If I Had a Tear....

...for every time I've been frustrated today - I'd have a river! 

BUT- I am still here and so are the kids. 

Well, actually they are on their side of the hall. 

I am hoping to finish "Knowing We're Showing" this week; first part of the week hopefully.  The worst part of deep cleaning your house to put it on the market: surely is dirty-ing up one room to clean another. 

I don't have pictures to prove this, can you trust me?

Something else I don't have pictures to prove?  Our first poison control scare!  Peyton swallowed trace amounts of a cleansing medicine. 

Dude, I am tired.  This single mom stuff ain't no joke. 

not the poison control issue- this is when they spilled apple juice and found candy corn

water bottle courtesy Peyton

?

??

fan blade?

"Mommy,  I  took a picture of your beautiful clothes!"

I'm thinking maybe PeyPey has a future in photography. 

Shenanigance

I make this face all the time.  I'm so glad to know how ridiculous it is.  What does this look mean?  I'm perturbed.  Basically, one of the kids has just come up with a completely insane way of making my life harder.  That is when I make this face. 

Look closely at the background of the picture.  See the shed?  Want to see inside of it?

Please focus on the newly painted floor. 

See, what happened was..............

I was merrily packing boxes with china and crystal, when I realized how mice and quiet my surroundings were.  That's not good. 

So I trotted myself outside and found my shed door open.  Then I ran

What I found was my two little preciousness into Mommy's art paints. 

The ones Jake keeps asking me to throw away.

SIDE NOTE:  During this move, we have resolved to decrease our possessions by one-third.  It is my opinion that my boys just want to help.

Anyway, so I found TJ with black paint on his lips, (why?) and Peyton squeezing the tar out of all my paint bottles. 

"OK, boys, let's have a bath." 

I took the picture AFTER bath and boys were at nap. 

NEXT

I once had a nice patio table.

Not anymore

The boys decreased that for me too.

Fortunately, it was made of tempered glass, so no one was injured.  I used four WM bags to carry all the little rounds of glass away.  TJ tromped on the glass as if it were snow.  Peyton tried to run his hands in the broken glass.

I Think He's Got It!

Peyton is understanding that blue and yellow make green!  BIG DEAL.  A few weeks ago I posted that he was confusing blue and yellow, and he still does some.  But Wednesday morning he was playing with the blue and yellow play dough I made him when I heard him say to himself, "Blue and yellow make green."  Well that is all this teacher-mother's heart needed to rejoice. 

Tuesday afternoon, mixing in the sun

No booster, Mama!

talking in Bubby's microphone

While we were playing, TJ bumped his head on the table and he started to cry.  He looked up at me with those precious eyes and of course I said, "Come here baaaby."  (Cue sappy, pouty-lip, Mommy voice.)  Most kids would walk around the table to get their lovin', not TJ!  No he crawled across the table!

Not Much to Say

Bye Daddy! Have fun at work!!

Everyday when Jake leaves after lunch, the boys work hard to catch every last glimpse.  Love it.

Triggers

Hi, my name is Whitney.  I have triggers to my anxiety and anger. 

Lack of sleep is a trigger.  Or I suppose it is a factor?  Either way, when I don't rest well, we have problems.  Simple! Just start getting more sleep.  Oh if only.  Reasons I don't sleep well: 1. kids in the bed 2. kids getting up frequently 3. worry about not getting enough sleep and the effect it will have on tomorrow.

Mischievous kids are a trigger.  One day all of  the stunts and shenanigans will be funny.  One day.  Not today.  Not Tuesday at the barber shop either.  I don't like buzz cuts on my kids, no I don't like mischief.

More mischief in the kitchen

Switched

It's been a switch-y kind of day.  If I have grabbed my switch once, I've grabbed it lots.

Under my car

threatened with the switch

We lock them in the gate

Gettin' the switch!

I got switched!

 

What a Day

 I am not sure I will be able to fully explain today.  My boys have lost most of their toys for the living room.  Therefore, I was beyond happy I found my babies reading.

After our reading circle, I called my friend Sarah to discuss Meridian's Tuesday Morning.  Tuesday Morning's always has a nice selection of chilren's books; I am thinking about enlarging the kids' book collection.  We didn't talk for long, but long enough for this to happen: 

TJ was eating butter, what he could lift off his body

In case you're wondering: two boys, covered in butter, plopped into a lukewarm bath, smell horrible.  YUCK


Then Peyton and I rushed to Tuscaloosa.  He 'busted' his teeth on the couch last night while jumping on it, which he KNOWS better than to do, especially now.  One of his bottom teeth was knocked lose.  His first visit to the dentist was to get his front teeth bonded together.  Meanwhile, TJ visited our friends the Jackson's.  Carrie Jackson captured a few pictures of him and posted to facebook. 

So Proud of Himself

What are we going to do with our boys? 

TJ jumped ship

my best effort

Peyton, Saturday, patio: Daddy lit the charcoal so we could grill a pork loin.  We discussed how we barely had enough charcoal and how the lighter was on its last light.  After the fire was going, I went inside to start on our side dishes (green beans and carrots.) Daddy followed me shortly thereafter with TJ (who is majorly fussy with his ear infecfion.)  Half a minute later, Peyton ran inside tell us he put the fire out.  It might help you understand that they are both obsessed with Fireman Sam, a lovely british export show about a fire station.  Peyton had used the firehose to put out the charcoal fire.  Might be time to discuss good fire vs. bad fire?  So we defrosted chicken breast and grilled them on the Foreman (tenderloin was lunch today since it took a longer time to 'smoke'.) 

P.S. The "barbuh" was delicious today for lunch!

Play Date

Guess who took these pictures?

camera was below the counter level

I just had to stop his fun

  Peyton took the pictures.

  Anyway, we had a play date this morning with some of our dearest friends.  Lara had the idea to paint paper bags for our local Sav-a-Life.  So that is what I captured.

Faces: Abby, Anna, Shelby

Shelby, Milly

Milly, Ethan, Emory

TJ

TJ, Peyton

Lauren Pezent (Ethan, Emory, Anna)

Lara Leys (Abby, Shelby, Milly)

you know me right?

cheesy poofs and raisins for snack

our AC unit and TJ

No Title (but more stunts)

Happy baby

Peyton's feet, TJ's shoes

Peyton modeling his new outfit

TJ in his new shorts

Both, Monday, kitchen: Jake and I had prepared an awesome dinner for the kids and ourselves (BBQ chicken, creamed corn, beans, and cornbread.)  After dinner, Jake had gone outside to take the garbage to the garbage to the road while I vaccumed Peyton's room.  Much to my surprise, Peyton came to find me with a slice of cornbread in his mouth (1/3) the entire pone.  He laughed, handed it to me, and I started toward the kitchen to put the piece in the trash.  What I didn't know was that TJ had the other HALF of the cornbread in his mouth and was about to head my way.  Oh mercy!

Peyton, same night: I was tucking him into bed.  He asked me if I was going to bed (later was my reply.)  He looked me dead in the eyes and said (no, you need to go now.) HA

Both, Tuesday, backdoor; TJ filled cups with sand/water, Peyton dumped them over baby's head.  Picture is above.

TJ, Tuesday, couch: TJ was standing on the couch (a no-no)  and bending at the waist to look through his legs at me.  (think head stand) He straightened up, with his back not against the couch, and fell off! TJ jumped up to run to me for comforting, but I told him that he shouldn't have been standing on the couch.   He quickly ran the other way to find his brother.  He was no longer crying either!

Happily Outside

    We played at Autumn's grandparents' pool this morning.  TJ and I floated around while Peyton watered various plants, picked a marigold for Jessica (oops), and shot everybody with a water gun. 
     Went to Taco Bell for lunch (drive-thru) and repeated my order 4 times.  Bets on if it was correct? 


      After nap we watched a Barney movie about the firehouse.  Then we played on the patio.  TJ mostly wrote with chalk and messed with the new charcoal grill.  Peyton rolled and rerolled the playdough I made him Tuesday.  He also rode circles on the patio with his tricycle.

   Supper was country tonight.  Cornbread, field peas, mac and cheese, sliced cucumbers and tomatoes.  Which Jake and I enjoyed, our kids did not.  Jake asked why we don't have field peas more often.  That can be arranged.
     Since I have been doing a small group Bible study for six months, Jake finally got in on the act.  Except with boys.  Anyway, he left for that and I got to feeling sorry for myself.
    Not exACtly sorry, just like I was not trying my very best to be the best mother.  I know I can do better; keep my voice in check, hold my temper, be understanding, cherish every moment, that kind of thing.  Then I set out to sweep the dining room floor (be thankful it wasn't YOUR job) and Peyton was picking up the living room (!) He finished with that, got the dust pan and swept my pile into the trash, WITHOUT BEING TOLD!  First thought: Do I raise my voice too much that he thinks this is the only way to win my affection?  Second thought:  How sweet! We must be doing SOMEHTHING right.   Final thought: Praise you Lord!

The winner of yesterday's water fight (Katie)

An innocent bystander (TJ) and the initiater (Peyton)

Ready for swimming at the Spence's

He found out that the oven mitts are fun

Sneaky little cutie pie

Stunt: He came out of his room fifteen minutes after I put him to bed and said, "Is it time to get up yet?"  I can imagine that little thing laying in his bed, smiling, and thinking NOW it has sure to be long enough.  Precious. 

Super 5th!

Bible study day!  The boys and I took life easy this morning.  I baked the remaining peanut butter muffin batter with chocolate chips added.  OH MY WORD!  De- lish.  We all enjoyed the muffins thoroughly.

I finally ordered Easter pictures of my boys.  Shutterfly will hopefully prove to be a better service than WM.  In honor of that accomplishment, I will post the chosen pictures.  Courtesy Jessica D Photos. 

TJ's allergies are bothering him.  He's been coughing and everything. 

I rescued the toy box from the guest room.  Smiles shined like they had found new toys. 

Hambone.  He brings me such joy; he's a joy to love.

Isn't this what your 4th of July picnic looked like?  The Snowden's joined us for hot dogs.  Peyton disappeared for longer than we realized; when I found him, he and the Snowden boys were inside.  Peyton graciously passed out hot dogs to his friends.  After I helped them find their way outside and returned to lock the gate, Sarah asked me if I had seen the lemonade.  Well no, why?  Peyton had also graciously adorned the lemonade with uncooked hot dogs.  Sarah and I did not drink anymore of the lemonade, but Mackenlee said it did not taste like hot dogs.