Playing catch-up

It's been a really long time since the last post. 18 months! There have been a lot of times when I've said to myself that something was really funny and should be shared. I hope I can remember some of those things to share with you. In the meantime, here's some of what happened in the last year and a half...

Rob and I got married.

We became grandparents.  Meet McKinley Grace.  She was born in May.

 We moved.  Twice!

Everyone's in school.  Rob is going full-time, I'm going back for my Master's, and Anna and Topher both started school this year.  We also have lots of extra-curricular activities, with a total of 9(!) dance classes, dance team, and archery.  We don't spend nearly enough time at home.   Another big change for us is Chloe having to go gluten free, which is a struggle for an 8 year old.  

Stay tuned while we get caught up!

What Dreams May Come, and Then Some...

Chloe has a very active imagination.  In fact, until she was about 5, she had an entire imaginary family.  She had a green dad represented by MoJo JoJo, a Pink Mom (?), and a bunch of make-believe cousins named "Courtnik and Ortnik," etc.  

And because the girls sleep over at my mom's a lot because of my new job, I tell them to think hard and meet me in our dreams for a play date or a picnic in the park, which they really get a kick out of.

But Chloe tends to have nightmares.  A lot of them center around the two of us having a great family day out then suddenly I'm eaten by some sort of wild animal.  The other day, we were driving in the car and she said "Mom, guess what I dreamed last night..."

"We were having a picnic in the park and then a volcano erupted and a huge octopus came out and threw you in the ocean, where you were eaten by a big shark.  Then the shark spit you out on the land and a pit bull came and got you, Mom.  It had two heads!"  :Pause:  "I was so scared!" she said.


"Wow, Chloe," I said.  "I'm not quite sure I know what to think about that."


"Well I do," Riley chimed in.  "I think it means she needs therapy."

Lay your cards on the table

The girls and I enjoyed a night out to dinner and a movie with my best friend Buffy.  We were enjoying the bread sticks at Olive Garden when Riley reached over and stuck her breadstick in Buffy's marinara sauce.  I told her not to do that, to put the sauce on her plate and she said that Buffy had let her, so...  "Look at her, playing the 'But Buffy let me do it' card," Buffy laughed.  Riley giggled and said "I like playing that card."

Happy New Year

Riley and I have watched Pushing Daisies over the course of the Christmas holidays on Netflix.  It's quite an enjoyable show and I wish it had lasted longer than the two short seasons it was on.  There's this one episode where a man turns up dead in a big vat of taffy.  Right when the body was found, we had to stop watching for some reason I can't remember.  The next day she says "Mom, we have to finish watching that episode of Pushing Daisies.  The suspense is killing me!"  "Riley, it was the health inspector.  He did it."  "No, mom.  The guy in the taffy.  I have to find out if he was pushed or if he was pulled."  Oh, but she's so punny.

I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and happy and safe New Years.  There's been so many good lines that I've forgotten over the last month of neglecting the blog.  That's the point of the blog, to not forget them.  But I'm sure I don't need to tell you how busy it is during the holidays, especially with all the kids out of school.  New Year's Resolution?  Keeping up with what I've set out to do here.

Mess Monsters

I have the messiest kids ever.  Seriously.  They can just look at a room and make it messy.  I had spent all day cleaning house the day before so when there were quite a few things in the living room floor, I said to all of them in general "pick up your stuff and clean up the living room."  Riley said "it is clean" and then me "No, it isn't clean."  Chloe comes up to me and gives me a big hug and says "but it could be mommy, in your iMAGinAAAAAtion." 

It's been so long!

It's been awhile since I've had time to post, I do apologize to the handful of people who like to read this thing.  Between finishing up the last semester of nursing school (sweet!) and all the things going on with the kids, there's not been a lot of extra time.  And we've had snow!  I love snow days.  But now the costumes for the elementary Christmas play are still sitting here in my living room and the play was supposed to be tomorrow!  They'll pull it off, no doubt.

Our elementary school also does a "Christmas Store."  This is where the PTO sets up a store full of items the kids can buy for $1.50, and on the last day the kids who didn't get to shop have the opportunity to select items.  I spent my tour of duty at the wrapping table.   One little boy, a 3rd grader, brings this big box of things up to the table to be wrapped.  He very enthusiastically handed me each present telling me who the present was for so it could be labeled correctly.  Some of the gifts are items like "#1 Grandpa" tire gauges or "Worlds Greatest Mom" mugs.  He handed me a present and said "This is for my grandpa."  Then picks up a bright blue hat that reads "#1 Dad" and says "and this is for, well, that should be obvious."  Too funny!

Thanksgiving Cheese

Thanksgiving is one of those times my entire family gets together.  So many people you can barely find a place to sit down.  But this year a lot of people were sick and only about half the people were there.  It just didn't feel the same.

As I was taking pictures of everyone and it was Topher's turn, I tried to get him to stand in one spot by himself long enough to get a good shot of him in his little sports coat.  But he was having none of it and screamed and ran away and fought Rob when he tried to put him back, both of us telling him we just wanted to take a picture.  He runs off through my mom's house.  About a minute later, he comes back with a little folding chair (pink, leftover from the when the girls were smaller) and sits it down where I had tried to get him to stand for the picture.  He unfolds it, sits down and gets himself settled, then gives me this amazing smile and says "Cheese!"

I hope everyone had an amazing Thanksgiving full of family, friends, and good food.  I know what I'm thankful for this and every year and continue to feel truly blessed.