March 18, 2008

Man In Training

This picture has absolutely nothing to do with my story. I just finished it and I think it's awfully cute, don't you?
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I'm looking after the boy who lives across the street today. He's six years old and quite the little charmer. My girls adore him and he's pretty fun to have around. Now, it's time to make lunch.



He wants these Mickey Mouse pizzas that he knows we usually have on hand. The girls want chicken nuggets. Since I can pop them both in the toaster oven at the same time, everyone wins today. He carries the pizza in from the freezer and puts it, box and all, in the microwave. He then looks over at 12YO and grins, almost as if he knew that was the wrong way.



Without missing a beat, 12YO exclaims, "Mom.....he is such a guy! He knows that's not how you make a pizza!"



The 'Battle of the Sexes' starts younger and younger, doesn't it?

March 15, 2008

Okay....so it's the FIFTEENTH OF MARCH.....

...and I have no idea where the time has gone!
I mean, I GUESS I sort of know...but it all gets away from us so quickly sometimes, doesn't it? I've been babysitting a BONUS 5YO. She's in kindergarten and I get her before and after school. She and my 5YO are best buds. They even look alike and people honestly think I have four kids now!
And I feel like I actually DO sort of have four kids!
Thanks to the time change, I get to see the sunrise every stinking morning. It's beautiful and I've actually started to look forward to it. I am busier somehow....much busier. I love it and hate it, if that makes any sense. Being productive puts me in sort of a pissy mood and I can get a bit mean when someone gets in the way of progress. I guess laziness seems to be a natural sedative or something for me, as I'm much nicer to the whole world when I can stay in my PJs all day and play on the internet.
I do, however, have a bit to show for my time gone. Here are a few sunrises I had the pleasure of witnessing firsthand:

Sunrise

Sunrise

We finally got one of the girls' bedrooms painted and put together. FINALLY!

Handpainted flowers

Entertainment center in place...

David wearing first felted hat

In this last picture of their room, David is wearing my very first felted hat. That was so much fun and I cannot wait to felt something else! If you remember, the hat looked like THIS


when it was first on the needles. Wildtomato talked me through it, as 2YO had ripped the labels off my yarn and the felting instructions were lost. After letting it agitate in the washer in hot water for about 12 minutes, I stuffed it full of plastic grocery bags and used a saucepan lid to make the brim a little bit wider.


Shaping first felted hat

Still drying....


First felted hat

Like I said, it was a lot of fun and I can't wait to do another project like this again. I'm currently working on a hat for my friend's baby, who may very well be born by now. Her mom was in the birthing center last night at the hospital. I'm just waiting to hear that she's here.....

I really do hope that I can get into a better routine with the addition of this fourth child during the week. I hope that means that I can actually set aside some more time for 'me.' I went four days straight last week without even turning my computer on. I must say that I did feel a bit accomplished after that, but the feelings of withdrawl seem to be lingering a bit. As of now, we have parent meeting for softball, practice for both girls at the same time on opposite ends of town, a St. Patrick's Day party at the neighbors' house, and birthdays to celebrate. And that's just the schedule for TODAY. I'll take my chaos the only way I can swallow it...one day at a time.

Have a wonderful weekend!