Where Is the Winter?

Several questions that I tend to ask daily are:  Why do I repeat myself so many times in one day in a variety or settings?  Why is caffeine not more potent?  Where is the winter?  Seriously!?!? A snowday would be awesome.  I know that it's harried here with the kids home all day and we are trapped in the house.  But still.  Waking up to find out you have the day off.  I can go back to sleep because Ray will get up with the kids.  We can make breakfast and wear pjs until noon.  Sigh.  One day.  The frustrating part is that it is NOT quite warm enough to go outside for long periods of time.  So, lots of time indoors.  We are working on procuring an indoor bounce house for the basement.  Ray, Abby and I trudged down in despair to the basement this weekend cleaned up this weekend to make room for the bounce house.  I think that will help the kids burn off energy and steam.  I mean, is it really that important to be able to walk to the laundry room? 

Cheating at Candy Land.

A lot of nothing is really going on here.  It's relatively calm and just 'regular' stuff.  Abby has learned to cheat at Candy Land.  She manipulates the cards to get what she wants while you are playing, or she will 'set up' the cards before you start.  This stinks because I'm the one that usually cheats around here and she is honing in on my territory.


Brooks has learned to do the 'high five'- finally.  I was waiting for him to get a trick.  I thought it would never happen! We'll have to try to get a recording of that one. 
Abby and I have been on the quest for the key to the trunk.  It's still unfound.  My dad sent us a big pickle jar of keys (who knows where he finds this stuff- who would ever have a pickle jar of random keys?).  So, one-by-one, Abby and I worked to see if any of them fit in the trunk.  What do you think?  Bingo- a big fatty NO.  So, we are still questing for a key.

Looking for a key

Nope, none of them worked

Ha ha.

Cute Pictures Below:

Brooks has started wearing 'real shoes'

On a fun note, Valentine's Day is fast approaching.  Abby and I like Valentine's Day.  She likes it because it's fun.  I like it because it's fun.  Ray and I don't celebrate together because it's his birthday, and because it's such a trite holiday (albeit fun).  But, I love to get the kids stuff.  Usually, the Valentine's Fairy comes and drops off new books and a treat.  She usually leave little letters around the house or does a 'trick' like stringing lollypops from the ceiling.  Abby is really into the sending of Valentines.  So, we made (she sat with me at the sewing machine) card envelopes for the chairs in the dining room.  I got the idea from Pottery Barn Kids.  I know that mine don't really look like theirs, but I like the idea and I think that it will be fun to leave gifts in them this year.  They are pretty cute.

So, that's pretty much what's going on around here.  Abby is going to Disney on Ice next Sunday (but she doesn't know that and won't until next Sunday).

Snow- But Kind of a Waste

Everyone loves snow! It's fun, it's exciting and it's usually time off from work.  Unless, the snow comes on a weekend.  It's a waste of inclement weather.  One, it drags down your weekend, and two, the excitement of waking up to a day off is ruined.  
Anyway, today we awoke to a little over an inch of ice and slush.  It was like a cake- icing on top and fluff underneath.  Abby was chomping at the bit from 7am to get outside.  It was freezing! Finally, we could hold her off no more and we bundled the kids up to go outside around ten.  Ray worked on shoveling and I managed to fight Brooks into a snowsuit, socks, boots, hat and mittens.  Anyone who has met Brooks knows that he is a real pain in the patootie very adamant about not getting dressed.  I was personally excited to put on my snowboots.  I got them after Christmas, and have not had new snow boots for as long as we have been married.  I love them.  And, I was super excited to lace them up.
Finally, we emerged into the winter wonderland of ice.  Guess what?  It was pretty much impossible for Brooks to walk in his boots for the first time let alone ice skate on them.  I finally put them in the sled and pulled both of them up and down the driveway.  That worked for awhile.  I was convinced that Brooks was going to slide around and knock his head on the concrete.  When my nerves could take it no more I took him in. He was so mad.  

Ice Skating

Maneuvering

Not quite....

My boots that I was waiting to wear.

Super cool CARS boots that light up from Gram.

Later that day...
For anyone who has been over, my new favorite book and website is "S*** my kids ruined."  It's hilarious.  Brooks is auditioning for that book.  Today, while at Target I got a text from Ray.  "Can you buy a cage for Brooks, he just pulled over the lamp." As in my stained glass floor lamp that I love.  It managed not to break, but this was after he had scaled a gate, pulled off an entire shelf of books, snuck upstairs, ripped up a laundry basket full of clothes, poured the dog food over his head and took a spongebath in the dog water- all before ten o'clock.  In addition, the pictures below are of him caught in the act of a crime.

Yo, Brooks.  What are you doing?

Maybe if I stomp on it, I can cram it into the magazines.

If you see our toilet paper like this, you know why.

 I feel bad too.  I escaped for a few hours under the guise of grocery shopping and Target shopping with Heather. (This means that Ray was left alone with one kid with an attitude and one who is determined to destroy everything we own one small piece at a time.) We really did go to Target and Safeway.  And then we had lunch.  But we were a little leisurely.  We spent some time looking at hair products for both of us at Target.  Usually I fly down the aisle dump something in the cart that resembles shampoo or conditioner and then keep moving.  Half the time I end up buying straightening cream and not shampoo. Or gel.  It was nice to walk in a civilized manner up a beauty product aisle without fear of the kids ripping everything into the cart.  Or screaming because you had to read a label.  Hooray! 
We are looking forward to a good playoff game tomorrow.  Abby and I are going to work on making food in the morning.  Hopefully, the Ravens will win.  It's much needed around here.

"I missed the entire 80's decade of football."

My dad came to visit this weekend to take Abby to Beauty and the Beast. They had a great time.  She got a ring with a lot of glitter for her face in it (thanks- the cat is still full of glitter) and they stuffed themselves with popcorn.  She's still excited about that.  It was a great day for them both.  The greatest quote of the day however, was my Dad.  He and Ray were talking about watching football with kids.  He said, "I missed the entire 80's decade of football."  I laughed (yes, I grew up in the 80s), since I realized that Ray is missing a lot of football now.  
In order to accommodate this loss, we are working on a new Raven's plan for next season.  However, here we are at playoffs.  And the Ravens are winning- woot woot.  Poor Ray.  Once we had Abby, things kind of changed during football.  He started off only watching games when she went to bed. But, she never slept.  And then with Brooks, he had to give up college football.  And now, it's just harder to watch each game.  So, for this week, I figured that he would stand a greater chance of watching the entire game if people came over who :  a. also wanted to watch  b.  had kids so they could play together and leave everyone alone have a fun time and c. it was  a party atmosphere and thus Abby wouldn't be as likely to  take over the television  need entertainment from us.    This worked fairly well.  We had some awesome food from Puff Pastry.  We had been researching the idea this week after a friend at work (who was a professional chef) told me to stop doing tiny hotdogs and get on the puff pastry train.  Together we worked on Polish Purses and a Hamburger Wrap (mini ones).  (And Helen watched them in the oven so they didn't burn.) They were great- team effort.  Combined with Alyssa's sausage queso (hot in the crockpot) and the millions of other things to eat it was yummy.  I think.  No one complained, so that's a good sign.  Plus, there was beer and wine.  So, whatever.

Brooks napped into the end of the first quarter which made it easy to get the food out and Ray got to watch the first part of the game.  Abby and the other kiddos played great.  When Brooks got up, we made them go upstairs to play offered to put on a movie and let them watch in our bedroom.  Between that and the Ipod, they were set for awhile.  It wasn't until fourth quarter that it was pretty much like Wack a Mole in the living room.  Every five seconds a kid would wander in front of the television.  Someone would grab them and then another one would wander through.  Times six kids.  I'm exhausted.  Finally, when it was clear we were going to win, I got out a pile of sautee pans and spoons.  I was all set to send them out to bang pans.  Get out.  Make noise.  Fresh air.  Hooray.  But Brady whacked Alyssa on the head with a pan.  Hard.  But don't worry, she shook it off (or so I think- Alyssa, are you out there, okay?).

Overall, the game was (mostly) watched.  The kids played.  Only seventeen meltdowns.  No broken toys.  Food was eaten.  The Ravens are in the AFC Championship Game.  Ray is not missing a decade of football.  And all is right with the world.  

Sorry, Dad.  Maybe you could get a DVD collection of 80s football highlights?

Banging Pots and Pans!

Laura, (dirty, headless Brooks), Helen and Ashley

Why does his shirt look nastier in this picture?

Things I've Learned

Things that I've learned since having kids:
1.   There are no lazy mornings.  When you wake up, you start your day as soon as the demands fly out of the kids' mouths your feet hit the ground.
2.   Sometimes you put Cheerios (or post-its, or hairbands, or lint balls, or binkies, or odd pieces of food, or odd socks) in your pockets because there is nowhere else to put them.
3.  That broken sleep, while horrifying, is still sleep.  However, there are some nights when no sleep is better than broken sleep.
4.  There is no more sleep (usually).
5.  If you are lucky enough to get 8 consecutive hours of sleep,  you feel like you've just spent 8 days in the Caribbean.
6.   That children keep odd hours.
8.   That working an extra hour to clear your desk is a luxury.
9.  That nothing is private.  They will find everything and question you about it or leave it around. "Mommy why is this pen furry?"  (Tampon.)  "Mommy, look at this big hat."  (My underwear). 
10. That kids have funny words.  Meatballs (boobs)
11.  That everything can and will be destroyed.  $400 TV cabinet- not a match for preschool gymnastics (Ray was able to fix that one).  The couch you bought to replace the one the ceiling fell on- no match for kids with milk, cheerios and a vast array of goodies.  Your bed?- There's no way in heck you can keep a kid off of it; and they like to pee and sneeze and cough up Pop Tarts on it, too. 
12.  Pets are mere play toys to the menacing toddler and preschooler.  I'm surprised the dog and cat have not chewed each other's tails off to keep themselves from being "walked with furry leashes" by the kids.
12.  Fingerprints are art. 
13. Toys will not ever be contained to one room.
14.  The bathroom is your only refuge on some days.  Pee often.
15.  That when you are up all night with a screaming infant, sometimes the only person you want to call at 3am is your mom, but you realize that she is sleeping and you don't want to deprive someone else of that luxury.
16.  That Child #2 is not obsessed over.  Didn't cover phonics with your three month old for 40 minutes today- no big deal.  Didn't give them a bath?- eh, they can get one tomorrow,  Ignored the food all over their clothes?- whatever.  Poor kid.  He looks like a dirty little pigpen without a phonics program.  (Just kidding, I change his clothes a lot- they are super cute.)
17.  That expensive concealer can help you look more alive.
18.  That girl clothes are always pink, glittery and emulating some sort of Disney Princess.  That boy clothes are always green, brown or red and MUST have a monster truck, wild animal or sports graphic on them. 

Random day on the couch

First time in the little pool.

Cheese!

WonderWoman and Brooksey.  Happy Halloween!

Baby Brooksey

Santa and 2 week old Brooksey

Winter Morning

One Year Old

Brooks's first day home

Abby and her kitty.

Halloween!

19.  That no matter what, your kids are awesome.  And you sometimes don't take the time to remember that. (Like when they are yelling about chocolate milk.) But, they are neat little people who really do make your world better. :)

Elves

34th Street

Cute