My little clown

My two year old is learning the art of teasing from her older siblings (and dad) quite well. And, when it comes out of her mouth, it's even more comical than it would otherwise be.

Today, I had plans to go out with the two little girls after the kindergartner got on the bus. Ryan had already taken Jack out so it was just me and the girls. So, I'm getting ready to go and Hannah comes running to find me and says, "Mommy! Dad took yo caw!" (My car, for those of you who can't translate two-year-old-speak).

"He did?" I say with surprise moving toward a window to check. This wasn't the plan.

Just as I get to the window she yells out, "Just kiddin'!"

Oh, dear. She's been on a roll, lately: discovering how easy it is to hand the teasing/taunting right back to her older sibs. And I am amused. Truthfully, I've been waiting for this day to arrive- the older two have had it coming for awhile now.

Oh, and since I'm discussing her- might I add, here- she decided this week she's done with diapers. Just like that. Not the typical way things have happened in this house (if you all recall my struggle less than a year ago...!) Imagine that- no bribes!- I could get used to this.

J & L were a bit disappointed that the snowflakes didn't fly today as forecasted. L was certain beyond a doubt it would snow because her teacher said it might. And the boy just wants to shovel snow- he's waiting for snow to play in. I, on the other hand, cannot relate. I did clean the kitchen to Chris Groban's Christmas CD the other day, however. (But that does not mean I am ready for snow.)

I worked on Lydia's quilt some more today and as I did I marveled at the fact that I could possibly win a contest for the longest start-to-finish project ever. The fabric was picked out when pink was the highest color on her  radar. So I chose fabrics on the pink, green, and teal theme. And now? Now she wants to paint her room red becuase red is her all time, no contest favorite. That's what I get for taking years to complete this project. But I'm exicted to get it done now- even if it is all the wrong colors.

I tend to get too interupted with quicker projects like this:

I originally did this pattern for myself when Adalie was born, but the bag was a bit too large for me to comfortably carry around for too long. So, I adjusted the pattern down a bit and here's the updated model. But this one was not for me. Kind of made me want to make myself another one, though. After the quilt, of course.

Glurch!

I remember my sister K talking about some slime-stuff that occupied her kids for hours and- needing something to keep my kids kind of on the quiet side while my hubby got some sleep- I pulled up the recipe and mixed up some... GLURCH! Remember that Gak-stuff you could buy? Maybe you still can, haven't tried to purchase it since I was about 10. Anyways, it's just like that.

And, I kid you not... The stuff has been occupying H & J since big sis left for school.



It's smashable,

And slimy...

And all around good clean, cheap entertainment.

Want some at your house?

Here's the recipe:

Bowl #1:

1/2 cup Elmer's glue

1/2 cup cold water

Mix together with spoon until glue is dissolved in water.

Bowl #2:

2 tsp. Borax

3/4 cup warm water

Mix together with fingers to fully dissolve Borax. 

Pour bowl #1 into bowl #2. Reach your hands in and pull out the glurch! There will be excess water. Just knead it around to get extra water out. After the extra water is out, it should be slimy but shouldn't easily stick to your hands. If it does, I don't know what you did wrong. The second batch I made I tried to add food coloring and it didn't turn out quite as well. Or it could have been the dollar store glue. Not sure. 

This stuff can be stored in an airtight container and used again. 

Just make sure your kids don't eat it!

 Have fun!

Is "missrouted" just a fancy word for LOST?

After two days of school Lydia has reached the conclusion that "School is soooooo much fun! Way more fun than I even thought it would be!" So I'm feeling much better than I was the other evening just knowing she's excited about going each day. Jack, on the other hand, isn't so excited to see her go.

"I don't like when Lydia goes off to school," he complained today, going on to say he didn't know what to do. I suggested he color, play with his cars, pull out his farm set. But all of that held no great appeal without his constant playmate around and the little girls napping. Luckily, I remembered I had purchased a set of Lego Duplo blocks a long time ago from a garage sale and was able to unearth them fairly quickly from a corner of my room. That was all the entertainment he needed for the afternoon. 

In other events around here- I'm starting to get a bit concerned about a package that was supposed to be delivered several days ago. I caved in and ordered a couple more diapers when cotton babies had their seconds sale going on last week. Hannah's in no real danger of potty training any time soon and I was thinking this would make it easier to get by with both little girls in diapers. So. I've been tracking the package online, the free shipping was quick, it made it to the next door state... and then it stopped. And after about a day of nothing the new status that popped up yesterday morning was "missent", with the description reading something along the lines of "Your item was misrouted. Every effort is being made to correct the mistake. Information, if available, is updated periodically throughout the day. Please check again later." And then, nothing. No further updates, no more info just, missent. Which, according to my spell check isn't even a real word and maybe, just maybe, the word they were really searching for here was "lost"?

Uh. Okay. So, I'm picturing this thing in some rural postage-stamp-sized post office on the other side of the US. Or maybe bouncing along in the back of a two-seater plane headed out to some desolate town in Alaska. Or perhaps it's in a jet- flying over the Atlantic ocean to an entirely different country. It could be weeks before this is resolved. But, not to worry. Remember- every effort is being made to correct the mistake so that makes it all better. In the meantime, I'll just keep refreshing my browser and looking at that daunting missent status while I drive myself crazy.

But I'm fine with that, really I am. Perfectly fine. Just in case you were wondering.

Anyways. Tomorrow is Thursday and Ryan is off for the next two days. And that, my friends, means projects are going to be happening around here. We're in the process of rearranging the kids bedrooms and I'm not sure anything we do is going to be ideal, but we'll go with it. We've got two kids rooms- one is extremely small and the other is moderately small. So with Adalie still occupying a pack-n-play in our bedroom at 7 months old, we're trying to figure out a good way to get her into one of the kid-rooms. The great plan involves building a loft in the extremely small room, putting new paint on the wall of both rooms, and shuffling kids around until something works.

If all else fails it should prove to be entertaining at least.

Tis the season

Ah, bug hunting. The kids have been avidly collecting creepy crawlies lately. One afternoon last week they came inside wondering if I had any bug houses for them.

Oh yes, I always keep a few of them on hand. 

{Well. Maybe not before, but we do now.}

So, we got out a few jars, chopped up an old screen (I knew I was saving that for something), and hot glued the screen to the ring part of the lid. And wa-lah: bug houses.

This guy was somewhat annoyed that his sister found an awesome 'cal-i-pitter' while he had to settle for a dorky little spider.

Not nearly as cool at all.

He quickly dumped it back out and we searched the parameter of the yard again for a caterpillar.

With each multi-legged insect they would scoop up, they'd come running to show me.

Mom, look!

And I'd instinctively back away.

Yeah. Uh-huh. Cool.

Later, Lydia decided Jack could have the caterpillar after all and they transferred it form her jar to his.

And then, later still, they decided to let it go so it could go back to it's real home.

She's looked for the caterpillar several times since.

Smart little fella is probably high-tailing it as far from this yard as he can get.

Apparently I talk just to hear my own voice

I know I need to appreciate these days when my children are little. But some days... My patience is paper thin with gaping holes in which my temper flares through.

Today Lydia & Jack asked for scissors to cut the long grass next to the fence in the backyard. I'm not completely stupid so I agreed they could ONLY if I was out there with them. I gave strict warnings about how the scissors would be taken away if they cut anything else besides the grass, blah, blah, blah. They both promised like good little children they would only use the scissors for grass. So I went out with them to drink my morning coffee (yes, at 11:30 a.m.) on the back steps while they made there way around the backyard cutting the grass.

Five minutes later, the phone rang and I ran inside to answer it. When I came out approximately seventy-five seconds later I found them cutting large holes in a tarp in the yard. I know it could be worse. I know this is just a minor detail. I know I need to relax a bit and I know it was my fault to give them the scissors in the first place. But still!

So, we put the scissors away and I told them it would be a long time before they could have them back again.

They just came in a few minutes ago asking if they could have them back now.

I told them to try again in fifteen years.

Backyard Swimming

Aware of the beautiful weather in the forecast for today, I cheerfully announced to the kids as they munched down their cereal, "Today we'll set up the kiddie pool!" to which I was met with a chorus of cheers.

So, once the wild animals were fed and watered, Er... Once the children's bellies were full and the diapers were changed, the baby was settled into her swing, and the monitor was set up next to her, the dash began. (Because when the baby sleeps, we're on the time clock)

 It all happened a bit like this:

Quick, get your swimsuits on!
Shh! Quietly so you don't wake the baby!
Can someone get me a swim diaper? 
Yes, Jack, for the seventeenth time we are going to set up the pool.
Just please... be patient. 
Please.
Has anyone seen the bottom to Hannah's suit?
What? When are we going out? When everyone is ready we will go out.
No, I don't know when that will be.
Why is your suit still not on?
No we are not having snacks now- do you want to go or don't you?!
Are we finally ready?
Okay. Everyone out.
Quietly! let's go.

So out we trooped into the backyard, lugging the two dollar and fifty cent inflatable bargain bin pool I'd picked up last fall from Wal~Mart. I clicked on the monitor and stood it on the steps while a debate began over where to set up the pool. Finally with the ideal location determined, the rest of the pool was inflated, the hose was turned on, and pool began to fill. A quick toe-test and they all declared the water was freezing and pleeeeeease, could I just dump in one bucket of hot water? So back in I went to run some hot water in a bucket and peek at the baby who was still peacefully asleep while the lullabies humming on her swing droned on.

Back outside, I dumped in the hot water and all was right again with the kids' world. And then I realized we'd forgotten about sunscreen so back in I went shouting my warnings to stay out of the water till I returned. Baby was still asleep, sunscreen was located and slathered on little noses and backs. I retrieved my lounge chair from the back porch, settled in, kicked my feet up and breathed. Ahhh, I thought, how nice to just relax for a bit.

So the kids splashed and squealed, I picked up my book, slid my sunglasses over my eyes, and flipped open to the dog-eared page where I'd left off.

And over the monitor came the cries of the baby whose nap was now over and whose belly was once again empty.

We might try again this afternoon. I might have to work up my courage first.