blues clues and lost mittens

I played Blues Clues for 3 hours today. I really think that earns me some vacation time somewhere. Somewhere with sun. Correction, warm sun. It is cold, will be cold for months and I am already done with it. I was never supposed to live in this part of the country.

Back to the Blues Clues, Ben has had a resurgence in interest which of course means that Kiera is in on it. This is not a game you can play passively. You have to sing all of "Blues" songs, make up the clues that lead to, you guessed it, something else clever that you thought up. You need to draw and set up the thinking chair which means moving little furniture around a lot. It is 34degrees and raining. I'm thinking hot chocolate, cozy blanket, oh I don't know...a nap. Nope! Blues Clues. All afternoon. I think that I am actually starting to dislike Steve and Joe. Had to be so cool, now I dream about Blues Clues. You tired of it yet?

We have been doing all sorts of last minute adjusting to this years sudden winter. It just got cold really quickly. I had flowers looking at me sadly while it snowed on them. What this means to me is that I have some winter gear but not all of it and what I do have is undoubtedly going to get my kids stopped by the fashion police. This also means that I suck at getting all of us out the door. For any reason.


There is a lot that goes into getting two monkeys, with not the slightest inclination to help you, dressed. You would think that you just add a bit of time on for every piece of clothing but that implies that what you put on stays on the first time. That does not allow for boots that mysteriously reappear on the floor without a foot in them or mittens that you find tossed down the stairs. Now that is a structural design that will be a deal breaker for our next house. No stairs at the door. I don't care which direction they go, it is never good. The time also does not allow for a boy that can COMPLETELY noodle his body at will. It is physically impossible to dress Ben without breaking a sweat. He doesn't really want to get dressed and he is in no hurry so by the time we do make it out the door (even to play!) I am a puddle. Snow also increases the time it takes to get from the door to the car. Kiera has decided that snow is a delicacy and Ben thinks that trowing snowballs at mama is really funny. Dave. I have also been surprised that it takes us forever to get undressed. They are getting better about taking off hats and coats but add any other clothing or make any of it wet with snow and someone is crying. I don't know why. Someone just always does.


Good news about winter clothes...Santa hats. Supper fun and really cute. They have even decided who's is who's so they don't argue about them. I have been looking at these cute pics every time I have felt short on patience the last few days, which is to say, a lot. Lets go May!

funny stuff!

I wish that I could type as quickly as my kids are funny! We just have the silliest things/situations happen around here, like... I was making waffles for dinner (big favorite around here) and Ben and Kiera were already at the table eating yogurt. The bacon was ready first so I put it on their plates. I turned around to butter the waffles then turned back and Kiera's bacon was gone. I asked her how she ate her bacon so fast and she replied "Skyy (our dog) ate the bacon." so I looked at Ben and he said "Kiera gave Skyy her bacon." So no more bacon for Kiera. I put the buttered waffles on their plates and turned to get the next one out of the waffle maker looked back and her waffle was gone! Kiera looked at me, gasped and said "Skyy ate my waffle, Mama!", "Did you give it to her?" I asked and she said "I doknow?" My dog is very fat and clearly I can't take a hint that Kiera is not hungry! or... Ben walking along and falling bum first into the dog dish. What is the likelihood of that. Out of the whole house he lands in the dog dish? or... Kiera getting out her hiccups bag (play makeup bag) and powering my nose, then her nose then the dogs nose. I don't think that I'll let her powder my nose for a while. or... Kiera walking up to me with a large wicker basket on her head and Ben's slippers on her feet to tell me that the Lego is broken. It is the helicopter piece that has come apart. She said "It's broken, Mama. It goes in your nose." to this I reply "it doesn't go in your nose!" Kiera promptly stuck it into her nostril while giving me a look to which I replied "It may fit in your nose but it doesn't belong there!" Am I really having these conversations? It is like a joke script that you read! Last but certainly not least: We were at dinner last night (for super hubby's b-day) and Ben was scribbling on the place mat. I was really happy about this because he doesn't scribble/color all that much because he is embarrassed about not drawing the way that his brain wants to. We all talk on for a minute and I looked back at his paper. I was amazed at what I saw! I said "Wow! I see all kinds of numbers! I see a 6, a 5 and an 11." He looked at me and said "Mama, 11 take away 5 is 6." 11 -5 That is what was on his paper when I looked closer. __ 6 Holly crap! My son just did subtraction. And wrote numbers. Can I say again- Holly crap!

the list

Last Saturday, as my little family (plus part of my sisters family) was slowly bumping its way out of one of those family food chains where you can get breakfast all day, I caught sight of someone I knew. You would think that living in the same area for essentially my entire life that this happens often, but it doesn't. I almost walked by but then it hit me. This was a friend that I hadn't seen since high school. With Kiera in hand I called out her name and she stopped, also with her little girl, and looking a little tired said "yes?". I was in a strange position of hoping that I didn't have to really explain who I was but quickly her face lit up she said "Shannon?" and then gave me the biggest hug. We did a quick overview admired each others girls then she told me about an email list that our high school class is putting together and "hey give me your email. I'd be happy to pass it on to the group." Since then I have been hit with all kinds of insecurities. That may not be the right word. What do you call it when you wonder if the person that seems so sincere is going to actually follow through. And you want them to. It is not so much that I thought she was just putting up a front but that I haven't seen her in years. Seriously, probably 10 maybe up to 16. Yeah, I'm old. It is hard for me to picture anyone with a busy life (assumption made based on daughter) taking the time. The fun thing is that she was right on it. She sent me a note the next day with updated info and asking about my family. Again the mention of the List. Here we go again, not insecurity as much as wondering how people that I kind-of knew 16 years ago were going to decide if I was to be added to the List. A few days of pondering the new me vs. the old me, or that may be backward since now I am old...Anyway, it is an interesting path to travel. I have lived 5 maybe more very different parts of my life since then. Would anyone who sort of knew me then, know me now? Has everyone else been through as much. Has everyone had those life changing events that make you a richer more mature person? Has everyone else had their edges worn down as I feel that I have? Well not too much time to ponder. I was added to the list and now have the task of figuring out how to use what info is out there. My best friend from junior high found me today. She has a 7 year old with CP and an unstoppable 2 year old. World just keeps getting smaller.

Keeping up

How do we do it. Or rather how do they do it? I am not one of they because that might mean that I somehow keep up. How do you spend quality family time, make it to events, do PT three times a day, fit in something crafty, have 3 meals and 2 snacks, play outside and not have something gross growing in your potty! I can not seem to get to a maintenance place in my home! I know, I know, I'm spending time on the computer but my dish washer is running and laundry is going so time is not completely waisted. And this goes under the heading of mental health, which if you noticed, did not get a space in the daily routine. I'm tired folks.

But..

We did have a great weekend. We were very busy and are still fighting colds, but what we did get to do was really fun. We did the goofy thing of going to see Santa fly into a parking lot in a helicopter. It was great! Kids loved it and the popcorn, doughnuts and petting zoo distracted the kids from wanting to see Santa up close (the line was way to long) so we made it to a friends for lunch. The plan was lunch then a quick stop at a party but at 2pm we had 2 melting children. By melting I mean laying on the floor crying, snot flying everywhere and in Kieras case arms and legs flailing. They simultaneously couldn't play a minute longer and REALLY didn't want to leave. Thank goodness for good friends who have been in our shoes because we were able to scoot our kid-puddles closer to the door, put on coats and boots to the best of our ability and get them out of the house like crying noodles without shedding a tear ourselves. Needless to say the party was out and naps were in.

Yesterday we decided to take advantage of the little bit of snow we had and find a tree to cut down. Also fun! It was strangely warm so we had snow and fog. We found this really nice little place about 20 min. away that is just a person who planted a lot of trees in their back yard of rolling hills and now has a u-cut place. Very nice people who give hot cider and have sleds on hand. Not over priced just a nice little farm house. Ben and Kiera got to ride in the sled and help pick the tree out of the "forest". Very different picking out a tree with a child who can get out of the sled quickly. I just about flipped Ben out when I went to pull a heavy sled and Kiera had jumped ship. So the best/worst part of the whole day was that now Ben knows that he can get out of the sled without help or asking. Thank you Kiera. It was cold enough that they didn't go far and didn't argue about getting back in so all was well and everyone had fun. Now we have a strange looking tree that is in the basement drying off from the ride home in the rain. On to more naps! Thank goodness because I had a headache all day. My fantastic hubby came to the rescue and made dinner and also gave baths! I'm sorry, that made it sound like those are things that he never does. I just mean to say that last night we may have all gone to bed hungry and smelly if it weren't for Super Dave.

On a side note-I just got a view out my window of my neighbor running to the mailbox in one of those "wife-beater" tee shirts and pajama pants. Really didn't need that.

On to the waiting potty...