Friday, January 31, 2014

My Child Got Assigned Homework Over Facebook

And it was the best thing that happened to our fourth-straight day, out-of-school, don't-know-how-to-occupy-another-minute blues. Okay not blues but it sounded good. 

Here's the gist of the assignment:

"Draw a large heart on regular size piece of paper or construction and have your child decorate it. It doesn't have to have to be glitzy and glamourous. You can add stripes or circle polka dots for them to color in, scraps of paper to glue on, whatever. Siblings can get in on it too and we'll present them as well."

Didn't give me a chance to snap the clean slate pic

Siblings can participate… Fantastic!

R proceeded to announce hone-wooork through the homework-exercise

Clean slate
In the beginning was the heart...


Enter out craft grab-bag which has evolved between homework assignments and clearance items at Hobby Lobby

E focused on the beads
She was SET on doing the project without help - except that pesky glue bottle messed her up. 
R did dots, crayons, a Cars sticker, glittery pom-pom and strips of ribbon
in a span of 7 minutes
R was thrilled to get her hands on all things art!
More beads and outlining for E
Move over crayons… the beads and glue are here
I gave in and let R do beads. I don't THINK any were consumed
I was super impressed that R sat and 'worked' on her homework and did not lose interest. 

Sticky hands were confusing 

No homework would be complete without pink feathers
I had to tell them it was over so M and I could get ready for work in the afternoon

The sisters homework

This exemplifies R and her craziness 
Can't wait until they walk hand-in-hand into school proudly displaying their art. Kinda makes me wish they were twins 

E 's heart kite

So thankful for this homework assignment because it managed to occupy 1.75 hours this morning and was not as dreadful as I was imagining. Running between screaming M with blow out diaper that required an emergency bath, and to E to help squeeze out the glue because that was pretty much all she would let me help her with and supervising R and her demands for everything in the craft bag EXCEPT the pink feathers - was in retrospect highly unstressful for what it was. 

Thank Goodness For Preschool!

Thursday, January 30, 2014

7 Quick Takes - CaBiN fEvEr…..

No school on Tuesday because of the threat of snow + no school W,R,F because there actually is/was school = 





--- 1 ---

Alrighty now… Let's just get this lengthy-ish QT out of the bag. How about R has made some decent potty successes this week. Sweeeeeeeeet. Almost to the point where I think I could put here in undies and take her to the potty every hour and she'd do relatively well. BUT… I haven't because I'm a slacker mom. However I am motivated because she could get to the point where it is too convenient to just go in the diaper and then not want to go potty. The bribery with Smarties is working well so I have to step it up here. 


--- 2 ---

Now to the meaty stuff. If you remember last week it snowed and the girls were not too thrilled about the glove situation. So I attempted to remedy it for this week's snowstorm of the century {okay not really} by ordering from Amazon at the very last second and paid for next day shipping and bam…. Gloves were here in time


Now if I had only realized that snow bibs and snow boots are majorly on sale at Lands End I think we could have spent hours outside in the snow once it finally got here. Thanks weather folks for making us wait until 6 pm for the snow when you PROMISED it 5 hours prior!

--- 3 ---

So off to the races outside. I can handle being outside with the girls BUT the getting dressed so you are not freezing your fanny off is a horse of a different tail. Once we were finally dressed and ready on, Wednesday we took one pic with all the girls and M and I hunkered down for a snack while Papa took the big girls out.

R did NOT like having her thumb separated from her other fingers in the glove

Well as soon as M was done I hear a BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG on the mudroom door {love you mudroom}. Everyone is piling back inside. Are you kidding me? I was actually looking forward to riding the girls on the sled and at least walking up the street. Negative.

E's nose was running.
R was, well, being R
Papa CLAIMED the sled was broken and he could not pull them both around on it at the same time. SO not true. {yeah I just called you out}

I took the girls out on Thursday and the sled is perfectly great and ran them down one street that people had not completely obliterated with 4 wheelers and golf carts. Sledding experience - CHECK!

--- 4 ---

Lee made up for the micro-sized outside time by making the following for dinner:


Insanely easy chicken and dumplings recipe. Fantastic for a freezing cold day. 



Vanish Oatmeal Cookies 

Snow Cream
What is snow cream? I have been asked this twice in the past 24 hours. Please go make it.

So So So glad my hubby ENJOYS cooking and occupying his time during the bedtime/pajama getting on/teeth brushing nightly saga cleaning up. Sometimes I think I'd rather clean up the kitchen some night. Picking out pajamas is a whole to-do that usually involves E picking out what she wants to wear and then R getting hers out after her change and E trying to convince R to wear something that matches E and finally because a 2 yr old cannot be reasoned with… E changes her pajamas to match R. Yeah. Its that complicated. 

--- 5 ---

E - Alright now… hold hands. Get you hands together there

Now Kiss lips {muah}

Okay now your done with your wedding

Apparently Goofy married the rabbit during rest. 

Since E's nose was running like crazy we had her rest on the couch rather than our bed to halt the spreading of GERMS!



R loves to 'talk' on the phone 

--- 6 ---

Yes you are reading that correctly. Minus 4 in Rocky Mount. The time is an hour ahead but Lee's crazy complex weather machine is quite trustworthy so I am inclined to believe it.


--- 7 ---

After this week of being inside with the girls I have learned a few things. 

A. I don't think I'm cut out to be a full time stay at home, homeschool mama {but I've been wrong before}
B. Thank goodness for PBS
C. I am glad we have an action packed month of busy weekends
D. I cannot believe we are celebrating R's second birthday this weekend {mind blown}
E. So so so VERY ready for some spring time

                                                  

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Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Blizzard 4.0

And it snowed again last night. We doubled our amount from last time 4 inches


 Amazon came through on our glove situation


Lee stopped at Grammy and Grandpa Joe's to pick up my sled.


We stayed outside for as much prep time as it took to get out the door


Tomorrow I call dibs on taking E and R 'sledding' so Papa will hold it down with M indoors. 


Tonight promises a Facebook recipe of Chicken and Dumplings, Oatmeal Raisin cookies and Snowcream and yes that does sound awesome - doesn't it? And it top it off I think we might cancel bath night because bath nights are just a water balloon full of stress just waiting to explode. 

And we can cancel bath night because there is no school tomorrow and I would be surprised if there is any school for the rest of the week. I've seen more 4-wheelers than cars and the main road we live off of is going to be a sheet-o-ice tomorrow with the morning low of 5. 

I am hoping E's insanely runny nose will slowdown a bit tomorrow. 

I have already started stalking Lands End and LL Bean for deals on snow boots. Unless any of you Northeastern/MidWestern people want to hit up Goodwill for me. I'll take a few pairs of snow boots and snow bibs or snowsuits sizes 12 months - 6X so next year I'll be prepared for this kind of thing and just open up the snow container-o-clothes and roll. 

How do you people up in the snowy snowy areas dress your kids? How many layers? Do you use UnderArmor or something similar? I wore my UnderArmor top and bottom along with jeans and a shirt and a jacket and hat and gloves and was not horribly cold. 

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Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Desperate Times Call For…

{insert drumroll here} PLAY-DOH! {of course} 


Usually I reserve the rights of all Play-Doh playing for when a sitter is here with the girls because I really cannot stand the potential for mess it gives them super special to do. But desperate times call for Play-Doh, don't you know!


However, today I joined the ranks of the cool moms and broke out the Play-Doh. 


I knew I would have to have a number of tricks up my mom sleeves because school was canceled today and even though the snow is not getting here until noon-ish. 


Play-Doh took up a good hour of the morning. Which was good. Fingers crossed hoping I don't think R consumed all too much Play-Doh. M needing feeding during the Play-Doh-ing so I am not 100% sure. 


All round good times. Then it was on to PBS Kids. 


Then the part about Play-Doh that I dislike… Cleaning up the dried up little colorful specks 


Well it was not so horrible I admit. Maybe we'll do it again… tomorrow because they did enjoy it and it kept them occupied and they were not fighting. 

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Monday, January 27, 2014

Testing Amazon's 1-Day Shipping

Since it is t-minus hmmm… hours now until we are snowed in for days, I thought I would put Amazon's overnight shipping policy to the test. Last week we had our little blizzard down South and I came to the unfortunate realization that the girls were lacking in proper snowwear (okay that should totally be a compound word).


I may or may not have let R out of the casa without mittens or gloves. She tried to wear some of mine but clearly, CLEARY they were massive. E had some non-waterproof gloves that proved to be better than R's gloving situation but not by much. With our one SINGLE snowstorm (see that is a compound word) of last week I thought NC had gotten our rationing of snow for the season.

See what happens when I get to thinking?

Well we are getting an encore performance of last week's school-stopping blizzard… ummm… TOMORROW. Please see figure below

Thanks WRAL. We're in the dark blue but super close to the purple

Last night I was getting semi-ready for the needing glove dilemma. First stop, Amazon. PRIME baby, Prime. As it was Sunday the shipping cycle did not really kick in until today. I found some ultimate ski gloves for both girls. I am still confused on the sizing and put them in my cart and told Lee the price and said gloves were vetoed on a promised Target-o run. Welp, the Target run did not happen and at 4pm this afternoon with 3-5 inches of white, fluffy goodness on its way, said gloves were placed back into our Amazon Shopping Cart - one day shipping was applied (which you have to pay the fee for each item, it is not a flat next day rate?!?!?) and I have already been stalking the site for my tracking number.


Come on Amazon, don't let a mother down here!!!

PS… I seriously considered getting these crazy snow bibs for R since E has a hand-me-down from her cousins and they worked like a champ… But I am thinking I'll hit up a consignment shop for one of those soon-ish just to have it on hand.








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My Toddler Ate Soap

and lived to tell…

I don't always eat soap, but when I do it is the pink kind. 

The caption possibilities for R taking a bite out of the bar-o-soap in the bath the other night are endless. Not exactly sure what she was thinking or maybe she was still hungry. After I freaked out and grabbed the soap from her and put it on the counter - she tried to grab it again during teeth brushing - which I stopped - but she proceeded to lick her soapy hand! So maybe this brand of soap tastes good? This girl is soooooo crazy I cannot even stand it!

Hungry? Why wait {for food when there's soap}?

Point of the story, she did not require a run to the ER or anything like that. Hopefully we can limit all future soap consumption so I don't have to make any phone calls to poison control. 




Friday, January 24, 2014

I am blessed

Just feeling the need to write this down after the craziness of the week

I am blessed...

by God

because the grandparents divided and conquered E and R so that Papa and M and I could go to Charleston for a mere 40 hours for a work trip

because I work for a company that lets me bring my babies to work and on work trips?!?!!?! {yes it is quite amazing}

because my hubby is super supportive of my semi-working, semi-stay-at-homing

because we made it to a gas station {that was actually open} at midnight with less than 2 miles to go with gas in the van on the ride back from Charleston

because the big girls did not meltdown while we were gone and hopefully did not overly stress out the grandparental units

because we got to enjoy the 2.5 inches of snow that shutdown schools for a day

because we all have coats and hats and a house to keep us warm on these frigid days

because M did not wake up while we went out to dinner while Jibbe stayed with all three girls - I was a nervous wreck for the first 1.5 hours of being gone over this point

because I have a fantastic chef-of-a-hubby who rocked out some cabbage rolls

because I have kids who go to school and even though these 2-hr delay days drive me ABSOLUTELY insane some days… I would not trade the kids for a less hectic schedule

because people at the bank get a big chuckle out of me telling them we hopefully will have more kids… I love my bank and the ladies who work there!

because my first ever Rocky Mount friend is getting promoted to the rank of 30 this weekend

because tonight was NOT bath night - I live for non-bath nights

because Jibbe let me drop R off at the store for 1.5 hours this morning while E and M and I went to the office for a super important meeting that was not effected by the 2 hr delay

because I have a crazy pregnant friend who offered to take both E and R for the duration of said meeting for me.. but I would never let a pregnant woman have a 4, 3, 2, and 1 yr old in the house alone

because who does not need a few great mama friends?

because my kids love to sing

{this is how it went down this afternoon; totally out of the blue}

R - {whispering} Yesssss Jesu love me… Bible… sooooo
E - YES JESUS LOVES ME
      YES JESUS LOVES ME
      YES JESUS LOVES ME
      FOR THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO

{E on repeat for the duration of the ride; R chiming in with her whispers}


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Thursday, January 23, 2014

7 Quick Takes - Overheard… Dirty Diaps and Christmas Carols

I promise I have some meaty posts coming… maybe. For now, this is all…




--- 1 ---

{While getting ready for a bath}

E - Guh, guh, guh Gabriel.
Me - Yes
E - guh, guh, guh. Gabriel starts with the letter P just like Pocahontas

--- 2 ---

{After rest.. being an excellent little helper}

Me - R, let's go change M.
{upon noticing an overflowing diap}
Me - Ut oh, M has a stink...
R - Awww Maaan!

{true story… R, true story)

--- 3 ---
{While endlessly rehearsing Christmas carols}

E - What did the cow in the manger say to baby Jesus in the hay... Moo, moo... Baby Jesus we love you
R - Baby Jesus... I love you

{LOVE LOVE LOVE}
--- 4 ---

{Did I mention we are big on Christmas carols?}

E - Hark the herald angels sinngggggg
{something something we cannot understand}
to the newborn kinnggggggg
{more of the same}
God and Savior reconciled

Me - E it is SINNER not Savior

E - Oh…
{more words being strung together}
Joyful all yeeeeeee nations rise
{more stuff we cannot understand being put to the tune}
HAMSTERS
Christ is born in Bethelem

Lee - Did you just say hamsters?

E - Ummmmm….

--- 5 ---

{Discussions during post rest snuggles with E and R}

R - Noooo.. nuggle Papa
{crunched up nose and face}
R - Elmooooo, Yeessssss!
{huge smile}

--- 6 ---

{While going through E's school folder}

Lee - Another party?
Me - Who?
Lee - Is that all they do? Color, sing and have parties????

--- 7 ---

{Classy} 

Me - Does R have a stink?
Lee - I don't think so...
Me - Ummm... yes she does
{goes to room to change R, I follow}
Me - Whoa! You could not tell she had a stink from the way it smelled it here?
Lee - It smelled pretty normal to me?
Me - So it always smells like a dirty diaper to you????
Lee - Well you know Chicky...


                                                  
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Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Snow Day 2014

Days like this make me super thankful for my job that I can work from home and go in late

Days like this make me want an entire wardrobe of snowsuits and snow-wear… I could not find a pair of mittens for R and E's gloves were cotton and lasted for all of 5 minutes.

Days like this make me wonder how my mom EVER let us out of the house more than one SINGLE time on each snow day. Getting ready was 90% of battle!!!

Sisters in the snow

Handheld snowman

We took M out for several obligatory baby in snow pics

Happy snow day from the 2.5 inches in The Mount!!!