Garage Sale

So last week I looked down at my desk and realized I might have a problem. 

Apparently I like bold fabric/prints with blues and green.  And I'm not afraid to put them all together.

Saturday the garage sale went really well.  I pulled up at 7:45, we had tons of things lining the driveway by 8.  By 8:10 there was still not a soul in sight.  I was beginning to wonder what I had dragged my self and my friends (and 8 children under 5) into.  But thankfully by fifteen after people started showing up and soon we were slammed.  It slowed down around 10:45 and by 11:30 it was dead so we started packing it up.  Thankfully we got rid of at least half of all the things!  Joby said we could load it up and stick it in their garage and have another one in a few weeks to try and unload the rest.  Whoo hoo!  Made some money and not one thing came back home with me.

Fairly early in the morning.  It has been in the upper 80's for days now, but wouldn't you know the ONE MORNING we wanted to be out it was in the 50's!  Luckily my lazy self hadn't put away the jackets yet.

Someone didn't appreciate the classic joke of trying to sell a baby in a garage sale. 

Sunday afternoon I realized I need to start using the childproof cabinet locks again. 

Put her in the middle of the kitchen floor and then went to the sink to do some washing.  Three seconds later I looked down and she had not only gotten over to the cabinet, but opened it and was pulling things out.  Babies should come with a warning when they learn new tricks.  Especially when they learn them over night. 

Sunday was also Dad's birthday, we went to lunch and back to Mom and Dad's for cake.  Grandmother was there, and she told me that sharing the sewing machine just wasn't working for her, that I needed to pick one out and she would get it for me.  No need to twist my arm!  I spent Monday and Tuesday looking at various models on line before settling on the Brother CS6000i.  I called her Tuesday night to tell her about it and make sure it was okay to order it.  She said of course.  Eek! My very first-brand-new-not-shared-or-handed-down-sewing machine! It should be here by Monday. This is double-extra thrilling because I've got the fabric for Evan's new diaper bag and I can't WAIT to start it.

This morning Luke decided it would be fun to get up extra early and lay around my room while I got ready for work.  Evan decided it would be fun to sleep in.  I finally had to wake her up to nurse her before we could go.  

And finally, I leave you with a throwback Thursday picture. I had my external hard drive out and was flipping through some old pictures of Luke.  My sweet sweet baby boy.

Tweets

I tweet.  A lot.  I've actually come to prefer it over Facebook.  What?!  #whoamI

Anyway, here are some. And these don't even include the millions of picture ones I tweet.

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-After multiple layout days in the same spot getting covered by the same ants (who's bed I can't find), I just realized I can move. #slow

-Look at de hole in dis strawburry. It's like a squirrel hole. Isn't that amazing?! #wheredotheygetthisstuff

-All things the 3 year old has said this morning. Before 6:45. On a day I took PTO.

-Mommy, why don't you just get up before de awarm. I don't wike dat fing. It's too woud.

-Mommy, the Santa Fe train doesn't go wif the coal car. The coal car goes wif the steam engine. Don't do that.

-Mommy, sumfings going on wif me. I fink I need to eat or my tummy will hurt.

-Holy craft balls. This is taking days longer than I thought. DAYS. http://instagr.am/p/JljSd3g7I0/

-Passed a 70's Winnebego on my way to work that had been made into a traveling pet photography booth. I've seen it all.

-When I am not eating I see people talk about eating clean and it sounds not so bad. Then I open my desk drawer & get wooed by coconut M&Ms.

-I tried to 'exercise' this morning (aka jog in place while the shower heats up), & my boob sprung a leak so I didn't. I'll skip extra cake.

-So I can't check twitter while E plays in the tub anymore. I'm sitting on the side & facing her, but I look up and she's STANDING BESIDE me.

-Luke is shouting at me from his dark room "Go to bed!" Not gonna, just because he wants me to. I'm rebelling against a 3 year old.

-OMG. The "why" phase is in full swing. Send help. Send help with answers.

-I give in. How can I be irritated with them when they love each other so much. My babies. http://instagr.am/p/JZvQVPA7KH/

-Just saw a pin on pinterest about "foods that melt away flab" The iced brownie I had for breakfast wasn't on there. Boo.

-The Thong Song just came on the radio. Hello summer of 99. What a classy song. #bringingbackhighschool

-Would anyone judge me if I said I really just wanna be a trophy wife? Is that allowed?

-Luke wouldn't eat sauce on his spaghetti. I made him suck a tube of Evan's spinach mango pear baby food instead. Winning?

PTO and a random picture dump

Yesterday Cindy needed to get out of town so I just took the day off of work and stayed home.  It. Was. Lovely.  It made me miss being a SAHM so much.  First Luke and I had a nice breakfast, then I dropped him off at school (which I haven't done since walking him in on the first day!) and then Evan and I went to Target. 

Yes, I bought her some sunglasses.  As if she couldn't get any cuter, I added that little accessory.  After Target we went home for her nap while I added to my garage sale pile (I'm having one tomorrow).  Then it was off to pick up Brother and we headed to the park with Shae and Taylor. 

Evan and Vera decided to buddy up.  Evan thought the swing was the BEST. THING. EVER. And Vera laughed at Evan's insane cackling.  Oh babies.  Finally it was back home for another nap and a quiet evening at home. 

I can't remember what else really happened over the last week, but luckily I've got some pictures on my phone to remind me.  Sunday night at the Raymond's for Life Group Luke decided to join the adults visiting in the kitchen.

By making a bed in the middle of the walk way.  Oh yes, he laid there for a good 5 minutes too. 

One morning he was in QUITE the mood and refused to put on a shirt before heading to Cindy's.
  

He was determined to be grumpy.  But by the time we got there is was asking nicely to "peas wet me put on my shirt before we go inside." I think he finally felt a little self conscious.  Thankfully that isn't his normal face or mood.

That's more like it.

And not to leave the girly girl out, Evan got some styling new red skinny jeans thanks to a Nana who finds Old Navy sales. 

Gah.  Perfection.

What isn't perfection?

Why? Why little girl? Why must you make a mess while I'm being nice and fixing your dinner?

Post Easter weekend

Well, we've made it to the present.  I did forget to mention that Saturday night I was not about to cook, so I loaded the kids up and we headed to Fuzzy's Taco's for dinner.  We had a fourth member of our party.  Luke's plastic electric guitar that's long run out of batteries (praise Jesus) (when it was dying it was even worse).  First when he wanted to bring it in the car I thought, no big deal, by the time we get there he'll be over it and it will stay in the car.

Wrong.  He insisted on bringing it in.  I said "I think it might be happier in the car.  It doesn't like to get dirty.  I think it might safer out here."  To which he said "I think I'm just gonna take it wif me."

Who can argue with that logic?  Well, most people could, but I was hungry and this didn't feel like a battle I wanted to fight at the moment.  Two kids alone is trouble enough, having one melt down in the middle of a parking lot is exhausting.  So.......

Yeah.  That would be Luke giving a concert complete with made up words on the patio of Fuzzy's  The embarrassment was totally worth not having to deal with the confrontation. 

Also I forgot to mention that I bought Evan a swimsuit on sale at Target.  A size 12 month swimsuit.

Excuse the blurry face, she's not so still anymore.

That sucker is vacuumed on.  I don't think she'll be able to wear it.  Which is so sad, because how cute is that belly?!  I love the floral print.  Yesterday I ran to Old Navy and found another little tankini for her.  In a size 2T.  I weighed her last night and she's 22 lbs.  Remember that one time that she's only 10 months?  Esh.  It's the reason her legs look like this, even when she's sleeping belly down.

I. Love. Her.

Monday night I unfortunately had to run to Walmart at 7:30 in the evening.  This is normally the time I start baths/bed time routines, but if the childrens wanted breakfast, to the store we had to go.  Lucky for me, Luke always wants to ride inside the basket. 

Unlucky for him, his sister has learned the joys of pestering.

She has this thing where she reaches around behind her (sometimes looking, sometimes not), gropes for his head, then bats/scratches/pulls his hair.  It's kinda hysterical to watch.  He gets so mad at her and shouts Evan! Stop that! 

At first I didn't think she was doing it on purpose.  I mean, the girl is 10 months old.  But after a few minutes, a few re directions, and several strolls where I had to walk with my arm around her to keep hers to herself, I realized she wasn't.  She was TOTALLY doing it on purpose. 

How?  How does she know how to irritate him already?  Do you see how fast his arms and head were moving to try and swat her away?  Heaven help me. I do believe life is going to get even more interesting very quickly.  Even as we were checking out and I was trying to get one last picture of my precious baby girl being sooooo innocent.....

she starts in on him again.  Without even looking.

Last night Shae and the boy's came over for dinner.  I grilled us some turkey burgers and the boys played and played.  It is so funny how Luke and Dakota fight like brothers.  Is that normal?  Tonight is church, and I have to tell you, the book I'm leading a study on is kinda beating me down.  I chose Bringing Up Boys.  We are half way through it and apparently I'm doing everything wrong.  Working outside the home.  Single mom.  Living life at a fast pace.   Maybe tonight I can convince the girls to drop the book.  Yes?  That kinda goes against everything I stand for though.  I can't stand flakiness and will hold my commitments even if it's painful.  We'll see what happens tonight.  At least I set the location at Starbucks, so I'll get a cup of coffee out of the ordeal.

Easter Weekend

I was so glad to have off on Friday.  It was a beeeee-utiful day.  So what did we do?  Piled into the car and headed down the the arboretum.  Grandy was in town, we asked Grandmother to go, Ashley was off of work, so Mom and Dad got full use out of the 7 passenger Pilot.  It was the perfect weather.  SOMEONE was a giant grump all the way there, but once we got out in the sunshine she perked right up.

The under 29 crowd.

We enjoyed a picnic lunch on one of the greens.  Luke love love loves to eat outside.  PLUS he got a treat after his sandwich.  He got to choose between a Hostess cupcake and a Rice Crispy treat.  He chose the cupcake.  Before I relinquished the sugar, I teased him by telling him that I wanted that one.  His response?  "Oh.  I think you want the wice cwispy tweet instead."

All of the gardens were so beautiful.  I just love that place.  A perfect marriage of beautiful nature, yet neatness that this type-A girl really relaxes to.  I tweeted that I was pretty sure this is what heaven will look like when I go home.  Lindsay told me "Wrong. There will be more Pepsi and chocolate and kettle cooked potato chips."  Can you tell she's a tad pregnant?  ;)

Saturday morning was a pancake breakfast at church.  There were games, crafts, an egg hunt, and...

the Easter bunny.  I don't think Evan quiet knew was to do about the Easter bunny.

She did know what to do about the eggs that Luke found after the hunt.  And I don't think he was too thrilled with it. 

Two pictures after this one she full out tackled him to the ground to get his basket.

Bubs and his two friends, Dakota and Zane. They were missing Jadyn, who had to stay home with a cough.  They missed their friend!

Finally we got to Easter morning.  Luke DID. NOT. want to put on his Easter outfit.  He brought a navy gingham oxford and a pair of olive plaid shorts to me and declared that his outfit for the day.  Needless to say, it didn't go over well when I told him sorry charlie.  There was a matching blue striped newsboys hat to go with the vest, but he wouldn't wear it.  Even when I told him it was kinda like a train conductor's hat.  He wasn't fooled.  I believe his exact words were I AM NOT GONNA WEAR DAT HAT! as he chunked it hand over head into Evan's room. 

Flash or no flash? Whatdaya think?

*sniff sniff*

Good news.  That's the end of my Easter barrage of photos.  After church we went over to Mom and Dad's for lunch, let Luke "hunt" eggs one more time in the living room since it was raining, then went home for a nap.  That night we went ahead and had small groups, everyone was in town so we figured we might as well have. 

Before Easter Weekend

'ello.  I didn't think I had that much to catch up on, but then I realized that I've got two weeks worth of photos on my phone that I haven't posted, so I figured I'd break one post into, you know, three.  So this one got titled before Easter. 

Over the last two weeks we've just been truckin through life.  Last week a giant storm swept through the area that caused 14 tornadoes in the area.  Thankfully it missed all of my loved ones, but it left some serious damage in surrounding towns.  I was at work, the kids were with Cindy, and it was not fun not being together.  It was interesting watching the storm roll by through the glass wall of our ninth floor office though!

What it didn't impede was my creative bug.  My goal is to have the kids paint a Christmas ornament each year, and I started in 2010 with Luke (Evan won't start for another year or two).  I had the ornament early and everything, but I just never. got. around. to letting him paint.  Yes, I'm aware that it's April.  Of the next year.  But he finally has a 2011 one.

And for the girl I whipped up a little clippie.  Now that her hair is getting longer, I think this is so stinking cute.  I'm having a hard time not making one in every single color.  No one ever said I under do things.  :)

That hair that's getting longer is also getting curl to it.  In the picture above I've combed it down, but if I don't.....

How awesome is that.  I can't wait to see what it looks in a few months! She's been waking up crying in the middle of the night lately.  It's kinda exhausting.  I don't want to go in there because the minute I do she won't let me leave her alone until she nurses, even though I know she isn't really hungry.  But letting her wail is just painful.  You know what else is painful?

That's really what you want to roll out of bed and realize has been happening.  At least one of us got good rest.

Tomorrow- Easter weekend!

Ten Months

Evan.  I command you to stop growing.

For. Real.

I woke up this morning and realized that in exactly two months you will be one.  ONE.   And that's just not possible.  Didn't together we just learn the ropes of nursing last week?

Girlfriend, your little personality has really started to show up this month.  And I thought your brother was spunky.  When something happens in your vicinity that you don't like, you aren't afraid to shoot the perpatrator a dirty look.  If someone (including me) invades your personal space, the little arms come a swingin' until you've batted the offending face away.  But you still shriek and smile and babble and are pure lovliness.

What else have you picked up this month?  Only how to be mobile.  You don't crawl just yet, but you get up on your hands and knees and rock back and forth until you flop down on your belly.  Then ya just push yourself backwards or roll around until you get where (or what) you wanted. You're really trying to pull yourself up, but as you can see from the picture, there is a lot to pull up so your little arms aren't quite strong enough for you to make it all the way up.  You wave, clap, and give kisses with the best of them.  You will sit and watch your brother's shenannagins all the live long day.

And when that brother turns his attention towards you?  Heaven. It's a good thing he loves to lavish it on you.  You are the first thing he asks about in the morning and relishes his "special job that God gave him" of being the big brother- making sure you are okay when Mom isn't around.  It's been told to me that when you fuss in other people's car he will speak loving and gentle words to comfort you. "It's okay Evan.  Mom will be back soon.  It's okay.  You're a sweet girl."  Does this Momma some good.

Evie girl, you can eat with the best of them.  Sometimes you even out-eat Luke.  You will eat just about anything put in front of you: fruit, veggies, bread, pasta.  I need to start you on meats, I've just not been in any rush.  The only- and I mean ONLY- thing I've ever seen you turn down was steamed broccoli.  We were at a restaurant for lunch after church last week and I accidentally got only broccoli as a side.  Being a selfish sneaky mom, I thought I could unload some of them on to your plate.  You took one bite, scowled, and scraped that broccoli off your tongue as fast as you could.  It was the funniest thing!  All that food has kept your poundage up.  I'm guessing you are at least 21 lbs now.  You wear size 12 month clothes, size 3 diaper, and still nurse about 5 times a day.  That number will be going down soon though.  I started you on milk in a cup yesterday, and you loved it.  This is a good thing, I am not able to pump as much in the afternoons as I used to, so the milk will be a good afternoon snack.  With everything else you eat.

Baby girl, I love you.  I'm trying to be better about stopping at night to sit with you, rock you while you nurse, and just freeze it all in my head.  This has gone by way to fast, and I know that next time I look up you will be too big to sit with me.  I can't wait to see who you become, but the rate at which it's happening is alarming.  Hurts my momma heart, but such is the bitter sweetness of raising children.  I love you, my girl.  All the live long day.

At the grocery store.  I still enjoy wearing you.  All 20+ pounds of you.