Every Time . . . and . . . A New Great Song

Pretty much every time we take a car ride this boy insists on taking off his socks and shoes!  Imagine, if you will, going on a multi-stop errand run.  Every time you get out, you put the socks and shoes back on!!  Ughh!!  But you know what?  Today, for the first time I decided to take him to pick up the kids without even putting them on.  I'm a fast learner.

 (-:

Great New Song Find Alert!

Recently came across "Oh, What a Beautiful Morning" by Ray Charles and the Count Basie Orchestra and have really been enjoying it.  Check it out

So . . . How was your day?

1.  After 20 minutes getting ready we headed for the great outdoors...and...

I know, those poor wrists.  Next time we'll do our makeshift wrist protectors; old pair of socks with a thumb hole cut out, put on under mitten.

2.  Face plant after the very first step! 

 Thus the reason I don't take the poor boy outdoors much in the snow.

3.  Harrison called out "look mom, I'm a tree sloth."

4.  Then it was time for swinging.

5.  And, nothing like a little winter horseback riding.

6.  We then returned to the house for a nice warm bath for two cold boys.  Five minutes into bath William fills tub with an unbelievable #2 movement (if you don't know, you don't need to) *Note to self:  LAY OFF THE RAISINS!!

???????????

No picture posted due to the graphic and disgusting nature of the subject matter.  (-:

The second half looked like this . . .

7.  So "pooped" out (-: he fell asleep eating his lunch!

8.  The big kids return from school and with a "no computer/t.v. day" try to make things with straws.

Yes, that is a ton of laundry and toys in the background, thanks for noticing...(-:

I know how you feel Ben!

9.  Finally, the day winds down with big sis entertaining the little guy so I can go attack the bath tub.  Anyone coming over for a soak?!!

Little boys in too big shoes and one weird product

Seems I always find each of the kids at this age putting on a pair of way too big shoes and (I think at least) looking really cute.  So, here they are.

One Strange Food Product

Found these "apples" at Kroger this week.  They're pronounced "grape-l" and taste like an apple with a grape popsicle.  I didn't read the label before buying and upon further inspection it's kind of a creepy food invention (I can see why they were on a big sale).  Says, "ingredients; apple, natural and artificial grape flavoring."  Yikes! (-:

If you can't beat em', join em'

Join em' in their enthusiasm for puddles that is.  You see, over the past couple of years the boys have gained the confidence to explore our woods.  Our woods are a mini wetland sometimes and I think we all know that most boys just LOVE a good stomp in a puddle.  Well, I have found them in our "puddles" doing the backstroke and have decided that I'd like to be finished being the puddle police.  SO...I went on ebay and bought some waders!! (-:  Only found one pair so far but I'm still looking.  Won't help with the backstroke moments (boy I hope they've outgrown that!) but sure will help with the stomping!  Come on Spring, bring on the rain!!!

Sometimes it just works!

I went to put that busy 18 month old to bed and suggested the other three could start our nightly reading without me...and they did!!

Sunday night soccer . . . or is it rugby??

I just don't know what I'm thinking by letting this kind of stuff go on, but they just have a lot of fun sometimes and I let it go.  Also, we don't have a basement so what am I supposed to do?  Another "also", there is literally nothing else left in the house they can break, so have at it!  Finally, sure does look like I need to clean the lens of the camera.

Playing around with blog features

So Blogger has added a new feature, the GrandCentral web-calling button you see at the bottom right of my page. I haven't really figured out it's usefulness yet but if you put in your name and your phone number, hit "call me" and then you call me. The thing I can't figure out is how you leave me a message. When I've done practice runs by putting my cell number and the name "Mary" (-: in the boxes and pressing "call me," my home phone rings and on that phone I get to hear my funny ring tone and my request to leave a message...I guess for myself? (-: See now, over at GrandCentral they record the message I leave for myself (-: and I can listen to it on the computer. Problem is, I'm not that interested in calling myself and leaving myself messages...Boy, I'm cracking myself up!!! Any way, you can try the little button on my blog or go over to GrandCentral.com and at least listen to the NY ring tone, I think it's hilarious. Also, with a little reading over there you could figure out how to get long distance relatives to be able to call you for free by picking the right phone number for your account. Pretty cool!

Now, if only I could get radioblog into my blog...haven't figured that out either...as it is I've sucked up way too many hours late into this Saturday night fiddling with this and that, trying to set up 20th H.S. reunion pages (can you believe it?), blog buttons and more. Think I better call it a night!

"Uh, hey guys, whatcha doin'?"

"Hey, you guys playin' some computer?"

"Need any help?"

"Hmmm, they don't seem to know I'm here."

"They'll know in a minute"...

to be continued...

for the next 18 years...

Could that game be any more perfect for this boy?

Found these pics on the camera after SP took the kids to skating lessons today (though no pics of the kids skating, maybe next time).  William occupied his time by "playing" a game that just says it all!!

And STILL climbin'

YIKES! 

 *Not sure what it says about me as a mom sitting around snappin' pics of these kinds of antics. I will say, he is quite proficient in the climbing department but even still,  the third pic in this series was taken very fast so I could get him off.  There we go, mom-0f-the-year award after all. (-:

Don't blink, he won't be there long

I couldn't resist these cute but seemingly uneventful shots.  It's not often (o.k. it is really NEVER) that William will just put himself in a chair appropriate for his size and sit down with a good cup of milk and a puzzle.  Found him here, happy as a clam (why is it clams are so happy anyway?), while I made lunch today.  No need to tarnish the image with where I found him later in the day! (-:

NEWS FLASH...(fellow moms)

This afternoon, for really the first time in years, I had two kids sleeping at the same time for over two hours!!!  Some of you will REALLY get the joy in this.  Though we do have times of great fun and life living, the kids and I, it is something to have a little break in your own house in the middle of the day.  At least once every few years.  (-:  (-:   (-:

What did I do?  I read the newspaper (both Sunday and Monday) and, since the kids were STILL sleeping, called SP to ask if he'd pick the kids up from school (we don't have bussing) if I'd agree to him staying later at the office.  What an afternoon!!

Now I'm going to google noodles, eggs, cheese, asparagus, cooked cubed chicken and see if I can whip something up for dinner.  Whoops...baby's up...2 hours 7 minutes...awesome!!!  *the noodles/eggs/chicken/cheese turned into a frittata and the asparagus ended up getting roasted with brussel sprouts/rosemary/sea salt again.  AND...although the kids like every one of the frittata ingredients, I bet they won't eat it. (-:  **They Didn't! (-:

What can redeem a day that starts like this. . . ?

1.  A (should I say, yet another...?) broken lamp/lightbulb:  8:35a.m. 

2.  Find a completely frozen over road at the end of our driveway:  9:00a.m.

3.  Arrive 15 minutes late for church:  9:30a.m.

4.  Discover hubby, who left early for church with one child, is NOT at the church:  9:32a.m.

5.  Discover hubby and child are stuck in a ditch, 1/2 mile from home down the frozen road (mom took  the long way around, avoiding the frozen road, and didn't see them):  9:34a.m.

6.  Haul 3 kids out of the church into the pelting rain to pick up hubby and child: 9:36a.m.

This Can...

1.  Hubby and child were safe and car had not a dent.

2.  I went out of the house at 6:15p.m. to check once again for our newspaper and it was still light outside!!!

3.  And...The newspaper was in the box!

4.  And...It was 42 degrees outside while I walked very slowly, enjoying long, deep breaths without a coat and nary a chill!!!

5.  Ahhhhhhh....(-:

Good Clean Fun (enjoy that pun, it's mid-February in Michigan after all)

How to get them out of the tub?

Offer the exciting opportunity (more than likely a "once-in-a-lifetime" opportunity, or a least one that won't probably come again until next year's mid-February doldrums!) of bringing the bath bubbles over to the shower for the big rinse off! Whoo-hoo!!  Good times!

I think you know you're "broken in" as a parent when this scenario really seems like a good idea. (-:  I am also cracking myself up by realizing that while I type I'm  listening to Pink Floyd's "Comfortably Numb" on iTunes.  Obviously not for the illicit use he's singing about, but for the state you get to be as a parent of 4! (-:  (-:  (-:

Good Ol' Mid-February Fun In MI

After a good half hour of cup stacking we moved on to watching paint dry!  p.s. I promise to never serve any of you drinks from William's stacking stash. (-: