Is Your Day Going THIS Bad?

(updated 2/28 - see end of post)

A mathematical equation for you.....

Moving Vehicle

+

Stationary Garage Wall

=

???

This is what your answer should have been... did you get it right??

A broken van

A broken garage wall

A dryer that got catapulted to here (4 feet away from the where it used to be)

And a damaged wall/window/laundry room!

Bet you didn't have all that answer correct on the first try...

Random Tip #7

It's been awhile since the last Random Tip from the "What the Heck" blog, but I have a good one for you today!

Have you ever noticed that as you get more comfortable in a new place you stop looking where you're REALLY going and just kind of work on auto-pilot?  You know, you drive to the place you're going, park, get out and go in... not paying attention to new things in the area, the names of streets, etc.  You just go.  Well, my tip for you today revolves around just that idea....

Random Tip #7 - Pay attention to where you are (even if you THINK you know where you are)  because you may just be preoccupied enough with a child, a phone call, or your racing mind and walk into the completely wrong building.

told ya so...

Please, don't think I am saying "told you so" in that whiney, sassy voice that kids so many times use with that particular phrase.  I am being very polite about it this morning. 

I had mentioned in my post yesterday that we tend to find Trevor in the same sleep configuration when we check in on him before we head to bed.  Well, I had to laugh last night as I went in to tuck him in.  I remembered the picture that I took the night before and had to go get my camera to compare the two.  Here's what I found....

The picture from 2 nights ago....

And the one from last night....

Almost EXACT mirror images of each other! 

Can you believe it?? 

So, see... I told ya he liked to sleep like this.

This Is How We Do It

It's a bit odd, but this is how we sleep in this house (at least this is how it was last night).  And sorry about the post title, but I've had the 1995 song by Montell Jordan "This is How We Do It" in my head for some reason. (and don't think that I knew the year and artist off the top of my head... I had to look on the trusty 'ol internet!!)  Don't get it in your head, you won't be able to get it out....

Upon checking in on the boys to cover them up before we went to bed, this is what Rick and I found.

In Ethan's Room

(it must have been a really rough day...)

In Trevor's Room

This is nothing new for Trevor, but I don't think I've documented it lately. He has (since he was very little) always slept with his one leg crossed over the other in this configuration. You can put it down and before you know it, he has it back up and over the other leg.

Valentine's Day (or is it Halloween?)

Valentine's Day is not a big holiday in our house. Rick and I celebrated it our first year together (WAY BACK in 1993), but since then it's been maybe a card or a little something, but never a big deal for either of us. This year was no exception. We were going to take the kids out to eat, just to make it a little bit special since they both had big Valentine's Day parties at school and therefore, knew all about the holiday. They both wrote out Valentine's card and Ethan decorated a box to take to school, too. But at home, dinner was going to be it for us. However, when Ethan came down with a cough and cold on Saturday afternoon we knew those plans were going to be thrown out the door.

Instead, Rick and Trevor went to church in the morning while Ethan and I stayed home, Ethan made Valentine's cards for Dad and Trevor (just like the ones he saw earlier in the day on the cartoon Special Agent Oso), Rick picked up some red Jell-O for our dessert (heart shaped Jigglers with whipped cream), and we had a lazy day watching the Daytona 500.

(sorry, blogger again rotated a picture that I didn't want them too)

As soon as Ethan saw it was a race day, he immediately wanted to put on his Jimmy Johnson costume that he had worn for Halloween.

That was ok... it fit in with the theme on the television that day (I should say on the bigger TV - I was "pushed to" the bedroom to watch anything that had to do with the Olympics ;o)). However, Trevor didn't relate that Ethan was wearing the outfit because there was racing on TV. He just knew that Ethan had on his costume so he wanted his on, too! Who was I to disagree or tell him that he couldn't because we weren't watching a nature show with tigers and lions and bears, (oh my)? It was not my place to tell him no. So, I helped him get dressed and the little man came out to the living room scaring Rick and Ethan with this costume. Very scary, I know!

So, was it Valentine's Day or Halloween? I'm not sure. All I do know is that the kids were happy and having a blast with their costumes so that made me happy too! That was our day (oh, did I forget that we ALL took naps that day too? It was Heaven!)

Hope your Heart Day was a bit more exciting than ours!

Weekend Faces

As Rick worked on Saturday, these are the faces that I was forced, oh wait, I mean had the privilege to look at all day... Sick Face

and Crabby -Tired Face.

Thankfully, by mid day on Sunday they had turned their frowns upside down and we were able to look at faces like this for a couple hours before sending them to bed.

A Favorite (but Sad) Conversation

As I am home with the boys this morning this conversation took place. The set up - Ethan and I were in the loft putting together puzzles and Trevor was in the other room playing pbskids.org on the computer.

Ethan - (after finishing 3 of 4 puzzles) Mom, this is really fun.
Me - You like putting together puzzles, don't you?
Ethan - Yep. But it's fun to put them together just you and me. Just Ethan and Mom. Not Trevor.
Me - (after I quietly said, "Awe" to myself) You're absolutely right, Ethan, it is nice. We don't get to do stuff with just me and you very often, do we.
Ethan - Nope we don't. But I really like it when we do.
Me - Me too, Peanut!
(then he giggled because I called him Peanut (like he always does) and a great big hug was shared!! And then we did another puzzle.)

I loved this conversation, but yet it made me so sad to know that I'm not getting the alone time with him like I do Trevor because of the way our schedules are. 'Tis the life of a parent with more than one child, I guess....

Cabin Fever

You may have noticed there aren't many updates from this past week. Not because we were so busy I haven't had the time. Just not much going on this week. It's been yucky outside. Mother Nature can't make up her mind and there's been a mix of rain, snow, wind and a wee little bit of sun. But even during the times when we get a glimpse of the sun, the yards are so wet and squishy that we still can't play out there. And it's too cold to blow bubbles or sit on the freezing cold concrete to draw with chalk. So we've been banned from playing outside.

Due to all of that.... we have CABIN FEVER very very very very badly! I just want to get outside and play with kids in the yard, go for a walk and listen to them tell me about everything they "spy". I want to throw the tennis ball for the dog so she can get some (even just a smidgen) of her energy out. I want to sit and listen to the boys giggle while playing outside. I want to go outside and feel warm again!!!

Spring, please make your presence known. We would really like to see you again, we miss you and we NEED you!

Dashboard Help

Help me..... on my Blogger Dashboard it is stuck on just one blog. Typically you see all the recent updates from the blogs you are following. Today, mine is stuck on just one blog rather than the various ones with the most recent updates. (and no, I have not clicked on just one blog... the "show all blogs" is highlighted.) I can click on all the individual blogs to see their posts, but I don't want to have to click on each blog to see if they've updated. That's just not convenient.... and these days, I'm all about making things more convenient :o)

Any suggestions on how to get it to work again? (or is yours doing the same thing and it's just a glitch in Blogger today?) Please help.....

Catholic School's Week

Last week (Feb 1 through Feb 5) was Catholic Schools Week and being that Ethan is going to a Catholic school he took part in a ton of activities that were set up for the week. The week started on the previous Saturday, January 30, at 5pm mass. Many different parts of mass were presented by the kids and their parents, if necessary. Ethan (and a parent) were asked to do one of the petitions. Rick went up with Ethan, read the petition and when it was Ethan's turn to say his part, just 5 little words, he FROZE! Could not say a word. Didn't even smile. Just FROZE. This coming from our chatter box, who by the way has done fine talking in church previously. When he came back to the pew I asked him what happened. He just kind of smiled and said, "Mom, there's so many people!" And he was right. Church was packed full, standing room only. I don't blame him for freezing up - I would've been a bit intimidated as well with all those people. But it was a great mass with all the involvement from the kids and a wonderful way to start off Catholic Schools Week.

For the week, each day had a different theme that the kids got to dress up for. The run-down for the week was as follows:

Monday - PJ Day
Tuesday - Sports Day (he sported the good ol' red and white WI Badgers jersey)
Wednesday - Color Day (Ethan's class wore yellow and he was so excited that he was able to wear his only yellow shirt - his T-ball shirt from last year)
Thursday - Biblical/Religious Character Day
Friday - Dress-up Day - Grandparent's Tea Celebration

I didn't get pictures of each day, but here are some from Thursday and Friday.

Thursday - Ethan was a Shepherd

Friday @ Grandparent's Tea Program

Ethan was excited to have Daddy there to be his special friend since the Grandmas and Grandpas couldn't make it.

Ethan and Hannah tipping over during "I'm a Little Tea Pot"

Unfortunately, my videos of their songs did not turn out, but they were all so cute and did a wonderful job!

Unexpected Visit from the Meyer's

The last week in January, Rick's cousin, Eric, called to see what we were up to the first week in February. There was a potential that he and his family would have time to come visit us for the week, but they wouldn't know for sure until Friday afternoon. Our response, "Of course we're up for visitors... we love visitors, even if they are on short notice!!" Come Friday evening we received a phone call saying that they would be on their way on Sunday night and would arrive sometime early Monday morning. They were going to drive through the night to hopefully allow for an easier drive with a 3 and 1 year old in the vehicle!

They arrived right on time at 8:15am Monday morning. I had already taken Ethan to school and Trevor was patiently waiting for our "bistors" as he called them. It was so good to see them and to know that they were going to be here for a whole week. Recently, when we get to see them it's for a day at the most, and most times for just a couple hours, so this was a wonderful surprise to have them come visit us.

A little history on Eric & Nancy. Eric is 6 months younger than Rick. They grew up together and have been close ever since. Eric was the Best Man in our wedding, and Rick in theirs. Nancy and I came into the family just a couple years apart, but when trying to figure out such a big family, it's wonderful to have someone come into it that also has to remember the names and who belongs to whom just like you. From the time when we were all just dating to this very day of being married and each having 2 children, we've always had a great time with Eric & Nancy and look forward to seeing them!

This visit was no exception. And we were especially looking forward to watching the boys (yes, all boys. Four of them) play and get to know each other a little better. During this week of visiting the house consisted of the 4 adults, 4 boys, ages 5, 3 years 4 months, 3 years 2 months, and 1 year), and Kelty, the dog. The boys did amazingly well, but we did get a glimpse of what it would be like to have twin boys with Trevor and Darren being just 2 months apart! They had their moments of "acting like brothers", but for the most part they did so well the entire week. And that was no easy feat for any of us being that the weather was a bit crummy and there really isn't a ton to do here in the winter. But we all found things to do (playing outside, going to the gym to play, story time, the Meyer's took a trip to Springfield on Wednesday while Rick and I ventured to Kansas City for Trevor's spina bifida clinic, making a Valentine's card for Great-Grandma from the little boys, visiting the local ice cream shop, etc) and we all enjoyed the lazy week (or at least I know I did).

Thank you again -Eric, Nancy, Darren and Gavin - for thinking of us and coming to visit. You are more than welcome at our home ANY time!! Come back soon, we miss you already.

The Goal

I am a bit behind on posts again.  We had visitors last week and that distracts me (in a very good way) from my blog and any sort of major cleaning.  The house gets picked up, but the laundry, vacuuming and dusting get pushed to the side until visitors leave.  That is, unless it's an extended stay.  When my brother would come visit for 3 weeks at a time in Utah, the laundry and general housecleaning NEEDED to be done while he was there else we would be very stinky in our dirty clothes and would be living in a sea of dust.  But when people come for just a few days I hate to waste time cleaning or doing laundry when they're here. 

Now that Eric, Nancy and the boys have left, it's time to catch up a bit.  I know I'm writing this, but my goal today is NOT to catch up on the blog.  Rather, it is to catch up on the laundry - 6 loads between clothes, towels and sheets - so that I can use time tomorrow to catch up on the blog.  I figured that if I put it in writing I would be more apt to actually achieving my goal.  I am 99.9% positive that my boys will be engaged in football related activities most of the day tomorrow so I can use the time to update the blog.

Wish me luck on the Marathon Laundry Day - load 1 is already in progress - so I can give you some new stories to read and pictures to look at!

UPDATE - 12:27pm.  All rooms (except our bedroom) vacuumed and picked up. 3 loads of laundry completely done, one in the washer now.  2 more to go (actually only one because I don't have enough room on the drying rack to do the last load.  That one will have to wait til tomorrow.