Thursday, July 31, 2014

Ramblings after a good day (a sequel)

 

Thank you, friends, for your kind and encouraging words, emails, and messages. 

Also for all of the play dates that are filling up my calendar. 

Maybe they are pity play dates?  But that’s fine because play dates get me to

1) clean my house

and

2) buy treats

(PS to the person coming to my house to play on Saturday, I am sorry that I ate all the cookies that I bought today for your play date.  Yes BOUGHT today aaaaand ATE today.  But they were exactly like girl scout Samoas people!  The odds were stacked against me!)

Let me just say though, that I am fine.  Seriously.  I’m fine!  I only had popcorn fall out of my crying mouth just that once!  And really it shouldn’t have been IN my mouth to begin with (I am now saving ALL calories for fake Samoas)  So you don’t have to worry about me, or come over to keep me company unless you want to.  And unless you bring your own cookies. (I’m not to be trusted)

Noooot really sure how to wrap this post up…so, in conclusion.

- thank you

- I’m fine

- Just one of those days

- It has passed now (past now?)

- cookies!!!!!!!!!

Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Ramblings after a rough day.

 

Today was noooooot my best day.  And that’s fine- we all have them!

It was not my worst day either I don’t think? (like maybe being in labor?  Or food poisoning?  Maybe those things were worse?)  But it was definitely not great.

Moving is hard.  Hard-hardy-hard-hard.  Even when it is a GOOD move to a place you are supposed to move to, I am still feeling a bit out of place.  Angsty.  Lonely.  Unfamiliar.  Also my children are driving me batty and I need to make a change for tomorrow or else run away from my family screaming.

I was visiting with some moms at the park (friend dating) (WORSE THAN LABOR) and they were talking about the “methods” of parenting they follow and I was all, “Whoops!  Got to go!” and went to go eat ice cream with my kids instead.  Because I wasn’t sure how to tell them that the “method” that I subscribe to right now is the “try the best you can” method.  Seriously.  That’s all I can do! 

And this evening I was feeling particularly sorry for myself while shoving popcorn in my face and I started to cry a little (told you it was a rough day), and then the popcorn fell out of my mouth all over the place and that made me laugh.  And then Samuel ran in (naked) grabbed the popcorn bowl and ran out and I had to chase him muttering “please please please don’t pee on my popcorn!” and that made me laugh too.

Then I put on my big-girl-panties and I scratched kids backs and sang bedtime songs and made pun-jokes with Joseph, and snuggled, and vacuumed, and generally ended the day on a good note.

I am trying the best I can.

and we are going to be okay.

 

The County Fair

 

On Saturday I took the boys on a Mommy-date to the county fair!

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We spent millions of dollars on all-you-can-ride-wrist bands!

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We ate lots of food!

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We rode lots of rides that made me mildly nauseous!

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It was all in all a great time!

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Isaac was tall enough to go on all the rides this year (with me) (eek) and they were even brave enough to go on this BIG ROLLER COASTER.

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Well, brave enough until the first drop when Joseph started yelling “I WANT OFF!!” But, afterwards he wanted to go again (no) so we are considering it a win!

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It is really one of my favorite things to do with the boys, and a great chance for me to just let loose and have fun and to not be a bossy pants all the time!

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The only downside is the heat.

When I was looking back at last year’s post it looks like I complained about the heat melting my eyeballs, but you guys!  This year too!  EYEBALLS MELTING FROM THE HEAT!  So sweaty.  So, so sweaty. 

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(Isaac was yelling at me “Send that picture to Dada!”)

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And I trrrrrrry I to like the heat!  Other people seem unbothered and I try it too!  See how cozy the heat is Caitlin?  Isn’t it relaxing to your muscles?  Don’t you enjoy the Vitamin D goodness seeping in?

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But, really and truly and honestly, my impulse is to run around yelling “I’m BAKING!  I’m seriously BAKING FROM THIS HEAT THAT IS MELTING MY EYEBALLS!  It’s COOKING US!  We are all going to dieee!”

Ahem.  Summer might not be my best season.

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But I do love my boys!  And I do love the fair.  (Once a year.)

 

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PS:

The fair last year with Joseph and Isaac  (this year we combined the trips to just one date since we moved farther away)

And when we put the “Joy and Joisey” (New Jersey state fair 2011)and I made a fool of myself in the fun house! It’s a keeper!

 

 

PPS The view on my drive home.  Oh OREGON in summer!  So pretty from the air conditioned car!

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Monday, July 28, 2014

Domestic Monday

 

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First thing this morning, I made bread with Samuel on my hip in the sling.

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while Joseph refused to get out of bed until I let him play computer today. (I won that one) (turns out I don’t CARE if he stays in bed)

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I am trying to get back in the habit of bread-making now that we are settled in our home.  I will keep you posted (unless I fail- in which case I will keep it to myself)

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Second thing this morning, I spilled a container of gluten flour all over my brand new pantry!   (Gluten flour is like flour but stickier and more unpleasant to clean up)

 

Later-- brace yourselves!--I made HOMEMADE POP TARTS.

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It’s true.

Its also in black and white, b/c when I brushed it with egg like the recipe said, it came out of the oven all discolored and not really blog-worthy.  But, it was delicious.

Also today I made crispy burritos, and homemade instant oatmeal, plus I folded and put away FOUR loads of laundry (okay, I actually paid Joseph to put away one of them)

 

How did you accomplish all this domesticity?  You may ask.

By ignoring my children! 

But, after the weekend spent all together all the time, we can all use a little bit of ignoring on Monday.

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Don’t they look happy and like such great friends?

That’s because you can’t hear all of the whining and tattling that was going on ALL THE LIVE LONG DAY.

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Also, it looks peaceful and happy because I didn’t get a picture of the big boys playing “horsy” which looks a lot like “Sit on your brother and try to drown him”

Happy Monday!

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

It’s raining outside and oh! I’m dreaming of fall!!

(post title unrelated to actual post.)

 

Next time your kids are playing playdoh, if you want to BLOW THEIR LITTLE MINDS, stick a birthday candle in a playdoh “cake” and light ‘er up.

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Sing “happy birthday,” blow it out, you know the drill! 

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Continue until you fear that your smoke alarms will go off.

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Warning:  If you have a child close to the age of 2, he/she might have a hard time when it is time to sing to someone else.

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But see?  all better.

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Enjoy!

PS:  A no-reason video, just for my memory’s sake.  Play doh with the kiddos on a Wednesday

(this was after I was done lighting the actual candles, in case you think I let Isaac be in charge of open flame) (silly)

 

PPS:  Joseph’s “camp fire” creation

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Apparently Boba Fett, Deadpool, and Frodo camp out together on the weekends.

Six year old boys might be my favorite age of boys so far (shhh!)

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Today in pictures

 

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Today was a good day, mostly because I decided it would be one.

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I also decided that I would go through the WHOLE DAY without complaining,

 

Soooo if I tell you that Samuel climbed up and fell off of the top bunk while I was “indisposed”, or that he climbed up my dresser drawers like stairs to access my vaseline container, I am NOT complaining.  I am STATING FACTS here, people!

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I made this lunch deliciousness for myself and Isaac,

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and this non-deliciousness for picky-Joseph

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It would have had a lot more bacon (bacon!), except Isaac helped himself to about 8 pieces worth.  Seriously.

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It was also a good day, because this place is starting to feel more and more like home! 

Exhibit a) kitchen floor:

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Exhibit b) the laundry-war-zone with random super hero paraphanilia

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Exhibit c) Afternoon dance-your-crankies-out

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It was a cool, cloudy day today (my favorite!) and we went to a local berry farm.  We picked $0.42 worth of u-pick berries, and ate about $42.00 worth.  Buuuut I did buy some at the farm store after, and they DID say the kids could eat as much as they wanted so hooray!

Also, I was trying to take a picture of my beautifully-delicious berry cobbler, when I was photo bombed.

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Twice.

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which is way funnier than just a cobbler picture anyway!

 

And no day is complete here at the New House without a snorkle-swim in the big tub.

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(Samuel has figured out how to use his stomach to spray the water everywhere)

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(But Isaac’s canon-balls do it anyway, so no biggie)

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Afterwards, I bundled Samuel off to bed, and the big boys and I chatted about important things like where hummingbirds build their nests and, you know, zombies, out on our back porch.

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Lastly, I am baking muffins right now, which might not seem like a big deal, but I make a LOT a muffins during our daily life, and today is the Very First Batch in The New House.

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So there you have it.  Happy Tuesday!

 

 

PS:  The bath-swim aftermath

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I was just wondering today why we never have towels in the upstairs bathroom…