A letter to my children...

Dear Children,

There are a few things that have been going on at our house lately that make me crazy...and laugh like a loon...Someday, when you read this, I'm sure you won't remember any of it...documenting for posterity's sake.

To my #1 hoarder...we cleaned your room again today for the 3rd time this month.  This time, we went through all the drawers and refolded the clothes.  There ARE better ways to spend a lovely Sunday afternoon, son!  Please refrain from saving every empty wrapper, baggie from your snack, tag from your new clothes, etc.  Those shows that we have had you watch are REAL!  Love you tons....hope next month goes better!

Dear, sweet/funny/exasperating child...Your new habit of putting plastic baggies over your head is really freaking us out!  We've locked all of the big ones up now so that you won't suffocate yourself.  I know you watched that space movie last week, and are just trying to recreate helmets (very creative, by the way) but it is giving ME grey hair...I think, under all my roots...Oh, and it is also not acceptable to put plastic bags over your stuffed animals' heads.  They need air to breathe, too...Just ask Woody from Toy Story!

To my Contrary Princess...Rolling your eyes and stomping around whenever I ask you to do something is NOT working for me.  For crying out loud, you are 8, not 13...put on your big girl panties and deal with it!  Trust me, things will only get better from here! ;)  Oh, and word to the wise...if you help more and complain less, I will like you a lot more and will do more fun things with you...got it??? Good.

To Queen picky...Where do I even begin?  Asking for a snack before dinner is over is not in your best interest...Your fascinating display this evening of spreading salad dressing on all of your lettuce leaves, then sucking it off was really special...Thanks for that!  Anyway, if you don't start eating something besides fruit and chicken nuggets soon, I'm not sure if you will be the fairest in the land...girl gotta have some nutrition to be beautiful!

To Princess Sweet Pea...While you are showing the signs of independence, I love that you still want to "hold" me when you go to sleep at night...You have issues of your own, but watching you discover the world is a beautiful thing...Oh, and last night when you wouldn't let me go potty because I was holding you, and 5 minutes later asked me if I had "peed in my pants", I realized that you are definitely related to all the rest of my little hellions!

Love you all - hope this week brings about some progress and some new/exciting/not so dangerous issues...

Love,

Mom

One of those days...

Some days make you want to scream, don't they???

Today has been one of those days...it started out with the dog peeing on the floor of the boys' room.  Yuck.  This single event had the power to make us late.  For everything.  Threw breakfast at the kids, shoved them out the door, jumped in the car for yet another long trek out to Eagleville.  We were actually barely on time for Alyssa to go to school - small victory!

Went and worked out - that was good - made me feel like a rock star that I can do a resistance of 10 and most of the "New Years Resolution" crowd beginners around me could barely do a 1.  I know, mean, but it made me feel good about how far I have come...

Anyway, ran a bunch of errands - decided to go to lunch at one of my favorite places "Taco Express" (soon to be renamed Oscar's Taco Shop, since they are related)...Took Ashleigh (who is potty training) to the bathroom a zillion times.

Then, Kristen and I went to Sam's Club to renew our membership.  We were able to save a little money and get a business membership, due to my job...we walked around for a bit - about 1/2 an hour, and checked out.

Clay met me in the parking lot to get his lunch from my car.  And then, my husband, who is the person who probably wouldn't notice if I stood on the street corner with my entire body painted neon orange said, "What is on your pants???"  Um.  I don't know.  What does it look like?  I am afraid to look.  "Well, poop.  It looks like poop." 

Oh man.  I had been walking around Sams for over 1/2 an hour and I had something nasty on the back of my pants?  Kristen - I owe you one!  I sneaked a look.  "Yup.  It looked like poop.  But, we determined that I must have sat in some nasty looking refried beans at lunch.  Clay sponged me off (Bless him) and I continued on my errands.

Later on, we were on our way back from the eye doctor getting #1's new glasses.  We had 3 children screaming at us.  Like banshees.  It was awful, couldn't even drown them out with loud music.  So, I did what every other self-respecting parent would do.  I pulled over to the side of a country road.  Pulled out my book, and told them that we would be sitting there until they stopped.  At first, I don't think that they believed me.  But after 5 minutes, when I was still reading my book, and it was getting darker and they were getting hungrier, they decided to shut their pieholes.

We continued on our way.  Only to have another tantrum at home.

So, now I have a headache.  And need chocolate.  And a vacation.  From my kids.  And my house.  And winter.  And bills.  And doctor appointments which create more bills.

I think that I am going to bed early tonight.  With a bag of chocolate chips and a pile of new library books....Pure bliss!