My Unexpected Wednesday Present

Check THIS out! I'm so excited b/c one TALENTED bunch of women hangs out at this site and it's really cool to be chosen for this week. And rumor has it that I get a prize too...*squeal!* Also, scroll CLEAR to the bottom of this message if you want updates on our lives over the last few days:)



The challenge was to create a layout based on things about your life now that you'll miss in years to come (like Trace Adkin's country song).

I had a bit of a different take on this week's assignment...hope this is not too irreverent, lol. After my Friday 13th, it's a wonder I found ANYTHING to miss about my children. It was the beginning of spring break here and they were at each other's throats (sometimes literally)


Journaling: Things I Will Miss:
Baby kisses
Chubby cheeks
Cute baby clothes
“This little piggie…”
Cooing
The latest Lego creation
Themed birthday parties
Snuggling
Nursing
Babies
Artwork on the frig
giggling
hugs
holiday excitement
baby hands
baby feet
baby blues
“Oh I love my Mommy!”
Stuffed animals
Thomas the Tank Engine and elaborate track setup
Reading books together


Things I Will NOT:
Whining and crying
Temper tantrums
Sibling fights
The Legos all over the floor
Socks strewn all over the house (are they clean or not?!)
Poopy diapers
Potty-training
Guns
Taunting
Picky eaters
Burping and tooting (and incessantly talking about it)
McDonalds
“accidents” (including Poodini and Peedini)
yelling


JWD Academy: Tinted Stamp Block
JWD Project 52: Slightly Imperfect Photo Masks, Unchartable paper, Repeat After Me quote(s)
JWD Complete Boy 02 Accessories
Brandy Hackman Retro Family ribbon tie
Shabby Princess Round Labels: A Child's World (cuddle)
Nitwit Collections Little Men (frog) and What's the Buzz (bugs)
Heather Roselli Backyard Boy (caution sign)
Tracy Ann Baby Boy Kisses Charms
Fonts: Hootie! and Mechanical Fun

Ok, our last few days here: Friday 13th was crazy...Christopher had Thursday and Friday off since last week was parent-teacher conferences at his school. This week is spring break, so they get a LONG break. I'm sure that would be SUPER cool if we were bopping off to Disney/enter your favorite family vacation destination. However, with a 6 and 3 year old who are often at each other's throats (literally, as mentioned several times before), 7 days alone with them is enough to make me cringe. True to form, there were several fights and a couple messes that added to the chaos of me packing for the weekend.

We got through the day on Friday, whew. Saturday morning we all scurried around to get ready for our mini-adventure with my in-laws and sister-in-law and her family (kids ages just turned 2 and 4 months). Then we were off to the Wasserbahn in Little Amana. William was a sleepy and cooperative little traveler, and even stayed asleep for a good long while at the water park. Christopher and Michael had a wonderful fun time, and I did too, though I will admit I was spoiled this summer with the MUCH larger Waterpark of America.

Our favorite thing this weekend (Jeff's too) was the Millrace where supposed to get across the logs in the water. M looked like he was surfing b/c when they wobbled he waved his arms to get balance and was very good at it. C went across on hands and feet b/c weighed too much to walk like M.

M was SO VERY exhausted from no nap and all the physical exertion that couldn’t fall asleep or stay asleep in the night. Christopher couldn't sleep either b/c Michael kept thrashing around due to his exhaustion and they were trying to share a double bed. Mental note: NEVER try to stay at one of these places without adequate notice during spring break!! And NEVER try to stuff TWO small children in a DOUBLE bed, lol. At dinner he fell asleep repeatedly in his food and fussed when head jerked awake. Caught a second wind in mt mother-in-law’s lap. My 2year old niece and b-i-l had to just leave before food arrived b/c she was so tired. No nap for her either.

So despite the usual troubles with traveling with small children it was a fun mini-weekend. I think 1 night was plenty, lol. Oh, and 2 of Jeff's cousins and an aunt and uncle were there too, lol...small world. Apparently they come every year for a day or two for the uncle's birthday and we didn't even know they were going to be there! They had been there a couple days already by the time we got there and we saw them in the hall when arriving, but were never in the pool at the same time b/c they were already getting ready for the uncle's early birthday dinner. Then by the time they were back in the pool WE were eating dinner:)