The Road Home is Never Long.... Unless You Have a Fifty Pound Dog on Your Lap...

We are very busy soaking up every crisp, bright, moment of fall.

Its much to short.... don't you think?

Fall that is....not Daniel, here he is in the leaves for the first time...

 Two bath times later and I am still finding little bits of leaves in their hair...

I think it was safe to say they had fun though.

 

It is surreal to me when I see my kids playing in the same yard I played in at their age.

The same trees providing the leaves that bring out the laughter and happiness.

It really is the simple things in life, I'm so grateful to my parents for giving us the simple things.

Most of all for always being in the same place... right where we needed them.

It seems like a silly little thing, and I realize lots of people move and never think twice about it...

but I love that "home" has always been this house with these people.

 

I love not only having this history in this place, but reliving it with my kids.

My mom did this at my grandma's house with us, and I can't picture it any other way.

This is the same dining room table that has always been there.

My dad once let Julie roll off of it while changing her diaper....

thankfully this has not happened to me yet but we have had a few close calls.

Besides, I'm told she not only didn't cry but actually laughed.... we should have known then.

Daniel doesn't like tea so we always tell him its byob.

ahhh..... I've got a million of 'em..... 

 

While we are on the subject of things to thank my parents for I should mention that they let me borrow their Cadillac for the last week while my van was in the shop.

They let me put my stinky, sticky, destructive children in their very nice luxury car...

and then they said I could bring the dog too....

These people are saints, 

or maybe they are crazy....

Ill let you speculate.

I was a tight squeeze but we made it.

I don't remember what Bella's problem was here, but its not the car... she didn't want to give it back.

Girls got taste.

Expensive taste.

She comes by it honestly.

So my mom came to pick us up the day they were loaning it to us, and we felt bad not taking Jack with us back to her house even though there was no room at all... 

you see my sister has a new puppy,

Loulou.

I think they are soul mates.

I really can't get a picture of them holding still....

they exhaust each other which means Jack leaves me alone in the morning.

Which is heaven.

So my mom, being the bleeding heart she is, decides Jack can sit between her legs while I drive.

But Jack loves my mom, and since she won't yell at him she held him most of the twenty minute drive.

Oh... and we just did a quick run through the bank drive thru.... so 30 minutes, tops.

I sure the lady at the window thought we were nuts.

And don't think she is mad at the dog clawing her and slobbering on her, 

No.... she is mad that I'm driving and taking pictures at the same time.

But I figure she is already paranoid with me driving, 

she acts the same today as she did the day I got my learners permit.

I am forever 16 in her mind, and I'm beginning to appreciate that more and more.

I should try to convince her that I still can't do my own laundry!

Oh if only!!!

Speaking of laundry.... don't you love the parrot shirt!

I sure glad the dog didn't ruin it climbing all over her..... hahahahaha

Ok, ok, enough, enough.... where was I?

Oh yes... Thank you Mom, and Dad for all you do for me and mine.

I love you more than the sun and the moon and the stars.

No matter what you wear, or what you think of my driving.

One Small Step for Baby... One Giant Headache for Me...

I think I've mentioned already that Daniel started walking just before we went to camp at the end of September.

But words don't do it justice...

the cuteness really barely even translates into photos but I'll give it a shot anyway.

Please excuse the fuzziness, the boy is already very fast!

Adorable if I do say so myself, 

but he has gotten very busy learning all sorts of things now that he can get around.

To his act he has also added going up and down the stairs,  

when I forget to close the gate.

Climbing up on kitchen chairs, 

which he is not even allowed to pull out from the table in the first place.

And my favorite....unlocking the dogs cage, so he can get in it too of course.... 

hates the playpen, loves the cage...

whatever.

"A baby is an angel, 

whose wings decrease, as his legs increase."

~anonymous

Sunrise... Sunset...

My computer has reached maximum capacity!

I have no more space left to upload photos.... I think maybe that means I have to many.

Anyway my jack of all trades husband will be fixing this shortly but until he does all my new adorable pictures are stuck on my camera.

So I thought I would go back in time a bit.

Its always a good reality check to see where you've be and compare it to where you are now.

Some Octobers past....

 So we are going to glaze over October 2005...
since I don't think I have many pictures from then...
and I didn't own a computer of my own back then so most all the pictures I would have are on CD's.
Hence you cannot see them because I cannot upload them!

Let me paint you a picture instead, 

Five months married, 

Four months pregnant.

emotions were running high I'm sure, but life was exciting, new, and good.

Ok onto 2006...

Wow, picture quality has come a long way huh?

This is Bella around seven months old, with my Grandma.

I'm so glad they had this time together.

Now she calls her "Big grandma Julia who lives in heaven."

Big as in "Great"... she was not large, she maybe weighed 98 pounds soaking wet.

Just wanted to clarify.

She went home the following May.
We miss her very much still, I wonder how long it will take for the holidays to feel normal without her?
I think they probably never will, and that's a good thing in a way.

 Time marches on to 2007...

We are enjoying lots of firsts with Isabella who is about 19 months, 

and we are anxiously awaiting Tommys arrival.

It's so hard to believe we were ever a family of three.

... and its amazing to me how young Tom looks...

...and how round I look...

and how much Isabella looks like Daniel.

These were my favorite pj's on her, they were past down from her Grammy.

They were last worn by her much loved Aunt H.

If Bella knew that she would still be wearing them I think!

On to 2008....

Tommy is ten months old and we can't imagine life without him.

I am amazed at their relationship already. Like they were born to be best friends.

This was my hope from before they were born of course

but I couldn't have imagined the feeling of seeing it in reality.

We are beginning to realize that she is a girlie girl... to an extreme.

Example... to her this is an everyday outfit. 

Perfectly good for the playground, grocery store, or dinner at the white house.

And although Tommy is still the baby of the family we have just found out that, come June,

he will also be a big brother.

Before we can blink it is October of 2009....

We are now a family of five.

With a four month old...

another who is not quite two...

and lastly our firstborn, who is now an expert big sister at the age of three and a half.

Life is busy but beautiful.

It was around this time that we lost our much loved dog Sheba.
But we found some comfort in our new puppy Jack.

There was a little adjustment....

but we got him some chew toys and they have since become the best of friends.

Its hard to believe just one year ago Daniel was in his little baby carrier.

And Tommy could still be contained in a pack n play...

I melt when he gives me this cheesy smile....

Four years gone by in a blink.... and we come to just this past weekend....

We are five still but with a little kick boxer reminding us... well mostly me, that life is ever changing.
By this time next year the picture of our life will look a bit different.
And I will look back on the family we are now and wonder where the time has gone.

Mothers with children who have grown say that the "days are long but the years are short."

Amen.... truer words were never spoken.

Deep Thoughts

If it takes me a full five minutes to unhook my bra because the hooks are so mangled does that mean I should throw it out?

Am I the only person in the world who has trouble throwing out old damaged clothes?

And yet strangely when I am able to do it....
(I mean really do it, 
like put it in the outside garbage can where I won't change my mind and get it back out)
.... I suddenly feel free and giddy!

Like the stuff I own doesn't own me!!!
yeah right.

~

How often do normal people wash a bathrobe?
I normally do it when I feel its counter productive to put it on after I'm all squeaky clean from a shower.

Too long?
I thought so....
And then when I do wash it why does it always end up in the load that sits for just slightly too long in the washer?
I hate that mildewy smell....

~

Getting ready for church on Sunday I was so frazzled and busy running around the kitchen trying to feed everyone that I didn't notice Tommy sneeze... twice.
Both times he reprimanded me "Mommy say Byess you!"

There is a sad irony in this.

~

I am right now smack dab in the middle of this pregnancy.
We are parents to three and a half children.
in slightly less than five and a half years.
I don't really wonder why people think I'm crazy, I just wish we could leave it unspoken a little more often.

"Are you Catholic?"
No I quit.

"Don't you know what causes that?"
No I was raised Catholic.

"Wow I could never do that!"
Oh yes you could... this one is only said by people who didn't know me B.C. (before children)

"Are you in a competition?"
If I wanted to compete I would have tried to be an Olympic triathlete... 
it would be easier and I would know when I had won.

Sink or Swim

Today was one of those....

Tom took my car this morning to get an estimate on some body work.

Its not that I had anywhere to go... its just knowing that I couldn't go anywhere that bothered me.

Some days I wish that I was stuck at home... but the days when I am I feel nearly suffocated.

I guess the reason is that when things reach the boiling point here..

When I know I'll go completely insane if one more person tries to climb my leg, 

or hits their sibling because they "wouldn't stop singing", 

or becomes hysterical because I say, "no more pretzels, dinner will be ready in ten."

When we get to that point the only option left to me that will keep us all safe and sane is to strap them all down in those car seats that I affectionately think of as strait jackets, and leave the loony bin.

Sometimes we go to target, 

sometimes my sainted mother or mother in laws house, 

sometimes we just drive until I feel better.

So not having my car is like someone taking away my life preserver and sending me white water rafting.

I'm a great swimmer... but these are not your average waters.

There are hazards at every turn...

teething... four molars at once...

lactose intolerance induced vomiting...

potty training set backs...

nose dives off the couch...

shall I continue?

Back to the problem at hand... not having a car today was bad enough,

but now I will be stranded tomorrow as well.

After Tom got the estimate he got rear ended... so back he goes tomorrow for an estimate on a new bumper.

I'm not even gonna think about next week when they will be doing the actual work....

I need a new life preserver....

I'm thinking Nick Jr. and a lot of chocolate.

Home Sweet Home

We are home from a week of camping... and I'm totally exhausted.

But its in that contented, relaxed, way... like snuggling up on the couch after a home cooked meal.

A meal that you slaved over... but still.

This vacation thing is a lot more work when you have kids, but its so worth it to see them have fun.

 

 Isabella wanted smore's every night.... and she pretty much got her wish.

They are my favorite too.

 

Daddy got to read lots of stories too, which they loved.

And the oldest two got to share a bed, which went surprisingly well.

But don't worry about Daniel, he was never left out.

They loved pulling his wagon almost as much as he loved to ride.

My two Tom's.

And one of them had a birthday...

which meant we all had cheesecake... 

which is always awesome.

Thank you for being born sweetheart, Love you lots.

.....Random cuteness.... there's never enough pictures of a happy baby.

This baby was happy because he was constantly entertained by his many aunts and uncles....

....and a big, beautiful, blazing fire every night.

It was a beautiful week and I have tons more pictures, 

but right now the laundry has piled up and I must get back to reality.

Lazy Laundry

I have misplace my sofa....

Oh wait there it is......

Lord help me I hate laundry.
It's the chore that doesn't end....

I have tried and tried to find some sort of organized way of staying on top of it so I don't end up overwhelmed and out of clothes to wear come Sunday morning (the only day I really "get dressed") 
This is the only thing I've found that works for me.

 My system for getting it done is to use tactics which make my doing it inevitable...
well... they should make it inevitable but sometimes conditions stay like the scene it the above photo
for a shamefully long time.

First I wait till I or someone else is basically out of clothes.

Then I do multiple loads of laundry in a day until I have many, many, many, baskets full.
washing all the laundry in the house in a 10 to 12 hour period.

Then that evening or the next morning I dump it all on the sofa.

I do this on purpose so I can't sit down until its done... sometimes I make my bed and dump it there.

That way there is (theoretically) no going to bed before the laundry is folded either.

Works for me, but not so much for Tom!

He is not a fan of waiting for me to fold laundry at midnight, just so he can lay down.

Bella is not a fan of laundry period.
She mostly hates not being allowed to get up on the couch while I'm working on it.
Little does she know that laundry is THE chore I am anxiously awaiting her help with...
soon baby! Soon!

Then I once its all folded in piles according to rooms I just stick it in a basket and take it to its owners closet.
Where I usually get it into drawers with in a day or two... or three....

That is my "laundry system".
My name isn't Martha and it works for me.
So there...