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Recent pictures of our family.

Tax Season

Recently I have had numerous people make comments to me about tax season and how I couldn't possibly miss the long hours and hard work that used to consume me during tax season.  This always makes me laugh.  As if the job I have now has shorter hours and less hard work.

The truth is I do miss tax season sometimes.  I loved doing tax returns.  Tax returns are like puzzles, each one is different and you have to figure out the best way to put the pieces together.  The work was challenging and I really enjoyed it.  When doing a tax return I felt in my element.  There were set rules and standards that were followed.  I spent over 5 years of my life learning how to be a great accountant.  Were as I have had NO training what-so-ever for being a stay at home mom. 

Being a stay at home mom is NOT my element.  I am not a "natural" stay at home mom.  I don't have a domestic bone in my body (ask my husband or my mother, they will tell you).  I find staying at home much more of a challenge than any tax season.  The creativity and problem solving skills I use each day really go way beyond anything I ever did while I was an accountant.  There are no set rules or standards for how to deal with all the different situations I deal with on a daily basis.  Once I have figured out a good solution to something, inevitably a new problem will present itself and I start all over again.

Let me say, I am very blessed to be able to stay home with my children.  And I would not go back to work if given the option.  But understand, I don't stay home because it is easier or more enjoyable than working as an accountant.  I stay home for my children.  I stay home so I can teach them and help them become the amazing children I want them to be.  I want to be the one teaching them their moral values and social skills.  I want to be the one disciplining them.  I want to be the one they come to with problems and the one they come to with victories.  I don't want to miss the special moments and the chances to show them my love.  And daily I am learning just as much as they are, probably more.

I have heard many mothers say, "I could never stay home."  I used to say that.  Then I did it.  And I continue to do it everyday.

I am greatly blessed!

Battery Conspiracy

We have four different battery powered thermometers (each one is used for a different area of the body) and this week the batteries of all four of them went dead.  All of them had the original battery (the one that came with it when we purchased them).  Now this may not seem strange until you consider the different ages of each of these thermometers.  The first one we bought over 6 years ago.  The next one we bought right before Addison was born, so a little over 4 years ago.  The next one we bought after Hunter was born, so about 2 years ago.  And the last one we just bought a few months ago, before Ella was born.  So these thermometers have years of difference in when they were purchased, but yet, they all died THIS WEEK!

Say WHAT !?!?

Recent quotes from Addison:

Addison - Why does Grandmother (meaning great grandmother) have so many wrinkles?

Me - Well, as we get older and our skin ages, we get wrinkles.

Addison - I want to have LOTS of wrinkles!

If only I had recorded that, so I could play it back to her when she is 30 and worrying about wrinkles.

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Addison and Hunter were running around playing tag.  Addison stops, looking like she is exhausted.  She says, "That is hard work, I want to do something easier. (short pause).  I know, I will doing jumping jacks instead."  Then she starts doing numerous jumping jacks.

I wish I thought jumping jacks were easy.  I just wish I had a little of the energy she has.

Great Quote

I read this quote today.  This is my on going struggle:

“It’s not hard to decide what you want your life to be about.  What’s hard is figuring out what you are willing to give up in order to do the things you really care about.“- Shauna Niequist

Cartoons

Before Ella was born, watching cartoons was an infrequent treat for Addison & Hunter.  Once Ella was born, we got into the habit of watching cartoons in the morning, while I fed Ella.  Then the other day I fed Ella while the kids ate breakfast, so once we were all done, I decided that instead of watching cartoons we would just get a jump start on our day.  The tantrums that followed were jaw dropping.  You would have thought I had told them that they were never going to eat again or see the Sun again or something outrageous like that.  Something that used to be a fun treat, has turned into an expectation and has made my children "spoiled" when it comes to cartoons.  So last week we started "weening" ourselves from this habit.  And it is a "weening" process for me as well.  I also was used to having that time in the morning to get little things done, while the kids were absorbed in their cartoon.  I think the "weening" process is almost over.  This morning there was no more whining, asking to watch cartoons.  They asked once and I said no and then they started playing together.

My Babies!

Hello Blog World.  It has been a long time.  Yes, I know.  I am a horrible blogger.  But I am going to attempt to become a better blogger.  So to start off my new attempt at blogging, here is a story of what happen to me today.

Here is a common story in our house.  Events like this usually happen daily and I am learning to just laugh and move on.  This is what happen this afternoon.

The kids were playing outside and I had just finished feeding Ella.  Ella had spit up on herself, so I was getting ready to change her outfit.  As I take off her outfit I discover that she has pooped all over herself, all up her back, almost to her neck.  At this point, because I hadn't realized she had pooped while I was taking off her outfit, the poop is now all over the changing pad, Ella's legs and my hands.  Then I hear Addison coming to the door crying.  As the door opens up, there stands Addison covered from head to foot in potting soil.  Apparently Hunter poured what was left in the potting soil bag on Addison's head.  I successfully stop Addison from coming into the house (and making a big mess in the house).  Ella is now crying, probably because she is cold and still covered in poop.  Then Hunter walks up to the door and states that he has to poop.  This typically means that I have a few seconds to get him to the potty or else he poops in his pull-up.  So I have to decide what to handle first, messy Addison, poopy Ella, or soon to be poopy Hunter.

Don't you wish you were a fly on the wall at our house?!?!

It's a girl! Due Date is September 16th.

Heard in my house today . . .

Addison: Boys pee standing, but I pee sitting down.

Later in the day

Addison: I don't act like a boy.

Me: How do boys act?

Addison: Like animals.

Patience

Addison is teaching me patience. There are so many little things in our daily routine that it would be easier and faster if I did them, but I know it is important to let Addison do these things. Such as brushing her teeth, getting dressed and putting her shoes on. I have to plan ahead to make sure there is time for Addison to do these tasks. So when we are getting ready to go somewhere, I have to start getting the kids ready 10 minutes earlier, so that Addison will have plenty of time to put her shoes on by herself. I am so used to doing everything that I have to remind myself throughout the day to let Addison do things. She is capable of doing so many things, if I will just let her.

Finally, a cool day to play outside.

Cute Pics.

Ahhhh, Coffee

Today, for the first time in over two months, I sat down and enjoyed an afternoon cup of coffee.

A little over two months ago I gave up drinking coffee. Not willingly of course. It happened during a six day stomach virus were the withdrawal symptoms of quiting caffeine cold turkey were nothing compared to debilitating symptoms of losing everything that I attempted to eat and being curled up in a ball from the pains of stomach cramps.

After I recovered from my stomach virus my pod coffee maker stopped working. Despite a cabinet full of coffee pods, I decided I would just forgo coffee.

My efforts were rewarded when I started losing weight and the only thing I had changed about my routine was the fact that I was no longer drinking coffee.

Then life hit me. Sleepless nights, kids waking up at night, going to bed later than I should, having to get up earlier than I want to, stress, etc. So today I gave in and had a wonderful afternoon cup of coffee.

The really funny part is how I made the coffee, because I no longer have a coffee pod maker. I have this thing that I think you are supposed to use to drain cans of food (because it fits right over a can and it has holes in it like a strainer). I heated up water in the microwave, put this can strainer (I guess that is what you would call it) over my coffee cup, put a pod in the strainer and then poured the water on the pod. Then I let the pod soak in the coffee cup a few minutes and wha la, I had a wonderful cup of coffee.

What a Mess

This is what happens when you start cooking carrots at 11:00 in the morning and then forget about them until 2:00pm. I guess we are not having carrots with dinner.

Proverbs 3:5-6

Yes, she ate all of them.

Addison ate all these orange slices, by herself, AFTER eating a large lunch.

Hunter's Balloon

Tissue

This morning Addison asked if she could get a tissue to wipe her nose. I said, "Yes . . . just be sure to throw it away when you are done." I didn't think anything else about it until I walked into the bathroom a while later.

So now I just need to teach her to only use a small piece of tissue, not half the roll.