As Of Late

January has been a month of getting back into routine, and getting my home and our lives back in order.

The kids over Christmas break and well into the month have been working on their FunFusion beads. This probably only about half of what they've made. Keeps little hands very busy! If you've never used them before you get them at the craft store with a palette of pegs. Place the beads on the pegs in whatever way you like and melt with an iron. Easy peasy!

We got a basketball goal installed. Sometimes with all girls I think they miss out on things they would be exposed to if they had brothers. Our girls are tall enough we should at least teach them the sport and see if any of them take to it. Kaitlyn is actually VERY good! My step-dad, whose career was in coaching basketball, said "she's a hooper!" So we shall see.

Here are the girls in a game of two-on-two. The contact part of the game may not be so great, especially with the little girls. Ashley just chases Reagan who just cries and runs away because Ashley is trying to get the ball! Ashley is a good guard.

We finally had mommy and daddy daughter day again. One big girl goes with me and the other goes with dad to their place of their choice. Mackenzie went to Fuzzy's Tacos and Sky Zone (trampoline jump place) with her dad. Kaitlyn and I went to 59 Diner and....wait for it...LaserZone. I asked her if that was an odd thing to do with her mom and if she would prefer to do that with her dad. She said no, she wants to go with Mommy, "so she can shoot me." So nice. :) We had a fun time. I meant to bring a change of shoes and forgot so I get weary running in my heeled boots and definitely made it harder to crouch down and hide. I didn't do so good but that's fine. 

The big girls came down with a very mild case of strep throat. Then Ashley got a sore throat so I kept her home from school to take her to the doctor. Her strep test was negative and she really felt fine, so we had our little Mommy day. We went back to Souper Salad, their new favorite place.

What is NOT their favorite is pot roast. Here is how Mackenzie decided she needed to eat her dinner, in order to get through it. But I gotta hand it to her - she didn't complain!

Kaitlyn and Ashley have been climbing our trees. They are flimsy wax myrtles that break, which is not only bad for the tree but could also be dangerous if they went to high. Yesterday I was called outside to rescue Ashley from the tree. If you look, she is actually over the fence line! Then today she got stuck in between the branches of the tree and was literally pinned in the tree. I could barely move the branches apart enough to unpin her. She was low where the trunks were large and unyielding. Wonder if she will get stuck in the tree tomorrow?

And some funnies to share...

I was trying to get ready to leave for the store.

     Ashley: Mom, you just go to the store tomorrow while we're at school.

     Me: No, we have to go today because we're out of stuff.

     Ashley: No mom, YOU'RE out of your MIND.

Shortly after their birthday, the little girls were grounded from dessert for not behaving. After dinner that night I went over to their birthday cake and cut me a piece. As all moms know you can never eat anything without the little people running in for their share. 

     Reagan walks up to see me digging in to her cake: Mommy can I have some?

     Me: No - remember y'all weren't behaving in the car?

     R: Oh. Well can I just watch you?

     Me: Um, okay.

It was so sad. She just sat there and stared at me and my cake while I ate like a big jerk. It definitely took the enjoyment out of eating my cake. Hmmm - perhaps this was all part of the plan!

This week Reagan came in from playing outside and her eyes were squeezed shut.

     R: Mommy I've got dirt in my eyes!

     Me: Uh oh. What did you do?

     R: Threw dirt in my eyes.

Makes me laugh. Sometimes kids can be so smart, and other times....well...not so much.

Onto February we go!