Meal Planning

I've always been a fan of meal planning, but never wanted to take the time to develop a plan to do it. As organized as I am, it completely intimidated me. I tried "winging it" a few times and never got past the 2 week mark. I am proud to announce that I have been successfully pre-planning our meals 1-2 weeks in advance for over 2 months!! I haven't mastered the whole tying-it-into-our-budget thing, but it's been a LONG time since I've looked at the clock at 5:00 thinking, "Oh man, what should I make tonight?" I feel much more organized and I haven't made a last minute trip to the store for 1-2 items in a quite a while. And I've been throwing away much less rotten veggies that I didn't use in time. So essencially, I'm saving money, right?

I figured it out as I went, but I just found a great post on another mom's blog with the basic how-to's of Meal Planning 101. The post also has a few links to other meal planning tips. Check it out!

And the post I just wrote about Money Saving Mom, she has $35 and $40 meals (for a week) on her blog. Hopefully that will help me tie my meal planning into the budget a little better. (and I just discovered that she's from KC too...cyber high fives for KC!!!)

Random things and 200th post

I just realized that I blew it...but only once. I've mentioned my numbers fetish; well, on Wednesday I looked down and my car was 99,996 miles old. I completely forgot yesterday to keep an eye on it to relish in the 100,000 mile mark. (*sigh*) But this is my 200th post, so I can celebrate that! WOO HOO! (man I'm a dork, huh?)

I have nothing scheduled today until 4:00 and no errands to run, so I had planned to clean the house and maybe start painting the baseboards in the front room. Unfortunately, I'm suddenly exhausted and have zero energy. So instead, I'm on the computer doing nothing of value while Ryan watches tv and Kaylin colors on my lap.

While peeking around blog land, I found two great blogs that I'm very excited to read: Money Saving Mom and Biblical Womanhood. They each have great tips on saving money, stretching your pennies and living on a budget. Plus links to deals and freebies. I added each to my "Links I Like" section on the right side of the screen, so they'll be there for everyone's future reference. I also found a Christian mom with great ideas (one of the above blogs was a link from her site) who happens to be from KC. I'm feeling bonded to complete strangers that I will never meet...is that unhealthy???

Anyway, Kaylin was sitting on my lap a few minutes ago after I had talked her into putting her blanket back in her crib. (she only gets it during naps and bedtime and snuck it out through the crib slats while I was pre-occupied) She was sitting here coloring and said, "Bah-dat? Fisses? Huh?" (translated, "Can I give my blanket kisses and hugs?") I reminded her that she already did and that we only get it when we go night-night. Within a few minutes, she started yawning. I asked if she was tired and she said, "No, bah-dat." But she kept yawning. Which made me yawn. Which made her yawn. It took a few minutes, but I finally figured out that she wasn't yawning at all. She was opening her mouth really wide and exhaling a slow, deep breath, just like during a yawn. It sounded just like a yawn! The little stinker. I was looking at the clock thinking, "She usually doesn't go down for a nap for over 2 hours...what's going on???" She's not tired at all...she's manipulating me! Nice.

Another cute Kaylin-ism: I just got up to go to the bathroom and grabbed a tampon from the diaper bag and Kaylin gasped and shouted in excitement, "CANDY!"

Cute Ryan-ism: He's currently wearing Daddy's tie and watching Curious George. It's an episode where they go to space and his new thing is to count down like they do on the show. But instead of counting down and saying, "Ignition!" he says, "5-4-3-2-1...ADMISSION!"

He's also had a dry bed 4 days in a row now. We (Mike) still wakes him up at least once to take him to the bathroom, but the good news is: he's holding it!!! Way to go buddy!!!

Okay, those are my only random things for now. I'm glad it's the weekend because I need a break. And a nap, apparently! I stayed up too late last night reading Grace Based Parenting by Tim Kimmel. Loving it so far. Thanks for the loan, JW!

Paying it forward

Earlier this year, my sweet friend Reiko took my kids (and 5 unwashed loads of laundry) from me at 9am on day 5 of a horrible, nasty illness. At 5:30pm, she returned with not only my worn-out kids, but clean, folded laundry and a hot dinner for my family. I am still feeling the affects of her kindness that day.

Then a few weeks ago, another friend, Cathy (with 4 kids of her own) offered to take my kids for a day so I could catch up on work. What I learned from her, was that my kids at her house was actually easier for her than my kids NOT at her house. Her 6 year old was at kindergarten, her 4 year old son played with Ryan, her 2 year old daughter played with Kaylin, and her 8 month old baby just hung out and watched all the action. That was a huge eye-opener for me.

I'm forgetting that now that my kids are getting older, having more kids around isn't more work, it's often less. I've been looking for opportunities to "pay it forward" with my friends' generosity. And today I got the chance.

Lisa recently had her 3rd baby and her oldest just turned 3, so she's a pretty tired mama. Instead of offering to bring her a meal, I offered to run to the grocery store for her, bring her a latte or take the kids if she needed a nap. To be honest, I was a little scared about the last one, but I put it out there anyway. And she even took me up on it!

So today was the day. It turned out to be much less work than I thought, because another friend offered to keep the baby for her. So I just had her 1.5 and 3 year old kids. It wasn't bad. AT ALL. I even called Lisa at 12:30 to ask if she wanted to come pick them up at 4:00 instead of 1:00 because things were going so well. The biggest issue was naptime. I mistakenly put the 3 year old in Ryan's room with him and told them to stay in bed and not talk. Ha! The good news is that I was able to grab a shower and dry my hair before taking Ryan out of the room and putting him in my bed to nap.

Now here I am in a quiet house with 4 kids...all asleep. This is further encouragement for me to have more kids. I can do this! While they were playing this morning, I unloaded and reloaded the dishwasher, did laundry, made my mom's birthday cake for tonight, made the salad dressing for dinner, prepared the salmon and potatoes to go on the grill and even frosted the cake, so everything is truly ready to go. It was so much easier to get that stuff done with 2 friends over to play with my kids who kept them occupied; they didn't even care whether I was around or not. I should add that things were probably so "easy" today because these sweet kids are pretty well behaved and have similar structure and guidelines in their house. They all sat still at the picnic table during lunch, they did a good job playing together and taking turns, I didn't have to break up any fights or kiss any blows to the head with a large toy boo-boos...this was a great experience.

I think God allowed me to have a good first experience with this so I would make myself available to do it again. Sure, we had some poopy pants and and a fall-off-the-picnic-table accident (okay, so I had to kiss that boo-boo) but at the end of the day, it was really fairly easy. So woo hoo for me - I handled 4 kids all day! And I was able to "pay it forward" for a couple of amazing favors given to me. Man, it feels good to give...

Simplifying my life

Last night while blog-surfing, I ran across a blog for a website called Simplify 101. I realize I just posted about this topic, but I really have to share how excited I am about this gal's tips!!! I actually signed up for her newsletter and here was the first email that I got. I read through these items with a few key people in mind (I'm not naming any names...I don't want to offend anyone who's already overwhelmed, but you'll know who you are when you read the list) Seriously, I'm already giddy with anticipation of newletters to come...

simplify your schedule - Before signing up for another activity or starting a new hobby, decide what you will give up in its place. What did you use to do during that time slot? Will the old activities be eliminated or moved to another time? To keep your schedule simple, think twice before adding anything new.

simplify shopping - Avoid last minute trips to the store by keeping extras of regularly used items on hand. If you'd run to the store when it runs out, keep an extra!

simplify cleaning - Completely de-clutter prior to starting the cleaning process. You'll be amazed at how much faster it goes when you focus on just one activity at a time!

simplify your to-do list - Establish a "do-it-now" mindset. If a task takes less than 2 minutes to do and you're in the right place to do it -- do it now! It often makes more sense to do something the first time you think of it instead of adding it to your to-do list (or worse yet, your overloaded memory bank!)

simplify your surroundings - Eliminate clutter. Clear out your closets, dressers, pantry, and cabinets. If you don't use it, love it, or need it - lose it!

simplify task completion - Focus on one task at a time instead of multi-tasking. Do it until it is complete and then move on. What is more valuable, five in-process tasks, or one finished one?

simplify filing - Does your fear of forgetting to do something prevent you from filing papers? To conquer this fear, when you file a piece of paper, record any associated action items on your to-do list. Include on the list a note to remind you where you filed the paper.

simplify your desk - Clear it of unnecessary papers and knick-knacks! If you don't use it or enjoy it daily, put it in a drawer or on a bookshelf.

simplify your planning - Make a list of tasks required to complete any project you're working on. Focus on and complete one task at a time. If the project is repetitive, like menu planning, keep the plan and use it as a template next time.

simplify your work day - Reduce interruptions and stay focused on the task at hand. Turn off your email and phone, and if possible close your door. Set aside routine times to read and respond to emails, phone calls and visitors. Be sure to let your co-workers know your schedule.

simplify your life - Make sure you are clear about what matters most to you. If you've never done so before, write down your values, goals and dreams. Write down everything you'd like to do or have. Let your imagination go wild. Come up with five, ten, even 100 goals. Then take a step back and compare your list to your current life. When you simplify and organize your life, what will you do with the extra time and space? What's standing in your way to make this list a reality? Is it time? Is it clutter? Is it not knowing where to start?

start today - Take action today! Did you know it takes at least 21 days to change an old habit or create a new one? Pick just one idea from the list above and get started today! Once that item is complete or has become a habit, come back to your folder or visit simplify 101 for more ideas.

While peeking through the blog, I found a link to one of my favorite books. In fact, it's the only book in my craft room that's on display. Is it the only book in my house on display? Oh, no - I have a cookbook out in my kitchen. That I don't even use. I just like the pictures! Anyway, the reason she has a link to the book is because she's the co-author. I thought her picture looked familiar. I just found it ironic that I found a blog for a person I'm familiar with. And I found her through someone's comments, no less! The link to her sight is now listed under my "Inspirational Links" on the right side of my page. I just love being inspired to organize. (*sigh!*)

My clumsy baby girl

In the last few days, Kaylin has fallen face-first not once, not twice...but SIX times. (I won't go through the drama of counting that high.) On her forehead. Face first. I'm not sure why her balance is SO off, but her forehead is a rainbow of colors from purple to red to yellow-healing-bruises. Does this picture even show how bad it is? The yellow discoloration on the left isn't the lighting...it's the older bruises. And each time, we put frozen peas on the injury to avoid swelling, but to no avail.

Then today, I was confronted. At the gym, the gal apparently asked Kaylin what happened to her forehead (trying to figure out if it happened there) and her response was shocking:"Mommy and Daddy...owwwww." ?!?!?!?!? This lady works there every day and knows me well enough...I think. Either that, or CPS has been called and we need to start assembling witnesses that know how much we love our children and who can testify that we would never beat them. On the forehead. Repeatedly. (BTW: Don't abusive people hit where the bruises will be hidden? Or is that just a Hollywood thing?)

I've actually thought about that before...with Kaylin, it's her forehead, with Ryan, it's his chins. That kid has bruises up and down his legs constantly. Once shorts-weather hit, I was reminded of that. I bruise easily, too. I'll often look down at my leg or knee and wonder, "When did I get that bruise? I don't even remember running into anything...?"

On another note, Kaylin has started making the most hilarious (and slightly disturbing) face lately when she gets frustrated. This afternoon we were baking muffins and she kept asking me for her water. I didn't hand it to her right away because my hands were all egg-y and she made this face...

Actually, it was even more frustrated-looking, with a red face and veins popping out everywhere and, of course, the clenched fists. This picture was staged. I asked her to do it again after I grabbed the camera. Before I took out the red-eye, the picture was a quite frightening! My little angel looking like a little devil. Looking at it now, it looks like she's a bully about to take my lunch money. Or my muffins...

Baskets, Containers and Bins, oh my!

The Organizing Junkie blog lady is having a Basket Carnival on her blog. I didn't realize HOW many baskets I have scattered around my house until I read her post! You know you're a little neurotic when people (yes, that's plural) tell you that your pantry looks like a grocery store or your cousin calls everyone in the family over during the Easter dinner preparations to look inside your hall closet.

So here we go...first, my bedroom closet. I found these baskets on sale at Joann's a few months ago and decided to "dress up" my closet. I figured I could be efficient and relocate my bras, sports bras, underwear and socks to these baskets on the unused shelf between the top and bottom clothes racks. Because seriously, there's not really enough room there to put anything useful! So it collected clutter and lots of dust bunnies. No more! This picture is dark and hard to see, but here are the 4 baskets that separate each item:

I also have baskets in my pantry. Only a handful, holding odds and ends like "grab-on-the-go" snacks, baking stuff, nuts and raisins and other random snacks.

And this is my hall closet. On the left are our coats and a hanging shoe rack with rarely-worn shoes stuffed inside, then there's the used shoe shelves on the ground, with a big crate for the kids to toss their shoes so the pairs stay together and don't get lost. On the right side of the closet are shelves with bins holding batteries, outside play stuff, sunscreen, stuff like that. The bins on the top hold all of the stray cords and cables, light bulbs, sewing stuff, party decorations, and other household items that you need occasionally, but never know where they are. About a year ago, I got sick of not knowing where the extension cords or extra mouse pads were, so I waited for the storage bins to go on sale, stocked up, grouped all of the items by logical category, labeled everything and within an afternoon, this closet was flawlessly organized.

I also have baskets under each coffee table in our family room. One holds stray toys (makes picking up a breeze) and the other has diapers and wipes (so I don't have to bring Kaylin up and down the stairs throughout the day).

And last, I have this wonderful item that I bought while I was pregnant with Ryan. The baskets above the changing table have been a lifesaver. One has Tylenol, a thermometer, the syringe and like items, another has bath stuff (when I bathed the kids at the kitchen sink, it was so easy to grab and had everything I needed, minus a towel), and the other basket currently has headbands and bows that aren't on the ribbons hanging from the pegs. I'm not sure what I had in there when it was Ryan's. -?- Anyway, this was probably my first basket-type organizational purchase years ago and it got me hooked on containerizing.

Another successful night

Welp, we've officially had a second night of dry pants and no accidents. This time, we enticed Ryan with a camp out in his room with Daddy in an air tent. Tonight was supposed to be the night, but when it was time to leave our friends' house (where we'd been since 3:00 playing volleyball and eating BBQ), Mike was enjoying some guy time in front of a Wii golf game. Uh huh...he didn't budge when I said it was time to leave. The party is in the neighborhood, so he assured me he'd get a ride home. At first Ryan was disappointed, then he decided he would camp out by himself and was suddenly revived and bouncing off the walls again.

I figured out how to set up the "air tent" by myself and he was just as excited to be in it alone. He's getting a mini tent for his birthday next month (and he has plenty of space in his room to pitch the thing) so soon he'll have a real pop-up to pretend to camp in. Does this look like a kid who's missing his Daddy? I asked him if he wanted some stories and a flashlight, but he declined. I think he's actually tired enough to go right to sleep.

Bribery is the proper motivation

It seems bribery is the ticket, for my eldest child at least. Due to several instances where I'd finish the tuck-in process at bedime and encourage Ryan to wake up with a dry Pull Up, only to be told, "It won't be tonight because I already peed in this one," (!?!?!?!?!?!?!?) I began requiring him to wear underwear until the last possible second at bedtime. Teeth brushed, story read, one final potty break, prayers complete, lights out, okay, NOW you can put on your Pull Up.

Tuesday night after prayers, Ryan joked that he was going to sleep in his underwear. I totally went with it, encouraging him and reminding him about my Chuck E Cheese bribe, even setting a date to it. Lucky for me, I've had plans to take the kids to a similar pizza 'n' suck-you-dry-of-money gaming place for a few weeks now. It was scheduled for this morning. There was even the added excitement of a tour of the kitchen and "create your own personal pizza." So I figured he had 3 nights to succeed.

Tuesday, he did well most of the night, was dry when we went to bring him to the bathroom at 2am, then woke up wet. But the next night, he woke up dry! We definitely helped by taking him potty a couple of times in the middle of the night, but I wanted him to feel the thrill of success so he'd be motivated to continue.

So today was the big day. Unfortunately, he went to bed really late last night because we had friends over and he was playing with a little 5 year old girl all night. He woke up happy, was pleasant for a while, then he started his gradual decent into a bad attitude. First it was, "I don't want to make a pizza - I want to play games," then it was "Kaylin, this is MY game" (shoving her out of the way with both hands...that landed him in a meltdown-tantrum-filled time out) then it was "I need more tokens...NOW." Why do I let him stay up past his bedtime again? The extra hour of play is not worth power struggles all morning the following day. I'll learn my lesson sooner or later.

Here are the kids "creating" (aka "putting 4 slices of pepperoni on") their pizzas...

As I was taking a picture of the kids, a friend and loyal reader offered to take this one of the three of us so I could blog about it. Thanks, Erin!!!

Today is a wonderful, dreary, rainy day. Wonderful, that is, if you didn't just get your car washed. 72 hours ago and the raincheck is good for 24 hours. Seriously, we get 8 inches of rain per year, 85% of our days are filled with sunshine, and it has to rain right after one of my severely infrequent car washes??? Where's the Chinese government when you need them? I could have used a little weather alteration this morning, people! Anyway, I plan to enjoy the rest of the dreary day by baking. But first, while the kids are asleep, I shall veg for a bit...hopefully drifting off to a state of unconsciousness if I'm lucky.

Shopping on a date night

My mom called late yesterday to offer to babysit if we wanted to go out on a last minute date. Uh - YEAH! Anytime, anyplace...you don't need to threaten me with freedom and adult conversation! Mike and I wanted to check out the new theatre by our house, but after eating a quick dinner, times and titles weren't interesting. So we perused the new shops.

Backing up, as I was getting dressed for the evening, I came across a cute shirt that I bought before we had Ryan. It didn't at the time, but since I've "shrunken" a size or two since nursing (sorry, male readers), I don't fill out the top like I used to. Which I love, by the way. Big boobs were never my thing...had 'em all my life, hated 'em all my life. I love the size I am now. So, the shirt...I put it on and it seems too big in the chest, showing a little cleavage. I'm pretty conservative and cleavage isn't usually my thing (I'm not into attracting the attention of other men to my body; I feel it dishonors Mike), but I figured we'd be eating in a low-traffic restaurant and sitting in a dark theatre, so my husband would be the only one to really get a peep show. But as the night went on, the shirt felt larger and larger and skin wasn't the only thing visible...my bra was totally showing. And not just my bra strap; that I could have handled. Seriously, I looked so trashy.

Getting back on track: no good movies. I begged Mike to window shop with me since I was feeling the serious need to have a few new shirts that fit. We didn't have anything better to do and we certainly weren't going home at 6:50, so he agreed. He actually went into two stores with me and helped me pick out tops. As I tried things on, he was even handing me shirts over the door of the dressing room! This was totally a first for him. I'm always grateful to have a second opinion when shopping since I've become a little boring as a mom. Once I bought the clothes at store 2, he looked a little sick and said, "I'm officially not having fun on our 'date' anymore." Got it - we're done shopping. I figured out that he had more of a problem with spending money on the clothes than anything else. You know, bad economy, the market's taken a hit the last couple days, blah, blah, blah. Good thing I never shop, because I had some money stocked up in my clothing budget.

We finished the date wandering around a sporting goods store for over an hour. That revived him, especially since we didn't buy any of the big ticket items. I did walk away with some gym shorts that were on clearance, though. :)

Before turning in for the night, we watched the finale of American Idol. HALLA!!! David Cook won! I was quite surprised, actually. He had me at "Hello," (yes, I just said that...I haven't liked a song that much since Blake Lewis did this song last year) but it didn't hurt that he's a fellow KC kid. Thank GOODNESS for YouTube, because our DVR cut off the last 5 minutes of the show. His name was announced, he was in the process of getting all emotional about the win, and the show stopped! I immediately ran to the computer to Google the show to see if I could find the last few minutes and phew...someone had already uploaded it for me. Thanks, cyber friend!

Random thoughts

It's been a while since I've shared completely random thoughts from my A.D.D. brain, so here goes:

- WHAT IS UP with record breaking, 110 degree temps yesterday? Even the breeze felt hot like a sauna. Thank goodness for our big hole-in-the-ground-with-water. We spent over an hour swimming yesterday afternoon to keep cool. Look at my cute kids...Ryan didn't want Kaylin to get in because he thought her new "swim soup" (as she calls it) was a dress. I thought she looked like a teeny ballerina!

- Last night, I went to my friend Reiko's house to pray over her amazing daughter. She's going to China for 6 weeks with Campus Crusade for Christ. She had several ladies from the church over to pray for her safety, considering China is a communist country where it is illegal to share the gospel. Also, she won't have a cell phone or any other way to communicate with her family. I definitely wasn't that bold or that brave at 20! Reiko did a similar prayer meeting before Jessica left for college, which I had to miss because I was in labor with Kaylin. She's such a great example of what I want to be as a mother...if my kids turn out to be half as incredible as hers, I'll consider myself blessed!

- While talking about China, Jessica mentioned that the Chinese government is planning to change the weather for the Olympics. Because it's monsoon season, they plan to put nitric acid (or something - ???) in the clouds to reduce the chances of rain. Seriously? Is that what this world is coming to? Of course, communist countries are that used to controlling everything, so I guess we shouldn't be surprised.

- Does anyone else LOVE having a clean car? Oh man, I got my car washed today and it needed it badly. The gum wrappers, stray Cheerios and all of the other junk sprinkled all over the place...gone in a matter of minutes. I love having a clean car. It's like taking a shower after camping for me. That feeling of filth-turned-squeaky clean. It just puts me in an instant good mood! BTW: Danny's has "Ladies Day" on Tuesdays ($2 off) if you live in Phoenix.

(This just in - Ryan just emerged from his room to tell me good night...again...but this time he had his underwear on his head and his face peeking through one of the leg holes. Eew!!! I couldn't help but take a picture before insisting that he remove it. Is that wrong?)

- A few updates from my "week in my life" post -

1. Roger is still gone. I think he's gone for good this time. Kaylin still thinks he's sleeping...

2. I got so many comments suggesting that I was pregnant based on my experiences that week (aside from many other signs including sudden weight gain, sleepy-ness, hot flashes and cravings) that I went ahead and took a pregnancy test this weekend. I didn't even tell Mike. But it was negative, so I have no idea what was going on with me. It is still likely hormonal, I'm sure, with all of those symptoms.

3. That Mommy Dearest experience was such a low point for me - I think it changed me permanently. I never want to be in that place again, mentally or emotionally. I can be angry, frustrated, even lose it occasionally, but I never want to be in that pit again. Things came out of my mouth that I pray will be erased from Ryan's memory. The guilt I felt, and still feel, is haunting. (don't go trying to figure out what I said...I didn't say anything like I wish I had never had kids or swear or anything, but it was something I never thought would come out of my mouth)

- I had my "Mother's Day Off" on Sunday. It was fabulous...I scrapbooked all day long. Mike made french toast for breakfast (I didn't even hint about it!) and tried to bring it to me in bed, but by the time it was ready, it was 8:30 and I was well out of bed by then. I got up when I heard the sounds of cereal plinking into a bowl and I figured breakfast was out of the question. Little did I know he was trying to hold the kids off while he cooked. What a sweet man I married.

Time Outs all around!

In the last few weeks, Kaylin has gotten into a purposeful testing phase. She makes it so obvious, with a "what are you gonna do about it?" look. I'll ask her to "come here" and she'll stand statue-still, smiling at me playfully. It was cute at first, but now she does it any time she's asked to do anything. Not as cute. So, I give her a few seconds to comply (giving her the stare-down, usually with raised eyebrows) and she'll often give in, running toward me as fast as she can, giggling. But when she doesn't, I've been teaching her to obey with time outs.

Ryan thinks this is fascinating. Not laughable, but "it's about time someone else gets in trouble around here" kind of funny. So much so that instead of coming to me with a dispute, he'll try to put her in time out. So now we have the new problem of "it's our job to discipline your sister." When the timer goes off, he even asks her why she was in a time out before we can get the words out of our mouths. Again buddy, not your job.

I noticed yesterday that Kaylin has started in, too, saying, "ime-out, Rya. OO (two) minute!" pointing him in the direction of his time out chair. Or when he's whining and upset about something, she'll yell, "PAY WOOM!" because that's where the kids go when they're having a fit and need to cool off. The play room. Ahhh, I love that rule! They often disagree with decisions we make and I want them to be comfortable expressing their emotions about the subject, they just don't get the pleasure of an audience. They can be sad or frustrated all they want, but I don't want to hear about it, so they can come out when they've calmed down. It always amazes me that after a good cry, they'll emerge (usually with a blotchy face...they get that from me) and say, "I'm all done."

Because a time out for Ryan is also a time out for Mommy, we've instituted a "no talking" rule. How is it a punishment if he gets to do his favorite thing in time out...TALK. This has proven to be quite handy with our recent decision to institute time outs in the car. If the kids are arguing about something (yes - NO - yes - NO), I always ask Ryan to stop the arguing by not talking because he's older and "gets it" more. That rearview mirror helps me have eyes in the back of my head...I love it. Because often, he'll stay perfectly quiet and mouth the word, "yes" while she yells back "NO!" KIDS!!! So I've decided that I'm done losing my mind in the car. If he disobeys like that, I insitute the seemingly unnecessary car timeout where all that happens is he can't talk. LOVE IT. That's truly the worst punishment for him because he's such a talker. And the reason this works is that he knows when he talks, the time starts over. I was in the habit of adding a minute to his time when he spoke, but he didn't start getting it until Mike swooped in and started the timer over at 4 minutes each time he said something in time out. I thought that was a bit harsh until I realized that it worked.

Who knew vodka was so versatile?

This is laugh out loud funny. Or maybe I'm just tired and should go to bed...

Read the comments, too. Apparently #1 and #7 have also been disproven by Mythbusters. (a show Mike shamelessly watches because they blow stuff up)

Learning to swim

I have no idea how he does it...Mike must break things down so that the kids understand better than I do. Seriously. Just after Ryan's 2nd birthday, during the course of my 2-hour baby shower for Kaylin, Mike taught Ryan to hold his breath under water and swim across the pool. If it were up to me and my teaching style, I would still be dressing the poor kid and he wouldn't know how to wipe himself. Mike slows down enough to teach him all of the basics, at times that seem too "early" in my mind. He taught him how to pull his pants on and off so he could use the bathroom independently (there are still 4 year olds in his class who needed help), he taught him to dress himself (and he's been picking out his clothes and dressing himself each morning for well over a year), how to put on his shoes and socks, turning his socks rightside in (by pinching the toe from the inside and pulling), there are just certain things that he decides to teach Ryan and he always gets them right away.

Well, we've been swimming a few times this month already and Kaylin mostly played on the deck of the pool. She's gotten in at least once each time, but mostly clung to me. There was one time that she allowed me to balance her belly on my hand and let her "swim" to Daddy. But if I had to guess, I was sure she'd be my chicken.

Ha! Oh no. Tonight, Mike took the kids swimming while I did the dinner dishes. By the time I got out there, Kaylin was jumping off the side to him. He also showed her how to "monkey crawl" across the side edge of the pool and by the time they dried off and called it a day, she was doing the monkey crawl, unassisted, in the deep end. (chanting, "mun-tey, mun-tey, mun-tey" the whole time...with Mike right there in case she let go, of course)

In the meantime, Mike taught Ryan how to float on his back. He took to it right away. (I'm wondering if it was because Kaylin was getting so much positive attention for her sudden feats of pool bravery) So in a quick, after-dinner swim, Mike got Kaylin completely comfortable with the water, got her enjoying going under and taught her how to safely get to the steps, if needed. And Ryan can now float on his back. I get asked a lot if I'm signing the kids up for swim lessons and my answer is obviously, "Who needs them in this house???"

Ryan's last day of school

I can't believe it - Ryan has completed an entire year of pre-school already. I was glad that I signed up to volunteer today - it was "water day" and a lot of fun stuff was planned. They had a ice cream cones (all natural Breyers - I SO loved his teacher this year!), a HUGE inflatable slip-and-slide, sprinklers on the playground, shaving cream and bubbles...it was a sandy, muddy, wet mess and the kids had a blast. He's really going to miss his teacher and his friends this summer.

Daddy came at the end of the morning to participate in the pizza party. (of course he did...there was food involved!) Kaylin came over from the nursery to join us, too. Now that the kids are in bed, Mommy's ready for a nap, too. Volunteer days wear me OUT.

Chicken Enchilada Quiche

I promised you this recipe last week and I'm just getting around to posting it. Sorry for the delay! It's a great recipe to make with the kids because there's not much you can do to mess it up. I know the title sounds weird, but it is an easy, one-dish recipe with tons of flavor. Mike raved with every single bite. Don't knock it till you try it...

Chicken Enchilada Quiche

1 pie crust, either refrigerated or homemade
4 eggs (or 4 egg white and 2 whole eggs)
1 cup milk or half-and-half
3 cups left over, cooked chicken
1 1/2 cups broken tortilla chips
8 oz. (2 cups) shredded jack cheese
4 oz. (1 cup) shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup salsa
1 can chopped green chiles
1/2 t. salt
pepper to taste
sour cream, if desired

Heat oven to 350. Place pie crust in a 9-inch glass deep dish pie pan. In a large bowl, beat eggs and milk. Stir in remaining ingredients. Pour into prepared pie pan. Bake for 55-65 minutes until the crust is light brown and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Cut inot wedges and serve with sour cream and salsa.

Morning Glory Muffins

Oh yum. Ryan's teacher made these in his class one time and they were a little too sweet for my taste, but I wanted to give them another chance. I left out the dehydrated pineapple pieces rolled in an inch of sugar. Plus, when nine 3-year olds are mixing the batter, frankly, things don't turn out the way they should.

This recipe will likely require a trip to the store to get a few ingredients, but seriously...yum. Moist, crunchy and fairly healthy, full of whole grains, fruits and nuts. What could be better? There's NO butter or oil, so you can (guilt-free) schmear a pat of butter on your warm muffin, fresh from the oven.

Morning Glory Muffins

1 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 c. flour
1 c. regular oats
3/4 c. brown sugar
1 t. wheat bran
2 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
1 c. plain yogurt
1 c. mashed banana (about 2)
1 egg
1 c. chopped pitted dates
3/4 c. chopped walnuts
1/2 c. chopped dried pineapple
3 T. ground flax seed

Preheat the oven to 350. Combine the first 7 (dry) ingredients in a large bowl; whisk. Make a well in the center. Combine yogurt, banana and egg. Add to flour mixture stirring until moist. Fold in remaining ingredients. Spoon into muffin cups and bake 20 minutes.

Productivity

Oh man, I did more today than most people do in a week! Okay, that may be a teeny exaggeration, but my day was packed. This morning, I bought cupcakes and brought them to school with Ryan, dropped Kaylin off at a Parents Day Out program, went to a going away party for a friend, picked up Mike and headed to Ryan's school to celebrate his "un-birthday" (since he has a summer birthday, that's what they do now - but we missed the singing by 5 minutes due to some rescheduling of snacktime - Ryan's teacher felt horrible and I was a little sad that I missed the big to-do), dropped a project off at Kinko's, went to Harkins to pick up movie tickets, went to Lowe's to pick up paint chips, went back to Kinko's to pick up the completed project, picked up Ryan from school, went home, made lunch and went through the paint chips with Mike, then picked up Kaylin from PDO. All by 1pm. I think I may have blown through an entire tank of gas! (okay, another exaggeration...most of that was within a 6 mile radius)

When the kids woke up from their naps, I was so project-driven that I loaded the kids up and went to Lowe's to buy paint and supplies. I decided yesterday that I needed to spruce up the house a bit. And the cheapest way to do that is to paint, right?

So after dinner, in the hour that most people were watching reruns of The Office on TBS or the final 3 contestants on American Idol, I did this:

It took me an hour. Literally...one hour to paint 2 colors. That includes prep work and cut in. I asked Mike to help and in an attempt to avoid me, he went upstairs to "change his clothes" and got caught up entering receipts into Quicken. When he came downstairs again, he shouted, "No WAY!" I was finishing the second coat of the top color. I tell you what...when I'm motivated, LOOK OUT! Needless to say, I didn't get any help from the husband. He thought I was doing just fine on my own, but dude - things go so much faster with two people! Anyway, I did get help from Ryan:

I was happy to let Ryan "help" but it made Mike too nervous. I was giving Ryan a lot of grace about having poor impulse control because from his perspective, we were painting on the walls. Think about it: he has only ever painted on paper. How cool must this have been for him??? Mike ended up keeping the kids in the playroom to get them out of the mess. I'll admit, there was a close call with someone walking backward and almost stepping in a paint tray, sending paint flying, but all was well (and clean) in the end.

After Mike put the kids to bed, I decided to tape off the rest of the walls and at least do the bottom color. That took another hour and if I didn't have a gallon and a half of paint called, "Bread Basket," I'd be willing to leave it as-is. So that commits me to finishing the project. My idea is to add a wood chair rail and paint the baseboards the same color brown. It's really going to warm up the front room a ton. I'm pretty excited and will update pictures of the finished product when it's done!

My Mother's Day

This morning, I was in the bathroom getting ready and Ryan came bouncing in announcing, "HAP-PY Mother's Day!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Then he got all mischievous and said in a sing song voice, "I have a surpriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiise for yoooooooooooooooooou. It's....... aaaaaaaaaaa............ SPECIAL TREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" (talking with his hands like an Italian and finishing with them spread open wide, then lots more bouncing) "What is it?" I asked. He acted disappointed and said, "Well, it's a surprise, so I can't tell you. Daddy said." I played up the fact that he was able to keep it a secret so he would feel good about himself.

Every year since I've been pregnant with Ryan, I've asked for a "day off" for Mother's Day. No cooking, cleaning, diaper changing or over-exertion of any kind. Actually, I did so little last year that even though I was still nursing, I forgot to pump and my milk dried up so I ended up having to wean Kaylin. OOPS!

My day off is rarely ON Mother's Day, considering we both have our moms in town and we want to honor them. I don't want to put that all on Mike, plus expect him to run the house and care for the kids, so I usually opt for a Saturday either before or after. I think my day off is going to be next weekend. I plan to use the pedicure gift certificate Mike gave me today (that was the surprise) and do lots of scrapbooking!

Our parents and Mike's brother came over around 10:30 for brunch. I felt risky and made a new recipe and oh my...we will be making that again! Give it a try: Orange Pecan French Toast Casserole. Lighter than all other recipes I found (they all had cream and whole eggs), you can make it the night before, and the orange taste was almost non-existent, so don't be scared off by the title. I plated everything kinda fancy with fruit, chicken mango sausage and a chocolate strawberry, but my picture turned out really cheesy. Oh well, I'm including it anyway!

After everyone left, my mom watched the kids and we went on a maiden voyage of our friends' new boat. It's been years since I've been on a boat! It was a beautiful day and we had a lot of fun.

Yoga Pride

So I've been doing Yoga 1-2 times a week for the last few months and I'm actually getting into it. I heard somewhere that a good class burns up to 600 calories an hour. Sign me up! I'd much rather do Yoga than Step or jog and be all winded. My balance has been pretty good for a while, but my form has improved, I even sweat and am sore the next day (which never fails to surprise me since there's no cardio involved) and I always leave SO relaxed. We end our classes with a 2-3 minute hold of my all time favorite Yoga pose...

What other form of exercise has a move where all you do is lie on your back??? With that as the last thing on my mind as I leave the class, I usually forget that the prior 55 minutes was challenging. Yesterday, our instructor talked us through how to get into the "Bird of Paradise" pose. She had a broken pinkie toe, so she couldn't balance on the side we started on and was walking around trying to explain what we were supposed to do. And somehow, out of 20+ people in the class, I was the only one who could do the balanced pose and hold it without falling. OH the pride I felt when she pointed to me in the back of the class and said, "Yes! Just like this - she's got it!" Not only is your leg all weird and in the air, but your arms are clasped funny behind your back and you have to clasp the hands with both feet on the ground before standing up on just one foot. Right then and there, my head inflated to twice it's size. I was so proud of myself.

I am not stupid enough to think that I will ever be able to do the truly complicated poses like these below...who came up with these positions, anyway!?!??! Pshaw - as if. There is no way on God's green earth that my forearms or toes will ever be strong enough to hold my entire body weight for any length of time without shaking violently.

A week in my life

I realize most of you won't care about the following post, so please don't feel obligated to read it, then wonder, "Why does she think people will care about this stuff?" I did a "week in the life" post last fall and it was interesting to go back and read (for me) so I decided to start doing this a couple of times a year. After all, this blog was originally intentioned to be my journal. Being a SAHM seems so mundane and easy to the outside world; I don't want to look back at these toddler years later in my life and think, "What did I do all day?" I know many husbands have asked the same thing of their wives, so if you stay home with your kids, try writing out your day sometime...it's pretty revealing! I was going to stop after 7 days, but the last thing I did on day 7 was throw up and I couldn't end the week on that note. Plus, day 8 was...um...not a stellar day for me. I got pretty real toward the end of this post, so hold onto your hats and try not to let my transparency permanently ruin your perception of me!

THURSDAY, May 1, 2008
6:20am - Mike left for the gym. I couldn't fall back to sleep, so I got up. As much as I hate it, getting up early helps me get the day started right. When I have time to wake up slowly without children chattering, I'm a happier mom all morning.
6:30am - I did some work before the kids got up. I heard Kaylin singing and Ryan had already been up to use the restroom, so technically the kids were awake, but I don't get them until 7:00.
7:00am - Kids awake, dressed and fed. While they watched tv, I jumped in the shower.
7:45am - Mike got home from the gym and got ready for work, the kids and I went outside to give Roger some lettuce.
8:15am - I called the customer service line for the electric vacuum we have because I broke the handle off on Tuesday and I'm dying without it! I can't handle having crumb-y feet any longer.
8:40am - Finally off the phone, I ordered a new part, Ryan didn't put his shoes on when I asked him to so we were officially late for school. And I couldn't find my keys. They're always in the outside pocket of the diaper bag!!! I grabbed the spare key to save time.
8:55am - Dropped Kaylin off in the nursery at Ryan's school. She seemed cranky and cried when I left.
9:00am - I volunteered in Ryan's class for the morning. The kids painted using shower loofahs, toothbrushes, combs and exfoliator things. I was in charge of cleaning them up...what a mess! During snack time, we celebrated Bradey's birthday. I'm glad Ryan isn't the only one who licks the frosting off the cupcakes and leaves the cake behind!
11:30am - I picked Kaylin up from the nursery; she'd been crying for me on and off all morning. That's unusual for her.
11:45am - Mike looked all over the backyard for Roger, the turtle. He was M.I.A.
12:00pm - We ate lunch on the patio with Daddy. Ryan remembered that he has all 10 stars needed for a special date and asked to go to Enchanted Island after his nap. I asked if Mike could take tomorrow off so we could go as a family? It's last minute, but he said he'd check when he got back to work. I was exhausted after chasing kids all morning, so I laid down until Mike left for work. I haven't taken a power nap in weeks.
1:00pm - The kids went down for a nap, I checked emails and posted on my blog.
2:00pm - Our homebuilder guy showed up to check my kitchen faucet. He fixed it after the plumber couldn't...go figure!
3:00pm - Ryan got up from his nap announcing that his tummy was begging for popcorn during his nap.
3:30pm - Kaylin was still asleep, so I jumped in the shower again, this time to wash my hair that didn't get washed this morning. (two showers in one day is rare for me - one shower in two days is more common...)
4:00pm - Woke Kaylin up (she slept for 3 hours???) because tonight is our Bible study night when we put the kids to bed a little early. I knew I wouldn't be home to help Mike and I didn't want her to have trouble going to sleep due to not being tired after a late nap.
4:15pm - Made dinner...a new Chicken Enchilada Quiche recipe that is one of Mike's new favorites. I'll post the recipe soon...EASY!
5:30pm - Mike came home from work and looked for Roger again. Still couldn't find him. We gave up and sat down for dinner.
6:00pm - Some gal came over to look at the front table and mirror that I'm selling on Craig's List.
6:05pm - Got in the car and headed to Scottsdale.
7:00pm - Attended a National Day of Prayer singles event (that my mom coordinated) where I agreed to give my testimony with my mom. I'm amazed at my sudden ability to speak in front of people without getting nervous. I didn't even bring notes with me and I was able to make the crowd laugh! Who would have thought...
9:15pm - Arrived home again. Caught up with Mike from the evening. We brainstormed babysitting options for our couple's date night tomorrow night. My mom was supposed to come over but forgot about a previous commitment, so we're calling everyone we know. THIS is why I'm so excited about setting up a Babysitting Co-Op in my neighborhood!!!

FRIDAY, May 2, 2008

7:00am - Everyone up, dressed and fed. I ate my breakfast standing, so I could pack our picnic lunch for Enchanted Island today.
8:20am - We left for the gym. I was running late for my 8:30 yoga class.
9:30am - Filled the gas tank before heading to Enchanted Island. For the next 30 minutes, Ryan talked about how excited he was, guessing what kinds of animals would be on the carousal, explaining that he was going to give his quarters to the nice lady at the front desk so we could go on rides, it was sweet.
10:00am - Mike spotted a Starbuck's and explained that THAT would make it a fun morning for him. Whatever, you coffee addict.
10:15am - We arrived at the magical kiddie amusement park and Ryan was thrilled beyond words!
12:30pm - Ryan had 4 "this is the last ride" opportunities. I'm glad we got the unlimited day pass, I didn't get much use out of my pass, but everyone else did, even Kaylin.
1:00pm - It's naptime, but instead of heading home to put the kids to bed, we took them for ice cream. This was a suggestion from Daddy the ice cream fiend, which should explain that the special treat was for him and the kids and I were just along for the ride. He got a $9 ice cream concoction. Such a weakling! Coffee and ice cream are his two vices.
1:30pm - Ryan began melting down on the car ride home. A full day, in the sun, sugared up, and past naptime. What a combo!!!
2:00m - Finally arriving home, we washed the kids up and put them to bed. I finally called our friends to reschedule our dinner date tonight for a couple of weeks from now. So sad...
4:00pm - Went swimming with Ryan. (Kaylin continued to nap...I think she might be getting more teeth or getting sick) Thankfully, Roger was not at the bottom of the pool when we pulled the solar cover off. He has officially run away from home.
4:30pm - I woke Kaylin up from her nap. She had no voice. It's probably a good thing we didn't find someone to watch the kids tonight, just in case she's not teething and she's actually sick.
5:30pm - Ate leftovers for dinner and spent our swingin' Friday night at Costco and Trader Joe's.
7:30pm - Came home, put away the groceries, gave both kids cereal. I'm not sure why, they both ate a good dinner.
8:00pm - Kids went to bed, Mike and I made popcorn and watched Ocean's Eleven on t.v.
9:30pm - Heard Ryan upstairs and sent him back to bed. Why is he still awake???
11:00pm - We went to bed.

Saturday, May 3, 2008 - National Scrapbook Day
7:54am - I heard Mike getting dressed, looked at the clock and was shocked that everyone was still asleep! We only sleep this late 1-2 times a year.
8:30am - Everyone dressed and fed. I decided to put 2 pig tails in Kaylin's hair because I think it's finally long enough!
8:45am - One more look in the backyard determined that it's official: Roger is gone. We haven't seen him in 2 days.
9:00am - Mike took the kids to the chiropractor and decided to skip the gym today.
9:45am - Went to my Kick Boxing class that whips me into shape.
11:00am - Stopped by Costco to pick up pictures then ran into Target to see if I could find a birthday present for Bradey's birthday party today.
11:30am - Got home, sat outside with Mike and the kids for a while.
12:00pm - I called my mom (finally - I'd been putting this off for days) and had a really hard conversation about needing to work less hours for her business. Not fun!
1:00pm - Decided not to put Ryan down for a short nap, hopped in the shower while he played a video game.
1:55pm - Took Ryan to Bradey's superhero birthday party. Mike stayed home with sleeping Kaylin.












2:00pm - Arrived at the party to be told that I didn't have to stay. WHAT?!?!? Is Ryan already at the "drop off unattended at birthday party" age??? When did that happen? I made sure he was settled with his mask and cape and headed directly to the scrapbook store. Did you know that the first Saturday in May is National Scrapbook Day? I got 20% off my entire purchase.(cyber high fives all around)
4:00pm - Picked Ryan up from the party and chatted with some of the other pre-school moms. Apparently, I was the only one that left the party. Ooops! Hey - don't threaten me with freedom like that! I felt no guilt, the other moms just decided to take that time to chat. And I shopped. So yeah for a break for me! Ryan had a blast and didn't miss me one bit.
5:00pm - My mom came over to babysit. Kaylin sobbed when we left...no idea why.
6:00pm - Our date night consisted of Chipotle, dessert at Paradise Bakery, a t-shirt (bought with a Christmas gift card!) from The Buckle, a trip to Cost Plus World Market where I found HOB NOB "biscuits" from England. Oh, I have such memories of those cookies. I didn't care that they were $5. That's how much my European friend has paid in postage just to send them to me for a Christmas surprise. After that we stopped by Berean Bookstore and found a book entitled, "Have a New Kid by Friday." No joke. And you know Mike and I both picked it up! It looks like it's about a parent boot camp, getting on the same page, being 100% consistent and your child's attitude and behavior changing in positive ways as a result. I'm truly intrigued. At dinner we actually had a great talk about our parenting styles, how to get on the same page, what we're going to do to work toward a happy home, not a perfect home, stuff like that. It's so hard as two, first-born parents raising a first-born child. Our wills conflict constantly - all three of us! We take turns wanting things to be exactly our way.
9:15pm - Returned home from date night. Mike had wanted to teach me to golf at Crackerjax, but I was a party pooper and suggested that we wait until we have a coupon. Maybe next date night.
10:00pm - Talked to my mom for a while. I guess Ryan had a pretty tough night. She even put him in time out 3 or 4 times, which never happens when Grandma is on duty. I'm not sure what his deal was. She said that at bedtime, she told one of her Prince Ryan stories and it was about Ryan sleeping through the night with a dry Pull Up. He told her in a defeated tone, "But the pee pee comes out so fast, Grandma!" Poor little buddy.
11:00pm - Got in bed and we watched Saturday Night Live until I fell asleep.

SUNDAY, May 4, 2008

7:00am - Everyone up, dressed and fed.
9:00am - Left for church.
9:30am - Sat in the cafe with Kaylin and watched the service from the tv's in there. Just in case she's sick, I didn't want to put her in the child care. She acted fine. A gal next to us (older than our parents) actually picked her up and was sharing her breakfast with her. We had an instant babysitter for about 20 minutes and I could concentrate on trying to hear the sermon instead of keeping track of where Kaylin was toddling off to.
10:45am - Stopped by the grocery store on the way home. Kaylin cried almost the whole time inside. She wanted me to "holdjoo" which is rather difficult while pushing a grocery cart.
11:30am - While our homemade pizza was cooking, I cut up the watermelon I just bought, cooked 2 lbs of ground turkey that was about to go bad in the fridge, and put everything in containers just in time to serve up lunch. I was crazy-cooking-productive-Mommy.
12:30pm - Kaylin was being horribly crabby, so I put her down for a nap.
1:00pm - Ryan went to bed. Mike took my car to Checker to figure out why the A/C isn't very cold.
2:00pm - Ryan woke up from his nap an hour early.
3:00pm - I decided that I needed a nap. I stayed up too late last night.
3:30pm - Mike came to wake me up because his parents had arrived. He also woke Kaylin up. We all went swimming. Uncle Greg showed up a little while later.
5:00pm - Roger appeared out of no where! He must have decided he likes knowing where his next meal is coming from. I fed him heartily.
5:30pm - Grandpa Rich grilled burgers. I love getting a "get out of cooking dinner" card when they come over!
7:00pm - Mike's dad helped me plan what we're going to do to my scrapbook room. He threw out the idea of installing lower cabinets and getting them used, so now I'm all excited!
7:30pm - Everyone left, kids went to bed.
8:30pm - I started walking down the stairs and saw Ryan's bedroom door open with the nightlight off. I went in to shut the door and he said he wanted me to leave it open so he can "be like us at night." I let him know that we keep our door open so we can hear Kaylin if she cries and I don't want him hearing Kaylin because it might wake him up. I went downstairs to find Mike asleep in the chair watching one of the Star Wars movies. He had too much fun in the sun.

9:00pm - Looked on Craigslist for some used cabinets for the craft room.

9:30pm - As I was ready to finish up and go to bed, I realized that Ryan's last day of school is next week. I had intended to make his teacher a mini-scrapbook with pictures from the year of the kids in his class. I decided, while the mood was right, to go through all of my school pictures and order them from Costco so I can work on the book this week. So much for going to bed early!

10:45pm - Exhausted, I finally decided to go to sleep. I went down and woke up Mike. We both collapsed into bed.

MONDAY, May 5, 2008 - Cinco de Mayo
6-something am. I vaguely heard Mike in the bathroom and Ryan in our room. He announced that he accidentally peed in his bed. His Pull Up overfloweth...again. Lovely. I drifted back to sleep.
7:55am - I looked over at the clock and realized that Mike let me sleep in. I started getting dressed for the gym and realized that if Kaylin's still not feeling well, I shouldn't bring her to the gym day care. Looks like we'll be at home all day. Maybe I'll clean my filthy house. Goody. (do you hear the excitement through the computer?)
8:30am - Mike left for work as I unloaded the dishwasher and started some laundry. After he left, we played Chutes and Ladders...I even included Kaylin.
9:15am - Seriously - this is the longest game ever! Just as we'd get close to the finish line, everyone would have to slide down a ladder to the beginning. Longest game ever. Kaylin was suddenly rubbing her eyes and yawning, so I put her back to bed. By the time I checked her on the video monitor a few minutes later, she was asleep.

9:45am - FINALLY Ryan won Chutes and Ladders. I took a laundry break before encouraging Ryan to get back into doing his reading lessons. I gave up on them a few months ago, deciding to wait for him to express interest (he was regressing and I was becoming frustrated...not a good combo).

10:15am - The reading lesson went well. Ryan decided to wear his superhero mask and growl all of the sounds and words. Whatever keeps him interested...

10:30am - I hadn't had that much one on one time with Ryan in months. While the "learning box" was out, we played his lace game and did a "letters to matching objects" puzzle game.

11:00am - Ryan decided he wanted to go play with the turtle in the backyard. I took that opportunity to cut and file my daggers nails.

11:30am - As the kids were eating lunch, Kaylin announced that she was going poo poo. For SOME reason, I asked if she wanted to go on the potty and get 2 M&Ms? She had already started going in her diaper, so it was a messy transition to the potty. She finished her deed (woo hoo! big party!) and I got the joy of cleaning up the smearing mess. How is this better than a diaper again??? Diapers confine the mess!

12:00 - Mike came home for lunch and I made quesadillas in honor of Cinco de Mayo while the kids bowled in the front hall.

1:00pm - Both kids went down for a nap, I went through old emails and worked a little.

2:40pm - I laid down for a nap, too. I was exhausted and only had 20 minutes until Ryan got up. I love power naps!

3:00pm - Ryan came into my room and watched Curious George while I showered. Nothing like staying in your PJs until 3:00...

3:30pm - Made popcorn and put on another Curious George downstairs while I meal planned for the week. Afterward, we played with the shapes and colors flashcards. I went over the cards with Kaylin while playing a matching game with Ryan. I felt like a multitasking supermom.

4:30pm - Kaylin helped me make the strawberry salad for dinner. She spilled sugar all over the counter and yelled, "Oh MAN!"

6:30pm - Left for Bunco. Picked up a friend in my neighborhood, then stopped by Costco on the way to pick up pictures for Ryan's teacher's last-day-of-school scrapbook.

9:15pm - Home from Bunco, started putting together the scrapbook. I was exhausted and have no idea why I stayed up!
10:30pm - Went to bed.

TUESDAY, May 6, 2008 (did you know this is National Don't Diet Day?)
6:45am - Woke up when Mike left for the gym.
7:30am - After breakfast and while Kaylin was still asleep, I did another reading lesson with Ryan.
8:00am - I heard Kaylin crying and went to get her. Her leg was stuck in the crib slats. She started coughing, so I sat down with her in the glider. Her cough turned into a gag and it caused her to throw up all over both of us. Lovely. Nothing like a quick bath to start the day.
8:30am - Ryan turned on the t.v. to watch Curious George and Sesame Street was on. Both kids watched it intently for 20 minutes. I have no idea why they've never been into Sesame Street until now - ?
8:50am - Someone dropped something off for me as I was leaving for Ryan's school.
9:15am - Took Kaylin to a park day for 2 Hour Time Out. She was really whiny and clingy except for the couple of times she went on the swings. I enjoyed chatting with the moms even though she refused to play.
11:00am - Dropped off Redeeming Love at the library, then drove to pick Ryan up from school.
11:30am - I put dinner in the crockpot and made dinasour nuggets for the kids for dinner, which is a rare treat for them. Mike and I had leftovers from dinners last week.
12:30pm - Put the kids to bed and laid down to watch t.v. Usually that revives me, but I finally turned the t.v. off and took another nap. Third nap in three days...why am I so tired?
2:45pm - I woke up to Ryan rustling around in my room. I felt better after such a long nap, but still not refreshed. And no, I'm not pregnant.
3:00pm - Ryan watched Curious George while I called my grandmother to invite her to my Mother's Day brunch. We chatted for a while.
3:30pm - I got an email from my go-to girl for work, Jessica, giving me her resignation. Such a bummer! She's studying for the LSAT to potentially go to law school and was having too much trouble working, studying, and continuing to be a good wife and mom. Those darn ambitions of hers!!! (you know I'm kidding, JW)
4:00pm - I got Kaylin up from her nap and we snuggled on the chair while all watching t.v. until Daddy got home.
5:15pm - I was serving dinner onto plates, Mike and Ryan were in the backyard with Roger and Kaylin was sitting on a kitchen chair when suddenly, Kaylin fell HEAD FIRST onto the floor. I heard the crack of her skull on the tile and saw her feet fly in the air on her way down. It was awful. I screamed for Mike to come inside and rocked her on the stairs with tears streaming down my face until she stopped crying. It was awful. Mike got her some ice in a towel for her bloody lip (I think she bit it) and all seemed fine within a matter of minutes.
6:00pm - I made cookies because I needed a comfort food. I wholeheartedly admit to stress eating. It's been a stressful day (starting with Kaylin throwing up on me, then whining and crying and clinging all day, I was already over-tired and the finale was my right-hand girl giving me notice when I just agreed to decrease my own hours at work. Oh, and Kaylin almost becoming brain damaged. I. Needed. Cookies.)
6:30pm - Mike and I got in a hearty fight about the expectations placed on our kids. I am so sick of fighting about the kids!!!
6:45pm - Mike's mom called with an update...she went to the ER because of a problem with her leg. Thankfully, it's not a blood clot and doesn't appear to be anything serious.
7:30pm - Mike put the kids to bed. I updated Quicken.
8:30pm - Mike went to bed early while I watched American Idol downstairs. I pulled out the laptop to add more things to Ryan's birthday gift list and couldn't find the beginning of the list anywhere. Toys R Us let me put together lists for him and Kaylin, but didn't require me to sign in, and since I didn't have a password with them, the list was deleted. Curses! I hate re-work! I spent a good amount of time surfing through toys, putting that list together. I didn't want to do it all again at that moment, so I read up on some of the blogs I like to check occasionally.
9:30pm - For once, I was ready to go to sleep at a decent hour. Although I was wiped out, I couldn't shut my mind off. (Why is Kaylin sick again? Is she really okay after falling out of the chair? What is my mom going to do without JW working and with me reducing my hours? How can I work things out with Mike so that we're on the same page with the kids? Why is Ryan acting out so much lately? If I'm awake, why am I not finishing up Ryan's teacher's scrapbook? Why can't I get comfortable? It's so stuffy in here...maybe I should shut the windows and turn on the A/C. It's cooler outside than inside b/c there's no breeze. I'm so annoyed that I haven't worked out all week. I wish I didn't stress-eat!) I tossed and turned. The last time I glanced at the clock was 11:30.

WEDNESDAY, May 7, 2008
7:00am - I woke up to the sound of Mike and Ryan making pancakes downstairs.
7:30am - Kaylin finally started to stir, so I got her up and dressed.
8:30am - We went to the chiropractor. I was pleasantly surprised that Ryan and Kaylin were self-occupied in the waiting area. 5 minutes later, I discovered that Ryan had scooped out a TON of soil out of the planter and it was all over the floor. As I asked the receptionist for a broom, I couldn't keep myself from crying. I'm sure everyone thought I was overreacting and PMSing (which I'm not). I told Ryan to sit on the chair and not get up. He asked why I was crying and I said that I was sad because he made a poor choice to make such a mess. I just don't understand him and felt SO defeated as a mom!!!
9:00am - Went to Sprouts for some produce. (gotta love double ad Wednesdays)
9:45am - Unloaded the groceries and waited for Mike's mom to come over to watch the kids.
11:30am - I called my mom with a work question, she immediately asked me what was wrong and I started crying again. She prayed with me and recommended that I leave and take a break while Mike's mom was here with the kids. I wish I would have listened.
1:00pm - Barb had to leave for a doctor's appointment. I felt trapped and was finally at a point where I wanted to drive somewhere and check out mentally. I decided to scrapbook instead. I finished Ryan's teacher's book.
1:30pm - Watched a couple recorded episodes of Jon & Kate Plus 8.
2:15pm - Time for a nap. Again. (is it me or am I starting to sound depressed???)
3:00pm - Ryan woke me up and we hung out downstairs.
3:30pm - Kaylin finally woke up. I took some pictures of the kids and bribed them with popcorn to smile. I also figured out the "Dooooooooooooooooon't smiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiile!" game with Ryan and it seemed to work pretty well. (see the righthand picture for proof!) Kaylin didn't get it.
4:00pm - I started feeling really weird...kind of had a headache, stomach kinda churning, needed to sit down. But the time started dragging, so I decided to make dinner. Sloppy Joes from the Deceptively Delicious cookbook was on the meal plan, but I realized I didn't have the appropriate purees. So I started a puree project and destroyed the kitchen. Cooking carrots, red peppers and squash (oh my!), pureeing them, bagging them, labeling them, freezing them...it certainly passed the time until Mike got home from work. The kids played "hide and go seek" while I worked in the kitchen.
5:30pm - As I was eating dinner, I started really not feeling right. I laid down in the family room.
6:00pm - Mike finished cleaning the kitchen and solicited Ryan's help rinsing the dishes. I had left him quite a mess. I was still feeling nauseous, but Kaylin decided I needed to go with them on a walk to get the mail, so she put my flip flops on my feet.
6:30pm - Feeling a little better, I agreed to join the mail brigade. On the way home, Mike stopped to talk to a guy he sees outside quite often. Ryan played with their boys, one just turned 5 and the other is 2.5, and I met the wife who was holding a 6 month old girl. I invited her to be a part of the Babysitting Co-Op and in talking with her more, decided we should have them over for dinner. Our husbands seem to get along, she's a sweetheart, and her boys are just as crazy as Ryan and a perfect age to play. New BFFs? Maybe not, but I'm just sayin'...I'm very glad we met them! And they're just a block away from us.
7:30pm - Gave the kids a bath with the rest of the energy I had in me, then laid down and watched Supernanny. Mike did stories and prayers and joined me to watch t.v.
9:00pm - Lights went out and I had a giant empty bowl on my nightstand, just in case. My stomach was doing flips.
10:00pm - Ran to the bathroom and sat there BEGGING God to let me vomit. He is faithful! As gross as that experience always is, I LOVE how much better I feel afterward!!! If I hadn't have just had my period, I'd swear I was pregnant. (crying in public, nauseous, exhausted all the time...)

THURSDAY, May 8, 2008
7:30am - I woke up to the sounds of Mike getting the kids ready for the day. I didn't even know if he knew I got sick the previous night. Thankfully, I was feeling much better. I jumped in the shower.
8:15am - Chaos erupted just before I headed downstairs. I asked Mike what happened, he explained, I made some snotty noise or comment or something that upset him and he stormed out of the house. While Ryan was in complete melt-down mode. What a lovely way to start the day.
8:30am - The kids were out of control and I lost it. A true Mommy Dearest moment (minus the hangers) and even as the words came out of my mouth, I was mortified. After my rant, I was so furious with myself, I slammed the bottom drawer of the dishwasher and broke two dishes. One of my top 3 "Worst Mommy Moments" to date. I'm not getting the Mother of the Year award anytime soon.
9:00am - Dropped Ryan off at school, then started heading to the Mother's Day Out program I was trying with Kaylin for the first time. Halfway there, I realized I forgot the lunch I'd packed for Kaylin in the fridge, so I turned around to go home to get it. Unfortunately, I paid the flat fee for 4 hours whether we're late or not.
9:30am - Arrived at Mom's Day Out, I completely forgot that they told me it was "water day." No suit, no sunscreen. The hits just keep on comin'! At least I remembered my calendar and checkbook to sign Ryan up for Vacation Bible School this summer.
10:00am - Went to church for a meeting to help the Women's Ministry set up a blog. As the meeting began, Mike came waltzing into the Coffee Shop (where we were meeting) to grab a drink. AWKWARD! I tried to make small talk, but he was obviously still mad.
11:30am - Picked Ryan up from school. His teacher was in tears over the scrapbook. I love giving a successful gift!
12:00pm - Came home with Ryan for lunch...the house was unusually quiet with Kaylin gone. And Ryan was being unusually well behaved. He asked if I wanted a bite of his lunch and I told him my stomach wasn't feeling well. He said, "Are you going to have larygitis poo-poos?" (when he had diarrhea recently, he started calling it larygitis poos for some reason)
12:15pm - Mike came home for lunch and we talked. Ryan went to play in the playroom so he didn't hear the conversation about him. All is well again.
12:45pm - Left with Ryan to pick up Kaylin from Mom's Day Out.
1:30pm - Came home, put the kids to bed. Ryan asked if he could pray with Kaylin before leaving her room. Sure - could you pray for a new mother to emerge from my body while you're at it? When everyone was settled in bed, I checked email.
3:00pm - Made cupcakes with Ryan for our Bible study tonight. Made a chain-link tear-off thingy to count down to Ryan's first Vacation Bible school next month. He didn't want to help until the end, but it only took a few minutes to make.
4:00pm - Shared a few mini-muffins with Ryan. He put a candle in them and sang, "Happy Birthday."
4:15pm - I went upstairs to get Kaylin out of bed. Ryan announced that he finished all of the teeny cupcakes. Sure enough, there were 8 empty mini-muffin cups on the kitchen counter. Luckily, I made some larger ones for our study. And one couple called to cancel, so we'd have less eaters. Ryan, however, was on a sugar high and gets no more cupcakes!
5:00pm - Mike came home as we were frosting the cupcakes and adding sprinkles. I was so neurotic this morning that I didn't put the roast in the crock pot, so he pulled out some burgers to put on the grill.
6:45pm - Put the kids to bed early in preparation for our Bible study.
7:00pm - We hosted our last Bible study until fall. (truth be told, I'm looking forward to a break this summer!)
9:00pm - Everyone left, Mike and I watched The Office. (is anyone else SO excited for the season finale next week?!?!?! I think Jim's going to propose to Pam. They're too cute for words.)
10:00pm - Went to sleep. As we were lying in the dark, I asked Mike if he fed Roger this morning? Apparently, Roger is M.I.A. again. My guess is that he's found a bush in a neighbor's front yard that he likes. I wonder if he'll return home again this time?

If you made it this far through this crazy-long post, thank you for humoring me! Don't worry - I won't do this to you again for several months. Have a great weekend!