Inside Day.

Today it rained. And then it snowed.

It was cold today. And that usually means we stay inside.

What do you do on your inside day?

Ours is usually filled with toys, movies, books, songs, and snacks...

but mostly we just run around like crazy people.

B opened the blinds, so the boys could see 

the big snowflakes falling from the sky. 

They stared out the window in wonder and awe. 

Me? I just stared, hoping the sun will come out tomorrow.

Aaaaannnnd cue orphan Annie.

Where is that little red head when you need her?

DIY: Easter Basket Liners

Easter is coming up and I have been scanning for baskets, hoping to find something cute, vintage, and affordable. I found THESE lovelies at Pottery Barn Kids for a not-so-lovely price. So, I decided to make my own. Aww! Gasp!

It's true, I am no seamstress. But if I can pull it off- ANYONE can.

First stop was DI to find some baskets.

(Note: Moms, sisters, grandmothers, aunts are also great sources for baskets. You know someone has to have some lying around the basement. I wish I would have thought about this beforehand, but these baskets cost me $1.00 each. I think I can handle that. Also, I wanted to get baskets that were pretty similar in size/shape for the twins. I did wipe them down with a Clorox wipe and added some twine to one of the handles.)

For material, I looked at what I already had. My grandma had given me some light blue fabric a few months back that I thought of using, but then I came across this leftover curtain fabric from the boys' nursery. For the ties, my mom had some blue and brown polkadot fabric lying around. It is a little baby boyish, but I can always switch them out as the children get older.

I'm not going to go through the steps of sewing the liners. You can find a great tutorial HERE. This is the one I used and it's pretty simple...even for non-sewing peeps like myself. You can also google "DIY Easter basket liners" and get tons of info, videos, etc.

*The tutorial estimates about 1 hour for the whole project, 

but it took me more like 2 1/2 hours. ;)

A close family friend has an embroidery machine and I asked her to embroider the boys' names. You can ask around to see if anybody with an embroidery machine would be willing to help you out or check out your local sewing/fabric store and see what services they offer. Of course, you don't have to add names, 

but I think it adds major cuteness!

FINISHED PROJECT!

I think they turned out pretty good (Just don't look too close!).

It sure beats paying $40-$80.

Happy DIY-ing!

Baby Chicks

Yesterday, B's parents invited us to go with them 

to see the baby chicks at Cal Ranch. 

If I wanted backyard chickens before, it's a definite now. 

The boys really enjoyed seeing them as well.

Liam called them all "cucks" or ducks.

Finn got distracted when he saw the toy truck aisle.

The boys walked out with a ball and a car- the best of both worlds!

Thanks Grandma and Grandpa J!

Hopefully we'll be back soon- with baby chicks in tow! (psst...Brandon.)

The Big Blue Ball Club...and the legend continues.

When I was about 10 or 11 years old, I received some money for my birthday and decided to spend it on a big, blue ball that I ordered from a kid's toy magazine. My mom told to me when it would arrive in the mail and I waited anxiously, even impatiently, especially when it didn't arrive the day she said it would.

When it finally came, I gathered all my little neighbor friends as my mom blew it up with my dad's air compressor in the garage. After it was completely inflated, we took turns bouncing and jumping on it. Pretty soon, we created The Big Blue Ball Club, of which I was the self-appointed president and others were nominated for VP, secretary, etc. We would have "meetings" on our back porch and discuss who and what times people could play on/with the ball. Eventually, the neighbor boys decided to join the club, but were "banned" from any further meetings because they only seemed to care when we brought out the treats -which were usually Snack chocolate pudding cups, tortilla chips, and/or Kool Aid.

*****

Last night, we brought home some free weights and a red exercise ball.

It was a big deal- especially to Liam.

As I watched this little boy intensely wait for B to blow it up and seriously light up when he could roll it around and bounce it and viciously protect the red ball from his brother, I wondered if the legend of my childhood club lives on? He threw a complete fit when he had to leave the ball to go to bed and when we gave him a bath this morning, we had to keep the ball just outside the bathroom door, so it was in his sight. He even kept worriedly pointing at it and looking at me so I could reassure him the ball wasn't going anywhere. 

Liam loves this ball. He loves it like I loved my big, blue ball.

And the legend continues...

Grammy Video: Afternoon in the Park

My mom watched the boys while we were in Moab.

Check out this darling video she made of their adventures:

Do you think these kids are loved or something?

B's first trip to MOAB

Last fall, I got this crazy idea to sign up for the Moab Canyonlands Half Marathon. Whit decided to do it with me, so we made a trip out of it and took our husbands along. It was B and Joey's first time to Moab, so we tried to squeeze everything we could within 1 1/2 days. 

First Stop: 

Arches National Park and a hike to Delicate Arch

After the hike, we met up with my dad and jeeping crew for some lunch at Milt's before heading out on the husbands' first jeeping experience.

Second Stop:

Fins & Things Jeep Trail

 

After our jeeping adventure, we said goodbye to dad and friends for the night. We checked in to our hotel, then ordered out some Zax pizza and pasta for some good carbo-loading before our big race the next morning. 

Third Stop:

Moab Canyonlands Half Marathon

6:45 am came too early. Whit and I got up, got dressed, and headed out the door to load onto the bus that would take us up the canyon to the start of the race.

This time, we ran for someone special- our mom.

This race was definitely a learning experience. 

1. Always bring a jacket to the start, especially when you will be waiting for 2 hours before the race starts.  

2. Don't wear new pants to a race, because chances are they will fall down and you will spend the ENTIRE 13.1 miles pulling them up and re-pinning. 

Within the first mile, I was completely frustrated and so was Whit. I don't know what happened, but my frustration led to discouragement and discouragement led to anxiety and my motivation was shot. 

By mile 6, I started to cry. 

I prayed and prayed the Lord would help me gain back my momentum and allow my body to keep pushing, but I struggled. Feeling bad about slowing my sister down and sensing frustration, I argued with her to keep going and I was going to slow down. I later learned she bawled as she left me, but it turned out to be the best thing for both of us. I started running 1/2 mile, walking 1/2 mile, until positivity returned and I had my momentum. I FELT AWESOME! When I reached the last 1/2 mile of the race, I saw Whit at the turn and I yelled out "You came back for me!". She started to cry and asked how I was doing, to which I replied "I feel great!"

Running across that finish line was the best I have ever felt 

at the end of a race. 

I was strong. I was positive. I made my goal of breaking 3 hours. I finished.

Word: Don't underestimate the power in SLOWING DOWN. 

It could be the key to getting you across that beloved finish line,

which is the ultimate goal anyway.

(One of our biggest supporters, 

wishing he could be on the other side of that finish line.)

What a fun trip! 

So glad B could experience a place that was such a big part of my life growing up.

Until next time...peace out Moab.

Photo Booth

This is the evolution of our photo booth session tonight.

Eventually, all my boys wandered over next to me.

(If they could, I think my children would be naked all the time.

Tonight's excuse is haircuts. All 3 boys got one.)

I am a lone woman in this house,

but all these men (big and little) hold a piece of my heart.

Sharing the "load".

WARNING: This post is all about POOP.

And how I'm so over it.

Not yet the end of nap time, I hear my children in their beds. Feeling prompted to check-in, I open their bedroom door to find Liam with a furrowed brow, holding out his right arm. Taking a closer look, I realize he has a brownish medium smeared from his hand to his elbow. Taking an even closer look, I identify the mystery paste as poop. Hurriedly scanning the blankets and sheets, I can't see any other traces. That is, until I look to the child at my right. That child is completely covered in poop- literally head to toe. It appears he is the source of this bowel disaster, with his pants and diaper ripped off.
Ironically, the diaper is perfectly clean.

(I did get my camera out to document. 

Leverage for the next time B has something to say about changing a poopy diaper.) 

Why?
I don't know.
How?
I don't know.

All I know is after I stripped the sheets, wiped down and disinfected 2 cribs, started the laundry, and gave 2 boys 2 baths (First bath was to wash off dried poop from hands, arms, legs, feet, toes, fingers, and forehead. Second bath was to actually clean with soap.), I locked myself in the bathroom until I hear B softly knocking on the door. I told him I was running away, but I had to shower first.
He said "Okay."

In the car, I had a very open conversation with the Lord. I expressed how much I hate poop. I also asked if He thought I was doing a good job at this whole "mothering" thing, because I felt it was going pretty crappy lately.

I ran away to my parents' house, mostly to pick up a carpet cleaner because, while standing in his poopy crib, diaper-less Finn went #1 on the carpet. They fed me dinner and when my mom prayed on the food, she started crying as she thanked the Lord for me and my little family.

Then we laughed about poop. Because it's funny when I'm not up to my elbows in it.

Spaghetti Night

It was spaghetti for dinner tonight. 

What's better than eating spaghetti? 

Your parents letting you play with it when dinner is over.

*****

Finn has acquired a new skill: climbing on the kitchen chairs.

If the chair is close enough to the table, 

he can also climb onto the table.

It was a proud moment for the toddler, 

which was quickly accompanied by a panicked, shrieking mother.