Let's Go Fly a Kite

Well, we tried anyway... seems mom and dad need to take a few lesson in kite flying.  The dang thing wouldn't stop in the air very long and the wind was perfect.  The kids didn't seem to mind, though.  They loved it.

Catching Up

I've been gone a while... even missed InstaFriday last week and I love sharing my iPhotos!  After having our awful illness and trying to catch back up on life in general, I seem to have lost my mojo for blog updates.  I have some fun pics to share from the weekend.  I promise more soon!  Until then, peace, love, and happiness.

That smiley face on the bottom... that's happiness.

:-)

First Soccer Practice

He's so adorable in his little shin guards and cleats.  I love sports at this age - all eagerness, chaos, and cuteness.  I mean, seriously...

Down and Out

Illness struck like a... like a... like I can't even describe. Oh, if you have a weak stomach, you can leave now. 

It all started with the little man on Friday night.  I was making dinner, he was just through helping me cut tomatoes, when he said his stomach hurt.  Then, bam!  All over the kitchen!  I was a wreck at home alone (dad had to work late), as I tried to help Bug and somewhat clean up while sister was crying from being scared and determined to walk through it.  He was so sad, hollering "mommy, mommy, mommy" from the bathroom as I tried diligently to put his sister to bed before he got sick again.  His dad had no idea what he was coming home to.  He took care of Bug while I finished bedtime, but Bug was quick to tell him he didn't hold the washcloth on his head right... Guess I spoiled him a bit.  He slept with me that night and the poor dear would look at me, glassy-eyed, and say "I don't like this part, mom."  It really tugged my heartstrings.  He was A-okay by Saturday morning, just tired from being up all night, thank goodness because we both had to work and it would have been very tough to get out of it.  His nanny gave him great snuggles until I could pick them up.  We skipped the first soccer game of the season, which was scheduled for that morning.

Then the girl got it on Sunday.night.  We were driving... One second, she's singing along in the car, the next she's something out of poltergeist.  This was a new one for me - a child who couldn't warn me.  The first time Bug got sick, he was able to talk.  She can not.  She handled it so well.  She would play like nothing was wrong until the next time she got sick.  We decided the best way to handle nighttime would be to put her in bed with me on towels, which I would just change throughout the night.  It worked very well and by about 3 or 4 am, I truly haven't a clue what time it was, I'm just gauging by how (little) sleep we got, she was sitting up, her little lips smacking in thirst.  I nursed her and she was good.  Absolutely a ray of sunshine the next morning.

Her dad and I both got it at about the same time this morning and THANK GOODNESS his parents are visiting!!  I haven't a clue what I would have done with the kids and the two of us in a horrible condition all day.  They took the kids to the Wintherthur Gardens, to lunch, to soccer practice, and to dinner, bringing them home just in time for bed.  Saviors, they were.

I don't tell this for any reason other than to give my new-parent friends some ideas on how to cope with sick little ones.  They like cold cloths on their forehead, the towels on the bed worked well for Button since she couldn't give warning, they like to be as close to mom as possible and you WILL get sick, too, so plan on a backup if you think you'll need help when you're ill. This too shall pass (I'm just finding not as quickly with adults as with little ones.  They must have magic blood.)

That's about enough sitting up for me at the moment.  I'm back to bed.

Working the Soil

We're getting our garden ready!  Last year, I turned it over to our neighbor and she did a beautiful job with tomatoes, beans, lettuce, the works (until the bugs came, anyway.)  I've been so grateful for our "shared garden" which extends across each of our backyards.  They were wonderful neighbors, but they've since moved and we're so hopeful our soon-to-be new neighbors will be as willing to share and enjoy our little veggie beds with us. I'm excited to get my hands dirty soon!

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Project Simplify Week Three - Closets, Countertops, and Drawers

I'm a week late in posting this... I should be posting my "choose your own adventure" organization project, which is the fourth and final week of Simple Mom's Project Simplify, but I didn't do it.  I had every intention of setting up my craft station in the basement, but this week soccer started, there was a school field trip, husband worked late every night (equals no free time for mom), and I had to gather our tax info.  I know, excuses, excuses!  I still will someday (very soon), but it just didn't happen this week.  So, without further ado, I give you week three: closets, countertops, and drawers... of which I did the countertop, cupboards, and drawers.  They don't look incredibly exciting, but it's the little things.  Here are the before and afters.  With the exception of the countertop.  I didn't take an after pic, but it was COMPLETELY, 100%, beautifully clear (until a few days later when my husband came home with a pile of paperwork and there it still sits.  Argh.  We'll get this eventually.)

 The countertop.  It's a constant source of clutter.  We cleared it last year for Project Simplify and 250 times since then.  Like I said, it was perfectly, beautifully devoid of piles for three whole days.  It will happen again.

 We don't have a lot of cupboard space.  Add to that nearly a dozen oddly shaped, top-heavy, ridiculous kids cups that constantly topple over and you have one aggrivated momma.  They're taking over my pyrex corner. I cleared out the cups and glasses we don't use, moved the kids cups after tossing the ones that leaked to the cupboard next to it (kids cups now on top), fit the pyrex back in.  Happiness.

 This is a catch-all cabinet.  I got rid of stuff we don't use or moved it to the buffet.

 The buffet.  The drawers were a mish-mash mess.  Now Bug has his very own drawer to keep his LeapPad ("thanks, mom! I love my own drawer!" he said.) and I just gutted and reorganized the rest.  Loveliness.

 The get-rid of pile.  To the recycle bin or to Goodwill.

It wasn't much, but it still feels great!

Oh, and see those sippy cups with the handles at the top?  I don't recommend them if you're nursing.

The child has to bite it to get the fluid out.  So, guess what that teaches them?  To bite YOU!

Don't buy them.