much tv this morning and I'm feeling terrible. I scrubbed toilets and sinks, did loads of laundry, cleaned the kitchen, organized the toys and was feeling so accomplished until I realized that my children were being so good because I forgot to turn off the tv. I can't even think about how many hours were spent watching Yo Gabba Gabba because it will make my mommy guilt worse. The normal episode of me cleaning the house goes something like this.

#1 I start a load of laundry get everything in and someone yells "I went poopy" so I drop everything run to wipe a butt and realize the bathroom is gross.

#2 Start cleaning the bathroom then my one year old comes in and starts playing with the toilet so I pick her up.

#3 Start reading one year old a book, realize the books are a mess and start organizing the books.

#4 While organizing the books someone says they are hungry.

#5 Make lunch

#6 Feed lunch

#7 Clean up lunch, while cleaning up lunch my one year old starts playing with the dirty dishes in the dish washer so I close it and will clean up later then remeber laundry

#8 Darn it I never started the washer! So I start the washer and go to put some laundry away.

#9 While putting laundry away I realize it is nap time so laundry gets pushed to the side.

#10 Ahhh nap time, put my feet up, read a little magazine and enjoy some quiet time.....I don't think so

#11 Yelling "Trey get back in bed", "you already went to the bathroom", "you can have a drink when you wake up", "stop waking up your brother", "You don't have to sleep, just rest your eyes", "Daddy is going to be home soon", ......

#12 One year old wakes up because she already got a good 1 1/2 hour nap in while her brothers were stalling.

#13 Dinner, what are we going to have for dinner?

#14 "DING" Laundry's done, change it over, start new load

#15 Dinner, what are we going to have for dinner?

#16 Baby just dumped cheerios all over the floor

#17 Cleaning cheerios

#18 Pull the vacuum out, forgot kids were sleeping, now everyone is awake.

#19 Husband walks in and nothing is done, and what the heck is for dinner?

It's amazing how much I love and adore my children after a couple of hours of me time. I got a haircut and did some work and enjoyed a little peace and quite!!! AHHH...I feel like a new mommy. When I got home tonight from all my running I hear a little voice yell down the stairs "mommy?" It was 10pm and my boys weren't sleeping. Normally they would be in big trouble but I ran up those stairs to give them the biggest hugs and kisses. I let them know how much I missed them and loved them and they layed down with huge smiles on their faces. After all the loving I changed into my pajama's and within about 5 minutes they were both already fast asleep. The comforting touch of a mommy.....until tomorrow.

Never Again!!

I did it.....I got up at 4:30am this morning and set off with a list in hand of all the great sale items I was intending to purchase. I didn't get one of the items on my list and I don't know why anyone would torture themselves by shopping on this stupid retail established holiday. It was a joke, the lines wrapped around the stores. I could have stood in line all day for a $19.99 truck, but I'd rather not. None of the items on my list were that great of a sale that it was worth spending all day in a line. Take Old Navy for example. It just so happens I was in Old Navy just a week a go and got some great things for so cheap. This morning during their "Extravaganza, humongous, honkin' 3 day BIG weekend sale" items that I bought a week ago were more expensive. Carter's said the whole store was 50% off but all the items were full price, as much as $34.95 for a pair of jeans, sorry but on sale that is way to much to pay for kids jeans. Who is really winning on Black Friday....not me.

Happy, Sad, Loving, Annoyed, Fun, Frustrated!?!?!

It is amazing how many emotions I go through in a day. This morning I woke up happy, I was ahead of schedule with getting everyone ready to run out the door to preschool. Suddenly, I was sad when I read the calender for my kids school to find out my oldest needs his library books and Thomas the Turkey?!? Thomas the Turkey, oh my word, I totally forgot and that makes me the worst mom. Thomas was this little cut out Turkey that all the kids in the class had to take home and put in a disguise and it was due today. We are supposed to leave in 10 minutes and I say to my oldest, "What in the world should we dress Thomas the Turkey as?" with that he says fireman and he glued and cut and we assembled together. Wow, made it in the car only a couple minutes behind schedule. They gave me big kisses goodbye and I thought, " Oh, I love these kids so much". Before I knew it, it was time to pick them up and once they were all in the car and I just got so annoyed. Trey was teasing his sister, Evan was crying because he dropped his school bag, Taylor started to scream because of Trey's teasing. I yelled, and just lost it. I'm sure I could have handled it better but I will make a mental note to try not to freak out again. Once we were home they played and everyone started to calm down but I hate that I can get so frustrated. I will try better tomorrow. We shall see.

Woo Hoo Halloween!!

Halloween was never one of my favorite holidays. The meaning behind it always scared me. Now having kids I must admit it is fun. When else do you get to knock on peoples doors and they hand you candy? It was also a great way to meet the neighbors. So here they are, my little munchkins, Thomas the train, a duck, and a fire fighter.

After about the third house Thomas says, "this is really fun!" and I am thinking oh my goodness my arms are going to fall off. My little duck isn't walking yet and she felt more like a 40 pound turkey. We hung in though and even made it to the firehouse, and my little firefighter couldn't have been more excited! The aftermath of Halloween is a house filled with candy, and God knows I have no self control so I must get it out of my house!!

Ahhh, I just love family time!

Two days of 100% family time! No work, no TV, no cooking, no cleaning, just wonderful family time. THE PLAN Leave our house at 1pm on Saturday, kids will take naps in the car, wake up fresh and ready to go at our first destination. THE REALITY Taylor (love her), napped almost the entire 2 hour car ride. Trey fought his eyes falling asleep the entire way and kept trying to keep his brother awake with him. Evan got 30 minutes of sleep despite his brothers attempts. THE PLAN Get to Dutch Wonderland, kids put on costumes for the Trick or Treat at the park, and just have lots of fun. THE REALITY Spent lots of time putting together the costumes for no one to want to wear them ( I new that would happen), instead we just had lots of fun!! One of the first rides the kids wanted to go on was the Twirling Turtles (Blaaaa). It didn't help that I was already a little carsick from turning around 300 times to keep telling Trey to stop teasing his brother and to pick up cheerios that dropped all over my back seat. After the Twirling Turtles I stuck to the simpler rides and had the kids go on the one's that said No Adults (Thank God). THE NEXT PLAN drive from Dutch Wonderland to The Hershey Hotel, the kids would fall asleep in the car and we could put them right to bed and my husband and I could watch some TV and relax. THE REALITY They did fall asleep in the car but once we got to the hotel it was like someone pumped their blood with caffeine! They were so excited that I feared they would never go to sleep. After running down the hall to the vending and ice machine, eating all the Hershey kisses on the pillows, telling stories, playing go fish, wrestling in the huge bed, we finally realized we had to shut everything off and just go to sleep ourselves. By 9:00 all lights were out, TV off, and everyone fell fast asleep.

The next day went very smooth. We went to Chocolate World and everyone loved the history of chocolate tour and the trolley ride. The 3-D movie didn't go over so well though. A bunch of chocolate popped out of a box and I think my boys thought it was going to hit them in the face. We had to quickly run out of the theatre with them in hysterics (maybe next year). The last part of this trip was Hershey Park. The park was huge and we saw maybe 20% of it but it didn't matter. We had so much fun seeing our kids having fun that we didn't have to go to every ride. They were so excited to be able to go on the same ride 10 times if they wanted to. Before making the 2 hour drive home we stopped for a quick dinner and my oldest, Trey who fought sleeping the entire trip, fell fast asleep before our food even got to the table. THE PLAN HOME We would feed them, drive home and they would all fall fast asleep. Once we got to our house we could put them straight to bed. THE REALITY It happened!!

Birthday, Birthday, Birthday!!!

This week was just one big birthday party. Monday my little Evan turned 3, and Friday my big Trey turned 4. With the birthdays so close I tried really hard to make each day very individual and special for each of them. No matter how much I planned for this there were still moments of jealousy. Evan woke up on Trey's birthday and started to cry "why isn't it my birthday anymore?", I wasn't sure how to answer that other then "because it's not honey, it's Trey's so lets make it special for him" and he was over it. I only had to break up a few fights over sharing their new toys, but no broken bones!

Tomorrow, for the grand finally of the week we are going to Hershey Park, overnight! The idea of traveling 2 hours in the car and packing up 5 people for one night is a bit overwhelming but "I think I can, I think I can, I think I can!"

Who wants a cupcake?

Today I baked my very first “school” cupcakes! Tomorrow my two year old will turn three and he gets to take show and tell and a snack. So tonight I baked up a storm and turned out some pretty cute cupcakes if I do say so myself. Evan (my 2 year old requested orange icing because orange is his favorite color) so I ran with it and this is my result.

As I finished the cupcakes and placed them in the little cupcake carrier, that I just purchased for this special occasion, I felt this little happiness. One because I am excited to have Evan carry those cupcakes to class tomorrow with such pride, two because I’m moving into the next threshold of motherhood. No longer is it just changing dirty diapers. I am now a mom of a pre-schooler, baking cupcakes for his class! I know it is such a simple thing but special and it makes me happy!

It Just Hit Me!

I just realized why I often get frustrated with my mommy roll. As I was folding laundry this morning my husband was replacing our 300 year old back door. (My husband is wonderfully handy, he actually renovated our entire old farm house before children). Then WHAM it hit me! My job is like replacing the back door every day three times a day. I do laundry, clean the house, cook meals, but it never ends. If I could just finish something and never have to do it again that would be so rewarding. Back to my laundry!

Loving a quiet Sunday!

We woke up this morning and started the day like every other morning, Evan (our 2, almost 3 year old ) waking us saying "my bellies hurting!" He wakes up starving every day! Our Sunday morning "thing" is Strawberry Pancakes. I make the pancakes, my oldest son makes the syrup (1 cup of sugar, 1 1/2 cups of water, 1/2 a package of strawberry jello, and 2 Tbls. of cornstarch) which needs to be stirred over low heat for a long, long, long time until it thickens, and everyone else waits patiently! After inhaling our delicious breakfast with lots of sugar we decide it was time to take out pet turtle to a better home. (We found a turtle in our backyard about a week ago and have kept him a little bit longer then we should have.) So as a family we got out the stroller and the bikes and traveled about a mile in a half to a little lake to let the turtle go. My boys, so big, rode their bikes all the way there with a little huffing a puffing but no giving up! Once we got to the lake the little turtle ran and dove into the water and seemed very happy! Getting home was a little tougher as the boys were a bit more tired but we made it.

We played outside and I pruned our out of control tomato plants and then it was time for lunch. We ate some homemade pizza from the night before and some brownies for dessert, yes I know, don't make me feel guiltier then I already do. So to work off my atrocious day of food I decide to go for a run which turned into a walk as I almost threw up because of all the crap in my stomach. As I was walking a long and enjoying the beautiful day I began to appreciate everything. Appreciate the sun shining, being able to walk, and sing, and thinking of my beautiful family that I so truly adore and all I can be is thankful. When life gets you down, money is tight, things aren't easy, stop and take a look at all that you have and not what you don't and I know you will be like me......Thankful!

Hope you have a great day

Is it just my husband?

So I work occasionally and many times my husband will watch the kids while I go to work for a couple hours at night. He is great with the kids but my God, the house is a disaster when I get back! Well tonight I just couldn't resist to take a picture and document what an idiot he can be (sorry honey, it's true) Ok... This is what the sink looked like when I got home.
This is what it looked like after me loading the dishwasher for 15 minutes!!!!!

Can you believe how well this man packed a sink FULL of dishes just to avoid emptying the dishwasher and then reloading it? I felt like throwing the dishes at his head!!!

Summer is gone:(

It's getting cold and the leaves are starting to fall and I can't believe the summer is gone:(

My boys started pre-school and we are all loving it! Mommy gets something done for a couple hours and the boys get to play with kids other then each other. The only problem is that I feel guilty for not being emotional or sad that they are going to school. Is that wrong that I didn't tear up or feel anything but excited?


Little Taylor has started crawling and my house is officially on lock down. No small toys on the floor, outlet covers on at all times, baby gates in place, and praying that she doesn't find the one death trap that I missed (I'm just sure I forgot something)!


I've started the invites for the kids big birthday bash which will be in October and here is the one quality photo we got while my husband clicked the camera and I jumped around like a baboon to make them smile, so close!

It also took me forever to come up with a catchy wording and this is it " We're so excited, we hope you can join in the fun, because Trey, Evan, and Taylor turn 4, 3, and 1!" I know, so poetic!

Well grumpymoms has been hopping lately, we have lots of new moms to share their advice, to tell their story, and to be our comfort so moms we thank you for joining the family!

Trying to loose the muffin top!

I'm hungry....I hate being hungry, but I don't think their is any other way to loose this muffin top, or as some call it, a spare tire. I am so impatient, one pound a week is not worth the work and the effort it takes and it is driving me crazy! I'm not ready to give up yet so I'm going hardcore. No sweets, no condiments, no cheese, fat free dressings, tiny portions, and only extra lean protiens and run, run, run! No, No, Fun:( I have to tell myself this is not forever but just until I get to a good place then I don't have to be crazy. For now I'm CRAZY, HUNGRY, FAT, and GRUMPY!

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We made it to church!

My husband and I used to frequent church, it was something we enjoyed together on a relaxing Sunday morning. Then we had baby number one, then pregnant with baby number two, and the excuses piled up so we saw church about 5 times in the past 4 years. Today friends invited us to visit a church they just started attending and I was truly looking forward to it. My husband on the other hand was not looking forward to packing up the troops and running around the house on his only day off, but we were going. Eight AM everyone started waking up, and I quickly got my self ready knowing it would be my only opportunity. Once I was downstairs it was a flurry of making, feeding, and dressing everyone, while my husband took a shower and got himself ready. And he was stressed?!? But we made it, and even on time! It ended up being a great day of quality family bonding and we just might try it again next week!

The Day the Lights Went Out

Babies napping, boys are playing with their trains, and I am trying to clean, do dishes, laundry, and pay bills online all in the same breath when BAM.....the power goes out. It is a rainy cloudy day so the house is dark, dishes and laundry shut off, no computer so I can't pay bills, so I just played! We got out flashlights and built a big train track, then we read books, and even made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on the floor of the living room because that had the most light. When the power finally went back on two hours later we all looked at each other and I thought we should shut off the power more often!

One mom at a Time

The reason I started grumpymoms.com was to break open the mask of motherhood and to help moms be the best they can be. I think being a mom is the toughest and greatest job on earth and if you can say you have NEVER been grumpy, YOU ARE LYING! It is tough and their are times that I can get so frustrated with my kids, or my husband, and it doesn't mean I don't love them it just means I am human! I always wanted someone to say to me "It is ok to not like being a mom sometimes", or "it is ok to want to run away from it all", "It is ok and here are some ways to make your life a little easier!" Well I stumbled across this inspirational story and this is my goal.

I want to help one mom to have a better day, and if every day we all try to help one mom...think of the possabilities!

The Daffodil Principle

Several times my daughter had telephoned to say, 'Mother, you must come to see the daffodils before they are over.''
I wanted to go, but it was a two-hour drive from Laguna to Lake Arrowhead. 'I will come next Tuesday', I promised a little reluctantly on her third call.Next Tuesday dawned cold and rainy. Still, I had promised, and reluctantly I drove there. When I finally walked into Carolyn's house, I was welcomed by the joyful sounds of happy children. I delightedly hugged and greeted my grandchildren.'Forget the daffodils, Carolyn! The road is invisible in these clouds and fog, and there is nothing in the world except you and these children that I want to see badly enough to drive another inch!'My daughter smiled calmly and said, ' We drive in this all the time, Mother.' 'Well, you won't get me back on the road until it clears, and then I'm heading for home!' I assured her. 'But first we're going to see the daffodils. It's just a few blocks,' Carolyn said. 'I'll drive. I'm used to this.' 'Carolyn,' I said sternly, 'Please turn around.' 'It's all right, Mother, I promise. You will never forgive yourself if you miss this experience.'After about twenty minutes, we turned onto a small gravel road and I saw a small church. On the far side of the church, I saw a hand lettered sign with an arrow that read, 'Daffodil Garden.'
We got out of the car, each took a child's hand, and I followed Carolyn down the path. Then, as we turned a corner, I looked up and gasped. Before me lay the most glorious sight.

It looked as though someone had taken a great vat of gold and poured it over the mountain peak and its surrounding slopes. The flowers were planted in majestic, swirling patterns, great ribbons and swaths of deep orange, creamy white, lemon yellow, salmon pink, saffron and butter yellow. Each different-colored variety was planted in large groups so that it swirled and flowed like its own river with its own unique hue. There were five acres of flowers.'Who did this?' I asked Carolyn. 'Just one woman,' Carolyn answered. 'She lives on the property. That's her home.' Carolyn pointed to a well-kept A-frame house, small and modestly sitting in the midst of all that glory. We walked up to the house.On the patio, we saw a poster.

'Answers to the Questions I Know You Are Asking', was the headline.
The first answer was a simple one. '50,000 bulbs,' it read.
The second answer was, 'One at a time, by one woman. Two hands, two feet, and one brain.'
The third answer was, 'Began in 1958.'For me, that moment was a life-changing experience. I thought of this woman whom I had never met, who, almost fifty years before, had begun, one bulb at a time, to bring her vision of beauty and joy to an obscure mountaintop. Planting one bulb at a time, year after year, this unknown woman had forever changed the world in which she lived.
One day at a time, she had created something of extraordinary magnificence, beauty, and inspiration. The principle her daffodil garden taught is one of the greatest principles of celebration.
That is, learning to move toward our goals and desires one step at a time, often just one baby-step at a time and learning to love the doing, learning to use the accumulation of time. When we multiply tiny pieces of time with small increments of daily effort, we too will find we can accomplish magnificent things. We can change the world … 'It makes me sad in a way,' I admitted to Carolyn. ' What might I have accomplished if I had thought of a wonderful goal thirty five or forty years ago and had worked away at it 'one bulb at a time' through all those years? 'Just think what I might have been able to achieve!'My daughter summed up the message of the day in her usual direct way. 'Start tomorrow,' she said.She was right. It's so pointless to think of the lost hours of yesterdays. The way to make learning a lesson of celebration instead of a cause for regret is to only ask, 'How can I put this to use today?'Use the Daffodil Principle. Stop waiting.....
Until your car or home is paid off

Until you get a new car or home

Until your kids leave the house

Until you go back to school

Until you finish school

Until you clean the house

Until you organize the garage

Until you clean off your desk

Until you lose 10 lbs.

Until you get married

Until you get a divorce

Until you have kids

Until the kids go to school

Until you retire

Until summer

Until spring

Until winter

Until fall

Until you die...There is no better time than right now to be happy. Happiness is a journey, not a destination. So work like you don't need money. Love like you've never been hurt, and dance like no one's watchin!!!

Why do we front?

Why do we buy things we can't afford, say things that aren't true, and put ourselves in debt to live a false front? Do we think people will like us more if we have cute shoes? Does it makes us feel better about ourselves if our kids are dressed well?

What has this world come to...? Media makes us believe that we need things to be happy but it's not true. Nothing in this world will ever make you happy. You need to look in and up and realize that it is not about the car we drive, the house we live in, or the clothes we wear. It is about loving people fully, giving all that you can, cherishing the small things, and focusing on all the things you have instead of all the things you want!

It seems so simple, but why is it so hard?

Enjoying my kids.....finally!!

With having kids so close together it can definitely be a challenge. There was a time when I felt like all I ever did was discipline and those days are fewer and far between. I hate that feeling when you say to yourself "I am the worst mom, my kids are out of control!" but you have to remember they are learning their boundaries and you are the teacher. Well, they have learned their boundaries, they still have to be remind every once and a while, but what a joy they are!!
I can take them anywhere, out to lunch, shopping, bank, the gym and we now have fun!! I didn't think this would ever be possible! My advice to any mom with a child 3 or under...STAY STRONG, REMEMBER YOU ARE THE MOM and I promise it WILL pay off!!

I now know I am REALLY a mom!

The other night we went out to dinner with the 3 kids for the first time since our baby girl came. Things I learned!

#1 My boys are getting so big (Evan now 2 and potty trained, Trey is 3 and acts like he is 10)

#2 I don't have to stress (When you let go and stop trying to control everything I think everyone relaxes not just you)

#3 Enjoy and live in the moment (Hearing the giggles, listen to their stories, and just enjoying them exactly the way they are makes everyone happy!)

#4 I also learned I am definitely a mom!

As we were driving home from a fun family night out Evan says to me "Here Mommy", so without thinking I reach my hand to the back seat and as he places something in my hand he says, " I got that bogger all by myself". Soooo Gross!!

Taking the time!

Yesterday my parents watched our kids overnight for the first time and WOW how nice it was. In the day to day stress of life, money, work, kids, and the house it is hard to take the time to work on the marriage. Often that is the easiest thing to let go because you think, "he's not going anywhere". Well I must say it was wonderful to go on a date with my husband. To get all dressed nice with no spit-up on my shoulder. To really have the time to apply make-up and do my hair. Then sitting at the bar to have a drink while we wait for a table....I could have waited all day. Then to eat and talk and not have a single distraction, it was so nice. I am truely going to try to do this at least once a month because I'm realizing that to have a happy home you need to start with the marriage. Even though there are days I could kill him, there are also days I need to remember the wonderful qualities that made me marry him!

Why is the grass always greener? When you're a stay at home mom you often dream of going to work and when you work you dream of staying at home. This week I got to do both. On Monday I was home and Tuesday I was excited to go to work. Wednesday I was still excited to go to work but by 5:30 after picking up the kids and driving home trying to think of what I was going to make for dinner, I was tired! Then on Thursday I watched a 1 and 3 year old along with my 3, 2, and 10 week old. By last night I was beyond tired and today I was the happiest woman alive. Only 3 kids, and I got to stay in my pj's all day! But Monday I was complaining, "I've been in my pj's all day and I was running around after 3 kids!?!" The grass is always greener!

In my next life!

In my next life I want to come back a man just so I can see what it would be like to

Wake up every morning and get just myself ready and walk out the door without an extra thought.

Come home from work and feel no guilt in watching TV or reading the newspaper.

Not HAVE to do a single thing around the house unless someone asks you.

Close the door while going to the bathroom and not have anyone banging on it asking "What are you doing?!?"

Not hear a single cry in the middle of the night.

Have my dresser filled with clean sox and underwear and not worry about how they got there.

Have someone cook my meals and clean them up.

After having three kids can still ask, "where are the diapers?"

So Scary

So scary!! My baby girl went to the hospital Monday and made me re-appriciate my babies. A simple cough in my boys caused my 8 week old baby girl to stay in the hospital for 3 days and I pray I will never be there again. It's terrible that sometimes it takes something like this to take a step back and appriciate what you do have instead of often thinking about what we don't. I will wipe my kids noses, clean up vomit, administer medicine at 3am and just be thankful it is a minor inconvience but they will survive and in the comfort of our own home!

Not enough hours in the day

I either need more hours in a day or more money so I can hire people to do my 101 responsabilities. When someone discovers how to take care of the kids, take care of the house, and take care of yourself please let me know. I was crazy all day yet I did nothing. I tried to do a load of laundry, just one. Every time i would start folding a shirt something would happen. Example: I reach into the dryer and pull out a kid size green shirt. I hold it up and shake it to get all the wrinkles out because it had been sitting in the dryer for a coulple hours when I hear a loud shreiking scream, not one you can ingnore. So I drop the shirt and run to find my oldest son sitting on his little brother becuase he took his helicopter. As I break up the wrestling match their little sister wakes up because of the screaming. Now baby has to eat, 45 minutes later I go back to the dryer to fold the close only to realize that they are just a wrinkly mess so I'll run the dryer for 15 minutes. Now the boys were hungry so I made lunch, fed lunch, cleaned up lunch and realized the boys were a mess and I couldn't remember the last time they had a bath so i threw them in the bath. Then it was nap time and finally I went back to that green shirt, I pick it up, shake it and it's time for the baby to eat and as the story goes 45 minutes later i go back to the green shirt and everything is wrinkled once again. This pattern repeated it self most of the day until finally at 7:00 after dinner was fed and cleaned up daddy was home and I got to go outside and fold that stupid green shirt!