We definitely had a Monday

Everyone is asleep now - I should be too but feel the need to blog...probably so I can finally close the door on my day.

Brinley woke up sick & cranky. I hope she feels better by her birthday.

I'm still in mourning over her curls :(

I guess because I know they will never grow back (hence the reason she's never had a haircut). She could care less.

Moving on, I get a phone call...it's the sprinkler man. He's around the corner. I'm still in my pj's.

I look at the calender...yep, right there - sprinkler guy 9am. Ugh!

Not everything went wrong.

I did manage to get everyone dressed & fed and to Ben's school on time for the "star student" presentation.

AND...Daddy made it!! I don't know who he bribed/threatened to manage to sneak away in the middle of the day - lol.

Here's Ben's star we decorated with things about him. See the orange Oklahoma at the bottom? (it has a white California over part of it) He cut it out and colored it all on his own. I thought Bryce did it before I got up and he assumed I helped...nope Ben did it completely on his own.

Maybe not a big deal...I just figure not many 4 year olds can cut out their state freehand...I traced Cali.
Here he is telling the class about it.

BTW - does this classroom make anyone else's head spin?

I truly feel I can breath better after I walk out of there!

Then all his classmates take turns saying something nice about Ben.
Neat - was supposed to be 25 minutes but took more like 45!!
Which made me late for my doctor's appt. Which just infuriated me anyway because I wasn't able to have my procedure because my insurance apparently requires me to have an authorization to blow my nose!!! And they need it from my PCP, whom I've never seen!

Before I go all Michael Moore "Sicko" on ya'll, I'll try to remember what Bryce told me "be happy we have insurance".
So, there - I'm thankful and majorly inconvienenced.

Pick up Ben, more errands - blowing up a picture of Pinky Dinky Doo and ordering balloons. The party store was by Old Navy, which I got a GC to for my bday so I went in...we left shortly after Ben & Brin were on the floor wrestling over the balloons they got at the party store.

Shop some other day. What was I thinking?

Next, go pick up Daddy's bicycle he's been drooling over.
He wants to do a triathlon (have I ever mentioned we're opposites?) so he needs a street bike.

Whatever makes him happy-
and it did!
He was surprised :)

~not a good picture below~

but, try to ignore Ben's weird face...see the horn on Brinley's scooter?

We got it for her yesterday.

After daddy put it on, she called it her "tooter scooter" - lol.

Love her, still miss the curls.

A day that will live in infamy...

OH NO!!! That's what I yelled out when I turned around to find her with the scissors.

I've always feared this day.

There were tears - mine, then hers.

Yes, it's my fault I left her at the table with the art supplies - we had been finishing up Ben's star for his "star student" presentation today.

And everyone else in this house has been cutting their own hair lately!
She gave herself some face framing layers...
not sooo bad, right?

My Great Snowy Birthday!

I didn't have a birthday blizzard, just some nice soft snow - no ice or sleet.

First on our agenda...Go out for breakfast!

Birthday girls don't cook :)

Ben in his surgeon's cap and -for some reason- not a real coat! Oh, I know why...birthdays girls don't have to dress the kids :)

In the afternoon, daddy made "Snowy" our snowman. I know, original name, huh?

But he who builds it, also gets to name it.

Ben picked the "hat".
Snowy was the kids' first snowman!
Bowen's first snow!!
5 weeks old

We headed to Chili's for dinner where Ben & Brinley were all too happy to help me with my birthday desert!

*please note*

For the record, Bryce did not partake in desert.

There, now your rep is still intact :)
LOL

A Birthday Blizzard?

My birthday is Saturday and right now it is sleeting outside, there's 100% chance of snow and one weather man predicted "near blizzard" conditions tonight into tomorrow! Crazy, I've never had snow on my bday before...can't wait to see if they're right.

Go Go Gadget Girl

Does anyone remember Inspector Gadget?
I mean, besides Lindy, who was an Inspector Gadget junkie and the reason I had the phrase "go go gadget" pop into my head, lol.

Thursdays are Bryce's late night so when I got a text from him saying they got started late, so he would be even later then usual I thought "figures". Then my phone stops working!
Sneaky pete! He comes home with birthdays gifts - in the form of new gadgets - for me :)
And couldn't wait until Saturday to give them to me, heehee.

Last week we got a "new" phone from another Resident - he bought the Instinct, didn't like it, got an iPhone so he had an Instinct (2 actually) just sitting at home...anyway, "new" to me but I still hadn't activated it because I was kinda attached to my phone even though it had issues.
Anyway, Bryce had sneaked the phone to activate it for me and got me a pink cover for it, sweet.
He also got me an ipod!! I realize this may sound way outdated to some of you...but I've never had one of my own, so it's exciting to me. And just what I asked for :)
Yes, another smiley face...I'm the happy gadget birthday girl!

Still more gifts - a pretty yoga mat & resistance bands :)
And my last gift of the night...90 minutes of uninterrupted P90X yoga!

Man Eyes

In our house Bryce often uses his "man eyes" to look, declare it's not there ... then I have to look and actually find it.

I just realized today men really are just born this way & can't help themselves...Case in Point:



Ben, in the pantry "mommy, where are the goldfish?"



Me, folding clothes "hang on honey, I'll get them in a minute".



Ben occupies himself by stacking the babyfood in the pantry.



Brinley, walks up behind Ben "there they are."



Ben "where?"



Brinley "right there" pointing to a bag about, no lie, a foot from his face!

Picking up toys

These bags are filled with toys.

Only toys left on the floor.

They are in my garage. The only things I have allowed to be taken out are Ben's beebees (blankets) and Brinley's heffys (heffalumps) because I feared psychological damage if I withheld them - lol.

Can you tell I'm at my wits end with picking up toys?

P90X dropout ?

I'm not doing too well...I missed my 2nd workout!

It's not that I don't want to do it but I'm having trouble finding the opportunity. The plan was to get up early - not happening with this sleep deprived mommy! So Bryce said he would do his workout in the morning then when he gets home, I could do mine...again, hasn't happened yet.

Then stuff like this happens :
I just dropped Ben off at school and I'm taking Brin to gym class then...
Ben's soccer coach calls, it's sunny - impromptu pictures (they were cancelled last game) and practice 6 pm. Hmm, okay - guess I better fix his hair that he took a snip out of this morning, lol.

Pick Ben up, go home, nurse Bowen, do dishes, check email, fold clothes, pick up toys, then get ready to go to soccer field.

Get there, it's cold & windy but sunny :) and somehow our 6:15 picture time turns into 7pm, so we get home about 7:30.

The kids finish their food (we got Sonic on the way home - another strike against me), Bryce starts his workout, I give the kids a bath then lotion them, change & nurse Bowen while repeatedly telling them to put their pj's on, Bowen finally finishes so we brush teeth/potty and read bedtime stories.

Bryce is done with his workout, reads them one more story and puts them to bed. I give Bowen a bath (he has grass on him from the soccer field) and Bryce showers.

Bryce reads, I go dig Brin's "heffys" out of the trash bags (another post) because she's crying, Bryce goes to soothe Ben who is crying for some reason. I again nurse & soothe Bowen (he gets kinda crabby in the evening, prob from the stress levels in my house-lol) while I post pics to my blog.

Bowen's asleep.
I change/brush my teeth/wash my face and give up on working out because it's after 10 pm.

So, I may not be an official dropout yet...It's not that I'm not motivated (Bryce) because I do want to "get ripped" and ready for the summer -lol...I just gotta figure out a schedule/arrangement to do it.


but I am a little sore from the half a workout I got to do this week :)

Bricktown lunch

Oops...these are a little late.

Sunday we had a fun lunch in Bricktown before Bryce headed off to work and Nece, Pawpaw & Brookie left town.

The kitchen towel tied around Ben's neck is his "bandana" but don't ask me about the goofy face or quirky pose...??? lol Normally I don't let them play with their food, but I think Aunt Brookie actually started this...

And Pawpaw joined them :)

The balloon artist came by

(who wasn't really a clown but was kinda creepy anyway)

Brinley wanted a kitty...

Ben trying to blow up a balloon

He ordered a bunny.

Monkey see, monkey do

P90X time

Bryce finally wore me down so I'm starting P90X...actually it's because I know I really need it! My first workout was tonight and sadly I was only able to do about half because Bowen started crying.
A mommy's work(out) is never done...
maybe tomorrow.

Date Night

We have a few of these pictures -

where Bryce & I are dressed to go out so we take a picture, then want to include the kids ... who unfortunately look like little orphans, lol.
What was your question?

...what shoes was Cindi wearing?

Let's zoom in and see ;)

Our first time at the Melting Pot - it was fun.

As soon as our waiter walked away, Bryce asked "is he a mush-mouth Vince Vaughan?"

LOL, That's just what I was thinking!

The part I was looking forward to...
bring on the chocolate!

And I hate to admit it, but I ate so much (Bryce did not help me with this course) that I kinda felt sick.

When we got home, Ben (who waited up for us) wanted to hear all about it and then asked if he & I could go on a date when he was older...awww!

Thanks so, so much

to Nece, Pawpaw & Brookie for our night out!!

We Love Ya'll.

Happy~early~Birthday to me!

What's better than good company?

Good company bearing birthday gifts!!

Lucky me :)

I got a cute tee, pj's and a DSW gift card!

(I get to go back, heehee.)
AND this...
I've always wanted one and can't wait to try out this red beauty!

Ben & Brinley with Pawpaw-

they were nice enough to "help" me open my presents.

Did I mention I like March?

Yay, visitors!

As you know I love when people come to visit - this time it's Nece, Pawpaw & Brookie! coming back to see how big Bowen has gotten and giving Bryce & I a night out to celebrate my b-day (early). Woohoo!
We love to go home to Texas, too but I'm just not ready to make the trip with 3 kids yet. It's not a bad drive, although boring south of OKC, but I don't look forward to packing (and for a baby this time!) but the potty stops get tiring...what's with kids??

Me - "Brin, let's potty before we leave"
Brin - "NOO! I don't need to go"
10 minutes down the road...
Brin "I need to go potty".
We stop, "Ben, do you need to go?"
Ben - "No"
15 minutes later...
Yep, you guessed, he's gotta go.

And Brinley will swear she doesn't need to and I'll make her sit on the potty anyway...and she goes.

Anyway, I digress - Bryce is on call this weekend but I will have company :)

Yay.

Bowen ~ 1 month

Bowen is 1 month old today!

He is awake and alert more often. He still eats and sleeps well and doesn't cry unless he needs some attention or has an occasional upset tummy.

I still think he looks the most like Bryce from all our kids...we'll see if this holds true as he grows :) I know I got Brin in this first picture so I took a couple more (he slumped in those) and then this happened...
Giant spit up!
(I somehow captured it as I was moving to grab him - go figure!)

I won't zoom in because I don't want to scare anyone...this precious baby has some major neonatal acne! No kidding - worst I've ever seen.

Anyway after cleaning him, the couch & bear we called the photo session over.

St. Patty's Block Party

We went to OKC's block party in Bricktown yesterday after picking up Bryce from work - my idea...not such a great one. Turns out it wasn't very family friendly like they made it sound - mostly beer stands. Ben was very disappointed. There was live Irish music that Brin enjoyed but as we were leaving (after dinner) I heard some band botch my favorite CCR song Alabama -yikes!

Anyway we just strolled around and took some pics... Ben was not happy here because Daddy had just made him put on sunscreen, haha.
Brinley splashing around.


Bryce's Michael Jackson moment...

Family shot - not a great one, but I'll share anyway.

Notice how Bryce is the only one not wearing green??

I didn't dress him. Ben pinched him :)