Lets talk about tonight

While it is still fresh in my mind. About as fresh as the wet clothes and toys that are currently scattered around my house.

Let me just preface all this by saying how much I adore my children. They have fabulous, energetic personalities. If a stranger came up to them with some candy and said get in the car, they would high five them, hold their hand and walk to the car. My doctor assures me that with all this energy is the need to be constantly learning and are highly creative. (aka entertained with stimulating activites at all times, and if not, this happens *see photo below

Today I primed the spare bedroom. It had to be done and right that instant. The girls went down, Landon ventured off to my parents and I went at it. The girls didn't sleep. at all. A sacrifice worth not having to look at aqua periwinkle walls smeared with God only knows.

Hmmmm. Dinner time. Lets make something healthy and fancy and fun. Grilled chicken, pineapple coconut rice pilaf thingy, and bruschetta. While I was busy doing that the girls were busy doing this.

*


Little did I know, that was just the warm-up act. Lets just say the finale involved primer. I am pretty sure Tegan muttered "thanks for leaving the half full paint can out stupid". No photos to post of this incident not quiet laughing yet about it.

because who doesn't like oatmeal and garlic breadsticks for lunch

Whats that Tegan? Your shovel isn't working. Awww that's to bad...lets hug

I could go with the standard excuse "we moved, I have three kids, my spare time crafting has turned into something I never even dreamed of. Throw in some febrile seizures, pneumonia, other drama craziness our winter has been busy.


Mostly now I just sit around mentally graphing all the comparisons between 2 year old twins and honey badgers. There a no major home changes to speak of, other then new windows and removal of early 90's wallpaper. Life is great, Life is happy. I wouldn't change a moment of it. Well, maybe myself when I am trying to get all three kids out the door in snow suits. Did I mention how not fun that is.

Breakfast fun

Breakfast sumo style



There is a general refusal to sit and eat like normal human beings in my house. The girls insist sitting on the table and landon prefers his hot cereal in the living room. All these things I know are directly my fault and I take full resposibility for enabling this. Whe


Landon guarding his precious city


Harper beating Tegan over eggs and then yelling in german at me to make more


This is the only time I see Harper aggressive. Any other time she is my one child that vise grips my finger when crossing the "wobbly crazy bridge" at the park. Taking each step slow and cautious, while the other two dominate it.

So it begins

There's no turning back now
http://ayellowcottage.blogspot.com/

Bloody Potatoes

Highlights from last evening. To good not share (mind you, this is the after vacuuming picture)

While attempting to cook potato ham soup that involves a roux (scary I know) a sequence of events occurred while during, I went to this alternate void of mind numbness. I did not stop to think about what was happening or I would've cried. Straight up. I laughed instead, took pictures, and muttered a few things under my breath that will remain and settled between God and I.

What set it all off and spiraling downwards was a major cut to my thumb that if a 1/4" longer would involve stitches for sure. While trying not to bleed all over dinner and burn everything, I wrap my finger up in a dishtowel while all three kids are somewhat content playing "cooking". Mind you, Cooking involves plastic food for the girls, however it involves an assortment of spices, and random shavings of expired pantry food for Landon. Of course the frantic shuffling on my behalf stirs the children out of their playing zone.

while my back is turned I hear the dreaded words "uhoh mommy, I spilled it" Nostrils flared and deep inhaling, I turn to see what this Silent spilling substance was. Brown, fluffy and everywhere. cocoa powder i.e. brown devil powder. Landon frantically trying to clean it up and the girls were like bees to honey, finger painting their masterpieces in it. It is officially the WORST thing ever to try and clean. Not only was it all over the kids but it was all over my floor. Vacuuming cocoa powder, not so much. Somehow, I get this mess cleaned while not ruining dinner. Shaun walked in the door greeted by 3 naked children, a pile of brown clothes, and a strange funky smelling "dinner" Landon created for him that I found hidden in the fridge this morning.

The evening ended in it's usual manner. Shuffling of activity, some tears, cushion forts, and story time with Shaun. (My personal favorite) The girls love sitting in Shaun's lap with books. They don't actually listen so Shaun ends up veering away from the actual written words. Last night Elmo goes to the Train Station became, Elmo goes to Hogwarts. Shaun mildly follows Harry potter (watches the movies) so to hear him talking about Elmo on the train fighting off dementors had me in tears.

jungs-myers-briggs-kipker

My new key to survival has been found through the most unlikely of sources.
The girls bring it offerings as if it were some god from outer space, they circle it, giggle with joy and clap as it blows stinky vacuum air in their faces.

The boy, shrivels, hides quietly in the corner and plays as if to say "if she thinks I am playing good, she won't come near me" He keeps one eye on me at all times and any sudden movement that might mean I am coming anywhere near him, he flinches and crumbles into a million little pieces. Yes folks, it is that dramatic when the vacuum comes out. I have decided to use it as a personality test for my children. I sometimes leave it in the middle of the room and watch in wonder as they approach it. The boy is all about it's parts and pieces and pretend "cleaning" when it's off. The girls, still interested will smack it push it etc.

However, when turned on, the boy runs in terror and the girls come alive shrieking and clapping. It's especially funny if you leave it plugged in while turned off in the middle of the room. Someone's bound to accidentally turn it on while poking and prodding it, now that's a show.

Family of 5

Indeed.

The lioness in me is asleep. At dinner last night, I looked over at Shaun and said, "I am happy". and I am, I truly am. I realize how lucky I am to feel this content, this still. The past 30 years of my life were a blur of activity, the usual path of life. The past 10 years in particular were responsible for most of the blur, graduate college, find a career, move, fall in love, marry, buy a house, have children etc....

It probably helps that I found a creative outlet to tunnel all that fury and need for constant change that starts to fuel up. We are done building our family, now it's time to enjoy. I am done looking for that next thing looming in the near future (moving) as we are very quickly out growing our beloved house. We are as stable as can be and I am blissfully happy and so real about it.