O Christmas Tree!

I was just looking through the pictures on my camera today and came across pics from our Christmas tree hunt.  This is an annual tradition for our family.  And part of the annual tradition is at least one child crying the entire time.  This year that award goes to JD!

Years ago we would go with our good friends.  Then they moved to North Carolina for a couple years to attend Bible school.  They are now back and living just 10 minutes away - YAY!!  So we continued that tradition this year.  The fun part about that is my hubby and Becky look for the largest trees.  Cory and myself are more reasonable and look for a nice tree that will fit in the spot of our home where we have chosen to put the tree.

Here are some pics of the tree hunt for you to enjoy!

Nice day to take a stroll.

 The babies "enjoying" their ride in the wagon.

My man cutting down our tree.

 Look at those muscles!

EJ cutting their tree.

Cory helping EJ.

Dave finishing up!

 Look at those muscles!

A fun day!

And the finished product!

There's Always A First

I've been a diaper changing momma for 6 straight years now. Last night I took JD's diaper off and found this puzzle piece.

Princess and Buddy never put stuff in their diapers.

Mommy Knows Everything

I've been trying to get Buddy excited about starting Kindergarten next year. At this point, he is less than thrilled about going. He just wants to stay home with his mommy forever. How sweet! Here are 2 recent conversations:

Buddy to Grandmom: I'm going to be 5 at my next birthday. (excited! Then quickly realizing 5-year-olds go to Kindergarten). I mean, I'm going to be 5 in 5 years.

Then just last week:
Buddy to Princess: I'm not going to school next year. I'm going to stay with Mommy. She knows everything and she can teach me.
Princess to me: What's 100+100?
Me: 200
Princess: what's 112+102?
Me: 214
Princess: What's nine one hundred(I love how they make up big numbers) plus 12?
Me: 9112
Princess: I bet you don't know how to make plastic bins!
Me: You're right. I don't. :(
Princess to Buddy: Mommy doesn't know everything!

(He still claims I know everything so I can teach him.)

Happy Birthday, JD!!!!

Chaos

Why does my life feel so chaotic all the time?  Do I choose this? How can I take control of my chaotic life?  These are questions that I started asking myself this morning.  Let me tell you about my morning.

The plan was to wake up at 5am to start making soft pretzels for Princess' non-sugar birthday snack at school. (See.  I am crazy.  I should have just sent in pretzels in a bag!)  Well JD decided to wake up at 4:44am (a number Dave and I see all the time.  We will take any insight on that.).  I nursed and rocked him hoping he would go back to sleep without waking the whole house.  At 5:15am, I decided there was no hope and I HAD to start on the soft pretzels.  So I take him downstairs with me.

I got the pretzel dough mixed.  Set it aside for an hour to rise.  Made lunches for Dave and Princess.  All while trying to keep JD happy and stepping over all of his messes of toys and dishes that he is pulling out of the cabinets.  Oh and picking him up to keep him from crying from time to time.  Then I hear Buddy yelling for me. He is ready to get out of bed at 5:55am.  I made him stay in bed longer (which lasted 1/2 hour).

6:45am the pretzel dough is ready.  I roll it out and make 130 bite size pretzels.  Sprinkle cinnamon-sugar on half (I know.  I kind of broke the rules.) and edible orange glitter on the other half.  Put them in the oven.  Put toaster things in the toaster for Princess and Buddy's breakfast.  Make them get dressed themselves.  Get the pretzels out of the oven.  Put them in containers for easier delivery.

I get the kids out the door to drop Princess and the snack off at Kindergarten.  I forgot my phone for Princess to call so Daddy could wish her "Happy Birthday".  Get the kids out of the car and realize they are dressed for summer (it's only 52 degrees).  OOPS!  Then we get to the school just as the buses get there!  I forgot to time it so that I didn't have dodge 200 5- and 6-year-olds.  AAHH!

Thankfully I came home.  JD went straight to bed and Buddy didn't give me any hassle about taking a shower.  Now I have a kitchen to clean up.  Some birthday shopping to do.  Lasagna and french bread to make for dinner.  Brownies for dessert. I hope I remember to pick her up from school.

So do you see any way that I could simplify my life?  Haha!  By the way, I'm not complaining.  I'm just glad the morning is done and the snack made it to school.

Oh and these soft pretzels are really good and relatively easy.  Kelli, I hope you don't mind me sharing the recipe.

JD 10 months

OH MY! What a busy bee!! I would say a couple days after my post "JD - 9 months", JD became mobile.....very mobile.  He crawls everywhere.  His favorite position is standing (while holding on to something).  He cruises a little now also.  He likes to be anywhere that he is NOT supposed to be.  Haha.  I try surrounding him with toys, and he crawls to the shoes and starts chewing on shoes.  UGH.

Speaking of chewing, he got his 6 front teeth in.  4 on top and 2 on the bottom.  I think he is now working on the other 2 on the bottom.

Recently he started waving and saying "ha" for hi.  He goes around the house yelling "ha da" or "Ab".  He is so loud.  He also says Mama and babbles a lot....loudly.

He loves his brother and sister.  He also loves when we are in a store and people talk to him.  Sometimes he says "ha" to everyone and then gets mad if they ignore them.  It's kind of funny.  But I must say, on the other hand, there is a lot of times where he gets bashful and hides his face....hmmmm.

A Day In the Life....

Today the living room was a mess. So I put Princess' things and Buddy's things in two separate piles to be put away. Buddy put his things right away. Princess left the room to play with other toys. I explained to her that if she didn't put her things away I would put them in a box and she would have to earn them back. She decided she wanted them in a box to see what kind of chores I would give her.

Buddy was talking to Grammy today about Hurricane Irene. She told him it was going to hit the Outer Banks and reminded him that is where we usually go to the beach. Buddy replies, "sometimes we go to the Outer Banks to get money for our hair cuts."