Time for a change

Friday night, I returned home from my tennis Christmas dinner to walk in the door and find my husband with the vacuum in his hand, the washing machine/dryer and dishwasher running. GASP! As soon as I lifted my jaw up off the floor and recovered from the awe, I asked "WHERE has my husband gone, and who are you?"

And you know what he said to that? "He ran away with his wife that used to clean!" More GASP! And, sadly, true!

We have been so busy around here with all the fun Christmas activities that I have admittedly, let things slip around here...ok, or more than a little. Here is a little list I have made of things gone awry around here...when they start happening around your house, make a note to get cleaning, or your husband might take off too! =)

You know it is time to really clean when:
10) It is necessary to do a load of laundry so that the children have clean socks for the day.
9) You couldn't host a dinner party if you wanted to; the dining room table is now home to Christmas platters without "homes" and children's clothing/shoes waiting to be listed on Ebay.
8) You have started buying more containers, because somehow it seems if the mess is "contained" it seems nicer...and then those containers overflow and you lay the extras next to them.
7) The fingerprints on the television screen are getting really annoying.
6) The lazy-susan won't turn anymore.
5) You can't squeeze even another paper towel into the trash can.
4) A Julia has visited your restroom. (See previous post).
3) When you tell the kids it's time to make the beds they respond, "Make the beds???" as if they don't have the slightest idea what that means.
2) You must call your cordless telephones from your cell phone to find them.
1) And lastly, when you do pull out the vacuum, your son asks, "Who is coming over, Mommy?"
0) And when you go to put the vacuum back in the closet, apparently "settling" has occurred because it just won't fit!

(Which, I might add, I was shocked by that last one...I seriously do have a love affair with my consumer reports award-winning vacuum and therefore use it crazy often. If you are in the market for a new one..check it out. You will be excited to tackle this chore..yes, that is possible!).

So, tomorrow...planning for a jammie day around here...and a cleaning/organizational overhaul! (Mondays are usually just laundry day...guess we'll get a little crazy around here..watch out. HA).

Breakfast With Santa

This morning we had breakfast, watched a puppet show (sort of..as best you can with a 1 and 3 yr old!) and had another opportunity to visit Santa this year. Ryan's list has stayed the same: "GeoTrax kinda like Jake, GeoTrax mountain, and Spiderman bike." Julia is warming up just a tiny bit- meaning she will stand close to him without screaming (it might have helped some he had candy!), which I am classifying as a large accomplishment!

Uhhoooo!

This is something you just don't want to see when a Julia lives in your house.

Because this is what it means.

Our guilty pretzel/cigar smoking convict (with her dolly accomplice)!

Gingerbread Houses

Aunt Krista shows the kids a photo of a gingerbread house on the computer, as it has occurred to us that they all probably aren't sure what this project is we are making today! =)

Julia shows us her full tooth grin!

Julia takes a break from diving in to eat a piece of candy.

Tyler joins in on chomping down some candy...the best part of this project, in his opinion!

Oh, this is more fun than painting!

Julia concentrates on placing an M&M on her roof.

Taaa Daaa!

"Can I eat it now?" Ryan asks.

Fun with wrapping paper rolls

A visit from the greats!

Julia is happy to see that Great-grandma Schuette is visiting when she wakes from her nap! Mmmm! (Kiss!)

And one for Great papa too!

The kids wear grandpa out with this game!

And taking a little "breather" before they leave. Ryan said he didn't want to be in any more photos. =)

After preschool play

There was another little "warm front" (if you can call weather in the 50's that!) that came through this afternoon. Of course, the kids (or Ryan, rather) use any excuse they can get to not have to take naps/quiet time, so I let them outside for about 10 minutes after school.

Ry has asked (a zillion times now) for a Spiderman bike kinda like this one (this is his friend Nicolas') for Christmas. He takes this one out for a spin to practice on something other than his tricycle (which Julia has claimed this afternoon!).

And the princess must try on her glass slipper when we come inside. The other one is missing...really! I can't figure out where it could be, but it doesn't seem to bother her to just have one shoe on.

I love sleep!

This morning around 5:30 Julia cried out. Jeff's alarm clock had gone off about 60 seconds (and he naturally hit the snooze button) prior to her cry. Being the common-sense driven wife I am, I kicked him. (I mean, he was going to have to get up anyways, right?). Everyone knows this is the sign for "your turn!" He acted like he'd fallen in a deep deep sleep in that minute time. Grrr! So I go in to find her soaked (leaking diaper, grrrr!!) and do a quick jammie and crib sheet and blanket change. On my way out the door, she says "Thank you, Mommy." I don't respond (trying not to stimulate her too much, God forid she not fall back asleep!!!), so she yells this same thing louder. When I get back to our room, Jeff rolls over and says, "Did she just say Thank you?" Augh..my FAKER is caught!

About 10 minutes later Jeff gets in the shower, and I have just fallen back asleep when Ryan cries out. (Don't these children understand I need my sleep!?!) I go running in to find him soaked as well. Grrr. I am not sure what was happening here (or what we drank last night!?!)...he usually doesn't even have an accident at night, let alone enough to go through an entire diaper!

So, by 6:15 am, I've got two complete bedding and jammie changes under my belt, not to mention a load already running in the washing machine. That's a feeling of, uh, accomplishment...I guess?!

Phone Conversation with Daddy

Daddy has been out of town all week for work. Last night, we were in the car (I had tennis league and the kids played at Aunt Krista's house -- thanks, Krista!) on the way home and we decided to call daddy. I was surprised at our nonverbal little guy how LONG he hogged the telephone! Here is about how the part I heard went:

Ry: Hi, Daddy! Where are you sleeping?
(At this moment, I decided I was very glad he wasn't having this conversation in public: I can only think of how I might have judged had I heard a child talking to his parent on the telephone asking that question!)

Oh, are you in York City?

Silly, Daddy! You are a silly goose!
(I later learned that Jeff told Ry that his hotel had a kitchen and stairs in his room...Ry thought this was outlandish, apparently, as he told me later "isn't that crazy, silly daddy said he has a kitchen by his bed!?")

Oh, I want you to come to my house.

You need to sleep at my house!

Oh. Ok. You bringing me home GeoTrax?
(Maybe it was a mistake his last trip Jeff caved and brought him home a train...this is apparently an expectation now.)

A GeoTrax, Daddy! Like Jake's. And track for Eric to drive on.
(I also learned this week that Eric is one of the Geo characters. I learned this when Ry kept insisting to me he wanted Eric to come play at our house and I was trying to figure out who Eric was..he finally told me he saw him on TV and he drives a Geo train.)

Oh. (in a letdown sort of tone).

Oh, yeah, I like candy, Daddy! Yea!

So, I am expecting Jeff to walk in the door any minute now...with some candy. =)

Until then, I need to work on finishing up dinner!

Playdate Wednesday

Julia had a blast with our art project today: painting. We have this book that is a "paint with water" book, which she loves, and I love since it is a very "clean" way for the kids to paint. Also, a thumbs up that it is non-toxic...want to know how I know? I looked over and she was drinking from the water cup she was dipping her brush in. YIKES! So we checked that out..sure hope she wakes up from her nap okay today! =)
Oh...and yes, she is still in jammies at noon. It's one of those days! Gotta love it!

Izzy came over again today for some playtime. I think it's almost easier with her here to play with him...I can sure get some stuff done since he has a playmate (Hello, laundry!)! And I must play "referee" so much less than when he and Julia play together! A fun day for all of us!

They played dinosaurs, painted, house (a new one for Ry!), construction vehicles and of course, trains. Here they are building the "longest track ever"...I think they still have a little ways to go. =)

More KFLC Christmas Program Pics

I just realized I'd never pulled the photos off the camera Jeff was using the night of the Christmas program. Here is our little guy when he spotted us in the audience.

You go, little clapper!

Ok, if I get desperate (which I am getting), this might be our Christmas photo. EEK!

Guess we'll soon have to teach our little gal to cross her legs.

Dancing King Returns!

Julia and Ms. Dawn hold up one finger as they say the 1st commandment: Thou shall have no other gods before me.

And another video of Mr. Hollywood. The classes at preschool take turns rotating to lead the music/worship portion of school. I had to stick around this morning to get some video of our little guy back in action! I hope he never loses this spirit!!

The boy in the black shirt to the left during most of the video is Cole, who apparently does not like music time. Then beside him is Gavin. Ry talks often about his friend Gavin, I really need to schedule a playdate with his mom! (Ok, actually, I don't know much about him...except for Ry likes to play cars at school with him and every time we see the letter "G" Ry tells me it is Gavin's name). Then there is Ry (of course!), and next to him is Izzy, (whom you have seen in previous posts from playdates).

Bikes and Cookies

It actually feels like Florida here. (Ok, that is a big stretch..but compared to the Chicago temps we just came from, it is no exaggeration!). We took this opportunity to go outside and play with our neighbors, Nicolas and Lexi (and mom, Trina!) who rode their bikes down to our cul-de-sac.

After playing outdoors, we invited our friends in for some impromptu cookie baking. Julia mostly plays with the dough like it is playdough rather than cutting out cookies. (In between the bites she steals, of course!)

Ryan is making an "R" for his name.

"Cheese!"

Getaway Weekend

Each December, Jeff and I try and take a weekend trip to Chicago. It is something that we both look forward to so much, and this year was no exception! Despite the freezing (like 8 degree!) temperatures, we had a really awesome trip! Our adventure began early Saturday morning with a quick stop for mocha drinks and then a 5 hour train ride where we chatted, watched a movie, ate and read.

We spent our time leisurely Christmas shopping..(and some shopping for ourselves!), dining..(without having to say "quiet down!" or "Please sit back down in your seat!" or "Be careful so you don't spill your drink!"), seeing the movie "Four Christmases", more shopping (and actually getting to try things on without attempting to keep two children contained in a fitting room!), sleeping in, meeting up with Jeff and Amy (who ironically were visiting there this weekend also!), and with no schedule! It was SO NICE!
(And a BIG thanks to Aunt Stacy for spending her entire weekend with our children!!)

Christmastime in downtown Chicago is very festive...lights and trees everywhere! Here is a picture of Jeff in front of the Macy's 41st annual story window display.

And me, on the way to dinner right before we caught the train home, in front of the Chicago Board of Trade building. We tried a new restaurant this year, and I give it a HUGE thumbs up! If only I could remember the name of it! But the bruschetta, sweet potato fries and Thai peanut chicken appetizers were all AMAZING!

On the way home, Jeff reminded me that these weekends are so good for us (as if I needed reminding at that point!) "because they remind us that we have a story too, not just as parents." How right he is. And how happy I am that I get to be a part of his story!

Our Christmas Star

This is the second year Ryan's preschool class has been included in the Christmas program at Maryville Baptist. And this year was even more memorable than last...something I didn't think would be 'outdone'. (I was wrong!) Last year he was on the top row of the risers and during "Away in a Manger" he decided he wanted to check out the little baby Jesus for himself. He began pushing classmates as he made his way down to the bottom row to get a better look and to peer in the crib. Wow, is that mild compared to this year's performance...A night I might never forget! His class came up to sing the last song, and our little Mr. Hollywood was EXCITED. Actually, I think that is putting it mildly. On the way to the event, he told us in the car, "I can't want to sing and dance tonight." I can't even imagine how he could have been more spirited had he actually been "in the mood!" Apparently, right before going on stage, his teacher, Ms. Amanda, told the kids that she had a special treat for whoever sang the loudest. (They had trouble during the practices with lack of singing from their class, so she was trying to encourage them). She later told me that as soon as they walked offstage, he asked her, "Where is my treat?"

Ty steals a hug from Julia.

Sorry for the fact the video is so up and down. I am not even kidding when I say I was on the floor (yes, very lady-like, isn't it?!) laughing so hard I couldn't even manage to hold the camera upright...and I was TRYING!

After the performance, people were coming up to me saying, "Wow, Ryan stole the show!", "Man, he has Jesus in him!!", "What a happy, spirited kid!" , "Oh my, I didn't even SEE my kid during that song because I was too busy watching Ryan!" and "You guys really need to move to LA." And Krista overheard someone afterward pointing to Ry and saying "Hey, I think that is that boy!"