Day 207

Tuesday, March 28, 2017


Places/Activities: Today I kept Squeak home from school and me, my mom, and the kids all went to DC for the morning. We went to see two exhibits at the National Geographic Museum. It was really neat. I think that they would have gotten more out of it if they were a few years older, but we had fun and they got exposure, which was the point. There was an Instagram exhibit - which was actually really neat. If you are into photography, you would really appreciate this one. The other exhibit was much more hands on and targeted toward kids. Kids got to really get involved in being a National Geographic Explorer and got to see different animal tracks, pretend to fly in a hot air balloon, check out equipment explorers use, etc. There was lightbox for looking at images of insects, a submersible tank to go into and pretend to be a deep sea diver, a jeep to drive, etc. It was very fun and the kids really enjoyed themselves. It's the perfect trip to take as a family - there's lots to learn from this experience if you have kids that are interested in nature, exploring, etc. There is some very reasonably priced food in the National Geographic Society's cafeteria next door in the next building - and it's very affordable (unlike most museum food in DC). However, I usually bring lunch along for the kids just because it's easier!

After we got home for naps, a friend messaged me that she was in the area and wanted to know if she could stop over for a play date. Um, YES! I love random visits from friends. It was nice for Squeak to have a playmate her own age (even though she was slow to warm up because she was very into a comic book about bats). 

Reading: I honestly didn't have any time for reading for myself today. However, Squeak and I are reading about magnets in the Magic School Bus book: Amazing Magnetism. Pretty good stuff!


Recipes: No recipes today. Just a reheat of some freezer items!

Random Thoughts:Sometimes I get these hair brain ideas. I think that's probably just my nature. Like the time when friends and I were so pumped from teaching kids I was like, "Hey! Let's write a book!" which turned into 4 books with two friends. Sometimes my ideas work, other times they don't. By "work" I mean, sometimes they come to fruition. I know the ideas will work, it's just a matter of having the time and commitment for them. So... I've got a idea. At some point in the near future, I won't be a stay at home mom anymore. I'll be a working mom. Most likely until the point that I retire. I think I've got some ideas in place that I want to put on a trial run. Not sure if I'm ready for a big commitment, but if I can make something for myself that I can do in my own time and on my own terms, that I can handle. Something for the long term. So, when this year is over and this blog is finished, I'm going to give my new plan a go and see what happens! I'm pretty excited about it - now if I can just put together a sample this summer, I'll run it by my peeps and see what you think!

Day 206

Monday, March 27th

Places/Activities:We went all over this morning. Dropped off the registration for the twins for daycare next year (gosh is THAT a RELIEF), signed the kids up for an Easter egg hunt, went to the bank, got gas, visited Storyville, and purchased paint from Lowe's. We went to a different Storyville location today. It's funny. I haven't been here for a couple of years (since Squeak was small(er)) and it seemed like it shrunk to me! I thought the Rosedale location was much smaller, but I was wrong. I think both are fairly comparable. Though I still think I prefer the Woodlawn space better just because it seemed less cramped. It's seriously probably the best free thing you can do in Maryland for kids under 5. They really had a blast! When Squeak got home, we hung out and played outside. Tried out the new leash on Puff. It didn't go very well... I had to use it though because she kept running into the street... and when you have two others to look after, this just isn't going to fly. I might have to limit them to the backyard for a while until they learn to listen a little better (or at least learn they can't run into the street).

Petting carpet squares at Lowes!

Reading: Today I started the book The Lost Property Office by James R. Hannibal. I'm pretty excited about it. So far it seems like a good book for Harry Potter fans.

Recipes: Another recipe from New Leaf Wellness tonight. D used the crock pot to make Sloppy Joes. They turned out really well! Check out page 4 on this free downloadable pdf from New Leaf Wellness for the recipe.

Random Thoughts: I recently read a post where someone discussed how many books we have left to read in our lifetimes. It was depressing to think that I might only have a few thousand books left to read in my lifetime. I find that there isn't anything positive in counting down to what little time we have left. As a kid I would constantly "wish" to be taller, to be older, to have boobs so I could wear a bra (what was I thinking!?), for the school year to be over, for the summer to start... My grandmother used to say, "wish in one hand, poop in the other... see what you get first." It always made me laugh. I use the expression myself now. Anyway, my point is that while I love scheduling things to look forward to, I don't want to wish away the time I have in getting from point A to point B. Yes, I AM looking forward to going back to work, because this SAHM gig is hard work, but I'm enjoying the time I have with these three munchkins - well, except for the fits of screaming and crying. I could do without those.

Day 203 & 204

Friday, March 24 & Saturday, March 25th

Very excited about the flamingos!

The prairie dogs were quite chatty this morning.

Places/Activities: Friday morning I went back to return the tile samples I borrowed earlier in the week and placed our order. YAY!! I'm excited to have a backsplash in the kitchen. The twins and I then hit the bank and also went to pick up some other tax papers I had forgotten about. We popped back home and I packed them lunches so we could head to the zoo. I had learned that there was going to be a field trip for kids from my school, so I popped by to say hello (I asked first). It was nice to see some familiar faces and see everyone excited to be out and about. There was a VERY long line to see the new baby giraffe at the zoo, so we didn't stand around to wait. We didn't mind though. It's not like we aren't going to go there again very soon. Since Squeak wasn't with us, we will wait until she is along to see the new baby animals at the zoo. Friday evening was awesome because I got to hang out with some of my favorite peeps at bookclub. I look forward to our monthly gatherings :) Saturday Bear and Squeak and I went to a birthday party for a little boy. Bear thoroughly enjoyed checking out the cool toys. With two sisters, Bear has quite a number of princesses and pink and purple toys to play with at home. I think he is just relieved to see a home filled with nothing but cars and trucks. He was in heaven!
Saturday was so beautiful that after dinner, we all took a stroll around the neighborhood. Puff and Bear tested out the wagon. We had bought this used several years ago for Squeaker to use, but then only used it once or twice. Personally, I prefer the strollers. Both of them kept sticking their hands overboard and rubbing their fingers over the moving wheels. Good grief!

Reading: Let's see, since I last posted I finished Commonwealth by Ann Patchett, and I also started and finished book 66 toward by 100 book goal, Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang. I enjoyed both books very much. I think I'm going to read a juvenile chapter book next. We'll see. I have several books checked out that need to be read!

A wagon made for two.

Recipes: Last night I made BBQ ribs. However, this is one of those cases where I didn't read the ingredients carefully enough. Well, I read the ingredients list, but then I didn't actually think about the ingredients list. Such as, "hmmm... this recipe calls for curry. I don't really like curry. Perhaps I should just leave that spice out of the mix." Oh, well! Regardless, it was my first time making ribs. Despite the hint of curry, they were actually quite good. Because I bought almost 6lbs (good old Costco ;) I had plenty to make 2 batches. One for now, and one for the freezer. So, as I threw everything together in the crockpot, I also just threw a second set of ingredients into a gallon freezer bag. Once I was finished, I had one batch cooking in the crock pot, and another batch to go in the freezer. I'll likely pull that out to cook in a month or two! We got the recipe from New Leaf Wellness. Check out page 5 on this free downloadable pdf from New Leaf Wellness for the recipe.

Random Thoughts: I mentioned before that I knew something was going to suffer once I started teaching online again... either the blog, my drawing a day project, or both. It looks like both :( I really do enjoy teaching online, but it is very time consuming. I can't complain though, because any amount of income is awesome! I definitely don't think I can commit to another year of drawing a picture a day. I'm pretty proud that I'm almost 3 months in though! Once I go back to work, I will drop the blog. But I imagine I'll do something just to keep my feet wet.

Reindeer socks to go with all that pink. LOL!

What are you lookin' at?

Day 201

Wednesday, March 22, 2017

A throwback to just one year ago.

Places/Activities: The twins and I ran some errands today. Out to pick out tile... AGAIN. I think we've FINALLY settled on tile that we both like for the backsplash, that won't make us go crazy, and that is a reasonable price. We also ran to Costco. Puff can now say Costco. I'm guessing we must go pretty frequently that even she knows where we are going (insert eye roll). She also likes to say cookie, and coffee. It's pretty adorable to hear her talk in her little baby girl voice. It's the sweetest sound I've ever heard. Where as Bear... everything is a car. The garbage truck in the I Stink! book is "CAR!" The white van with no windows parked next to my van that looks as though it might be inhabited by a terrorist or a kidnapper (but more likely a guy in the construction business) is also a "CAR!" The huge bus filled with elementary school children is a "CAR!!" and so is anything else that has wheels. He's also saying the word "CLOCK!" now with enthusiasm and frequency. Too bad he can't make the "L" sound just yet. Which is unfortunate. I keep praying that he doesn't actually see a "CLOCK!" when we are out in public. Oh, and Puff now says the F-bomb. Not sure what word it's substituted for, or if she is indeed just saying the F-bomb. Between the two of them, I'm sure I'll get some interesting responses from strangers should they actually engage them in a conversation. My only hope is that D will have them when that happens. HA! And totally random - but we went to Costco for just two items. Pretzels, and ribs. Guess what - I walked all over the store and couldn't find pretzels. So, we just bought the ribs. Oh, and some blueberries and popcorn. Who only goes to Costco and buys three things??? People in their eighties. Oh, and me. That's who.

Reading:Not quite finished Commonwealth just yet. Thought I would be today, but I might need to put it down to read my other bookclub book which I need to finish by... FRIDAY! I guess I should start it!

Recipes: I did not experiment with any recipes today. In fact, we had chicken tenders fresh from the freezer (heated first, of course). Plus a conglomeration of leftovers from earlier in the week. I WILL be making something with ribs in the crock pot in the next few days. Tomorrow we might be having breakfast for dinner again. We'll see if I can't be any more original. But it's not likely!

Random Thoughts: So here's a random thought about a good deed that I tried to do. This random thought is a sensitive topic, so you've been warned. I don't keep it a secret that we had the twins through IVF. Partially because I don't like secrets for one, and for two, I've been able to share my story with a number of people and now several friends also have success stories to share. It's not an easy road, and for us it was long and it was dark. I'm not going to share our entire story in this post, though more pieces of it may pop out at another time. What I am going to share with you is that when I was well over halfway into my pregnancy with the twins, we had a difficult decision to make. We were paying a storage fee for two leftover embryos that we had as a result of our most recent attempt at IVF that we ended up not needing to transfer. I needed to make a decision about what to do with them. We felt complete with our family number and knew that we shouldn't "keep" them since we wouldn't be using them. But what to do with them? There were a few options. We could just have them destroyed, meaning they would be thawed and disposed of... we could do a compassionate transfer - meaning they would transfer the embryos during a time when they wouldn't likely "take"... we could donate them to research.... or we could donate them to be used by another family. We ended up choosing the last option. I spent hours completing a packet of papers that was about 2 inches thick. I spent time writing a letter to my little snowflakes (a nickname for frozen embryos) for them to read when they turned 18 about how they had two older sisters and an older brother. About how I loved them and wanted what was best for them. And that someday I hoped we would get to meet. Today, a conversation I had with some other moms prompted me to call the fertility clinic where I had donated them to see if they were still available. I was surprised that I received a call back in a few hours. The woman on the line told me that they had been used for a patient, and then asked me if I wanted to know the outcome. I was surprised. I didn't think I would get to know. With slight hesitation, I replied, "yes." Then she told me that the transfer was not successful and the woman didn't become pregnant. She then responded with a comment saying, "I bet you are relieved to know you don't have random children out there." No. No, I'm not relieved. I'm just sorry. I'm sorry that my little embryos aren't going to make someone else a mom. I'm sorry some other woman had to go through disappointment like I did. I'm guessing this was among her last attempts - otherwise she wouldn't need to use the embryos donated by someone else. I'm sorry my little embryos aren't going to get the opportunity to live. Because in the end, that's all I really wanted for them. It seems ridiculous to be so emotional over a couple of cells. But I know that those cells are the start of what made me a mother.  I know I'll be fine about it tomorrow, but for tonight I'm a little sad, a little sorry, and I'm sending out a wish that the woman who was almost a mother to my babies does get to become a mother very soon.

Day 200

Tuesday, March 21, 2017

Places/Activities:After dinner this evening, we took a walk around the neighborhood. Puff held out her hands to point at everything as we strolled along. She laughed and clapped as we walked along, too. We had a fairly low key day today. In fact, the twins took TWO naps. This morning they were so absolutely horrid after baths, that I put them down in their cribs for time outs and they immediately fell asleep and took 2 hour naps!! So, while they slept, I baked, caught up on the blog, and read some books. Win!! Not to mention they also took an afternoon nap, too!

Reading: I'm about halfway through Commonwealth by Ann Patchett and so far I LOVE it. I'm hoping to finish at some point tomorrow!

Recipes: Today I combined some elements of the baby oatmeal recipe with some elements of the carrot cake cookie recipe I made a couple weeks ago and made carrot cake toddler breakfast cookies. They don't taste super sweet (on account of the fact there's no additional sugar) but the twins LOVE them. If anyone wants the recipe, let me know and I'd be happy to post!

Random Thoughts: I'm streamlining my categories here. You all know by now that I'm a clean freak and try to cram in as much cleaning as possible whenever I can. So, I'm getting rid of that category. And because I do it so often, I don't feel the need to write about it. There's something about the warmer weather that just makes your troubles go away. As I was outside in the sunshine this evening, when all of us took a walk after dinner, Squeak run up and put her hand in mine. "I love you so much, Mama. And I like it when we hold hands." Be still my heart. I love you too little Squeak. Trying to memorize these moments for always. 

Day 199

Monday, March 20, 2017

Places/Activities: This morning the twins and I drove up to the Rosedale location of Storyville (there are two Storyville locations). It was pretty fantastic. So much to see, and so much to play with there. The twins did not want to leave. We are going to have to visit Storyville again very soon. I think we'll try the one closer to home next time! It is just amazing to me that this place is FREE! I have been to the other location as well, but not with the twins. There are similarities and differences to both. Ultimately, I don't think you will be disappointed with either location - they are both amazing. But the Storyville location in Woodlawn has a bit more space - which is nice when there are a lot of adults standing around watching kids. It was hard to maneuver around everyone to reach the kids during certain points. It also really picked up and got pretty busy around 11am - try and go early when they first open to avoid the crowds.

Good Deeds:This afternoon when Squeak and I went to Rita's for our free first day of Spring Italian ice, a large group of adults were bused in from a local center for adults with disabilities. There were so many people that came in all at once, and there was a line right next to our table. Many of the adults engaged in conversation with Squeak. She smiled and spoke with them. Then a man gave her a very elaborate Mickey Mouse balloon he had made. It was amazing! See photo for details. She was just thrilled. I asked the man (whose name is Robert) if he was self taught or if he followed a pattern in a book. He remarked that he watched a lot of YouTube videos. At first it was very hard to learn, but then he got it. He must make them all the time because he was wearing a belt filled with a rainbow of colored balloons just waiting to be turned into something else. He carried a bag with a partially finished Ariel balloon and it was quite remarkable. So, a shout out to Robert Jr - thanks for making Squeaker's day! She hopes the balloon stays inflated until Wednesday so she can take it to show and tell at school. She has been talking about you and your balloon making talent all day!

Chores: Laundry and kitchen clean up.

Reading: I started reading Commonwealth by Ann Patchett. I'm going to need to pick up the pace though. I have another book I need to read before Friday, too! Squeak and I have back on our Magic Tree House kick. We have also been reading books about sea life so that we can fill out our bookmark I picked up last week for passes to the Aquarium. Very exciting!

The finished product!

Recipes: Check out who got busy with the cooking today! Ha! I forgot to mention yesterday that I did end up making some baby food for a friend of mine - banana+pear+kiwi. It was awesome.  I swear I didn't eat it all this time. But, I did get inspired to go back to making smoothies. I haven't been as good about eating fruit lately. Probably because I don't really sit and eat. So, this morning I made a banana kiwi and blueberry smoothie. It was fabulous. I was thinking to myself, "this is so easy, and so good, and full of protein and goodness... why don't I make these when I go back to work..." and then I looked in the mirror and remembered why it is that I stopped making smoothies... my teeth!! COVERED in specks of blueberry skin. I looked like my teeth were rotting out. No way I can drink one of those before work unless I brush my teeth a second time before leaving the house. There's no way I'd have time for that. As for the smoothie recipe here ya go. In a blender, combine 5.3oz of vanilla greek yogurt (this is just a standard container from Wegmans), a ripe banana, 1/3cup of blueberries, and 1 kiwi. Blend together until smooth. Add milk until you reach your desired consistency. 


I also made a Turkey Pesto Slow Cooker Lasagna - which was fantastic! All three kids even scarfed it down! I did end up substituting beef for the turkey and we were fresh out of onions, so we did without. It was quite delicious. I think when I go back to work this will have to be a recipe I make one the weekend due to the 3 hour cook time. It's not like I would have the luxury of popping home and throwing it all together mid day so that it was ready when I got home from work. I will also say, getting the lasagna out of the slow cooker was a challenge. The foil strips that I cut tore easily. I think next time I'm going to fold strips instead of cut them to make them thicker and to provide a bit more support when it's time to pull the lasagna out of the crock pot!

Random Thoughts:Bravery? Or stupidity? Normally (especially when taking the kids out by myself) I always use a stroller. It's much easier to wheel them around wherever it is we are going. However, this morning I decided to try something different. I decided to throw the diaper bag over my shoulder, and get the kids out and have them old my hand to walk into the library and Storyville. Good grief!! That was a workout all on its own! I then realized that I didn't have enough hands to check out books and take children back to the van afterward. So, I left the books, loaded the kids, and ran back in to get them. Kinda crazy! On the one hand it was very challenging and I don't want to do it again. But on the other hand, I don't want my kids to be lazy and get used to being constantly pushed around. How will they learn if they don't get practice? But then I think back to walking out of the building and having Bear constantly turn to jello legs and drop himself on the ground while at the same time Puff was trying to pull ahead. We were a sight to be seen! Not to mention, carrying around a big old diaper bag (normally it hangs on the back of the stroller) is kind of a pain when trying to keep up with twins. I even managed to knock down a toddler while in Storyville (I made sure she was fine) but it made me think about how I'll handle things the next time I decide to take the twins out without a stroller.

Day 197 & 198

Saturday & Sunday, March 18 & 19, 2017


People: Saturday evening D and I actually escaped on a triple date night with four of our friends - which was awesome. The company was lovely, the drinks were fabulous, and the food was oh so good at the Annabel Lee Tavern. Check out their website - exploring their website is an experience all on its own! On Sunday we had several visitors - Granny and Papa came to visit and spend time with the kids in the afternoon, and in the evening our friend came over and made calzone for us. Squeak even helped :)

Places/Activities:Other than what was mentioned above, we didn't do too much. Typical weekend play

Chores: Not too much really. Other than cleaning up the kitchen. Though I did clean out the entire fridge. It looks so stunning now I don't want to use it. Ha!

Reading: I started and finished Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg over the last two days. I honest to goodness had no idea that Ruth Ginsburg was such a BADASS!!! Dang. One of the things that I found of interest was that she and her husband had more cookbooks than law books and they apparently covered an entire wall of their home. Kinda cool. The writing is entertaining as well as informative and I thoroughly enjoyed getting to learn a little more about the life of RBG. Definitely worth a read or a check out from the library.


Random Thoughts: We've been through quite a few diapers at our house over the years. In that time, I've been inputting Pampers codes online in the hopes that I could redeem them for something useful for the kids. Well, the day has finally arrived! I've turned trash into treasure! Check out what arrived in the mail on Saturday! I'm so excited! Tickets for the family to go to Sesame Place. This isn't a cheap endeavor, so getting tickets for our family for free is an amazing benefit. Can't wait to take the kids. Puff and Bear are really into Sesame Street characters right now, and I think we are nearing the end of Squeak being appreciative of Sesame Street, so this summer will be the perfect time to go. If anyone has a kid in diapers and doesn't save your points, I'll happily take them off your hands for you ;)

Day 196

Friday, March 17, 2017

Places/Activities: Today I was brave and took the twins to storytime at the Enoch Pratt Free Library Central Branch. It was so beautiful. I plan on going back again just so we can physically see it again. While it is currently undergoing a major renovation, the parts you can still see are still amazing. The collection is enormous. I took the twins to storytime and they were just mesmerized by the story room. Large plush benches lined the room on either side, and a huge glass sun roof gave the room a ton of light. Artificial trees surrounded the front part of the room where there was a large glass window that overlook a large tiled fountain filled with goldfish. Beyond the fish pond, was the rest of the children's area. Even the details from the stone drinking fountain on the wall were just amazing. After storytime, we checked out some books and signed up for the Read to Reef program which we are really excited about. You receive a special bookmark and once you read and record 5 books about sea life and/or conservation, you take your completed bookmark to the National Aquarium to receive 4 free admissions! Guess what Squeak is going to be reading about this week? 

While the twins were napping and Squeak was playing in the basement, I ran to Target. Hang on, don't think I left the kids at home unattended. This is one of the benefits of having D work from home. I left her with the monitor in case someone woke before I got home, and Squeak was happy to color and dance around the basement while listening to princess music while D worked and I shopped. Let me tell you, going to Target without kids is like taking a mini vacation. It's amazing. I can browse through aisles of toys to pick out a birthday present without having to say, "stop that" "don't touch" "NOOOOOOOOO!!! Don't put that in your mouth!" I managed to get the rest of my "bunny" shopping finished. Hoppfully, I mean, hopefully I'm finished now.

Squeak and I planted some grass seed in a cup of dirt and added a face. My godmother had done this little activity with her grandchildren and passed along an extra to Squeak for us to do together. She is very eager to see grass begin to sprout! 

Good Deeds:Not really a good deed... but today I stopped at the post office (yes, again - been spending a lot of time there lately I feel like) and newsflash - we'll be there again at somepoint next week! Ha! Anyway, I have mentioned a few times that our postal workers aren't the friendliest, and after today I could see why. An irate customer was going off on one of the ladies behind the counter. I didn't see the first part of what had happened, but it was obvious the postal worker was a little shook up. By the time I got up to the counter, I apologized that she was treated that way (even though it wasn't me) and tried to engage her in some light hearted conversation to cheer her up a bit. It just reminds me that I shouldn't take it personally if people aren't overly friendly - they might have just had a REALLY crappy interaction with someone else. Things to remember.

Chores: Laundry

Reading: ALMOST finished with my book, First Bite. Instead of reading or drawing this evening, D and I sat back to watch a movie. We watched Arrival with Amy Adams. It was SO good. I cried. I cried within the first 5 minutes and for the last 5 minutes. But it really was so amazing and very timely. As new planets and solar systems are uncovered, it makes me wonder if I will come in contact with other life in my lifetime, or if my children will in theirs? Things to think about...

Recipes: None to share today. Perhaps tomorrow? We shall see...

Random Thoughts: While things were a little nightmarish with twin tantrums this morning, they more than made up for it this afternoon when all THREE kids played well together. It was amazing. I couldn't believe how nicely Squeak shared with her little brother and sister. It was refreshing to see and hear. While I don't see a super strong bond with the twins, I do see that Squeak tends to gravitate toward her little sister. Probably because Puff is very eager and willing to play dressup or snuggle stuffed animals, while Bear would rather climb, ride a car, or push around anything that has 4 wheels. At least with the Little People House my mom saved from my own childhood, there is something for everyone. A garage with a car, tables and chairs, and a baby with a playpen and toys. Life is good.

Day 195

Thursday, March 16, 2017

the bruiser getting tattooed for tomorrow

This morning I made the mistake of sitting down and eating breakfast (after everyone else had eaten of course). I thought that since D was off taking Squeak to school and that the twins had already eaten, I would have 5 minutes of quiet time to myself. HA! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! That'll teach me. I'm halfway through my bagel when I hear a loud "clunk" followed by a cry from the Bear. He apparently had tried to climb on top of the small table in the living room and cracked his cheek on the side of it. Maybe I'll have to use the harness/leash to tie them to a table leg or something while I'm eating or when I go to use the bathroom since I can't possibly watch them every second. Just kidding. Well, maybe a little.

Places/Activities: We drove to the Tot Spot consignment store before lunch (the twins were losing it and needed to get out of the house). I had a couple of things to drop off and I picked up a small check for some other items that had been sold, which was nice. Each kid now has $20 to go in their little piggy banks.

Squeak shows off one of her many new tats.

Good Deeds:One of my friends from work lives nearby and has a little girl that is Squeaker's age and takes dance with Squeak each week. And every week, she offers to help with bringing Squeak in and out of dance class or help her with her shoes. It's so sweet and much appreciated. And while I try and do it myself each week, it just wasn't happening today. There was too much snow left on the ground and there was no way I'd be able to wheel the babies in the stroller up the snow covered path to get into the building. I need to take her to lunch soon for all of her help! So, thanks peep for always being willing to lend a hand!

Chores: If you've been following along, you'll know by now that Thursdays are cleaning days. I love Thursdays because they give me a second wind for some reason. Excited for the weekend, perhaps. I race around and see how quickly I am able to get as many things done as possible (provided that the children cooperate). So, my typical laundry, dusting, vacuuming, and bathroom cleaning. Woot!

Reading: Squeak and I finished reading another Magic Tree House book. Yes, we took a rest from them for a little while, but we are back now to see if we can finish up the entire series. Squeak would like to visit Paris someday, so she was pretty excited by the setting of this book :) I'm still reading First Bite and hope to finish at some point today. I've got two book club books that are waiting for me next (and some others too)!


Recipes: No recipes today, though I did make homemade frosting for cupcakes today. Squeak is taking cupcakes for a St. Patrick's Day party at school tomorrow. She is quite excited about it! Funny story. So I use a Wilton cake decorating kit and in the kit are icing bags and the little plastic pieces that screw in and hold the icing tips to the bag. D will usually step in and offer to wash the dishes (probably because she can't stand how messy I am when I'm in the kitchen - the mixer almost blew up and there was literally powdered sugar inside the toaster oven). Anyway, it is really SO sweet of her to do dishes, and I will always accept the offer. Except that 1 out of every 3 times that I decorate a cake or cupcakes, the inevitable happens... one of those little plastic pieces or the metal tip itself gets dumped down the drain and ground up in the garbage disposal. Tonight when she walked over toward me with that "please don't kill me" look on her face to tell me that yet another plastic piece had been consumed by the disposal I just rolled my eyes and said not to worry - did she forget? She had already gotten me a bunch of replacements at Christmas. With a sigh of relief and a smile, the evening moved forward.

Ahh.... cupcakes!

Random Thoughts: Do all toddlers have MPD? I mean, one minute everyone is so happy and life is wonderful, and the next minute all hell breaks loose and they are either throwing things, banging their head into something, or acting like they haven't eaten for DAYS. I don't remember things being quite this bad when Squeak was little, and maybe I'm just overloaded and overwhelmed because there are TWO screaming toddlers at the same time, but good grief!!! It's absolutely insane! I've never seen anything like it. I keep trying to remember when things really turned a corner with Squeak. I think it was around 3.5..... which means we are only barely scraping the surface. As I was giving Squeak the same direction for about the 5th time today I almost had a mini panic attack just thinking about what is going to happen as the twins get to be her age... will I have to repeat myself twice the amount of times?? Will saying "put your shoes on" five times to all of the children at the same time suffice? Or will I need to say, "put your shoes on" five times to EACH child. Sigh.