Maze runner

Sometimes it feels like I am a maze runner. Running through the same maze again and again. Good thing I love my cage. (;

We had a day'o'errands yesterday. First stop: library!

It's always a fun production.  

Everyone helps. We love our library!

we got there right before they opened so we had time to check out the flags and mums. We also had the whole joint to ourselves for awhile. 'Twas awesome. 

After we did our musical instrument scavenger hunt, Frankie sat down and hummed as she perused some books. I love little humming girls. (:

Then Delaney sat me down at a different table and served me dinner. She's a little organized OCD girl. 

She had all the colors just right and searched and searched for the missing flatware. Then she put the right colored bean bag for each plate as the entree. There was a lady that came up to me and said she didn't mean to be creepy but she was just fascinated watching how precise Delaney was. It was cute. 

And don't forget the salt and pepper. She's quite a good little hostess. 

From there we stopped by Lisa's to pick up lexi's scriptures she'd left there. Don't ask. We stayed for a minute to hug and comfort. It's been interesting to compare and contrast as I sent my firstborn and she sent her baby off to school far away. Neither is easy. Just different. 

Next up was target where I fixed some couponing errors from my Saturday visit. Coupons can be stressful business. Conference snacks to send to lex and we were off to the post office. These two are not always fun to run errands with. It can be like herding cats. They are just smart, energetic girls that like to explore and laugh loudly. Unfortunately not everyone thinks they're as cute as I do, and I'm quite certain their running and laughing can get pretty annoying for other errand runners. 

I try to come up with creative things to keep them occupied. Like taking a picture to send to sissy to tell her ythat her package is on it's way. Laney literally turned around and walked straight away from me. And franks did this:

After the post office there was PTA business at the school and then PTA business at the bank. And then finally home. 

We met Matt at gymnastics and Chris and I headed out on our date. We stopped at the Waldorf mall for some belated school clothes shopping and then to a 6:30 showing of the maze runner. We read those books together years ago, so we were so excited to finally go see it! We were running late (surprise!) so Chris went to get seats while I got the popcorn refill. (we have a system) when I went in the theater to meet him, he wasn't there. I walked out and after a minute saw him come out of a different theater. He'd gone into the wrong showing of our movie! He was like "mom, I saw the end!" It was so funny! Silly boy!

Matt sent this to let me know all girls were home and accounted for. Lil' miss was the only one who'd pose for a picture. Love the pose, love the pb on the leotard, love her. 

Today was another fun gymnastics morning. A quick stop at Wally, a quick stop home (we forgot it is tennis shoe Tuesday!) and we dropped franks off at school. School selfies while we waited. 

She whispered in my ear for like 5 minutes straight. Tickling little whisperer!

Delaney fell asleep in the car and woke up when we got home. I tried every weapon in my arsenal - milk, stories, laid with her, let her play in her bed while

I sorted laundry, nothing worked. She was awake for the afternoon. And you know what that precious angel did? She went up to put something away in Addie's room and stayed quietly playing for an hour. 

Sweet girl!!!

Potty training is... going. Not going well, but going. 

For dinner I made Asian chicken salad. The girls picked out the sunflower seeds, almonds, chicken, and ramen. I said "Addie, since you like all of those things separately, is it possible you might like them all together?" It was not. 

Tonight I am blogging from the comfort of cold bleachers watching the SMALL (st marys American little league) Rays take on some other SMALL team. We lost. I froze. And it was only 73! That's not cold! Not ready for winter!!!

sweet sunday

it was a nice and semi-restful sunday. i made cupcakes for summer's birthday with a yummy new whipped cream frosting recipe. we bathed girls and even lounged a little. matt and laney stayed home to recuperate a bit longer. matt sent me this picture of lanes cashed out on the couch.

he also sent these:

he made some yummy chicken pot pies for dinner. isn't he amazing?!

addie took it back old school with this cute purple dress. i probably wore something quite similar to this number when i was her age. :)

i sent this to lex. laney is taking over her seat at the dinner table. we miss her though!

after dinner we finally painted the birdhouses i bought at the thrift store for $2 during our trek shopping.

the girls loooooved it!

delaney kept saying "addie your house is beautiful!" "franks, i like that color!" "mom, do you think mine is cool?" "i hope bubba likes my house!" i think maybe her love language is words of affirmation. :)

i love the way she's sitting here on one knee. also, about this girl, she's like the dr. seuss of 2-year-olds. she is a little rhyming genius! she rhymes all the time! in the car - "i'm getting buckled, shuckled, muckled" before lunch - "i'm hungry, tungry, fungry"  at bedtime - "i'm tired, fired, mired."

it's hilarious! she rarely uses real words, so i guess we could work on that. rhyming is a pre-reading skill though, so i'm just glad to be moving in the right direction. :)

this little artist was all serious.

i love this, she added a cactus to the side of the house. must be because she was born in new mexico. ;)

delaney got to paint in the almost-buff. can you tell why?

after painting and ice cream we had some guinea time.

they love holding the boys like they are babies, it's actually pretty sweet.

but then sometimes they try to walk around with them and we experience mishaps. oh those poor guieneas...

all better and being treated like a baby again. 

and don't mind our pre-laundry day pj's.

and then some pre-bed frisbee.

 

it was a nice night. lexi facetimed us, and she and i got to have a long chat. i got to facetime meet emmi, heard all about 'tito' from maryland, and promised to send a list of needed items. she's still having an amazing time, is getting all a's and one b, and is begging for chris to come visit. i am really enjoying this 'adult' relationship she and i are embarking on. i had a friend tell me once not to get too hung up on the disliking each other that adolescence can bring because we really only have that unique mother-child relationship for 18-years, after that we have decades to be adults together. so far, so good!!!

also, i am so proud of christian today. st marys little league has made the unfortunate decision to schedule sunday games. :(((( it makes me so sad and infuriates me all at the same time. we've played for years with no sunday games, i hate that they are changing things. today was his first scheduled sunday game. i told him that he knew our values and he knew what we'd like him to do, but he is closer to 17 than 16 now and he could make the choice. and he chose, and was not sad about, going to church. happy mama heart. :)

Last few days

These two got to go visiting teaching with me and I was reminded yet again why i don't like to do that. They are little and like to climb and explore and talk. Vt companions, they are not. 

For 6 days now Addie has been a diligent little pianist. She's also a diligent little reader. The last few weeks she's been taking her easy reader and dr Suess books into bed with her for some nighttime reading. This day she woke up early and got right into some hop on pop action. So glad she loves to read!!!

I look like morning hit me with a 2x4, but Addie is so darn precious! Love this big girl she is becoming! Her words, her actions, the things she thinks about, she is really maturing and it's pretty awesome. (:

This is why I am freakish about locking the doors at all times. 

Someone trying to come into the house? Holy cow, no thank you. 

We had Ellie over for kid swap on Thursday and she was loving her some Nutella. But who doesn't? Other than Joseph that is. 

These two played pretty nicely together. for 2-year-old girls. They wouldn't smile for a picture to save my life, but they were pretty sweet to each other. 

On Friday Sarah kept our girls for our free day. It was also matts cws and it was a most delightful day. We went for a run, took a nap, and cleaned and organized a bit too. We almost went to a matinee but the nap won out. Matt hasn't been feeling too hot, so I didn't push him too hard. (:

I actually got my wood floors and two bathrooms cleaned! I got the schools grant signed and given to them. And I went through 2 piles of papers. It feels so good to get some things done. I've been in a major rut lately of just barely keeping my head above disgusting house water, but we're coming back! Might just be coming up for air, but we're coming!

As if the quiet day with just my honey wasn't good enough, I had two lovely visitors Friday night. Matt went to lowes and to pick up the girls, and while he was gone wade and Jodie brought the thumb drive of our awesome family pictures. and then while we were talking on the porch neighbor Peter brought over this beautiful sushi platter! Wade, Jodie, and I all tasted it before I brought it in and it was supah yummy!

Pictures of Delaney and Frankie's day:

I had every intention of picking Frankie up mid day and taking her to school. I had to drop off the grant money anyway, so it would have been perfect. But when we told her she could either stay home or go to Aina's she was all like "I'm going to Aina's and I'm flipping school today." Except she doesn't actually say flip, but we think it's awesome so we all do. 

Love these exploring girls!

When Matt picked the girls up, Addie begged to stay and play, so they stayed for awhile. Sarah and I decided the big girls needed big girl playtime, (Addie actually asked to flip school one day and make Frankie go) so Abby came over today. 

They played together famously, even when crystal joined them. 

I had a frustrating target and commissary trip. Hate when that happens. 

Tonight was the general relief society meeting. It was really good. They basically said GO TO THE TEMPLE RIGHT NOW AND DONT EVER STOP AND GO AS OFTEN AS YOU CAN. a lot of great speakers and quotes too. 

My favorite was sister marriott who actually admitted to being a natural woman. It was so refreshing to hear his mighty woman of God admit to being prideful and having faults. I feel like the poster child (woman) for natural women, I struggle to overcome myself every day, so it was wonderful to hear that she did, and is. She also said that a mothers influence (might I add for good or bad) can have a stronger effect on her children than any other force. I am paraphrasing here (and not very well) because i forgot my journal to take notes. I picked up sister Mesmer and was rushing cause I didn't want to be too late. 

I so enjoy getting to know people that I normally wouldn't. She is a great-grandmother and I am just a (youngish) mama in the thick of it. I an enjoying hearing all of her stories. 

While I was at the meeting I got this message from lex:

Awwww! Every once in awhile I get this pang of missing her. This one was a little more than a pang. We text chatted for awhile and I think she felt better. It's ok to text chat during women's conference if your babies need you. I mean, it's pretty much the same thing as nursing your crying baby. Only different. (;

When I got home from church I jumped on the computer to meet my 10 hour work minimum for the week. And I vowed that I no longer want the norm to be 11th hour Saturday night marathon work sessions. I will finish my hours earlier in the week. I will overcome you, natural woman!!

All in all it's been a wonderful weekend. And I am super looking forward to a relaxing Sunday. Hahahahah, a girl can dream. 

Hooper straight and hijinx

On our way home we stopped at the hooper straight lighthouse in st michaels. It was obviously closed, but they were having a wedding there so there were lots of people around, zand the grounds were open. 

Shelly's "Rosie" look and my blue crab being caught look. Only, I didn't realize that the blue crab was actually catching the person. I guess paying attention pays off sometimes. 

We climbed over a rope and peeked in the windows. We are so naughty. (;

Sneaky sneaky. 

That was our last stop before the long and tiring drive home. Have I mentioned that it was an awesome and long day? It was. (:

new family pictures

i get family pictures taken every fall. we've done it every year since we got married. it's a nice time of year to do it because it's beautiful and then we have pictures for christmas cards. one of these days it would be fun to post them all here, but not today. today i am just reveling in our new pictures that i actually made the time to upload to the blog! it was so funny as i was switching out the sidebar pictures! i was pregnant with delaney when we had those taken, so they were 3 years old. delaney's pic was from the hospital. i am just so on top of things!  

jodie did a wonderful job with our family again.

 it was a rough photo shoot, but the pictures are fabulous!

she was so crabby!

 outtakes.

 chris is telling addie (through gritted teeth) "stand up !" matt is comforting a super crabby frankie, and i am trying to also. i am holding an equally crabby laney, and lex is just ready to be done. 

fun times!

 six is sweet.

 "girl, you can try all you want. i am not smiling."

 "ok, bro buxton you are pretty funny."

and also, i see braces in our future. :)

 

she was walking into some brush and spotted a snake. it freaked us all out!

 love this family picture! all except for addie. she was super preoccupied with playing with rocks.

 handsome sauce.

 collegiate.

 i <3 br="" crooked="" smiles.="">

 laney the explorer.

 we unknowingly lined up in height order. :)

 crazy lucky that i get to be the mom to those 5. who would have thought?

 pic's.

(partners in crime)

 that look means t-r-o-u-b-l-e.

 you just know matt was telling me something stupid silly.

 love.

 love.

 love.

 and this one? t

his has got to be one of my all time favorite pictures of ma one and only boy!

he's so dreamy!

so thankful for this beautiful backdrop we live in, for talented friends that lend us their skills, and that family pictures are done for another year. :)