Waiting for the weekend.....

I feel like it's been a really long week.  I am seriously over winter, and cold, and lack of sunshine.  I need sunshine.  I went to my room this evening to read in peace and quiet for about 30 minutes before dinner and fell asleep.  I am tired right now.  Winter needs to end, or I need to move, one or the other!

My kids are too cute though.  Jude has been working on the Lego Hero Factory set that he got for his birthday pretty much since he got home from school.  He was supposed to play a game with me but he blew me off.  He gets WAY too into his building.  I wish I had that kind of concentration!  I had to pretty much twist Quinn's arm to get him to play Tumbling Monkeys with me (fun game!)...what is going on here?  Usually I can't get a minute alone!  Even Lucy was content to cuddle on the couch with Quinn while having a bedtime snack rather than forcing me to watch Pingu with her :(  I should appreciate the short break...but since I actually had to go IN to my job today I missed them more!  I guess that's what I get for going to my room to read before dinner!  Tomorrow is Friday though and that means it's one day closer to spring!
  

Happy Birthday Jude Anson!!!

My baby turned 7 today and it wasn't as hard as I had anticipated.  He seems so grown up but he is still SO young...I love him with all my heart!!
Jude through the years...

Sorry - I couldn't help all the pics once I started....He is just so stinking cute!  Only the last on is from today!

Ice Day!!!

Schools were closed all over the U.S. today for the biggest ice storm since the Ice Age....only it didn't really seem all that bad from inside my house.  I worked from home today since school was cancelled.  It was FUN.  Aside from the work part.  Which really wasn't that bad either.  But Jude and Quinn ended up playing at Reagan and Claire's house this morning (Thanks Amanda!) and Lucy was a very enjoyable and pleasant munchkin to be around.  She said "please" and "thank you", asked for help if she needed something and even said "excuse me" every time she burped or tooted.  So please excuse the photo bomb...I know it's supposed to be a photo a day for a year, but is there anything wrong with more than one?  I think not.  She's too cute even when she won't let me fix the barrette in her somehow insane hair.

Happy ice day everyone!  Keep your fingers crossed that tomorrow will be even worse and schools will use another snow day :)

Self-inflicted failure.

There are many parts of life in general that I find come naturally to me.  Sadly, most of them are things that I have to do.  Like work.  Regardless of the job (occupationally speaking) at hand, I can pick it up, master it, and find it to be a completely mundane task in no time.  Then there are the things that I want to do, want to excel at or master, and I will most likely never rise above mediocre.  Why is this?  Take sewing for example.  Granted I am completely self taught.  But most of my projects don't come out exactly as I had envisioned.  I say envisioned because I don't know how to use a pattern.  Maybe if I took a class, things would go more to plan.  But that would require time.  Much like my photography.  If I could take an extended class that taught me how to actually compose photos and properly use features like shutter speed and white balance to get the best exposure things would likely be much easier.  I have had some instruction in this field but comprehension is still so far away.  Along with photography and sewing we can add crocheting, scrap booking, house keeping (laundry, cooking, cleaning), running even.  I long to be a stereotypical housewife from some time in the 1950's.  I am absolutely positive I look upon this era with rose colored glasses.  I am sure there were many, many, many unhappy and dissatisfied housewives in the 1950's.  But when I think about all of the time I would have to practice and master the skills I WANT to be good at, the activities a housewife ought to be good at (or at the very least more proficient in, ask Travis how often I cook, or how well I keep laundry up), it makes me long for days gone by.  Days I never lived, in a world that is no more.  Self-inflicted failure, taking on tasks that I want to be doing without the time to learn to do them.  I guess in the final analysis it's okay though - because one area I do consider myself a natural (I think partly because I know it can't be mastered) is parenting.  I am the best mom for my kids so I guess the rest is fine :)

Now, with any luck, we'll get a crap ton of ice in over the next 8 hours so I can work from home tomorrow!  Keep your fingers crossed!

**Blast me if you want for being sexist or whatever when it comes to things I "ought to" do.  Lucky for me, it's my opinion and my blog!

Your pet can read....

Either Nolan can read, and Mickey's mad that I interrupted story time, or I JUST missed the always elusive Lucy in her natural habitat.  She loves to sit in the animal bed area of of living room with a good book and a cat. Usually by the time I grab the camera though she has moved on.

Happy Sunday everyone...enjoy it while it lasts.  Weekends always seem to go too fast!

Today.....

Today has been one of those ideal days.....I got to sleep in this morning.  When I finally pried my eyelids open and forced myself to look at my clock - it was 10:30.  While my first instinct was to keep sleeping, I got up.  I seriously probably could have slept all day.  But when I came downstairs Jude had me grab my camera so I could see the wonderful surprise they had made in the basement.  I was nervous, to say the least.  But what they made was pretty cool.  I don't know why on earth we have every last geotrack set known to man (not really, I enacted a permanent buying freeze on these - we have enough), but at least they play with them, right?  Even Lucy loves trains.  The abilities of these kids though to lay out such intricate little cities with train tracks (I don't have the patience) amazes me.  Check it out.

I also went to a Tastefully Simple party this afternoon.  I accidentally tried the Creamy Crab Cheese Ball Mix and OH MY GOSH is it good.  I bought some.  I hate trying new things though and had I known what I was about to put in my mouth on that oh so good beer bread I probably wouldn't have.  Guess it's good I wasn't paying attention.

I'm tired already.  Nine hours of waking time in one day is enough, right?  I'm not sure I'll get to sleep in tomorrow, so I should probably call it a night....probably not :)  I think Travis and I are watching a movie tonight after the kids are in bed.  Adam - maybe?  I'll let you all know how it was tomorrow.  Previews for it looked good though.

Friday, finally, I have been waiting ALL week for you!

Meet Jude's new best friend.  It's a Webkinz Lil' Kinz that he got for his birthday from two of his favorite people - Reagan and Claire :)  

Just some information to share with the world:

Jude is going out to dinner tonight for his birthday with Nena and Poppy Shreffler for CHINESE - gross.  WHAT a STRANGE child with some of the things he eats...I guess as long as he'll eat pizza and junk food too we can happily coexist :)

Lucy apparently saved all of her tantrums up throughout the day to use once arriving home.  Wits end I tell you.  February 14th cannot come fast enough.  I know getting tubes may not fix her current behavior issues.  But it will at least take a medical issue (with the pain, discomfort, dizziness, etc) out of the equation, freeing me up to better know how to handle her behavior(strategically speaking when it comes to discipline).  Although everyone I know who has tubes or who's child has tubes has told me it is like night and day.  So I am hoping for a 180....we'll see!

Quinn is cute as ever bouncing here and there - little ball of energy.  He picked out a birthday gift for Jude this morning.  He made sure it was something they could both play with at the same time :)  He also appears to be deaf as I had to tell him 167 times since we've been home no running in the house.  He's on a time out in his room.

Long week :)  But it's FRIDAY!

 

We represent the lollipop guild.

More often than not in life Quinn reminds me of the munchkins from The Wizard of Oz.  I love it.  I have actually taught him this song and how to properly swing his arms while squinting his eyes just right and singing out of the side of his mouth.  He almost has it down.

Lucy and Quinn took a bath together tonight.  This was SO much fun.  While Lucy has definitely had her moments today (like usual), she was so cute and endearing tonight it's just hard not to overlook her current (and temporary) imperfections :)  After taking this picture and then putting it on my computer to look at closer, I realized that Lucy is also a munchkin from the Wizard of Oz.  Perhaps I can get a brother/sister duo together and make some big money on this :)

My Boys...

I think the fam is sort of getting tired of me snapping pics.  They have stopped taking direction from me.  I guess I will have to just leave my camera put together and on the kitchen table with the memory card IN so I can covertly sneak my pics in without them stopping whatever activity it is that I want to capture!  Tonight is a pic of all my boys pretending to sleep :)  So cute.

On another note, I actually teared up tonight when Jude made a plate of nachos for the two of us to share for snack....all by himself.  I know this is not something that SHOULD make me cry.  But he is my BABY and he'll be SEVEN YEARS OLD in one week :(  They seriously grow up too fast!

Just a note on the look of the pic.  I edited it to look like a pic from the 1960's :)  FUN!

I was in bed....

Literally.  I was in bed when I realized I hadn't taken my 365 pic for the day yet.  I contemplated, for .035 seconds, not doing one today.  But I am really too OCD (or something, I don't know what, stupid?) so I got out of bed.  I am tired, my body is sore, my head hurts, pretty sure I am getting sick.  SO, you all better REALLY appreciate this completely random picture of....

What?  What is it?  You tell me.  I know, but I want you to know.  So go, Google, learn, and love as I do!

Self portrait, of Jude....

I was going to joke about the commonly used photography pun of "shooting" people in reference to Jude taking a self portrait.  But it made me uncomfortable.  So instead, I will just post the picture :)  My father-in-law sent home a really cool, really light-weight tripod with Travis today (for me, thanks Terry!) as I don't yet have one.  I wanted to make my blog today about my soon to be 7 year old son, who hasn't been featured a lot on here.  So when I drafted him for the shoot, I let him take the picture himself, once I had everything set and ready to go.  I think he enjoyed it :)  Maybe he'll end up being the real photographer in the family!  Who knows....but I do believe he'll be a great success at anything he sets out to do!

I am so over winter static....

The snow is really pretty and all, but having to live with the heat on is really wreaking havoc on Lucy's hair.  Can you say static?  And I have shocked myself, the kids, myself, more times than I care to in any one season...It's really getting old.  Poor Lucy is too cute to even notice or care when she gets a flyaway...it may be because she's doing one of her favorite activities, riding in a laundry basket.  She didn't even want to get out!

Saturday in January.....COLD.

Completely unrelated to my blog picture for today, but felt like sharing none the less.  Lucy has been a BEAR for at least the past two months when it comes to bed at night.  She used to just go in, I'd lay her in her crib, tuck her in, we'd do "I love you's" back and forth on my way out of her room.  I am not sure what the malfunction was with this process, but out of no where she started throwing tantrums and screaming for me on my way out instead.  So I would go back and pick her up and give her more loving.  Only it didn't help.  So I just started giving her a hug, a kiss, an "I love you" and then walked out to her cries.  I HATE this.  So I, being oh so intelligent with this parenting thing, suggest to Travis that we convert her crib to a toddler bed.  Quinn was in one at this age and did GREAT.  She IS almost 20 months after all.  Yea.  I am S_T_U_P_I_D.  I refuse to convert it back, but she still cries when I put her to bed!  Maybe after a few nights she'll just go in and lay down in her big girl bed and let me sing her a song or something.  Maybe not.  Maybe I'll break out the pack and play ( I REFUSE to convert the crib back).

So today we went swimming.  It was fun and a tad bit surreal since it is FREEZING outside.  The kids really enjoyed this.  We also got to meet some new people and spend time with extended family.  It was fun.
 

 

Today was supposed to be a Duck Parade....

The kids got "fun-dough" in their stockings from Santa this year.  The lids all have different animals on them.  They can be used to make impressions in the dough.  The boys thought this was great fun.  Last night they made a duck parade with two of every color duck.  It was super cute and they wanted this to be my blog picture for today.  I told them they would have to remake the parade today because I had to take the pic the day I post it (I'm a stickler).  Today got busy, it didn't happen.

However, I did get another cool toy for my camera in the mail today.  It is a lens attachment that does both wide angle and macro (it's a two-fer :)).  I had a ton of fun playing around with this while the boys were napping this afternoon.  Lucky for me Lucy was boycotting nap time, so I had the perfect subject.  I am still trying to figure out the focus issues...I need to take private lessons I think.  Terri Bleeker - if you are reading this I am coming your way!

There's an app for that....

Ok, not really.  But almost as good would be a REMOTE for my CAMERA!  How about that?!  And who would've known?!  Well, someone, like Travis.  He bought me a remote for my camera.  It arrived today and he didn't even make me wait for a "special" day to give it to me.  Now, I can be in pictures with my kids.  Ignore the fact that Jude isn't entirely in the picture or that I look craptastic.  I don't yet have a tripod or a personal stylist, make-up artist, or hair dresser and it's been a long week!

Awwwww....

Look at my kids, all well behaved sitting next to each other enjoying a snack and a show before bed....but wait?  Who is that redhead?  Where on earth did she come from?  Did someone sneak a fourth into my house?  Oh....that's Chloe!  She's a niece/cousin....isn't she stinking adorable?!  We have gotten to play and eat and play with her tonight...it's a good thing she's a kid and will eat PB&J because Travis is working later and I don't make anything that a normal adult would enjoy :) 

As I was saying.....

Technology and kids today....it's a dangerous thing.  Check out this pic of Lucy watching Diary of a Wimpy Kid on Travis' iPod after dinner....This amazing little thing was a lifesaver on the long plane ride out to Seattle over Thanksgiving.  Lucy seriously watched the entire movie and then fell asleep for the remainder of the flight (on the way there, the way home she was over flying and wanted the entire plane to know!).  I try not to let my kids watch "too much" tv, etc, etc, etc.  But I will admit that newfangled technology, television, and movies have literally saved my sanity on more than one occassion.  And, it is safe to say, they have taught my kids a thing or two.  So they can't be all bad, right?  On a completely unrelated topic, do you see my daughters gorgeous cornsilk hair with nice subtle reddish undertones?  I'm jealous.  I am.

Stuff....

I absolutely love getting mail.  Real mail.  Not bills, solicitation, wrong address, etc.  REAL MAIL.  Whether it is something I ordered or something unexpected, when it's in the box, I am like a kid in a candy store.  Another thing I love that goes hand in hand is FREE stuff :).  I am so excited to have been turned on to some saving sites by a friend of mine so I can sign up to receive FREE stuff in my mail BOX!  It is Monday of the third week of 2011 and I don't even REMEMBER what I have signed up to receive.  Except two of the things I "ordered" (shipping only - $3.00 total) have already arrived.  They aren't even something I would've ever actually purchased if it weren't for the great deal.  But it was still SO exciting when I got to peel back the little perforated strip allowing me to open up the wonderful carboard envelope with "do not bend - photos" printed on the outside.  So, below, I am showcasing two of the wonderful pieces of loot I have acquired SO FAR in 2011 :)  I will do this every once in a while just because I like to reflect on the stuff that comes in the mail :)  Just WAIT until you see all the tampon samples set to come!

Running....

I have been running.  I am actually feeling pretty good about my running abilities at the moment.  Travis got me a Nike sportband for Christmas and I am really enjoying the fact that it is a total enabler for something GOOD for an OCD person like myself.  That being said, lifestyles of any kind will rub off on the impressionable children we are raising.  Jude wants to run with me.  I am happy about this because while I do not consider myself a "runner", I enjoy "running".  Lucy and I took a trip to Kohls today with a fancy 30% off coupon in hand (thanks Amanda!) and came home with not one, but three new pair of shoes.  Jude needs "real" running shoes if he is going to be running with me.  Quinn needs to keep up with Jude (or blur as he runs right by).  And Lucy is a total shoe horse who just LOVES picking out new shoes.  Who am I to say no?

 

Days like today.....

I hate days like today.  It was a long week, I had been looking forward to Saturday since Monday around 5am.  I am tired.  Which makes me cranky.  Which makes me waste energy on being cranky.  Which makes me more tired.  Vicious cycle.  I feel like if the sun would just shine with some actual warmth I may not be so tired.  Soon enough, I know.  And I really do try to enjoy the here and now instead of wasting away moments on wishing for tomorrow.  I did enjoy my family today, as I do every day, even when I have exhausted any patience I may have in my body on something of lesser importance (outsiders, the dog, traffic, etc)....The kids are all in bed now.  I didn't take a picture today, until a moment ago, when said dog posed for me.  SO, meet the last member of the Shreffler Clan.  Tyler.  He was found by Travis.  He was a teeny, tiny puppy and there was snow on the ground.  He had been abandoned.  He is great with the kids and the cats.  He is Tyler.  My least favorite family member.  I have to use some of my patience with him daily when I would rather not.  It isn't even for anything he does wrong.  Just feed the dog, water the dog, give the dog attention, let the dog out, let the dog in, put the dog to bed, etc.  He is a great dog though, so there's that. :)  And he is kind of cute :)