Tired, Silly, Crafty Mama

February nearly did me in. I have been absent from all of my social media lately simply because I'm tired. Let me say it again. I. am. tired.

As I was looking back over the reasons that I am so tired, I was reminded of the many projects this month...

The 100th day of school...

Because Hayden has very frequent melt downs, and at the beginning of the day his eyes were starting to fall off, Dad promised him that he would pay him a quarter for every eye that fell off of his shirt. He was proudly holding onto every little eyeball to make sure that he got his payday.

Right after the 100th day of school, we turned around and had the 101st day (funny how that came about). All of the kindergartners dressed like dalmations for the day. (Thankfully, this was a super quick project.)

Immediately following all of that fun, Valentine's Day was on its way. I ended up making 144 Valentine's for classmates, teachers and my store.

These were for Hayden's classmates.

Gib's classmates were rocking the frogs.

Landry chose butterflies.

Grace was full of love for all of her friends.

I didn't take pictures of the Valentine's boxes that went to school for the party day.

As I'm looking over all of those, I probably should have just bought the boxes of cheapy, looking little Valentine's, stuck a sucker in the middle and called it a day. I guess that makes me a silly crafty mama.

In the middle of all of that, I washed 1000 loads of laundry. I haven't seen my couch since last summer.

This girl has decided that she is an artist. Actually, she always has been an artist. How else can we explain the coloring on the walls, boxes, toys, iMac, herself, or anything that will be still long enough for her to decorate it with a marker. She has set up her art studio next to mine and churns out portraits by the hundreds. She is really pretty good. She may be the next Picasso.

Just typing all of that has made me even more tired. I'm going to bed!

Daddy and Daughter Dance 2012

These two girls were invited to the Daddy and Daughter Dance with their daddy and of course they both said yes. Landry needed a new dress and shoes so the four children and I took off to go get her some fancy duds. I NEVER want to do that again! The four kids part was fine. After looking at every. single. dress. in the whole store, Landry finally found one that she liked. It took a while, folks. The shopping trip aside, their night was full of heart warming moments and was a night that I don't think that they will be forgetting for a while.

We got dressed and fixed our hair. We put on a little makeup and made sure that everything was just right.

The girls were practicing their dancing skills before they arrived. Jones (the dog) was helping out. Landry was a little upset that Hayden wasn't going. She said that she couldn't dance with Dad because he was too big and she needed Hayden because he was her size.

Since it was one of Dad's events, he got it started and then came back to get them. The theme for the night was a princess ball and they had a red carpet with paparazzi, carriage rides in the parking lot, a dance, and dinner. It was a pretty snazzy afair! Our girls are growing up so fast!

There was lots of dancing and the girls had a blast.
Dad took the girls on the carriage. Landry rode twice.
It was chilly so they got to use a blanket.

At the end of the dance they had a confetti cannon and Landry thought this was the best part of all. After the dance she got a plastic cup and filled it with confetti to bring home. As soon as she walked in the door, she threw it all over me so that I could see what it was like. Then she got back down, picked it all up and has saved it.

This was my favorite!

Playtime with the littles

There is not much that I love more than to sit and listen to my two youngest play together. When I found out that I was pregnant with Landry and Hayden was only eight months old, I always hoped that they would be good for each other, since they are so close in age. They are very best friends and rarely fight. They get along like peas and carrots.

They are playing their imaginary games. Imagine Barbie and princess dolls combined with violence and GI Joes.

Hayden is throwing a truck down the stairs screaming, "Here comes the Mize Killer! Bombs away!"

Meanwhile, Landry has her Barbies huddled on the floor, as they are play crying, "What will we do?!"

Pretty soon, she is hurtling things down the stairs hollering, "Hi-Yah!" with her brother.

I am reveling in their love and friendship and appreciative of time spent with my family. Happy Sunday!

Hmmm...Where is that boo-boo?

There is a reason that I never have band aids in my house. My kids are addicted to them. If they feel the slightest twinge or pain, it must immediately be covered with a band aid. Never mind that the purpose of a band aid is to cover an exposed area of flesh or to soak up a little blood. My kids think that band aids cure all ailments real or imagined. Tummy ache? Get a band aid. Sore throat? It might help...

Landry came tearing into the back door screaming "Mommy, Mommy!" I used to move more quickly to these calls. Experience has taught me to calm down a smidge.

"What is wrong?" I asked her.

"I need a band aid. I fell and scratched myself!" Still slightly hysterical.

"Let me see. Where did you hurt yourself?"

She dramatically yanked up her dress to show me where her leg was falling off. Nothing. Her leg was completely bare and unscathed. She stopped and looked at her leg. "Hmm..." she says as she looked over the other leg as though maybe the scratch jumped over to the other side. "Now where did that boo-boo go?"

Tasting the Dirt

This boy is very literal. He argues points all the time because he takes everything so literally.

We were walking out with his kindergarten teacher this week and I was listening to this conversation.

H: "Do you remember this week when you asked me if I was tasting the dirt? Well, I think that dirt is yuck and I would never taste it!"

T: "Hayden, I don't think that you were eating dirt this week. I'm glad that you wouldn't taste it."

H: "Don't you remember? I fell down and you said that I was tasting the dirt!"

T: laughing..."Hayden, I asked you if you had 'bit the dust.' That just means to fall down."

H: "Oh, I thought that you meant that I liked to eat dirt."