Neglected jobs and tea parties

Today is apparently a day for neglected jobs: cleaning trash cans, scrubbing the floor under large appliances, decluttering the top of my dryer.

The advent of Halloween and sticky gunk stuck to the sides and bottom of the trash cans is a sign that it is time. I only use a bag in the kitchen trash (the one all stickies are supposed to be tossed in), trying to be kind to our landfills. (or in attempt to off set the guilt of all the disposable diapers we've sent there over the past 91/2 years.) In spite of the yucky factor, it's a surprisingly rewarding task,creating an entirely new appreciation for the void and sparkling trash receptacles.

In the past, it's been customary to pull the big appliances out (washer, dryer, fridge, stove) in the last few weeks of my pregnancies. The hidden floors probably deserved to be scrubbed more often, but at least I was consistent. Since the whole nesting thing is a past chapter, I'm thinking a new routine will need to be established. I haven't figured that out yet, but the trash cans just put me in the mood, so maybe chewed and discarded gum is the trigger. At any rate, again, quite a rewarding job...can't see it, but you just know it's clean. That's nice.

The laundry room in our house is also the downstairs bathroom, and where I store cleaning supplies. The dryer has become one of the many collection spots. It collects spare change, combs and brushes, a variety of hair accessories, baseballs, empty detergent bottles awaiting rinse and recycle, nail clippers, plastic recorders, buttons and dust, among other items. The plan is to declutter this area and wipe it clean, but I've been side-tracked by a lovely tea-party hosted by my Sarah.

The dryer can wait...

Halloween

Ruby did have a diaper on here, but by this point, clothes were optional.

Sweet Sophie turns Seven!

Here's to Sophie, my very favorite seven-year-old. She's a burst of sunshine in our lives! Here's the big sister teaching Sarah her "Nintergarten" lessons (Nintergarten is the class she's teaching Sarah before Kindergarten. :)
And here's the beautiful gal enjoying the outdoors on our hike yesterday. She asked me if we could move closer to these woods so she could ride her bike here and play all the time in the trees and brush that make such great hideouts. :) She's really in her element in nature...I love to see that!

Back from Vacation

I'm ready for a vacation. We arrived home from our zippy Spring Break trip to Florida on Monday at about 2:30 am. The past week has been spent trying to recuperate, getting the kids back and forth to school, avoiding an everest-sized pile of laundry that I've been transferring repeatedly from floor to bed and back, wondering aimlessly around a big city trying to get to a doctor's appointment for my four-year-old, and blowing my nose raw. I keep asking myself, "Did we just go to Disney World?" Whoa...did I miss that or what?

Yes, we drove a long long way. We played in the water, visited Neverland (which Sophie proclaimed as a dream come true), explored Mickey's house and the Hundred Acre Woods, Ooohed and Aaahed at the parade and fireworks. We went on Safari at the Animal Kingdom where Samuel rode his first roller coaster. Then spent a day at Sea World. The shark exhibit was a hit with the older two and we all got a bang out of Clyde and Seamore (at the seal show.) I'm always in awe of the beluga whale exhibit...incredible. I have to admit though, the new Shamu show had me holding back tears a few times...a beautiful tribute to Mother Earth and our connection with all the creatures of our blue planet.

Then we drove back home. Home is good.

Good Bye Little Hamster

We lost our little Charlie Thomas this week. He really was the sweetest and best hamster I have ever known. He brought our children so much joy in the 2 1/2 years we had him. We'll really miss the little guy.

Baby, Puppy, and alot of Snow

Just thought I'd post this picture so everyone could see how big Oliver and Ruby are getting. :)

Thankful Thursday: My Sweetheart

Today my Sophie graduated from kindergarten. Papa took the morning off to attend the festivities. The program was adorable, but it was the sweet moments caught on camera afterwards that I will always remember: Watching Sophie throw her arms around her Papa's neck with such a delighted sparkle in her eye was enough to make time freeze for a moment. It is overwhelmingly obvious that my children are crazy about their Papa...and so am I.

I am so thankful to be married to my favorite person in the whole world.

Our Weekend Project

We had a lovely and exhausting visit in Kansas with my family. After visiting my brother in Missouri, we made our way to take a ride on Thomas the Tank Engine in Baldwin, Ks. Then we went on to visit family in my hometown. It was especially great staying with my twin sister and her family in their new house. They have been really blessed with a charming old house full of character and plenty of space for a growing family. It's a beautiful home. Our kids were particularly taken with the train table my brother-in-law built for their little ones. Our little Speedbuggy, 22 months, loves Thomas and has ignited her brother and sister's interest in trains as well. All we needed was inspiration! This weekend Luke and I built our own train table for the kids. It was a fun project. It has a sturdy white laminate board for the table top and we also have a dry erase board that fits the frame. I am really pleased with the way it turned out and especially excited about all the uses a table like this can have for years to come: trains, blocks, legos, puzzles, playdoh..etc. What a great investment!