Thanksgiving Recap

Ohhhh I was so right when I said blogging time would be limited. Some unforeseen global event space time continuum anamoly thing has caused my children to start sleeping until 6:30, and simultaneously, and equally shocking, other people have been getting up with the kids. It's pretty awesome on both counts!!

So, I know you are watiting with baited breath to know how my Thanksgiving and days after have been. So here is a recap.

Thanksgiving was great. We started out by having cinnamon rolls for breakfast. I had planned on being up at 5 (due to kids) and getting it all ready before the other adults were awake, but I ended up not getting up until about 6:45. By the time the dough was ready everyone was starving and Kevin said "Ohhh you are making Christmas cinnamon rolls. I looked at him perplexed and he clarified "because they'll be ready around Christmas." I laughed because the man I married is sooo very funny. In the end, it turned out that I kind of shouldn't have trusted the part where it said the prep time was one hour because there was an additional 45 minutes of rising that I skipped because I had 8 starving people to feed. They turned out so yummy anyway and everyone was happy. Thank you Paula Deen.



Cooking was uneventful and I am happy to say my first Thanksgiving of cooking almost everything myself (Kevin handled the turkey and got rave reviews) went off mostly without a hitch and I didn't mess anything up.

Best moments:



Ben putting an olive on his finger and eating it off after watching his brothers do it. So funny!





Eric and Mark helping me cook. They punched the cinnamon roll dough down and helped me peel boiled eggs for deviled eggs amo

ng other things. They did a fantastic job!



Having things prepped well enough so that I wasn't stressed about getting everything ready.





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It's not a holiday without someone getting sick or hurt. Fortunately Mark's cough wasn't too bad and only bothered him the night before the holiday. I did get the fun of worrying whether Ben had a concussion after his bad fall right before lunch time. The boy has luck on his side. He's fine, just a little banged up.

There's more to tell, including how my mom and I stayed out until 4 am Thanksgiving night, but it will have to wait. Off to make biscuits & gravy. Frozen biscuits and gravy from a mix. I think I've filled my quota of from scratch cooking this year with the cinnamon rolls.

In an Hour

We will be driving to the airport to pick up my mom and dad. AKA, Granny and Poppy. I have been cleaning and stressing and trying to get the house just right, not because I think they care what my house looks like, but because I care. I want it to be nice. It's not perfect... but it's a whole lot better than it has been in recent days.

I anticipate the drive to the airport to be a whole lot of fussing about are we there yet? And this is "Boooo wing" and the like. It's a thirty minute drive though so it won't be too much fussing. I expect that about the time we get close to the highway exit at least 2 of the kids will be sleeping.

When we get there all of the crabbiness will melt away. The kids will rush to them and give hugs and kisses. Zack will stand back a little but in his excitement will do his little "dance" where he hops around and kind of skips in place.

I can't wait to see them all happy and excited.

Finished With Lost Teeth For Awhile, Lost Marbles, Another Story

Eric lost another tooth last night (and the tooth fairy recycled money that the Momma confiscated while cleaning bedrooms since it was all.over.the.floor. Is the tooth fairy evil, or just resourceful. You tell me.) With that lost tooth, we no longer have any loose teeth in their mouths. Our running total is 5 lost for Mark and 4 for Eric. Which is kind of crazy since Eric is a year older. But, at least it's something that Mark got to do first. That's important to him. Anyway, I am grateful for the break from wiggly teeth but I am wondering where in the heck some of these new BIG teeth are supposed to fit. They both have their bottom middle permanent teeth in, but I just don't know how the rest are going to have space. I have horrible thoughts of pallate expanders and braces in my future.

While we may be getting a break from lost teeth, I do think I'm losing more brain cells on a daily basis. There are many reasons why...

1. Millions of things to do... Mostly getting them done only to have them undone at an alarming rate.

2. My parent arrive tomorrow and while this is a very positive thing I still have yet to go grocery shopping for Thanksgiving. I think I'll be able to swing this tomorrow morning as Kevin is taking off work. Whew.

3. My kids were up at ... wait for it... 4 freaking 30. That's not morning folks. We sent them back to bed but I have a feeling they merely went upstairs and decided to rearrange the furniture. As evidenced by the fact that the under bed storage part of Eric's bed is now at an angle. When questioned not so patiently by me, I was told that they were making a secret passageway. Mmmmkay.

4. Mommy brain, mommy brain, mommy brain. Thankfully, I've only ALMOST forgotten things like sending stuff to school for their Thanksgiving feast... but there have been close calls.

5. Mark melting down because his backpack was tooooo heavy and then really ultra melting down when Eric had the audacity to offer to carry it for him because it made him feel like a baby. Picture total tear filled freak out. That was my morning. Oh, and I made things LOTS better by threatening to keep him home to miss his party. It worked but I felt like a jerk.

6. Did I mention Mommy Brain? Go read about my recent experience with losing my shampoo at the gym at Deep South Moms. I still don't know if I'm more irritated that I left it or that someone took it. Tossup.

Those are only part of the reasons I am losing my marbles!

Soooo, the parents will understand if Kevin and I run away 5 minutes after they get here right? Nah, I wouldn't do that, but maybe I can get a date night out of it :)

Have a great day! I may be hit and miss for the next week or so since I'll have company and have to semi hide my blogging addiction. Who am I kidding, I'll be the only one up when the kids get up at 4:30 so I'll blog then.

Ohhh Potty Training

Alternate titles... When All Else Fails, Blog About Poop, or Potty Training, or Mommy Training?, or maybe Oh For Crying Out Loud Why is it SO Hard!?!

Seriously, shouldn't it be easier by kid number 3? Yea, no.. it's not.

We are to the phase that I feel like I should be backing off and letting him tell me when it's time to go. Fewer reminders, in our case, equals more accidents. He just gets so hyper focused on whatever he's doing that he will suddenly say "Mommmmmmmy, I POOPED." The good news is that while a month or so ago, being wet or poopy seemed to be just fine and dandy, now it really bothers him. And it is getting better. Sloooooooooowly but surely.

How Many Times Can I Say Thankful in One Post?

As we enter Thanksgiving week I have been contemplating the things that I am truly thankful for. It started out with the obvious. I am so thankful for my family. For my babies. I look back and remember a time when I wasn't sure I would ever get one baby, and now I have four. I am thankful that we have a home and our health and are happy. Those things are always on my mind though, and I was trying to think of something beyond the status quo of things to be thankful for.

I did come up with a few, and here they are:

I am thankful for a break from school for the kids. I love school, don't get me wrong, but it's always nice to have a little time off to just breathe and take things a little slower in the mornings. This also means, since next week is a short week, there is no homework!! I am beyond thankful for that. Because, even though it is their homework and they do it, it is one task I don't have to oversee next week.

I am thankful that my parents are coming to visit for Thanksgiving. We are always more than happy to make the trek to Oklahoma once a year to see all the family, but there is a certain giddyness I feel when people come to see me.

I am thankful that the kids and Kevin did not get the strep throat/ bronchitis combo I had last week. I'm probably jinxing myself by saying so, but I am so, unbelievably relieved and happy that they (so far) were spared.

Totally superficial, but I am thankful that I got to go buy a few pairs of pants yesterday. Because now I can be warm! (A side note, I am NOT thankful for the 15 degrees below average temperatures we are having. This is FLORIDA... were is my warmth?)

I'm sure there are more little things that I am thankful for, but I have to help Zack get dressed. My goal for this week is to focus on the things that are good in my life instead of the five zillion things I have to do between now and Thanksgiving Day to be ready.

What little things are you thankful for?

I Got Nothin' Go Here Instead

The title says it all. I don't have much to say today mostly because not much is going on and partly because I think I might have writer's block... or blogger's block... or SOMETHING.

However, there's lots to be said over at the Silicon Valley Moms Blogs. They are having a topic day on diversity and what I've read so far has been great! So, head over! Start out at Deep South Moms (I didn't get a post put together in time, but go anyway!) and make your way through the rest. Keep checking back because more posts will be added throughout the day!

While you are there be sure to enter to win this awesome printer on the Silicon Valley site!

Hope everyone is having a great Friday!

Listening to Kids

Sometimes I find it really hard to listen to my kids. Especially the ones that are constantly talking. Wait that's almost all of them. I mean I hear them, but sometimes I find myself saying "uh huh, wait WHAT did you say?" Yea, it's bad.

Turns out I should be listening better to Ben too. Now Ben gets a bad rap around here what with all of his crib climbing and baby gate leaping lately. BUT he's cute as a button regardless of his other escapades. He does talk, but not so much for communication sake as just to make me go "Ohhhhhhh Ben you are TOOO cute." Gush.

Anyway, today as we were leaving the gym he kept fighting me. He was pulling back and whining and kept trying to go back in the door. I, on the other hand, kept ahold of his little hand and was pulling him in my direction, without really considering that there might be a reason for his carrying on. About 3 steps into the parking lot he tried to go back again, at which point I said "forget this junk!" and picked him up. It was then that I noticed that one of his shoes were missing. I said, "Ben did you lose your shoe?" He replied "hehe" and pointed to the doors of the gym and said "Shoe." We went back and got it and he was then willing to go back to the car.

I'll get this mom thing figured out one of these days. Unfortunately, I fear my kids might be grown by the time I do.

Wardrobe & Fashion

My winter wardrobe is lacking. I'm not a clothes fiend or anything but all I have for the cooler weather is one pair of jeans, one sweater, and some work out pants. I keep meaning to go out and find a few things but time is limited (not to mention $$) It's 35 degrees today. Sure, it will be warmer a little later, but for now BRRR. I guess I'll have to go shopping this weekend, unless as usually happens there is a warmup and my capris become acceptable attire once again. Did I mention it's 35 degrees. I must be confused because I thought I lived in Florida. I'm freezing.

In other fashion news, Mark decided to wear two shirts today. Not as in a tshirt under a polo shirt, or even a long sleeve shirt under a short sleeve shirt for added warmth. No, he has on a green polo shirt under a blue polo shirt. I am in debate weather or not to fight this battle. Everything is a battle with Mark. I could let this one go and it would make my morning immensely more peaceful. He's five after all, fashion doesn't matter really. On the other hand I don't want the teachers to think I sent him to school not KNOWING that he was wearing two collared shirts.

Maybe I could just sneak it off of him as he tells me facts about the eye. "Mom did you know there are six muscles in the eye?" "Why, no Mark I did not." I'm sure he wouldn't notice. I could just slip it off while he continues "The eye is 6 times stronger than your body."**


**Eye facts are not known to be accurate. They are doing a unit on the eye in class and apparently got to see a real eye. (eww) I'll have to look up the statistics to see if he is right on his info or if something got lost in translation.

What to do When You Can't Contain a 21 Month Old

We are back online with a shiny new computer. Not exactly a purchase I wanted to make right now, but necessary.

Last week was not so bad considering Kevin was out of town for five days and the computer crashed after two of those days. We kept busy. Not to say it was stress free, exactly, but what day is? None lately that's for sure.

All went great and then I got sick (after Kevin got home thank heaven) and felt like crap all weekend.

I did feel slightly better on Sunday for my 12th anniversary and after Kevin helped our friend fix his car (it worked! It runs! He's so multi talented!) we got to go out to eat. Then, we went to Best Buy purchase the new computer! Fortunately for our finances, we had both pretty much had no free minutes to sneak out and purchase gifts, so Happy Anniversary, here's a computer to replace the one that DIED.

Anyway, on to what I wanted to write about. The title, "What to do When You Can't Contain a 21 Month Old." Desperate plea for help, or advice on how to deal with YOUR climber? Take a wild guess. Here's a hint, I don't do advice columns, I don't know what I'm doing over half the time.

Ben has escalated the climbing and now not only gets out of his bed (which should probably be converted to a toddler bed, but as yet has not) but he can also climb right over the baby gate and out into the house. Monday morning Kevin heard noises in the house at 4 in the morning and went to investigate. I assumed it was Mark and when I heard him come back in I felt a kid climb into bed with me. Without opening my eyes I said "What are you doing up, dude?" And then when there was no answer I rolled over and cracked my eyes open and saw it was my teeny tiny baby. The one who sleeps in a CRIB and has a baby GATE on his door. Anyway, an hour later I had Ben back to bed and collapsed in mine. Then everyone including Ben was up a mere hour after that.

On to nap time. Surely he'd be tired enough to just crash. Right? Ha!! Yea, no. Short version, I worked with him over an hour, used Super Nanny techniques, used stuff that I made up, and banged my head against the wall and finally, when I went to change over the laundry and Ben climbed INTO the dryer... twice.... I took desperate action. I buckled both little boys into their car seats and went for a drive. Any guesses as to who was asleep before we got out of our neighborhood? Anyone? Oh well, I got the bonus that Zack fell asleep too. Both transferred into beds. Thank goodness. But, it shouldn't take 1.5 hours and a drive to achieve nap time. Should it?

Bedtime was a similar fiasco and I was visibly frustrated. At some point Kevin sent me to run my errand and took care of it for me. Thank goodness.

Any tips to control the climbing? I've got to get this issue resolved or it might kill me. That is if potty training Zack doesn't get me first.

Brief

I'm at a friend's house so I will be brief. Just a few little updates...

Computer is still broken. Kevin says it's dead. So I guess we are going to get a new one. Preferably today. After he helps our friend fix his car.

Mark's ear is all better. No more puncture. No surgery. I couldn't be more relieved.

I think with no computer and therefore no blogging for the past 5 days has affected my ability to think clearly and/or write a coherent sentence. Or maybe I was just fooling myself and never had that at all.

PS

I have a new post over at Deep South Moms... Go check it out...

Another thing... think about Mark tomorrow... we are getting his ear checked out... let's hope for a totally healed up eardrum. I'm not so sure I could handle it if he had to have surgery... Eek.

Kevin will be home tomorrow night. First item on his to do list... fix computer.

DropOut

Well, I guess I am a NaBlogPoMo dropout. Not willingly. Yesterday my computer would not boot up. Not even in safe mode. I have no clue. Hopefully Kevin will when he gets back in town tomorrow evening.

So just a quick post since I'm at a friend's house borrowing her internet. Feeding the addiction and stuff. And letting some folks know I haven't dropped off the face of the earth.

In the meantime I'm amazed at the amount I can get done without the distraction of the computer. There's the positive spin I guess.

Besides that there's not much going on. Except for this week is totally confusing me. Sunday Kevin left to go to CA and made it feel like a Monday. Except that the kids were all home so it was extra confusing. Then, I might have gotten back on track if not for the fact that the kids were home from school yesterday too, so it felt more like Saturday than Tuesday. For some reason today feels like Thurday even though I really figured it would be Monday all over again. Tomorrow Kevin gets in but will be off on Friday so I'll be pretty confused again I guess. Maybe I'll get back on track on Monday. Sigh

Am I the only one who gets hopelessly off track from a minor change in schedule? Because if I have to be totally crazy it might be nice to have some company.

Questions That Have No Answers

Why do you sleep on the floor Eric when you have a perfectly good bed? I heard a kid get up last night around the time I was going to bed. I waited for someone to come down the stairs but they never did. I heard snoring that was too close to be from anyone in bed, so I investigated. He was laying in the floor in his doorway. Why? This happens often.

Why is it that even though I spend a fair amount time cleaning each day that I am never "caught up" and my house is never "clean?"

When is the laundry going to be done?

Is the laundry ever going to be done?

Will my kids ever stop fighting? Will they be friends someday?

Impromptu Adventures

The only bad thing about our little adventure yesterday is that I didn't bring my camera. I wanted to pick up a new book I've been wanting to read. I tried checking it out at the library but I was # 84 on the list and I'm just not quite that patient. There were 17 copies, at 2 weeks each being checked out and if my calculations are right that would put it in my hands about February. I wanted it NOW.

On the way to the book store every last child of mine fell asleep. So, I just ran in and got it...

I love bookstores. They make me feel so lovely and just in awe. All of those words, all of that paper. I love the library too, but something about crisp, new, fresh pages waiting to be read for the first time is amazing to me.

Now that I sound like a complete wacko I may as well confess that I got a little lost. Kevin was out in the car waiting for me. As I walked out the door still in my book induced stupor it took me a few minutes to realize that I had walked out the wrong door. This brand spanking new two story Barnes & Noble is part of a brand spanking new outdoor mall so there is a front and back entrance to B&N. I got my head back on straight and resisted the urge to further explore the mall and made my way back to the front and found my snooze mobile. The kids were still sleeping and Kevin and I tried to decide what to do. If we tried to go home and transfer kids to beds someone would wake up. They were obviously tired and needing to sleep. On the other hand, while there was a time when we would aimlessly drive with no known destination those days ended around the time gas hit $3.50 a gallon. Even though gas is hovering right around the $2.15 mark, I still can't justify the needless waste of fuel.

So, I had an idea. Let's drive out to this park that I love, but we don't go to often because it's 45 minutes away. The kids started to squirm just about the time we got into the town and suddenly Mark said "Huh, this place is unusual!" Then, the kids started to recognize where we were and remember the awesome playground which they've dubbed "rock forest." They were convinced we had tricked them about running errands and had planned this outing all along. I told them what had really happened, but I think they were pretty solidly believing that their own theory was correct.

For Kevin and I this little excursion was an answer to a dilemma, we decided to go based on logic and reasoning. It was a bonus that it would be fun, of course but there was a problem (kids needed to sleep, we needed to keep moving) and this gave us a solution. To the boys, it was a grand adventure.

The time at the park was great! We walked around, then the kids played. There were some serious tree climbing lessons with the bigger boys and daddy. We sat and watched the butterflies in the butterfly gardern. Despite wishing I had my camera it really was a perfect outing.

Watching my kids have fun gives me the same feeling being in the bookstore does. They are so amazing, even awe inspiring. Watching them run and play with no thought to the worries of the world. Motherhood doesn't get much better than that.

Zack Makes Me Laugh

Zack is a funny guy with a funny smile and the cutest dimples ever... He's the one that I worried would never talk and I was this close to having him evaluated for speech therapy when he had a language explosion. He hasn't stopped talking since.

Just a few quotes from today...

"Mommy, your bwack jammies are boo tee ful." I was wearing work out clothes... that's the funniest thing.

"Mommy tank oo for the dee wish ous bweakfast."

And let's not forget when he was getting into trouble and I told him to look me in the eye, when he looked straight up at the ceiling and said "I NOT wook at you, I WOOK at the SKY."

Three is such a fun age. Except when it's not!!

When We All Work Together

I've been trying to get some help around here from the bigger boys, but the other day the little ones got in on the act too.

I was a happy momma having everyone work together... although I'd prefer Ben not STAND in the dishwasher. But he hopped right in there and was handing Eric the cups and plates. Helping... as opposed to right now when he's pulling the dishwasher tray OUT of the dishwasher. Yea, I better get on that!

My Student Of the Month

Mark, in spite of being capable of all sorts of naughtiness at home, is a very, very good boy at school. He was selected as the "student of the month" for his class. I was so proud! Today there was a little award ceremony and breakfast. At the end I was going to take his picture. He was mad at me about something and I can't even remember why... So he would NOT smile.

I used my "don't you smile" tactic on him and he hid behind his hands and giggled like crazy.

Then, finally, a hands free, non scowling picture. So, he's looking off to the side and the behind the hands smile was much bigger. This is what we got. Congrats on being Student of the Month Mark-o... Now could you bring that good boy home from school today?

Random Rants

The 5 (or earlier) AM wakeups are starting to get to me and I think I'm cranky. Things are bothering me. Or maybe it's not just me, because what is bothering me is actually disturbing.

First of all, when I went to school yesterday it was on modified lockdown because of multiple calls to 911 on election day in which the caller was threatening teachers. That's all the info I had, but there were police at the school and all the classrooms were locked. Who on earth threatens elementary school teachers? Oh and the calls were made from a pay as you go type phone so they couldn't be traced. Poor teachers. Luckily, I guess the issue was resolved. But I have so many questions that I'm sure won't be answered. Who did this? Why? Was it a prank? Someone who had a beef about the election? Just some random psycho who gets his thrills scaring the crap out of people? Or someone who truly intended harm to someone? I hope not the last.

This bothers me too. People just dropping their kids off and giving up on them. I can't even imagine how much it would screw a (probably already troubled) teen off to have mom or dad go dump them at the nearest hospital. It looks like Nebraska is making an attempt to rewrite the Safe Haven Law for infants only. (Just to be clear, I do agree that the Safe Haven Law is a good thing for babies. I'm all for keeping newborns out of trash cans.)

Oh and we have a lovely popup spyware virus-y thing on our computer. Norton isn't finding it, but seriously, UGH. It's annoying and it's slowing down my computer. I found instructions for removing said spyware virus-y thing but it's like reading Greek so I'm waiting for my hubby to have time to do it. In the mean time let's just hope my computer doesn't crash because then I might be in a REALLY bad mood!

And I have a headache. And did I mention that the kids were up before 5 again? Yea, I'm cranky. Enough with the ranting though, everyone have a great day!

Potty Fiascos

Just a quick post today... By quick I mean I'm going to type as fast my fingers will fly and not proof read OR spell check so there will be sentences that don't make any sense and plenty of type -os. I might have just skipped it, but there's the whole NaBloPoMo thingie. :)

So, the last few days I've regressed on potty training Zack. First, HE regressed and then I, to save the small shred of sanity I might have left, just took a few days o-f-f. This morning I got right back down to it.

He and Ben stay at my friend's house on Wednesdays while I volunteer at the school. It is awesome! Unfortunately the last few times he's been over there he's been too distracted playing to care about potty time. This translates to LOTS of pee in the pants. Not cool. So, today I bribed him. If he could go allllllll day staying dry I would buy him a car. This was of course, after on the way out the door he announced "Mommy, I POOPED!" Argh.

So, being all full of inconsistency like I am lately, I gave him the car early. But he HAD stayed dry up to that point and we were waiting in the car pickup line at school and that is some boring time for a 3 year old. I also threatened that if he peed in his pants I'd take it away until he could stay dry like a big boy.

Bribes and threats, that's good mothering for ya. But, it's working cause he's not had an accident all day!

This should be easier the 3rd time around, shouldn't it? Cause it's not...

Election Day

I guess I should stop reading news headlines when I am sleep deprived and up at 5 AM because I read the headline "Turnout records fall even in GOP-friendly states" I got a little crazy wondering HOW in the world they could possibly know that given it's just now election day. Was this some sort of approximation based on the voting turnout in the early voting? How in the world with as adament as most of the people I know are about their candidate (on both sides) winning would turnout FALL from the last election. Then I clicked on the link and said to myself "OH the RECORDS are falling NOT the turnout.

Well good! I hope we blow the previous election turnout records out of the water. No matter who the vote is for.

What I don't want, however is to stand in line for 3 hours, so I'm hoping everyone around here took advantage of early voting. I, true to form, am waiting until the last minute... well the last day. I plan to vote after taking the boys to school, but will have the two littlest with me. This makes me happy that there is school though, because when I lived in GA election day was a school holiday. In the last major election I only had 2 kids to drag with me, so it wasn't a big deal, but 4 might just be too much!

So go vote everyone! I'm sure I'll be up way too late watching the results.

Methinks the Twos Might Be Terrible

Ben is an individual. He has such an opinion about everything and it's a teensy bit hard to manage sometimes. He's in an age with almost no impulse control, and it's hard to enforce the rules amongst his SHRIEKING.

He's gaining words daily, though he still does not have very many. However, NO, he has down, and uses it very often and emphatically.

Recently, we were at a friend's house and he was sitting in a chair. Zack tried to get in the chair with him and Ben put both arms out and declared "NO" with a kind of growl like I've never heard out of such a little guy. I couldn't stop laughing

Last night I was bathing him and he ripped the wash cloth out of my hand and declared "NO!" His eyes said the rest "I'll do it myself thanks so much!" Then, it was even worse when I was trying to get him out of the tub. "NONONONONO," complete with kicking and screaming. Ay yi yi.

As I was getting his diaper on it was "Go WAY, go WAY" Now, we aren't 100 % certain that he is actually saying go away but it sure does sound like it. However, he'll often walk through the house saying in a sing songy voice "goooo way, go way, go waaaay" as if he's trying out the phrase. Where on earth did he come up with that? Anyway, after the angry tirade of "go away" I got an even angrier (more angry?) chant of "No NO NO NO" as I put him in his pajamas.

If this is 20 (and a half) months I'm not sure what I'm in for when he's actually two.

NaBloPoMo

I've seen lots of bloggers signing up for NaBloPoMo, and besides the name cracking me up, I decided it might be a nice challenge. The idea is to go over and sign up and commit to posting once a day, every day (even weekends) for the month of November. I post most days, but lately I seem to be so busy that I've been letting a few days pass me by... especially weekends.

So, today I was just going to be all "HEY look at my post over on Deep South Moms" (if you are here early it may not be up quite yet, but it should be posted sometime this morning!) Instead, I'll try to post something real here too... well, as real as it gets.

Many of you know I have been terrified of daylight savings time. Last year, the boys had been steadily waking at 5:45 in the days leading up to falling back. So when we actually changed the time that magic wakeup time changed to 4:45. Since 5 am has been wake up time around here, I was certain I was going to be summoned for various kid needs at 4. I was afraid...

Also, for the past few days, I've been getting up with Mark (the earliest riser) and keeping him from waking everyone else up SO early... and also using this time to get some stuff done. (Instead of waiting for the baby to wake up and wake up to disaster most mornings.) It was working pretty well except I was getting so tired after only a few days. Then there was the matter of me trying to sleep in and being unable to on Saturday.

So last night I decided... who am I kidding I couldn't hold my eyes open... to go to bed early. I was asleep by 9 and it was a good thing because I was awoken to meet different kids' needs 3 times in the night.

However, when my 5 AM alarm went off nooooo kids were up. I tried like crazy to go back to sleep, but could not, and when Mark closed my door about 10 after 5 I just got up.

I am so thankful for small miracles!

Costumed Cuteness!

Eric the Ninja! Who apparently couldn't look up at the camera or put his candy bag down to show the whole costume...



Buzz Lightyear, AKA Zack. He has the BEST smile EVER!!!



Ben as Woody the Cowboy... He wore that hat just long enough for me to snap the picture. And I had to work for that!




And Spider Mark... I mean Man, Spider Man. He felt the need to pose.



We had so much fun!