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...