The Big-Belly Update

I'm starting to actually count down (we're finally getting that close!), so I thought I'd post an updated preggy picture. The absolute best thing about this picture is that Tony thinks the shirt I'm wearing is totally indecent.

I tried to wear it to church once and he said we didn't have time to fool around before getting dressed for church. It isn't that lingerie-y! I must have some rebelliousness left in me, because it only makes me like the shirt even more.

Maybe Tony knows that and only complains to make me happy? Thanks for the great shirt, Rachel!

My Little Sister...who doesn't want to be pictured on my blog

I love my sister!...and it's so fun to go places with her. If you're going to be a freak show, you might as well embrace it and double the kids you normally take out! When we take the kids out to eat, it looks like we're having a birthday party (but who does that at the McDonalds in Walmart?).
This week, we met at the half-way point between our homes to return the kids we had traded. I was hoping for something really fun to do in Chehalis, but...there isn't much. Apparently they have an awesome hot air balloon festival...in August. And they have a steam train that runs on an old logging line - perfect for our train-obsessed almost-three-year-olds. The problem being that it only runs on weekends, starting in May. I couldn't even find a decent movie theater.
So, we ate at McDonalds and herded the kids around Walmart...I'm sure that would have been a close second to our other options anyhow.

This is Why I Never Nap!

Well, to be completely honest, I normally sleep in long enough that napping would really be overkill. Now you get to find out why I would rather sleep until nine (with all of my kids snoozing as well) than have a little cat-nap in the afternoon.
Frankly, it's because sleeping in doesn't make me want to hurt my children; whereas, trying to nap makes me want to sell them all to the nearest gypsy.

Here's how today's attempt went:
Before laying down, I let the boys turn on their Nintendo 64 (an oldy, but a goody) and the girls turned a movie on the computer. Everything is calm. I go lay down.
Immediately, I hear the loud thump that children make when jumping off of furniture on the second floor of a building, followed by loud Jonny crying. No, he wasn't hurt - just mad (about who knows what?) I tell him that he can either be cranky and take a nap with me, watch the movie, or play his game...he has three seconds to decide. He chooses the game, and I go back to bed.

The neighbor girl immediately rings the doorbell. I hear Annika run down the stairs and yell up to Sofi that she can go play with her friend.
When I'm "asleep" (which I'm definitely not at this point), the kids aren't supposed to be answering the phone (that's what voice mail is for) or the door (anyone who really needs to come in has a key). I yell, "No, she may not," through the door, hoping to resolve the matter in this lazy way. No such luck.
The doorbell rings three more times in quick sucession. I go down stairs and explain to our little neighbor that the kids may not play, because their mommy is trying to take a nap...and please do not ring the doorbell more than once per visit.

Back to bed, and this time I think I may have gotten fifteen minutes of actual sleep. It wasn't worth it. I woke up to Annika yelling (again), "Boo is in the bunny's cage! Help me get him out!" Apparently Anthony (not being woken from sleep) was faster than me, because Boo had been extricated from the bunny cage and was having his hands washed when I stumbled out of my room.

Movies and games were turned off. A new seven o'clock bedtime was declared. Everyone was thoroughly chastised (although I'm sure they took it with a grain of salt). So, that is why I don't nap. It's too frustrating. It makes me want to cry and spank my children. I didn't do either, but they may not be so lucky next time!

Now She Knows I Love Her....

....more than her beautiful hair.

Little Annika has the prettiest hair color, and I just love it when she wears it long. Sadly, she doesn't feel the same way. For Annika, long hair just means painful brushing (tender-headed!) and unwelcome hairdos. "But I brushed my hair yesterday!" doesn't fly at our house.
Well, Annika knows the solution to these woes, and although she had yet to talk me into a pixie cut, I finally did relent to the bob. ...and she was right, it is adorable and oh-so-easy to brush!

Stolen Pictures

The hooligans have clearly been using my camera again. They actually "borrow" it on a fairly regular basis, although the outcome is not always as artistic (thus the post). Usually I end up with pictures of kids dancing around and making silly faces. Sometimes there are pictures of Pokemon weddings or Bun-Bun (who James tried to feed some coconut hard candy to today...we quickly intervened and let him give her a carrot instead).
Annika usual ends up taking the most interesting pictures, so I suspect she is the culprit here. Once, I came home from my Mom's house and found about twenty pictures of Annika's favorite things in the garden. They were lovely, and I kept most of them. Drawing may not be in her comfort zone yet, but she is very creative in her own way. She can hunt down a beautiful image or arrange things (like flowers from the garden) in an interesting and attractive way. It will be interesting to see what all of that natural talent develops into...if it ever makes it past the debilitating perfectionism.

My Absentee Daughter

Sarah and I recently did a swap...children, not crafts. She has Sofia, and we are borrowing Chloe.

Poor Chloe. I think the only thing we've done since she has been here is babysit kids. Not super exciting. Maybe we can redeem ourselves over the next couple of days, so that she'll want to visit us again some day. I owe her for last night anyhow. She came into the kitchen as I was making dinner (Cashew Chicken from Costco) and said, "Mmm, it smells like Panda Express in here!" My own children said something a little more negative, so Chloe got the favorite child trophy (metaphorical...but I should get a real one) for the night.

I hope Sofia is having a good time, because it really is a sacrifice for me to let her go. Sofia is my helpful, clever little girl. I'm dreading the day that she becomes a teenager and decides she doesn't want to spend any time with me for the next five years.

Well, I'm posting these pictures in her honor. Can you guess whose name she was drawing when she made that face? (She knew the prize was a purse. :)

And the winner is...

I'm sure you all thought I was never going to make good on my give-away, but, yes, we did draw a name. And the winner is....Paige. Nicholas got runner up, in case Paige can't fulfill her duties, but I think we'll send him a consolation prize. Paige, leave me a comment with your current address (Yes, I promise not to publish it...as if that many people read my blog anyhow) and I will mail you your winnings.

The real reason for the delay was those dang curtains! I ended up getting the olive bell acanthus fabric for them. I love it, but it has a huge pattern on it...quite a challenge to match up. Now I'm trying to find a complimentary fabric, so it could be years until these dumb curtains are finished! I will definitely put up a picture as soon as they are...ten years from now.

The prize was one of these little purses I've been making from Bend the Rules. I've made six or seven, but now that I've figured out that they're just the right size for a standard set of scriptures, I have to make two more....one for each of my not-so-little-anymore girls.