Time Goes By so Slowly...

Unless you have kids, then kids move slowly and time speeds up.

For example, getting in and out of the car.

Every day we get in the car my children insist they do it themselves. If I try to help I get a very stern "NO!" from Lillian and a "Samuel do it!" from my son. If I try to override their vetoes and help them anyway it usually ends in a complete meltdown in which I have to let them back out of the car so we can start all over.

It doesn't help that their arms are full of toys that must come along on the ride.

I know what you are thinking, "Aubrey, just let them do it, they are exploring their independence and it's healthy for them."

Well, it might be healthy for them, but it's driving me crazy. I only have so much patience and it is usually used up just trying to get them dressed and out the front door in the first place.

And that's just getting in the car, I won't mention the getting out-of-the-car and all the distractions that come with it.

Long Week

Lillian got sick last weekend. Followed by Carlin. Followed by Samuel. Followed by Lillian again. Followed by Samuel again.

It seems like I've spent every morning this week cleaning up things that shall remain nameless (I'll let you use your imagination).

This sickness always seems to hit early morning and I wake up to find a mess. For Lillian, who is confined to a crib, it is a matter of stripping the bed down. For Samuel, it's a bit more complicated.

We've reached the end of the week, but if I were to measure this weekend by this morning's find - well, it's going to be a long weekend too.

However, through all this I have found a few things I'm grateful for, including:

Spot Shot

I bought this on a whim at Sam's Club and it has proven to be the best whim-buy EVER. Since I don't have a steam-cleaner, this is the next best thing.

Clorox Disinfecting Wipes

Great for everything from wiping down mattresses to cleaning toys.

Showers

Some messes are just too big for a box of wipes...

And last, but not least. My wash-machine.

I have never been more grateful to have a wash-machine of my own and not have to make daily visits to a laundry-mat.

I would like to say...

I would like to say that my lack of posting comes because I spend too much time playing with my kids... but I would be lying. It comes because of the uber-busy schedules we've been keeping lately. And the skipping naps things, really not liking that very much.

I would like to say that I have pictures to post... but I can't find my camera and even if I did I haven't been a good picture-taker lately.

I would like to say that I continue to keep myself in shape and my stomach is a flat-muscular specimen of awesomeness... but the long days and stressful schedule keeps driving me to Oreos and peanut butter.

I would like to say that my exhaustion and weird cravings come from being pregnant... but - Oh wait, I actually would NOT like to say that at all. And I'm not, for those who were wondering...

A Morning in My Life

8:00am - Up and at 'em this morning. I did get to sleep in a bit due to the cloudy, cold weather. Now, I'm showered, dressed, and getting the kids breakfast.

8:30am - Decide maybe I should eat something since breakfast is the most important part of the day.

8:40am - Sitting down to a nice breakfast of English muffins and eggs.

8:42am - Lillian joins me and blows on my hot eggs for me.

8:43am - Lillian seems to think that blowing on my breakfast has entitled her to help me eat my breakfast.

8:44am - Samuel has joined us and insists that he has toast as well. I get up to make them breakfast and remember at the last minute to grab my plate and juice, just as Samuel and Lillian are slowly making movements to snatch my food.

8:50am - have made toast for kids.

8:55am - get on Facebook to talk to my brother, kids decide to join me with sticky fingers and all. Samuel insists that I wash his thumb (yep, just his thumb).

9:05am - kids playing happily with toys in living room. I intentionally ignore the cereal, toys, and who-knows-what else that is undoubtedly spread throughout the house by now.

9:20am - Samuel wants to play outside. I tell him it's cold and he needs to get dressed first. He doesn't seem to understand why he can't wear his pajamas outside.

9:30am - I try to get both kids dressed. Samuel ends up wearing his winter coat and sandals.

9:32am - Lillian is walking around with a shirt on her head calling it a hat.

9:35am - Note to self: I really need to get fall/winter clothes for the kids. And Samuel has outgrown his pants.

9:36am - So has Lillian apparently (outgrown her pants).

9:40am - kids are dressed - YES! Samuel discovers it is raining.

9:41am - try to convince kids they really do not want to play outside in the rain.

9:42am - I hear a mysterious ticking noise coming from the computer.
9:42.15am - I lift speakers up to my ear and figure the noise is coming from them, that's when I discover the plastic burning smell.
9:42.20am - Desperately trying to figure out which cords to unplug all while murmuring "I told Carlin there was something wrong with the speakers."
9:42.45am - Finally have the speakers unplugged. Kids have decided to go outside without me.
9:44am - Lillian is wearing her cute pink polka-dotted raincoat Grandma H. bought her. Too bad I can't find my camera (I have a sinking feeling it may have been lost at the zoo...)

9:46am - Start on this post.

9:55am - Screaming and crying comes from the backyard. Open the door to find my kids wet and muddy.

9:57am - the kids have shoved their way into the kitchen and are now tracking mud throughout the house. I hysterically yell at them to remove their shoes.

10:00am - there is now mud from the kitchen to the bathroom. Apparently the mud had seeped through their shoes and onto their feet, removing the shoes was inconsequential.

10:10am - floors are clean. Kids are clean and dry (but not dressed, you can't have it ALL, you know).

10:12am - this is me signing out for the morning. Hope everyone has a good weekend.

Fall is in the AIR...

And I'm giddy. Finally a break from our triple-digit heat. (We are talking about 61 days of 100 or more this summer).

I have the sudden urge to cook dinner, decorate my house, and maybe even (gasp) get crafty.

I've had every intention of updating everyone with details of the wedding of my BIL (mentioned in previous post) which consumed most of our lives in August. I also wanted to mention other things like football (Go Pokes!), cute things the kids do (like Lillian singing "Twinkle, twinkle little star), and other random happenings.

But what I want to do most is sit outside and bask in this beautiful, perfect weather we are currently experiencing. Now all we need is rain (and now that I look outside that wish might be coming true sooner than I think...).

Instead, here are the family pics we took back in March (yep, finally found the CD, yay). Lillian pretty much looks the same, just taller and starting to thin out a bit.





That should y'all over for a bit.

Introducing...

The newest member of the Walser clan...



Isn't she lovely? The best part of it - she's like my long lost sister and we get along great. Oh and they moved barely ten minutes away. Yay for having family as your best friends!

Favorite

Not only is this my perhaps my favorite commercial of all time, but there are days I feel like yelling this at my kids (or something similar to it).



"Hey you dang woodchucks, quite chuckin' my wood!"