Still no car...........

So it's been about a week and my car is still in the shop.  Hail damage, kids writing on it with lava rocks, and me side swiping a pole--all getting fixed.  People will think we bought a new van.  The insurance adjustor had to write up the lava rock incident as vandalism even though it was my own kids.  Ahhh I still can't get over that one.  Anyways, we have been a little cooped up.  I had Brandon's car a few days when he was out of town but we have spent more time at home than usual.  Finger paints, making cards, cutting with scissors, playing board games, taking laps around the neighborhood in the barbie jeep while mommy runs, baking cookies in your underwear(well that's all Chloe)......

Potty break anyone?

Just had to share this photo from last week.  She screamed the whole way home from the grocery store that she had to go potty.  So we get home and she has to go so bad that she can't even stand up.  So I grab the potty out of the back of the van............

Oh What a Day

Brandon went to Mobile for a wedding.  We were supposed to tag along but it just didn't work out.  So he left this morning and will be coming back after the wedding which makes a quick trip.  My car is still in the shop so that meant we were homebound.  To say the least, the kids were awful.  I don't know how many time outs were given but it was more than I can count right now.  My kids ask the same question over and over again hoping I'll change my mind and then they whine and cry when I don't.  It's very frustrating.  Then Chloe fell asleep just before nap--ahhhh---breathe.  So I take her upstairs and put her in the bed and a minute later she is walking down the stairs.  I fight both of them for a nap and then I threw the towel in and prayed for an easy night.  Well Chloe fell asleep on her chair around 5:00 while I was finishing up dinner.  I decided that Ashlyn and I could eat in peace.  Then I woke her up.  I got them to sleep by 8:15 but I am so drained.  I'm thinking I need to take a bath and go to bed myself.....

PS  Sorry for all the complaining.  I feel better now......

A Little Quiet Time Helps

Again I'm talking about me. Quiet time for me.  Brandon came home from work and told the kids they were going on a daddy date.  They were so excited and kept telling me I couldn't go.  He said they'd be home around bedtime.  SWEET!  So what did I do?  Cranked up the music and cleaned.  I know I should be doing something fun or relaxing but I enjoyed it.  Plus my car is still in the shop so I couldn't have gone somewhere even if I wanted to.  It's the little surprises that make me smile.  Plus the kids were thrilled to have daddy to themselves and ride in his car(which they have been doing a lot of lately with mine in the shop).  So now I am sitting down soaking up the last few minutes of a peaceful house before I conquer the bedtime battle.  Hopefully they are tired!

45 minute standoff

Well my stubborn child did it again.  Ashlyn was upstairs playing when she decided she wanted to come down.  Ok seems simple right?  Well she wanted me to carry her.  I don't carry four year olds and so it began.
Ash:  Mommy come get me.
Me:  You can come down by yourself
Ash:  Carry me please
Me:  I don't carry four year olds
Ash:  Does it hurt your back? your knee?  your body?
Me:  Yes
Ash:  I'm not coming down unless you carry me.
Me:  (silence)
Ash:  carrrrrrrrry meeeeee
Me:  If you want to cry, go in your room.  (new rule)  Come out when you are done.
Ash:  Noooo (while crying)
Chloe:  Mommy doesn't carry four year olds.
(start from the top and reread three times)
Then..........
Ash:  will you come up and hold my hand while I walk on the stairs?
Me:  no
Ash:  pleeeeease
Me:  no
(repeat this scenario a few times)

Finally she comes downstairs and is perfectly fine.  I stood my ground, did not get angry or frustrated, and it worked itself out.  If only I could do that every day...

On a good note, we are getting lots of squash in the garden.  The kids get soooo excited.  However, they don't eat squash.

Just another day.....

The one thing I didn't want to happen as a stay at home mom---have clingy children.  Well this summer has brought out some clinginess(is that a word?).  Anywho, I'm hoping this too shall pass.

Today I mowed the yard because Brandon has been out of town for work.  THe good news is I didn't run over the cable wire this time.  Mowing the yard while keeping an eye on a three and four year old is tough.  However today Chloe was content to sit in her princess chair, eat a popsicle, and watch.  Ashlyn, who loves riding her bike nowadays, would ride on the sidewalk back and forth as I mowed and wave constantly.  I'm sure it was pretty humorous if you were watching this unfold.  I promised water squirter fun if they were good and somehow the hose was much more fun.  Ashlyn decided to drink the water and then started choking.  Luckily nothing serious but she realized that wasn't such a great idea.

Funny Moment of the Day

We read a book about a dentist who was a mouse.  He would have all sorts of animal patients but never  an animal that he feared would eat him and his wife mouse.  So one day a fox came along and had a lot of tooth pain.  The mouse was scared but finally decided to let him in and extracted his tooth.  He told him to come back the next day to get the new tooth put in.  While he was under the gas, he made a general comment about eating something and the mouse feared for his life.  So that night the mouse and his wife made a concoction that would bind the fox's teeth together for a day.  They put the new tooth in the fox, gave him the concoction, and outfoxed him:).  Wow that was a longer explanation than anticipated.  Anyways, here is the conversation before bedtime:

Ash:  Do foxes live outside our house?
Me:  No
Ash:  Do they live on other planets?
Me:  No they live in forests far away.
Ash:  Oh do they live on other planets too?
Me:  No

Chloe:  Do foxes eat people?
Me:  No they like mice.
Ash:  and they live in the forest far away.
Chloe:  Do they eat reindeers too?

As you can see we have two very different personalities living in this house.....

Church disaster

We haven't been to church in a few weeks because we were out of town.  So, while getting ready to go, Ashlyn says that she doesn't want to see 'the boy.'  I asked what boy and she said she'd show me.  So we get to church and this is what's going on in the backseat......

So I kinda knew it was going to go downhill after waking them up.......  Anyways, we get their tags on and head to Chloe's class.  She goes in perfectly fine.  Then I take Ashlyn down the hall to the four year old class.  She looks in and immediately starts screaming, "I don't want a boy teacher."  Oh great.  So one of the girls comes over to the door and the 'boy teacher' hides in the back of the room.  Nope she can still see him.  So I try to calm her down and explain that she will have boy teachers and girl teachers.  The director comes down and asks if she wants to go to the three year old class because there are girl teachers.  Sunday night services aren't very busy.  So I start down towards the three year old room which Chloe is in.  Well Ashlyn doesn't want to go in there either.  I try to go in with her and calm her down.  She is fine but when I get up to leave, the waterworks start again.  Miss Abby tells me to go and she'll buzz me if she continues.  WEll she starts kicking and hitting and I decide it's best to go home.  We always get a donut after church.  Needless to say, Ashlyn did not get hers......

We also painted this weekend.....on the sidewalk.....I made it.  It was fun.

After painting, I was hosing off the sidewalk when the kids decided they wanted to get wet.  I told them they had their clothes on.  What do they do?   Strip in the driveway.  I hosed them down and had them run inside for a shower.  Luckily only one neighbor saw them and he already knows I'm crazy!!!

Championship Game

My co-ed softball game is in the championship game tomorrow at 11:00.  That's great, huh?  Two problems:  1.  I caught a line drive tonight(I play 3B) and my hand is bruised 2. I'm in search of a babysitter.  I can live with 1 but I really don't want to take the kids with me to the field.  There are other little kids there but it is nice to play and not have to worry about any little ones.  Plus Ashlyn thinks I play Tball like her so she'll be thoroughly confused....

We spent the day at Rhodes Jordan Pool.  I've never gone to a county pool since we have one in our HOA and a little kiddie pool at the house.  I've heard great things and this pool was really nice.  We had a great time.  Ashlyn went down the slide for kids and I went down the big one during adult swim!

VBS

Ashlyn and Chloe have been going to VBS this week.  It is their first time going and they love it.  Last night, Ashlyn asked Jesus to 'clean her heart.'  Her teacher told me but Ashlyn keeps saying it is a secret.  So before bed last night, I asked her if she needed to pray for anything special.  She said that Jesus cleaned her heart, is inside it, and can't come out.  She said she can't ask him to clean it again because he's already there and you can only ask one time.  So I'm not sure she gets the whole concept:)

Bedtime funnies

While putting Chloe to bed:

Me:  Thank you for doing what I asked and being a big kid.  It makes mommy happy when you listen.  You brushed your teeth, pottied, and put on your pjs like a big kid.  

Chloe:  I won't be later.

Me:  What?

Chloe:  I was a big kid now but I won't be later.

While putting Ashlyn to bed:

Ash:  Will you sleep with me?

Me: no you're a big kid

Ash:  Will you sleep with me?

Me: no you're a big kid

Ash:  Will you sleep with me?

Me: no you're a big kid

Ash:  I will count all the numbers, and then I will yell for you, ok?

Me: Ok

BTW, I was in PA for two weeks and will do a belated update about our trip when I have more time.