The Effectiveness of X, Y, and Z

What is going on with my kids? Maybe they are the same. Maybe I have lost it. Why is it that when I try to do something tedious the children need to be right in my space or ask me to make some life changing decision? Why does life never wait for me to get tasks done? Things just pile up on each other, and when I think I am making progress reality quickly hits me in the face. Why does my vocabulary each day consist of things like, "Get off your brother. You are hurting his brain." "Please stop using me as a monkey bar." "Come here this instant!" Or my favorite, "If you don't do X,Y, and Z, I am going to X, Y, and Z." That's effective. My brain feels like it is going to explode. I need a vacation, but last night I realized that may not happen for 10 years or so, no matter how much I daydream about crashing waves and margaritas.

When you have ringing in your ears does it really mean that you are loosing that frequency of your hearing? I personally think it is just brain cells exploding.

Crap! Steve just walked in from work, and the two year old is naked.

Slip and Slide

What do four year olds do with lotion? Make a slip and slide out of the kitchen floor because it is really fun.

Guessing Game

Who do you think this cute little person is?
Who put Evan in a dress?
And what about these two beautiful ladies?
Know who they are?
















Here is a picture for comparison....Of course the date is wrong.

Many Forms of Excess

We are sick of being fat. We took our Christmas money and bought an exercise bike instead of paying bills, bills, and more bills. Gulp, it was a gift you know. We are doing really well at exercising everyday. I am trying to not be excessive. I am trying to be rational and realize I can not work off 18 years of baby fat and chips and salsa in two weeks. The only thing that is a little excessive is my husband's sweat. I have never seen anyone do that. I want to sweat like that. It actually looks like you have worked out. I remember the first time I saw him sweat like that. We were dancing. Now there is something to see, Steve dancing, and once again, lots of sweat. No slow dancing for us after he busts a move I'm telling ya.

Anyway, when I exercise I don't get the satisfaction of sweating like a man. I just get to sweat a little. He also looses weight three times faster than me. Now, that is the definition of fair don't you think? I get to have the children, nurse them, stay home with them with the chips and salsa, and he gets to loose the weight. Oh well. Off to the exercise bike. At least I know I am doing something good for my heart. Maybe it looks good in there under all this excess.

Sowy!

You know you are in for a "surprise" when your two year old comes into the room and randomly says, "I'm weally sowy, Mom."

Curious Gampa George

This morning I was doing some reading while everyone else was still sleeping. No school today. Evan was with me, and because I was trying to read some things that were important I let him watch Clifford for awhile. A Curious George commercial came on, and he said, "Look! Gampa George!" He calls Steve's dad Gampa George, and I would have to say that I don't know if I have met anyone more curious than George. And just to clear things up I mean curious in the sense of wanting to figure things out, not the curious like peculiar. This curiosity is probably why Gampa George is so smart, and maybe it explains a little bit of why his two year old grandson does some of the things he does.

Newer Model?

I am feeling old. Today I actually said the words 39 out loud to Steve. He choked on the dust. I feel warn out, like I need a overhaul. Times change you. Having six babies changes you. So, the point. I don't know how I got here, to almost 39.

I started kind of feeling sorry for myself. Steve and I were resting on our bed listening to the boys race hotwheels along the shower walls. They love playing hotwheels in the shower. I asked Steve to promise me he wouldn't exchange me for a younger model, and he laughed and asked why he would exchange a vintage classic, for a cheaply made sports car. Vintage classic was a little more than I was looking for, but I'll take it. Kind of went along with the car noises coming from the shower. Must be a guy thing.

8 States/14 Days

"Santas" in Grandma's fun bathtub




















Mt. Rushmore















Playing on the frozen lake in South Dakota. It
kind of looks like they are standing in the ocean
to me.















Sledding in Colorado with cousins




















"Resting" in Wyoming

After a week I am feeling like I have finally got my life back on track from our trip. We were gone two weeks. In that two weeks we drove through eight states. Here are a few pictures to describe our trip. And of course the dates are wrong because when I changed batteries on the camera it changed the date, and I didn't notice. It will be one of those puzzles my kids have to figure out someday when I am gone. Oh well.

Resolutions

I guess I am getting old because to me this resolution thing is just a set up to fail, and personally I don't feel like failing at anything else right now. So, no resolutions for me. I am still drinking diet coke, eating chocolate, cheeseburgers, and french fries. I am still not exercising 3-5 times per week. I still am not spending enough time doing the things I "should". I hate expectations....They wear me out.

One of these days I hope to have the will power and the strength to stand up to myself and say enough is enough. Until that day, though, I will try to be patient with myself when I look in the mirror. I will try to convince myself that I have had a lot going on in the last eighteen years since my size five days. I will try to convince myself that my big rear is a badge of honor. I will try to convince myself that it is ok to be real, what ever that means, on days like today.

Happy New Year! Here's to no expectations!