It's our annual tradition to get little pumpkins and paint them. It's a fun activity the kids really enjoy. This year J got to participate. I put his bink in so he wouldn't be tempted to taste the paint :-)

The kids heard a loud noise while Daddy was working on his truck. It made
all 3 jump out of their skin.L was a very helpful big sister to J while I was taking pictures.

S loves to paint. He gets into at first and then 5 minutes later, just starts
getting messy. The messier the better for him!!

J did great painting. No tasting and only a minor
mess. L and S were way messier than he was : -)

Now L is getting the bright idea to start using her hands.....

YIKES!!!!!

Then S has to join in on the fun so his hands were super
messy too. Thankfully we were outside with this painting project!

And here's the final products!!!

Next up was swinging fun but not before J threw a hilacious fit when I took him to clean his hands. Oh my goodness - he was MAD when he realized everyone else was staying out to swing and he was going inside. I washed him quickly and back out we went.

J loves to swing but too high.L just learned a few days ago to pump her legs and get herself going on the swing.

S learned tonight to pump his legs. Only one left to swing themselves :-)

S has the coolest eyes. They are totally multi-colored. I usually can't capture this with
the camera but got kinda close tonight.

Monster Trucks

We took the older 2 kids to the monster trucks last night. We left the baby home with my mother. I felt so much guilt over leaving him behind but knew the noise would be too loud for him and it was almost too loud for L and S, even with their ear protection. We all had sooo much fun! It started after the kids usually go to bed so they were pumped about being up so late. We left our house about 5:30 and headed over to the wild blue yonder, about a million miles from home. We got parked and we went in search of the will call window to get our tickets. It was our first time in this particular stadium and we ended up walking all the way around the silly thing to find the will call window, in a million degree heat no less. We got the tickets and headed inside. After a quick potty break, we set out to find our seats. We stopped and picked out souvenirs first. We were getting the kids each a shirt but L passed on the shirt in favor of a pennant. S got a Grave Digger shirt - L got a Blue Thunder pennant. We got our hot dogs and drinks and found our seats. The kids were immediately awestruck by the size of the stadium. The whole experience was so much more thrilling through their eyes.

Waaaayyyy past bedtime!!

Side story before I forget. I was rushing trying to get ready to leave, my mother showed up early and I have the sort of mother that needs to be entertained and I wasn't ready so it was adding stress to the situation because I can't possibly entertain her while I get ready. L was in the bathroom with me, trying to get ready too. She needed her hair done and her body glitter on (yes I know - who wears body glitter to the monster trucks? My diva daughter does, that's who!). It turned out to be the best 10 minutes getting ready EVER! L was so into it. She wanted to blowdry her own hair, put a bit of powder on, the whole works then she picked out jewelry for both us. It was a blast, just her and I, getting ready for a night on the town!!

L's first attempt at blowdrying her own hair. I had the heat setting on cool so
it wouldn't burn her poor face.

More blowdrying!

L & I ready for the monster trucks while my baby looks on and wonders what's
going - where are these people going without me?!?

I need to finish up the details from this fun night but everyone is sleeping so I better get some sleep too - more tomorrow!

Splash Pad

We went to a splashpad today after taking care of some paperwork stuff (it sucked but it's done for now!). Pictures from the fun time. It was fun anyway until more people showed up and S can't handle loads of people sometimes. L was great with him. When she realized how upset he was (he just sat on a bench in overload mode), she told me she was ready to go. S felt better as soon as we left the splashpad. But just before we left, J was crawling around and got caught in the rainbow sprayers just as they turned on - he wasn't too appreciative of this!!

Tonight, L chose to bathe by herself. She decided to read a book while in the bath, similar to what I do every chance I get!!

Family Time

Our family weekend ended with a trip to the movies to see Ice Age 3. I messed up and got the tickets to the one without 3D, which ticked L off but I think it was better in the end. J didn't do so great sitting for about 30 minutes of the movie so he and I cruised around the mall while Daddy stayed with the other 2. J fell asleep and I snuck back into the show. It was fun times!! S wasn't too impressed with the movie and L totally dug it. She was laughing out loud when I walked back in - such a wonderful sound to these mother's ears.

Sunday morning was a memory to keep. Sometime during the night, I migrated into J's bed (as is custom these days) but early before the sun came up, S came in there as well. I thought he just needed some comforting but later I found out that he had potty'd in his bed and started to sleep with Daddy only to throw a humongous fit wanting his mama so his daddy sent him my way. I had both boys in bed with me (thank you God for convincing us to keep the queen bed when we bought our new one this spring!!). It was around 6 when I woke up to J snugged up to my breast, S snoring logs laying on my arm tucked into my neck and thinking "I am so lucky". It made for a memory to last a lifetime. I get so bogged down in the day to day and forget to enjoy those small moments like that. The year will come when not only will we 3 not fit into a queen bed but it won't be okay to have your mommy sleeping in bed with you : -)

Today was a full day, even if it wasn't supposed to be. I had grand plans for staying home, doing some housework in the AM followed by craft time/schoolwork, outside Slip-N-Slide time, lunch and naps. It went more like this:

3:00 AM - Get up & make Daddy Piper's lunch and send him off to work with a hug and kiss (Thank you God for work again today!!)
3:15 AM - J woke up, nursed and back down
4:00 AM - Mommy back to bed
6:30 AM - S is up for the day while L is yelling from their room that it isn't 7 yet so he's going to be in trouble and to come back to bed!
7:00 AM - Up for the day, smelling my yummy coffee ready to go. Get milks for L & S
7:15 AM - J up for the day. Nurse and change him
7:30 AM -Morning call to Daddy while watering the garden with 2 kids - L stays inside to get her hour of TV time started
8:00 AM - Septic calls due to a messed up septic tank - run and hide from 3 kids to be able to listen to repairman
8:15 AM - Septic is going to be EXPENSIVE to repair so we think of a temp bandaid to get us through for a bit. Keep running from 3 loud kids who are playing and enjoying the game playing with mommy : -)
8:30 AM - Make pancakes - flag pancakes to be exact with whip cream, blueberries, and red cool whip for the red stripes.
8:45 AM - Try to clean up the red mess from the cool whip. Put dishes away so I can load it back up with dirty ones. Begin to get dressed for the day. Do some chores from the list, like changing the towels.
9:00 AM - Kids done with breakfast - teeth brushed and dressed for errand running (guess no staying home)
9:30 AM - Finally leave (everything takes so much longer with 3 these days!)
10:00 AM - Walmart run to get septic bandaid stuff. Now need car charger for phone since it's stone dead.
10:30 AM - Found everything we need including the necessary charger after checking and rechecking that it will work - check out and get to the van - load everyone in and get ready to head to the grocery store for some last minute sale/coupon shopping.
10:35 AM - Charger fits my phone but is a WALL CHARGER not a car charger. Back into Walmart, which means unloading all 3 kids - UGH!
10:50 AM - Exchanged charger, found right one, paid and now heading to the Grocery Store
10:55 AM - Unload all 3, grab coupon binder and off we go. Get all we need (everything in stock - WOOHOO). Quick potty break and we check out. Entire shopping experience goes exactly according to plan. Kids were wonderful and rewarded with some yogurt. Thankfully they are easy to please.
11:30 AM - Run by dance class and get DVD from recital in June. L completely and totally excited to see herself on TV. Must drive like Bandit to get home quickly before she combusts from excitement.
12:00 PM - Sprint into house to let 2 kids go potty again (all that water ran right through them today!). Load DVD up and start to unload van. J is sleeping by this point so I pull the van under the carport, crank the A/C to high and leave him be (we live in the country with a fenced acre of land so he's fine, I swear!). Kids eat yogurt while watching recital.
12:10 PM - Listening to the recital DVD while putting away groceries. L has watched herself and is now watching the rest of it and giving me a play by play of what each costume looks like. S is immersed in the dancing. I think he would like to take dance too but Daddy ain't having it.
12:15 PM - Niece calls and is coming over so now it's a mad dash to clean up too!!!
12:30 PM - Niece shows up to hang out until time to catch her flight. DVD watching marathon continues and J is still asleep (why can't he sleep this good in his crib?!) Start crockpot chicken for dinner.
12:30 - 2:00 PM - Enjoy visit with niece, have some wonderful conversation about her 16 year old life, able to dispense some pretty useful advice, corral 2 kids, keep checking on sleeping J, play accountant for Daddy Piper's business discussing some billing issues with his main contractor, re-do and submit a statement to the contractor, put 2 kids down for naps, introduce niece to Metromint water (YUM!), unload awake J from the van, nurse him again, remind kids it's naps so please no talking, and finally walk niece down to gate and say goodbye
2:15 PM - Discuss billing issues with Daddy Piper and hope they are worked out like they should be. Play more with J. Now L & S get split for naps so it's actually quiet in the back part of the house. Try to eat something finally and do some more dishes.
3:00 PM - Daddy Piper home for the day. Check on garden - YIKES! Water garden again. I think this heat is going to kill everything :-(
3:30 PM - L awake from nap so she gets 30 minutes computer time. S is still sleeping and J won't go back down even though he's obviously tired.
3:45 PM - J back down for nap. I head out to chat with Daddy for a bit.
4:00 PM - L comes and gets me. Her computer time is done and both boys are awake and crying for their mama. I head in and try to calm down S. J is still freaking out so Daddy comes and gets him. This is when it's hard to be a mom of more than 1. Both want me at the same time and what's a mom to do?? I hold S for a minute and then get him involved in craft time along with L and then take J. Start making jam from all the strawberries we got from co-op on Saturday. Daddy gets involved in craft time (read: takes over for Mama). I finish the jam and start with the rice and fruit for dinner.
5:15 PM - Dinner time. Daddy washes the table, L sets the table, and Mama puts the food on the table. The kids are responsible for setting the table and clearing their own dishes. Hopefully teaching them young will help in the long run. Get J set up for dinner. Tonight he eats carrots, peaches, rice cereal and some Mama's milk. He is a great eater, similar to S at this age. Not picky but you better make sure you have plenty of it ready to go - he doesn't like to wait!!
6:00 PM - Table cleared. Head out to work in the garden for a bit. L & S come gardening with me while J and Daddy hold down the couch. We have cucumbers growing along with 7 tomatoes, a watermelon, and some squash. I am having trouble though. Once the fruit or vegetable gets so big, they start to die so any advice??
6:30 PM - Get bath water started. We are trying to get things going earlier in the night since Daddy is going to bed earlier himself these days.
6:35 PM - S is already in the bath and L is about to get it. I hear her screaming and crying. Run and check on her. She knocked down and broke my vase that was in her room filled with her flowers. She is freaking out because she is scared I am going to mad at her. I feel like crap on a stick because she is genuinely scared I am going to be mad. I explain it was an accident and I understood that. I held her and cuddled with her, hoping to convey I wasn't mad nor would I be mad if things like that happen accidentally. I herd her into the bathroom to get ready for bath. I check the water to find "stuff" floating. S is now frantically wiping down the side of the tub. He farted and some "stuff" came out. Okay move kids to our shower and fill theirs with bleach.
7:00 PM - Finish showering the kids, fold some clothes, clean the "stuff" filled tub, run the water in the sink to bath J, bath J, need to use the restroom, get the sink filled with water to wash the pots and pans from the day, put drinks in for Daddy's lunch tomorrow, play around on the computer for 10 minutes, clean both toilets, read books to L & S & J tonight as well, put stickers on book reading chart for library, remind myself I need to use the restroom.
8:00 PM - L & S are hugged, kissed and tucked into bed for the night after a million questions about what we are doing tomorrow. Finally remember I need to use the restroom an hour after I really needed to. Realize it's the first time today I even cracked open my book for a minute (Big deal for me, I used to read a book every 2-3 days now I have to renew them at the library since it takes weeks to finish a book!) Stay in the bathroom for an extra 5 minutes reading alone : -)
8:15 PM - Nurse J and put him down for the night (or a couple of hours - whatever!), wash the pots and pans, clean the stove, put clothes away, straighten the living room and our bedroom.
8:50 PM - In bed for the night, reading book for a bit, talking with Daddy Piper about the necessary stuff for the upcoming weekend.
9:00 PM - J wakes up so snuggle time with Daddy is done for and off to try to get him back to sleep.
9:30 PM - J is down again for who knows how long. Computer time for me, where I now sit and describe my day.

Now I am off to read my book, uninterrupted for about 2.2 seconds before falling fast asleep for as long as I can, until one of the my blessings needs their mama!!

Summertime

Summertime - what a fun time of year!!

L used her birthday money fron Grandma to buy a slip-n-slide. She was gracious enough to share it with her brother, since he said "I have NO money to buy one, Mama"!! They played for hours with it yesterday. The only thing was the competitiveness that has become the norm around here - they were both trying to be the fastest and get the flag at the end. I took away the flag after a few tears about not being fast enough (the tears and anger came from both sides, depending on who lost). Once I took the silly flag away, they played nicely for about 2 hours!
J was just hanging out in his exersaucer enjoying the mister system and watching the big kids play. Sometimes it's hardwork being the baby : -) And yes he needs a haircut but I just can't do bring myself to do it before his first birthday.

Pictures

I took the kids to the photo studio on Monday to get some professional shots done. It went similar to the experience we had back in December, which means not so well. I took L & S every single month to do professional photos and haven't kept this up with J. It is soooo much more work taking 3, we don't have the disposable income we had 2 1/2 years ago and I was hoping not taking him would force me to do them myself, giving myself the needed practice with my awesome camera. OK well I haven't been so great about taking them. We went to the studio on Monday and as the saying goes, you get what you pay for. I wanted one horizontal of all 3 and 1 vertical of L by herself and 1 vertical of the boys. What did I get - none of those!!!! I tried today to get some good ones at home and out of 203, I was able to capture the following photos. Please note I did not get one good one with all 3 looking - AGH!!!!

Looking at the helicopters going over our house. Nothing excites my kids more than the flying objects over our home. Fortunately for them this happens very, very often!

Lying in the hammock Daddy hung last week.

My gorgeous thoughtful little girl, who isn't looking so little these days : -(

She was pondering the meaning of life... or maybe just watching her baby brother crawl away during picture time!

The above mentioned baby brother crawling away during designated photo time - little stinker!And this truly summed up our hour of picture time!

Daddy Piper has worked for 10 days in a row now - WOOHOO!!! Yesterday and today have been so long for him though (which in turns means MY days are extra long too!). He has left the house by 3:00 or 3:30 each morning and last night it was 7 PM before he got home and it's 9:15 right now and he's still not home. I feel horrible when he works long days like this. I know he is super tired. Today after a fun magic show, we went shoe shopping. Both kids needed new sneakers and L needed some sporty summer sandals. $100 later, everyone has the necessary footwear for summer. When talking with Daddy tonight, he voiced my exact thoughts by saying "Just because I am working these long hours, don't think you can go on a shopping spree". And I almost cried since that is how I felt shopping while he was working so hard. He laughed when I told him that and said he was totally kidding. The kids have been needing new shoes so it was hardly a shopping spree but it was eerie how he said exactly what I had been feeling earlier today. I feel guilty sometimes when we are off doing that kind of stuff (whether taking the kids to a magic show or shoe shopping) while he's working. I know I work hard too taking care of the kids and our home but I still feel guilty at times.

So all in all things are on the upswing around here. I could hope and wish for more, like more money, fuel prices to go down, rates to go back up and an extra 5 hours everyday but overall, I am content with life and it's been awhile since I have felt that way on a regular basis!

Family Saturday

Daddy Piper hung his old hammock up today for the kids. Boy was this a fun new toy! There was only one casualty when S hit the ground- HARD! The day was filled with swinging in the hammock, making chocolate covered pretzels, planning our 4th of July vacation and a looooonnnggg nap for mommy ;-). It ended with a scrumptious steak, corn and baked potato dinner which was devoured by everyone.






We have had my nephew here this week. It has been so nice to have some quality time with him. I enjoyed his company. He was coming back down for another week but after going home for a few hours, changed his mind. He is a self-proclaimed Mama's Boy : -)

Amazing Day!

Amazing day around here. I think I might have turned a corner on this whole depressed/hate life thing....

I realized today that one thing has been bothering me to no end lately (you know other than the state of the economy, lack of funds, etc.) - I am having a hard time taking care of 3 kids. There I said it - having 3 is no walk in the park. It is easy most of the time - like when we are at home but other times, like out and about at the zoo, park or homeschool event, I just can't do it all. I can't be the mother all 3 need all the time. This has been lurking below the surface for some time now. I seem to always need help from someone to get through the event, I am always late (so rare for me), well - basically I am not in control of the situation. This 3rd child has turned my life UPSIDE-DOWN and I can't get a grasp on how to right my world again. Well today was the day that all the chips fell in a row and I did it - I was the mother everyone needed, just when they needed it (whatever IT may be - milk, snack, kiss after falling down or just a smile across the way). It felt soooooo good to have a wonderful outing with all 3. I don't mind getting help from another mommy friend but it just seems like since having Baby J, I am always in need of assistance. And this has really been bringing my down, waaayyy down. L has turned to other mothers when she needs something lately, S seems to know just when J is going to melt down so he in turn melts too. But today - oh how the stars lined up right and the day went great. It was not a perfect day but it was so wonderful to feel like I might be able to handle mothering 3 after all.

We ventured out in the crappy weather to attend our weekly homeschool event. As you can tell from the above, I had fun. The kids all enjoyed themselves. We were at the zoo, saw the aquarium, enjoyed the company of our homeschool friends, ate at Chik-Fil-A (3 bathroom trips in 30 minutes - must be a record!) and home for rest time before soccer practice tonight. DELIGHTFUL DAY!!!

Touching the horseshoe crabs.

S playing with J.

Checking out the aquarium and in awe that it goes ABOVE their heads!

Baby J watching the penguins swimming and walking.

Riding the train through the African Safari. An ostrich came super close to the train!

Jaguar ABOVE our heads in his cage. One of the dads touched him and he hissed at him - no duh!

L checking out the jaguar.

S looking UP at a jaguar.

That is a lion in the distance from S and L. Not too far in the distance though - this zoo was awesome for seeing the animals!

Feeding the animals. This was a llama that ate right out their hands nanoseconds after putting money in the feed machine thing.

p.s. Taxes are in the mail.
p.p.s. J slept from 8 last night until 7:30 this morning - STRAIGHT THROUGH!!!!
p.p.p.s The other 2 did not sleep all night so I was still up :-(