Four year old logic

Mom, why is it so loud in here?  Why is that lady talking so loud on those speakers.  Does she think we have bad earsight?


















Painters are gone.....YEAH!  Now to put things back in order.  Guess what we're doing this weekend!







Good luck, Cale, in your wrestling tomorrow....not that you need it the way it sounds. 

Good night all.

coffee filters

So what's up with this photo?

Did the painters leave a dropcloth in Grant's room?

What is Grace up to?

Let's follow her and see where she's going.

Let's get a closer look inside.

That would be her fake napping in her "tent" in Grant's room.

And the guy in the tent with her?......that is her "mean dog".  I don't really know what "the mean dog" thing is all about.  One of them will come running to me insisting on being picked up as the other one chases after on all fours barking and snarling.  It was cute the first hundred few times.

The kids were driving me bonkers today.  The painters were getting on my last nerve too.  I am tired of trying to dodge the painters in my house as they round out week two of painting.  I am also tired of trying to keep two cats, a dog and two kids out of their way while they go about painting my walls.  So I grabbed an old sheet and made them a tent (them meaning the kids, not the painters)(the painters would probably really think I was a nut job if I made THEM a tent). 

I grabbed their sleeping bags a couple snacks and flashlights and presto, camping in January!!!

Grace and Grant left me alone played happily for a couple hours before they came looking for me again.  I actually got my ironing done!  Yeah!!

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Many years ago (how long do you have to wait to actually be qualified to use that phrase?) I taught my older kids how to make snowflakes out of coffee filters.  We used them to decorate the windows in January seeing as how I had no window decorations for January like I do for all the other months.

I jokingly told the kids as we taped the snowflakes to the window that it would make real snow appear if we made pretend snowflakes.  Wouldn't you know, it snowed and my kids became BELIEVERS IN THE MAGIC OF COFFEE FILTERS PRETEND SNOWFLAKES.

Fast forward several years and the older two have long ago given up believing in Santa, the tooth fairy and the magic of coffee filters taped to the windows.....BUT I now have two more little ones who love the magical things of childhood.

Therefore, we're still in the business of making coffee filter snowflakes every January and taping them to the windows in hopes of making snow appear outside.  Usually it works.  Understand, they've never tested their theory in July (thankfully).

I did remove the snowflakes today for two reasons.  One, it was time to put up some valentine decorations....and two, and more importantly, just in case the coffee filter snowflake magic really does work, I don't want any part of the ice/snow storm they are forecasting for the end of this week!!!

Have a good night. 

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One more little note...................

Grant just cried so I went to attend to him.

He has INCREDIBLY bad aim.

Good night again.

Horseless Derby and Monopoly Madness

Pinewood Derby, that is......

verifying the weight of the car

 He's been working on cutting and sanding the car getting it ready for the big race.  I think all he has left to do is paint it and put the wheels on it.  I wonder if a Dukes of Hazard paint job would be acceptable in today's politically sterile world?

Everything (including television) is betterwhen shared with a friend (especially if that friend happens to be a brother about the same age who likes to watch the same things you do!)

We've been doing a lot of television watching lately......trying to stay out of the way of painters......Counting down the days until they are done!!!!!

Big kids decided to drive us crazy entertain themselves by bickering insanely battling it out over a very ugly extremely competitive game of Monopoly.

When I see the Monopoly board come out, I try to find ways to hide.  They are both wickedly competitive.  AND, they both cheat!!!!!

Oops, did I really type that??

 I guess they think it's fun.  They play it quite often.

Sisterly love

This picture will probably make more sense........

when you see these pictures........

and these pictures.

Do you think this is where the term thoroughBREAD originated?

Yes, Emily is now teaching riding lessons.  Her rates are pretty reasonable.

Unnecessary Roughness

 

So, what did YOU do during the football game on Sunday?

Paint and Physicians

Bloggin absence due to painter presence......they are going to be here all of this week too the way it is shaping up right now.  We have the upstairs put back together, but poor John and Emily are still living with drop cloths and not much else in the basement!! 

That's what they get for telling Manuel to leave theirs for last.  They actually told him they liked it like it is.  Bummer for them!!

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Dad:  Grace, you are so smart!!

Grace:  I know.  I used my smart Grace brain.

Dad:  How old are you Grant?

Grant:  I'm three. (showing the appropriate number with fingers)

Dad:  How old will you be on your next birthday?

Grant:  TWO!

Dad:  You can't be two again.  How about four?

Grant:  TWO!  I'm going to go back next time.  (let me know how that works, little buddy, I might try it a time or two myself)

Grant: (after falling off the barstool) Ask me if I'm OK, mom!!!

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 Convenience of a whole new kind.  I finished shopping at Kroger one day last week and noticed they were finished remodeling the front of the store.  One of the new convenience shops they made into an office called "THE LITTLE CLINIC".

Now you may have these where you live, but this is new to us.  I parked my grocery cart and marched in with two kids in tow.  I told him my problems (well, at least the ones involving physical symptoms).  He looked me over and gave me a prescription.  I proceeded to the pharmacy counter where I got the prescription filled while I shopped.  How convenient is THAT?!

I never would have gone to the trouble of making an appointment with my family doctor.  Nor would I have paid premium price to go to a walk in clinic.  This was great.  I got my regular copay plus didn't need an appointment or even a trip out of my way to get cured!!

That is convenience at its best in my humble opinion.

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Gotta go play with my kids.

TP

TP stands for Toilet Problems

Need I say more?

CELEBRATE!!!

 Everybody  DANCE

 LET'S MOVE AND GROOVE

AND CELEBRATE!!!!!

SCIENCE FAIR PROJECTS

ARE DONE!!!!!!!!!!

THREE YEARS DOWN......

THREE YEARS TO GO!!!!!!!

Do you remember these?

I stumbled upon a picture file tonight that was in the wrong place on my computer (imagine that).  It was titled "old favorites".  I had no idea what was in it until I opened it to look.  I am sure you have seen these before if you've been to my house.  I used them to decorate the kids' playroom.

I enjoyed looking at them, hope you do too................

This was John in Illinois washing his car with Dad.  It was so cold but he was determined to do what Dad did.

Emily liked to feed her babies.  She had borrowed her baby's pacifier in this picture.  I think this was about the time we finally took her real pacifier away.

She was a two fisted pacifier user.  She would walk around with one in her mouth and a spare in each fist.  Sometimes she would put two in her mouth at the same time.  She had a short lived serious love affair with those things.

Has to be one of my all time favorites...snapped in the tub in Illinois one night during the time I was packing up the house to move.  David was already gone looking for a new house.

Some of you already know because I've sent this picture to you before.  For those who don't, who do you think this is out of the four choices you have?

And if you are curious, it's blueberries all over the mess maker.  We didn't even bother with a wash cloth.  I put him/her in the kitchen sink after that meal was done.

I LOVED them at this age.  They were so much fun. (They are now too, just different kinds of fun)

Four year pictures of John and Emily above...

Three and Five year pictures of Grace and Grant below.

The bottom ones aren't cropped or centered or anything.  These are just the proof images on the disc I got the other day.  The entire stack of pictures still sits right where I laid them when I carried them in the house.  Painters are keeping me busy.

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They finished the upstairs yesterday and started on the basement today.  It is already starting to smell like fresh paint downstairs.  I found two doors and some trim already done.  I think they spent a majority of the day today knocking in nails and patching nailheads and seams.  It is slow going, but well worth it. 

He even said at the end of the day that the basement was a lot rougher finish than he anticipated.  I anticipate a pretty hefty adjustment to his original estimate based on the work he's doing.

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The kids had a field trip today to see the City Orchestra.  I think they had a really good time.  I am sure any time outside the classroom qualifies as a "REALLY GOOD TIME" when you are in fifth grade.

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Have a good, safe weekend.  Hope you don't have the fog we're having.  I feel as if I've been teleported to London!!!

The sun will come out tomorrow

Have you ever had a day where from the moment you wake up things seem to go smoothly......

the kids get ready quickly

the chores all get done without reminders

groceries magically get put away

projects long neglected finally get finished

kids play peacefully together

laundry sits folded in nice neat piles

bathrooms sparkle

floors are all vacuumed

windows no longer bear the marks of various noses and fingers

toys are all lined neatly on shelves

meals are homemade and ready on time





























nah, me neither.












I would LIKE to have a day like that though.

I am hiding in the office because I am tired of dodging painters....tired of playing trains....tired of hearing kids talk in voices louder than the recommended safe level of 80db......tired of seeing things that need done that I can't work on because of painters and kids......just tired.

Don't get me wrong.  I love my life and I love my kids.  I love my painters too since they keep me from having to pick up a brush myself.  BUT, you can have a wonderful life and still get a wee bit tired of it some days.  Today is one of those. 

I'm sure tomorrow will be better.  It usually is.

Now, thank you for the therapy session.  Send me a bill if you feel the need.  I must return to my kids, trains, blanket tents, painters and laundry.

We now return to your regularly scheduled blog.

Chocolate Hearts - really cocoa and valentines

Sit, Cocoa.

                                                                                                                      Now stay, Cocoa.

Let's go for a walk, Cocoa.

For some reason, Grant has started calling Meg Cocoa.  He requires the rest of us to call her Cocoa too!  He will drag her around the house for a few laps taking "Cocoa" for a walk.

 He then ties Meg Cocoa to a chair and tells her to stay.

 This is great until Grant gets bored and wanders off.  Pretty soon I hear the sounds of scratching as the dog comes wandering through the house dragging the little chair behind her. 

Poor dog.  She is a saint (not saint bernard, just saint) for putting up with the things the kids do to her.

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Is Cowboy Festus Grant sleeping?

 What is wrong with him??

 He was just bucked off his trusty horse.  He's waiting on Cowgirl Grace to come "save" him.

Grace to the rescue.

 Now, that's better.

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 Grant:  What are we doing?

Mom:  You are getting ready for gymnastics class.  Get your shoes off.

Grant:  But, I'm not a GIRL!!! (screeched with a good measure of righteous indignation)

I never did convince him to try the class I signed him up to take.  Apparently when you're three years old, you DON'T take a gymnastics class unless you're a GIRL!

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Do you know what Grace is doing?

She's getting her "homework" done.

It isn't due until February, but she just couldn't wait to work on it.

 She worked on it a good part of the morning today.  What is it??

 

Valentines for her class.  The party is February 9th.....think she'll get them done in time???