Dinosaurs

Today I watched my daughter play with boys...

It is interesting to watch them play so differently with the same toys.

I had grabbed a big box of plastic dinosaurs for the kids to play with and the boys were quickly deciding who got the t rex and other dangerous dinosaurs that would be the ultimate dinosaur devour-er. I watched this go on. Then I glanced at Daphney who too had her stock pile ready to battle. Her line consisted of the tiny dinosaurs that had been passed up by the others. She grabbed them up quickly and hugged them close then smiled at me, "BABIES!" I love the sweet inherent care giving love of my daughter.

Oh The Crazy Situations!

Pretend With Me: On a freeeeezeeing cold winter afternoon, someone that claims to be your neighbor; however, you are not entirely sure is, because she  is not your direct neighbor pounds on your front door. She quickly asks to use your phone. Why the urgency you wonder... then you see her wardrobe.  (Hypothetically, looking like a scruffy stay at home mom in artist mode attire) You look closer and notice she is barefoot and without a coat. 

That was almost me... 

the one needing to use the phone.

Was it freezing?- Yes

Was I mess?- Yes

Was I running door to door? -Almost... only one door. 

(Luckily they were not home or choose not to address the lunatic on the doorstep)

I have waited a whole year almost to set up our new Christmas decorations that I bought last year when they were 70 percent off. I finally got to make my idea come to fruition by making this fun little garland and ribbon strand to hang above my front door. The strand had passed the test of not falling down throughout the night, so I determined to hang three ornaments upon it. Yes both my kids were awake, but one was playing and the other watching a Christmas cartoon. What could happen?

A minute later I knew.

Daphney had immediately stopped being entertained by her cartoon and ran to the door and locked the pad lock, and could not figure out how to unlock it. 

There I was key less, shoe less, coat less, phone less, and forced to be PRIDE less. (It takes a lot of humility to tell someone in the moment that yes my two and one year old locked me out of the house without anything..) There they both stood smiling and waving at the side windows.

After seeing that none of my neighbors nearby were home and trying one possible neighbor I determined to go home and try again at getting the door open before expanding my jolly little jaunt. 

Lucky Day! I caught Daphney just right in between a series of twisting the two locks and broke into my own house!

Yes I too, wish I would have been the neighbor and watched that all go down. 

Learning How to do Big City Things

My sister has so kindly highlighted my progress as a small town freshman in a big college town on her blog a few years ago.

Now I would like to say I have evolved completely and soundly but I still feel like a country girl in a big city in most conversations. I met this lady (actually my friend because that is what I made her last Tuesday); anyways, she was like oh well I never grew up too close to the metro, and I of coarse nodded my head and said "oh wow I am so sorry... that must have been awful." You don't think she knew I was thinking what in the world is a metro?! Well if she did I at least know she still wants to be my friend because we are meeting up next week and not just because the event we met at is weekly. Oh and get this- downtown isn't referring to any place actually in Johnston! Why don't they clarify; don't they know I will assume? Apparently Johnston is too small to have a downtown.... maybe I ought to notify my hometown that there is no way they qualify.

Figuring out how a hospital system works is the worst. As far as I can tell there are many different brands of doctor strands that I can choose from and they all apparently have their main office conveniently located next to "THE HOSPITAL". Is there only one, how are they all next to it and does it not have a name? I Google searched it... Why are there so many different doctor strands? It is not like you actually have to be Methodist to go to the Methodist doctors (I think)!

Like my sister said in her blog I didn't  even know how to use a cross walk and believe me that guys glare as he stared into my soul with his expression yelling why did you push the dang button if you aren't going to cross is still ingrained into my memory. Anyways, I can now drive on big roads with more than tractors on it (Passing on a small road is tough though too). Oh and I have only gotten E85 in our car once now! They really need to get a bigger sign on that.

Okay to my point! Today's frustration:

Shane took our car to get serviced today because the check engine light has been on for a couple days. We decided to take it to the Toyota of Des Moines, because that is where we bought the car this spring and we bought an adjunct warranty there in addition to the one our vehicle came with. They called Shane today and told him the problem was that the gas cap was off (sadly my fault) and that we were being charged 50 dollars for that service in which they diagnosed that catastrophe. You would think they would want to keep customers more than that! I guess I still haven't learned everything yet.

Demitri's Birthday

Two little Toddlers now! 

We ate messy goulash and then the party really got started. Lots of cake and presents. Thanks grandparents for the additional gifts! I wish my kids had the same birthday though, so they could both get presents. As you will notice at the end of movie Daphney does not quite understand yet that they are Demitri's toys. 

Sweeping

You know the point when a leader realizes that they have lost all control of its followers... for instance when Scar finally sees all the lionesses are turned against him and then DIES shortly after?

I think I am at that point now.

What do I do lately- between sweeping the floor?

1.) meticulously picked up thousands of corn pop cereal
            (While the children scattered and crushed them- punishing me for using the beloved popcorn bowl to clean up with)
GOT DRESSED
2.) wiped up the rest of the gallon of milk on the floor that was exactly where the corn pops used to be
             (A good mom just would have poured the corn pops back out and made breakfast out of it. I am NOT that mom. Meanwhile Daphney was banished to the upstairs because she was mad that I was using her beloved towel/"blanket" to clean. That is where she found the Vaseline and ingeniously thought to rub it into her hair.)
HEATED UP LEFTOVERS FOR MY BREAKFAST (remember our cereal is now labeled KIDS)
3.) cleaned up a shattered bowl
             (Daphney in her haste to destroy my new found cloister ripped a bowl for herself out of the dishwasher too hard and you know the end.)
4.) cleaned up water spill
(While I cleaned up the bowl and forced Demitri to stay back Daphney ate my food and dumped her glass of water everywhere and used the cup to create a wonderful waterfall off the table edges.)

I wish for those days when I wondered what a stay at home mom did all day. Sometimes I just can't catch up...

Cataloging this day for the future, when I have 10 kids and forget that if I stop now I might just be able to shower alone! Everyone needs a goal.

Walking Lessons

Sometimes as I teach my kids I feel like I get frustrated easy. 

Memory Game: a fun brain exercise? -No!

"Yes for the 900th time, that is still the same red card and blue card 

you have turned over repeatedly."  

It is like she expects it to change...; however, everybody loves Dory on Nemo. 

This video has helped me to realize that a good teacher needs to slow down and enjoy the students as they are but be ready and attentive for when they are willing to take the next "step".

Sleeping in Style

 Daphney's Sleeping List of Demands:

1. Door Open
2. Light ON
3. Pillow only on the parent's side (She will ultimately steal it and your head will be hanging off the bed)
4. New Blanket- Not one that she has previously used and certainly not the ones that are on her bed. 
5. No Wrinkles (Actually she gets that one from me and it makes me smile)

Ultimately the parents of Daphney are fed up and we now force her to fall asleep without us there beside her. I love checking on her afterwards; she looks like a sleeping angel. Today, however, I cracked up laughing. Our little baby is sleeping in style. We really need to get her some sunglasses that fit her face rather than the baby ones she has. And the purse yeah I don't get that. I never carry my purse so I am surprised that she has taken to them so much. I guess it is better than the diaper bag I carry...

Star Wars

Halloween 2014

   

NEW PAGE

Hey guys on the top left is a "page"- words that link you to another page. This new page is entitled Kids Wish List.

It is a list of fun toys that I think Daphney and Demitri might like in the near future. I have tried to come up with some fun new toys rather than the run of the mill toys, and supplied links to access the sources. If you guys know of more toys that your kids this age have enjoyed please leave a comment to help me. Thanks!

Painting Daphney's Room

So for a combination of Daphney's birthday and my birthday we painted her room. My inspiration for this wall was the image to the left that I found online. However I thought it was a little boring to look at for very long. Like you glance at it and you understand it completely. So as you can see with Daphney's I simply used two different shapes and I think it helped to make it a lot more interesting. Yes I have seen gorgeous little girls rooms done in grays and a light pink. But I thought this matched Daphney's personality; bold, crazy, energetic, colorful, and somehow perfect! 

I simply used the paint samples to mark and move around until I got the color spaced well.

Little Contributions:

Daphney walked into the kitchen grinning ear to ear with both hands firmly gripped around something she was conveniently hiding behind her back. My face cringed as I knew exactly what she would have done in the time that I had prepared Demitri's bottle. I had previously painted all of the colors on Daphney's wall with just one coat remaining for the last color. Stupidly, I had not expected Daphney to seize the opportunity and set the wet brush down at a child grabbing level.  Sorry I should have photographed it, but let me tell you there were green streaks all along her height and even above that, since she had grabbed the chair to aid her in her mischief. It could have been much worse (like on the carpet), and Daphney delighted in her masterpiece, so I could not yell at her too much for wanting to be like mom. Since Daphney would run in there every two minutes and happily show me her contribution to the wall I wasn't sure whether to simply let the graffiti remain or to begin painting over it. I decided upon the later and I let Daphney instead go OUTSIDE to paint these two masterpieces that she can hang in her room and be proud of. 

Finished Product!

Another Wall in the Room:

Daphney was super excited about something and hurried to follow me out of her room and downstairs. Of coarse she was carrying multiple blankets and stuffed animals and babies and worrying more about their happiness than exactly where she was going. With the mix of excitement and responsibility she quickly crashed into edge of the plain boring typical white wall you might see anywhere on the planet. I giggled softly at her energy that is always crashing and without hesitation zooming off in another direction. When I asked her if she was okay instead of tears and the insistence that I kiss her wound she simply looked up at me and said matter-a-factly, "Pretty Wall!" Haha I am so glad she got to appreciate that wall up close and in person!

Community Fire Department

They started off scared...

But soon made herself at home!

Riding in the Ambulance

We couldn't get her to leave!

Another Day at the Park

These two pictures are Daphney and Demitri at about the same ages...

 Sorry these pictures were taken on my phone... But they capture my sweet little duo so nicely.

Daphney Update!

Daphney and I have been struggling to figure out who is in charge.

FUNNY STORY:
Today I told Daphney that she could not have a smoothie until she ate her breakfast. After an hour and several tantrums with food all over the floor. I finally gave in and said for every bite you take I will let you have a bite of smoothie. She reached over and grabbed the tiniest crumb of toast possible and looked up at me and smiled knowing that she had now won a bite of smoothie.
I responded, "Daphney that was a little baby bite that only earns you a tiny bite of smoothie." She was disgusted when like her bread she could hardly taste her smoothie. I said, "Daphney take a big monster bite instead of a little baby bite and I will give you a giant bite of smoothie to match it." She grudgingly said okay and then grabbed again a tiny little crumb and as she brought the bread near her mouth  a low grumble started that turned into loud roars as she placed the tiny piece of bread gently on her tongue, swallowed, and again looked at me expecting her bite of smoothie for her monster bite!

I was amazed at Daphney's diligence as she drew puppies while we traveled.

My kids love corn on the cob!

For all those in my neighborhood that were worried. My daughter and I volunteered to clean the area of litter around a duck pond. Isn't she just the cutest little volunteer?!

For a refresher on the first attempt to teach her....CLICK HERE

Yes, I couldn't talk her out of eating the dry rice cereal of Demitri's. 

It is just like a giant jar of pixie stick sugar right? 

Speaking of weird things.. Daphney got mad the other day, 

because I wouldn't let her drink out of the flower pot. 

Daphney removed all of the diapers and useless wipes and packed it full of toys and her sippy cup and got all set on her bike to go to her friend Parker's house. Hopefully she isn't like me and one of these days travels the few blocks away by herself.

Home for the Weekend

Grandad made cookies for church, but not all of them made it. 

 There were lots of things to ride in, but Daphney lit up when she saw the motorcycle. She must have known she was making her Papa proud!

While we were home we got to go to Seneca and visit friends and go to the park. 

It is a really fun new park, new since I was a kid at least! 

What Schedule?

Yesterday a friend asked me to explain what it was like to be a stay at home mom... "Do you like have a schedule?" This morning that question mocks me, and the more I think about it I suppose the real schedule is "24/7 expect the unexpected".

WARNING: Not your typical ideal family/double rainbow kind of story.

Today my schedule involved getting woken up at 4:30 am and struggling to ever get Daphney back to sleep. Finally gave up just before 7 since she was throwing up all over me and on my bed. Gave her some milk and started to put the sheets in the washer. Alas, there is no laundry detergent. Daphney mean while is waking her brother up while she spills her milk in his room. I clean it up... And for good measures she spilled the remaining milk one more time. I clean it up... Shane gets back from teaching seminary and I send him to go buy soap. We go downstairs and have a messy breakfast while Daphney potty trains. On a side note who designs a potty to look like a car anyways, don't the designers know that children will want to drive it around and not be able to find it when desperately needed. Consequently, floor needs recleaned, but the dishes are now done and family room cleaned.
I have Shane move the fridge back over so the broom can slide in to store on the side. After he has left for work I opened the fridge and the things inside it come tumbling out. Including a large Costco sized terriyaki sauce that broke and sauce covers the floor and inside of the fridge. That is really just wonderful!

In the process of cleaning that up my daughter does two things.
1.) Uses a pen to decorate the living room wall
2.) Once again woke Demitri (He is now howling)

She comes downstairs and observes me on my hands and knees covered in terriyaki sauce. So what make s sense for her to do?
Why of coarse she won't stay off of my back, and laughing hysterically that she is on even though I want her off. That is when I gave up and laughed with her.

Well good morning schedule it is now 8:30 am!

Sometimes people just do stupid things....

Which is the most ridiculous?

Example #1: DAPHNEY- Stubbornly insisted on her sippy-cup being stored in her boot.

Why.. really? Does it taste better? Does it keep it warmer? Is it contraband? Nobody really knows why...

Example #2: Katie- Struggled Trimming the Bush

All summer I have been waiting to trim this beast of a bush and it is finally close enough to fall that I was allowed to try and remove half of its bulk. I clipped and clipped and clipped until my shoulders ached and my body cried, "The Jones... (Breathe) have... (Breathe) beastly bushes". Definitely the new pink!

It was about this time that my husband pulled up for lunch and said, "you know we have an electric trimmer right?" - This is my second bush he has seen me do and he is just now telling me this! (PS. My first bush, I did better on that type of bush than anyone else in the whole entire neighborhood. I might need to make a career out of shaping bushes; it takes a great deal of artistic ability. Just think me and Edward Scissor-hands passing notes and swapping stories!)

Anxious to shave that beastly bush I hurried back out after lunch. The kids watched as we all stood in awe at the amazing power that this machine had that my muscles had not so eloquently displayed. Seriously Daphney and I simultaneously breathed out an awe/wow a few times!  I was in that act of showing my daughter how a real women gets a job done when the machine kind of shorted out and then ran and then shorted out and slowly came to a stop and did not turn back on. The bush looked like Alfalfa's hair at this point so I hurried to check the plugs of the extension cord. It was still plugged in. I tried another outlet- nothing! Come on; the tool only had two buttons surely I could master turning it on and keeping it on. Sadly I admitted defeat and wound the cord up and put the machine away.

When my husband came home and saw the Mr. Alfalfa bush he gave me the eyebrows raised and slightly skewed look and then the question of what happened.

"Seriously Shane I just can't do it. I wasn't meant to trim bushes my dream is crushed into a pulp."

Like a good husband looking out for my dream, and wanting to make the bush look like it wasn't decorated for Halloween Shane went out to sort out the problem. He is so amazing; took him like 5 seconds outside. He came in carrying the new electric cord that I had completely sliced through. Well not completely, all the way through the wires but just not the plastic on the other side too. So our cord is sliced like Nearly Headless Nick is decapitated. That dangling orange end there was easy not to notice... Seriously not the stupidest thing right?!

Example #3: Shane- Buying Light Sabers 

So for Halloween I always force my family to dress up and have a silly stupid seriously fun family outing. This year we are planning on being star wars characters. I am not going to pretend to know anything about it or even try to find out about it, because I swear by looking online you could find whole books just on why producers chose certain colors for the character's light saber. I am choosing pink for Daphney's because it is a girly color, and I don't care that it doesn't really exist.

Anyways, Shane being again the amazing husband he is and not wanting to look like a goof (he not knowing that is a requirement) decided to help me look online for costume parts. I told him I was going to have to make the light sabers, because they were too expensive. 

He took the challenge and found six for six dollars, and because of prime got free shipping. They were cheap looking but would work. After he had ordered them I was looking at the page and noticed that a little LEGO Yoda man was holding a lightsaber. I asked, "Shane you don't suppose that they are only like a centimeter long do you?"  HAHA Even after my begs that we could go ahead and please use those awesome things... he canceled the order. It would have been the funniest to have that tiny box show up in our mailbox. 

Cereal Upstairs in the Bedroom?

Definately not allowed... Accept when I really want to finish working on part of a painting and the two kids wake up early from their naps!

Play Time

Sometimes I worry if I am giving my kids the best life that I can. Then I look at the collection of videos I have taped lately and I really start to wonder... I want to stop my kids and say, "Wear this cape and save the world; wear this princess dress and have dinner with your imaginary tribe of trolls". But so often in the pictures, videos, and memories we have created I see a common thread.

Not a princess dress but a nursing cover or apron. 

Not a cape but daddy's shoes. 

I want to stop my kids and say, "Wait, there will be time for this; enjoy life now". Something like, "Just have fun; stop changing your babies diapers and worry about yourself." 

But, I can't.

Daphney's got it right. Shane and I have an amazing life. Who needs to be a princess or a superhero when you can be a mom or a dad. Yes, it is work, but oh what a wonderful work.

What sweet kids to labor with us!

Saturday Adventures

Money Crunch

Shane and I have been trying to save some money- you know because life is hard and it is nice to have some cushion in this wonderful economy. Alas my husband sees these three little neighbor girls out with their lemonade stand and fake cash register that is just waiting to snatch our few coins we have saved up to get our son a round head. We trek down to the stand and in a sing song voice the girl asks if we want a small or large cup? I look for the price difference... They cost the same! Okay so listen girls I definitely want a big cup. What kind of question really? Has she never seen an AT&T commercial BIGGER IS BETTER!

She then proceeds to pour Shane and I two almost half full cups of lemonade. This is too much for my mind. Michelle Obama change serving sizes again? Refer back to the fact that bigger is better! I bridle my tongue, and decide to be neighborly and more mature. I ask these girls if they have plans for the money they earn. Get this they austerely respond, "Oh well we will probably donate it to something." Man nothing like a slap in the face to realize that I am the worst person in the world!

Pictures from our day playing outside on this gorgeous Saturday.

Daphney wants to color Demitri's helmet with sidewalk chalk. Come on mom painted on it!

My son does not know how to take a bad picture!