Month: April 2016

Tomorrow is Monday.

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Good news: I finally felt about 75% living today from the devil-virus and was able to be moderately productive. The kids seem fine, which is fantastic, but they are a bit rotten for having run amok since Wednesday.

Bad news: Lynn is feeling queasy now…and I’m on work assignment in Knoxville tomorrow if anything breaks loose.

If you asked me when I was a teen, I would have probably told you that I wanted in some part to be an “important person” and add meaning and purpose to peoples lives. I thought I would be important from the work that I did.

Turns out, I AM an important person..just it is to those I love and that I take care of. It looks like by being their person, they are giving ME a big meaning and purpose. If I lost my job tomorrow someone would do that stuff.

But raising these (wild) kids and being Lynns wife, I’m pretty indispensable.

Of course with the parenting gig, I realize I am working myself out of a job in the sense that these ratbabies won’t need me the same way they do now forever.

(At least I hope I don’t have to discipline them for biting each other like I did today or that they will spend part of their day streaking around outdoors twenty years from now…I HOPE)

But Lynn? Yeah. He’s gonna need me from here on out.

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These baby feet are not so baby anymore. We girls watched movies on my tablet and stayed away from Lynn.

We’re going through a wheat field

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“We’re going through a wheat field”

That’s one of the lines from Caroline’s school program. That kid loves the spotlight.

Lynn thought it would be educational to take a wheat plant for her to show her classmates since they might not know what it looks like.

Apparently, somewhere in the 4 year old lisps, “Wheat” became “Weed”.

Since I have the sense of humor of a 8th grade boy, I found it funny.

” I hear Caroline brought weed to school”

“Caroline says her Daddy grows fields and fields of weed”

Ah. Kids.

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WHEAT field. Definitely not the other stuff.

Carseat destruction

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Driving yesterday with the kids in the backseat and something white and bulky was tossed by my ear.

I grabbed it. Looked at the suspiciously smiling and hand holding kids in the backseat. Hmm.

I heard a cracking sound and being on a one lane backroad I stopped. It was the CARSEAT. They pulled back the cover and were ripping chunks of the styrofoam that make the seat all….safe…and stuff.

Nothing is safe.

These wild, rebellious and strangely sweet and beautiful children of mine.

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I don't think that is how you are supposed to do it..

Ladybug baths and Blue Angels

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Caroline is obsessed with ladybugs.

Yesterday she had an argument with a friend at daycare because friend found one and wouldn’t give it to her.

Today, I caught her washing on in the bathroom sink with soap. It killed it. She cried. It was dramatic.

I only worked a little while this morning then took leave for fun stuff. After third-wheeling with Carolines class to the park field trip for lunch. Carolines lunch, not mine. (no pics because they all have other peoples kids in them…and they might not like that on a blog)

I picked up Lynns mom and went to a friend’s house. She lives on a hill next to the airport and was generous enough to let us enjoy her yard to watch them practice for the airshow tomorrow.

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They did great for napless kids

I love the Blue Angels. I was born in Pensacola, so I guess that’s how people born here love the UT Vols. It’s the culture.

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This is not the Blue Angels, but the smoke was cool

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I love it when 4 fly together

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I love it when 2 fly together

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My favorite is when all 6 fly together

Anyway. I don’t fangirl over much. But this? I totally fangirl over.

Bad Mom Confession: I actually shushed my kids (long and complex) story (about a bug) so I could focus on watching the Blue Angels better.

Promise I’ll try to do better tomorrow!

Goodnight friends

Mommy scissorhands

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I am not good at cutting hair.

But.

The girls hair was wild… And lo and behold, I own scissors. I can fix this, right?

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Outside = less mess

It started by fixing Claire’s side bangs. (See, we brush teeth on a mostly regular basis. Except lunchtime brushing… We neglect that.)

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Not in her eyes. Objective accomplished.

Then Caroline asked me to cut hers too. Well kid. If you insist. Plus hair grows back, so we are good for a few errors.

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It was shoulder legenth

I put a bunch of layers in it so the curls would fluff up.

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The back. (Well, obviously)

The curls will realize they are free by tomorrow and she may have an afro. But it will be OK. Those are in style….right?

Lynn didn’t seem bothered. So that’s a good sign.

Maybe I need another crafty project so I’ll let the children alone.

Happy Hump day friends.

Tired dirty kids

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If only I had the energy these two do.

Running for fun

And as if that wasn’t enough

More running for fun

But they are sweet, and funny.

I don’t know HOW Claire doesn’t sleep all night.

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Picking wildflowers is a good way to pass time while waiting on our favorite farmer.

Caroline made me this picture. Notice she spelled “Love” LOB. I LOB it.

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My sweet Caroline.

We did get to spend time together outside and not working, so that’s a giant plus.

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Claire is getting braver

Some families take Sunday walks… Ours took a Sunday ride….

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My three favorite people and a really cool view

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I'm pretty sure the horses are supposed to herd the cattle...not the other way around

On one of the rented farms, we came across a field of these pear trees…and I got excited because pear pie, pear jelly, pear crisp, but after a quick search turned up this I was disappointed. Invasive species. Of course Lynn already knew that and had told me, but a girl can dream right?

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One of the not delightful pears

I cannot believe the weekend is over already!

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Kitty is entirely to patient

Have a great Monday friends!

Soccer Saturdays

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It was a chilli morning for a soccer game.

Claire was all about being outside with a ball and running around.

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Whatever it is, she's usually ready.

Caroline, not so much.

She wanted to trot around with her hands in her pockets.

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Self preservation is important to this one.

So I hollared at her to take em out.

So she decided it was much too cold to do much more than a slow walk….but the preferred method was stand and observe.

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Y'all just run. I will wait here.

When she had a break, she made sure her sitting towell was straight with no wrinkles, and her lap coat and bottle of sprite were aligned correctly.

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You can see her kneeling and straightening her "soccer supplies" on the sidelines.

Towards the end, she did briefly break into a run.

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I was lucky enough to catch this rare moment on camera.

She says she loves it though. And really, who cares if she scores a goal or blocks the other team.

Her sweet little mind is a mystery to me – and that is OK.

As long as my girls love each other, it’s all alright.

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I love you sissy

Sisters!

How is it only Wednesday?

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Claire isn’t sleeping much lately. She’s got a cold or something…and it’s 10:12pm and she’s already woke up wailing. (She’s averaging 4-5 wakings a night this week. Killer)

I’m so tired.

Anyway. On a related note…
I struggle to pay attention during work meetings where we are still, quiet and semi comfortable…. Despite large amounts of coffee I just can’t stay alert.

Plus – my mind wanders to random thoughts…then while thinking those thoughts I accidentally make faces. (example: “I wonder if a garlic blueberry bagel would be fantastic or gross”)

Today I had an all day meeting where we sat and listened, and sat and listened. And snacked…then sat back down and listened more.

So in the name of focus. (And not getting elbowed for making the daydreaming faces)

I doodled.

It helped.

I promise.

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Definitely not an artist. But it was soothing and helped me pay listen.

Tomorrow is Thursday….the day after that is FRIDAY. Thank goodness.

I think I can. I think I can.
Goodnight!

Mostly photos

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Church was uneventful other than Claire shrieking once during prayer requests.

The rest of the day we tagged along with Lynn.

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Getting feed for the heifers

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Lynn's fan club

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Watching the heifers and new babies come in

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See the bale of hay in the middle? That's also where they get fed and some minerals are left for them. I call this the "Cow Cafe".... Even though they are heifers..

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Frolicking before they got in a rock fight

Then while the girls napped Lynn met the trucker to load up soybeans to haul to Alabama to sell.

The trucker said he would be there at 1pm. And by 1, he apparently meant 3pm. Which is progress, since earlier this week he was supposed to arrive at 9am and actually got there at 6pm. Gah.

Then we had more farm family togetherness.

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Lynn, Caroline and a bull.

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I made the kids stay in the feed troughs so I knew where they were, they wouldn't get hurt or fall in the mud

Can’t believe the weekend is already over. Have a good week friends.

Soccer fun

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Caroline had her first soccer game today. She’s playing upward soccer.

Basically, since they are 4 years old they just run around the field in a little huddle and occasionally kick in the direction of the ball.

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All uniformed up

And then for no apparent reason, one of the kids will randomly fall and dramatically roll…pause to see if anyone noticed..then then they realize the game goes on without them they spring up and scurry back into the pack.

I might be a bad person, but I find it laugh out loud hilarious. So try as I might to pretend to be normal, I’m all “cackle and slap my knee”

Which is probably off-putting to the other parents….I can only assume that since I’ve not made a soccer mom-friend yet.

Or maybe my soccer-mom friendlessness is because during practice and games I’m wrassling she-tiger-Claire, furiously slurping coffee and picking up the trash from the snacks Claire is eating/throwing… You know, basically looking like a crazy person.

Either way, Caroline enjoys it, Claire enjoys it and I enjoy it -so it’s a win.