this is what i find

I try to let the boys run loose for awhile everyday to let them start to learn what they can and can't touch and not be penned up so long. Well, sometimes it gets a little hectic. One runs this way, the other that way; one is climbing up a step stool, the other is splashing in the toilet. Okay. Maybe not really...but close to it. This is what I found the other day. I let Jonah have his tootbrush, and he promptly grabbed Noah's too. Then he found food on the floor because I hadn't yet swept for the day. Oooh. An orange he says.

Notice a piece of orange is gone. Wait. His toothbrush is in his mouth. Oh yeah. I forgot. This is the kid with the chipmunk cheeks.

And out comes the toothbrush. But he still has the orange. Why is food on the floor SO enticing. GROSS ME OUT!

i don't nap mama

My little goofball. Well, who am I kidding, he's not little anymore. He decided a couple months ago that he no longer needs a nap. For the past week and a half or so though, he has fallen asleep on the couch watching a movie during our "quiet" time while his brothers are napping. I don't know if it's that he's fighting a cold, or a growth spurt but this tired mama will gladly take three kiddos napping at the same time. I would like to say I run around the house getting things done, but to be quite honest I usually take a cat nap myself. I find night shift is not my favorite thing anymore and this sleep deprived girl is about on her last straw of working it. Oh to have a normal circadian rhythm again...

So, what else has Elijah been doing. Well. He sure is a sweetie. He always says "Mama, I love you so much in my heart." Melt my heart! The other day Jake said that he thought Elijah had my nose. Elijah's reply, "I don't think so Daddy, I have an Elijah nose." Smart kid. He is always kissing and hugging on his little brothers too. They are so blessed to have him as a big brother.

we don't need no stinkn' bowls

At any given time in my house you can find pretty random things. Here is an example. My boys love popcorn and we happen to have one of those popcorn makers like the movie theater (small of course) so I made some for them and so here they are maowing down on it, spilling it all over...eventually all over the floor. Of course, then they are eating it from the floor. Gross. I know...but..hey.

New Years Resolutions

It is only the 9th of January and already I have done a lot of thinking on this new year that we have been blessed with. I never have really made a New Years Resolution...but I was thinking that maybe this year I should change this. Maybe I should hold myself accountable for reaching at least one personal goal. I actually have decided on several that I would like to strive towards.

First of all, I would like to "TRY" to get my house in order. This will be a HUGE thing. I am not kidding. Sometimes I feel like a crazed lunatic running abound like a chicken with 3 heads cut off so if I can do anything to slightly make things better I think my life would be amazing. How I can do this I don't know is a mystery as of yet, but I am working on it. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Right now I have thought of the following:

Make a meal plan. Freezer meals and easy fixes would be especially desirable.

Have daily "chores" that need to be done before bed EVERY day ie: clean table, sweep, all laundry in baskets

Do one load of laundry (including folding and putting away GASP!) each day.

Make a chore sheet for Elijah that is age appropriate to allow him to be a responsible party in the house as well.

I'm not quite sure what else to put here but I'm sure something will come to me.

Secondly, I would like to plan some sort of family outing each month. We always seem to just be "surviving" and never really get to have fun together as a family, even if it is just getting out to the park and throwing the football around. I would love to be able to feel like we have fun together more often. I would really like to be able to add a date night into this..but that is probably pushing it.

Thirdly, I would like to make more time for myself. I feel like this past 2 years lately I have not been taking enough time for myself. I feel as if I live off of bits of leftover food from childrens' plates and caffeine. Oh wait, I am. I have recently realized that my hands look like I am an old lady...dry with ragged nails and hanging bits of skin from the hang nails and torn cuticles. Looking at my face in the mirror makes me shudder to see that I look every bit of my almost 32 years...and then some. I am not quite sure why I have been cursed with the wretched skin that I have (I do not think that it is fair to be able to have both wrinkles AND acne) but I would really like to be able to do something about it. I also would like to feel a little more proactive about my physical health and would like to start working out. In fact Jake bought me the Wii e-active so I could actually do something about this. My only problem is that when I attempt to do it, I have 3 munchkins around...and at least one has to try to hang on me at any given time. I also would like to do a little something for my personal appearance and start doing my makeup a little nicer. Jake actually found a 19year old model with TERRIBLE acne that has a bunch of you tube videos that give amazing tips.

To see what I am talking about click here for a video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ex33wtqnNz8&feature=player_profilepage

I also would like to make more time for my husband and kids. I feel like there always is something going on and somehow they get put on the backburner. I want more dates and more playing...

And lastly, and probably most importantly, I would like to make more time to encourage my spiritual growth. More Bible time for me...and for Elijah and the twins. I REALLY want to be able to help them (and me) focus on memorizing some verses and reading Bible stories together. I want to focus on being a better follower of Christ and hopefully through that be a better person and a better mommy.

And as an off resolution that will probably not happen, I would like to have a little bit of time every now and again to do something that I like to do. Last weekend I actually did that...sort of. I sewed a few things. They were not for me and actually had a purpose, but I kinda had fun making them between stopping and telling children to stop doing this and that.

I made these. Inside are a Mei Tai carrier and two travel seat/high chairs.

 

Here is the example of the Mei Tai carrier. I think it turned out pretty good.

I also made three scarves and two pairs of slippers for the little boys.