Saturday Visit From Glenda

Saturday my friend from Springfield, Glenda came to visit. She gave Jillian mullet trimming while she was here. I debated whether or not to put this picture on, because I look like a fat slob, but I decided that Jillian's cuteness trumped it.

Glenda is one of those people I always feel completely comfortable with. We talk like we have been talking everyday, even though in reality it has been since March. I don't feel like I have to clean my house for her or get dress up for her (obvious by the pictures). I know she is never going to judge me, just likes me for me. I wish I had more people like that in my life.
Crazy look from Drew boy.

Funny face from the bean.

Boo - It's Great to be a Ghost

So Friday evening the kids watched some Backyardigans and enjoyed some poofs. These are the toddler, melt in your mouth little snacks and my kids think they are the biggest treat, especially if they get to eat them out of the container. Sister looks like a drowned rat in this picture. When I picked her up from school, the little ones were playing outside in the water.

For those of you who don't know, Jillian is a Backyardigans junkie. If she hears the into music she will coming running into the living room squealing and start dancing and twirling. Jillian's birthday party is of course going to be a Backyardigans party.

New Chairs

The reason I got these chairs was to go with Jillian's birthday gift, a playhouse. When they came I decided she already had enough gift from us to open, so we brought them out. The kids love them. They are in our living room right now, but eventually will live outside.

Look how big my baby girl looks in this picture.

Boo Boo Again

These pictures don't really do it justice, but Drew fell at school again, reopened his scrapped knee and did a face plant that resulted in the nose scape and forehead scrape and bruise. Needless to say he didn't catch himself and I freaked out when I saw him. He is fine though and I am hoping that these two walking accidents will heal before our pictures in July.

Drew also got a hair cut last Saturday while I was at work if you hadn't noticed. It is pretty cute, but I honestly think that we could have done just as good of job at home. Oh well, I know that it has to be cooler for him.

Torn

So I know that everyone that knows our situations thinks that the kids going to daycare is a blessing for me. Yes, I am getting more sleep - not always quality sleep, but I am missing my babies so much. It is not quite the euphoria I had in my mind, being well rested and nice family evenings. Reality is I only see my kids for about 15 minutes in the morning, them I pick up from school and they are exhausted and crabby, we get through dinner and then time for baths and time for bed. Of course after we get home I have time with them and before bed we usually play in Jilli's room and read books, but I feeling like something is missing.

Most of my neighborhood friend are either stay at home moms or work for a school and have the summer off. They are planning all these fun summer things to do together and I so want to do them, but it is just not fitting into life right now. That makes me really sad. Deanna Rose was one of those thing, which was super fun, but this Friday is swimming and I don't know if I could handle both of them at a public pool or if it would even be safe. So I think that what I am going to do is try and do some activities with them individually - just alternating turns and then I won't feel like we are doing nothing.

I think maybe because this is our first full week of Andy working, the fact that I am trying to start working out again and watch what I am eating and that I still have some reservations about whether this is the right school for Drew has made this a stressful week. I told Andy that fat girl + food deprivation = irritability, so be warned. Plus I thought working out was supposed to give you more energy, reduce stress and make you feel good - it does none of these for me. Needless to say that I am ready for a nice weekend at home with my family. My motto for the week was - keep breathing. It worked, I have almost made it through it.

Thanks for listening - so much cheaper than a shrink.

Deanna Rose - Grab a Cup of Coffee

Last Friday I picked the kids up from daycare around 11:00 and we headed to Deanna Rose to meet the Longs. Deanna Rose is this amazing "park" in Overland Park that has animals (goats, chickens, bunnies, prairie dogs, bison, fish), playground equipment, fishing, horses to ride and cows (a whole milking exhibit). This is literally right down the road from my brother's house and I don't even know if he knows it is there. The best part about it is that it is free. Some of the activities inside cost, but it is so reasonable.

Now I know why they call it a goatee.

Look at that wild caged animal.

The kids lined up looking at the turkeys.

Jillian of course loved making music with the cow bells. The thing that Andy noticed about this picture was the little girl beside Jilli and how she doesn't look that much older but has hair half way down her back.

Jilli climbed up to get a closer look at the cow. I wish I would have taped her mooing. She looked so excited, like she just realized a cow was a real live thing and not just a toy or in book.

My favorite picture of the day. Emily and Drew holding hands. So cute.

Emily riding a sweet polka dotty horse.

A pond where kids could fish.

It was a warm day - Popsicles were a must. We found a shady spot and cooled off. That first cold bite was a bit of shocker for sis.

Cuties!

Jillian is always wanting to share her food with me. She shoves what ever she is eating into my face and says "bi" for bite. She doesn't understand what no thank you means, so I always end up sharing with her.

Andy liked this one.

Jillian is such a copy cat. She does whatever her brother does or says. So of course once Drew started crazy licking his Popsicle, sis did the same.


Drew has been talking about the red playground the entire time, because we walked past it on the way in. Finally he got to play on it and he was super excited.

Down the slide and up the stairs over and over. The girl running out of my picture is Audrey - she lives across the street from us and came with Emily. She is such a sweet and well behaved girl.

Jillian riding the piggy.

Jillian calls her binky "meme." She has a lot of love for that meme and we have been trying to ween her from it. This was post scraped knee and it also kept her from putting things in her mouth, that is how I justify it :)


That night we were showing daddy all the fun things that we did and Jillian would watch herself on the video and say "me weeeeee."

Drew and Owen had tons of fun playing on these machines in the sand.

So multiple times (at least 4) Jillian would try to insert her into someone else's family. She goes up and stares at them, interacts with them, helps herself and goes through their strollers. One lady said she always wanted a girl, but most people give a strange look - like where did this kid come from and then I yell she's mine and take her away. In the sand pit she goes up to this family and puts her hand out, one of the kids gives her a shovel and now she is part of "them." Finally they get up and leave, I hope we didn't run them out of the sand box. I wonder if my child is trying to tell me something or if is just the simple fact that she doesn't know a stranger.

She heard the chimes and ran to find them. The nice little girl that was playing with them didn't seem to mind to give Jilli a chance.

We had been there 3 hours and hadn't seen or done everything yet, but I was run ragged, the kids were tired and hot and ready to go. Owen wanted to go see the fish and turtles before we left, so we made our last stop the koi pond.

Jilli checking out the fishies.

We will definitely be going back, maybe with the help of a daddy next time. They have an apple thing in the fall and a big thing at Halloween too.

Here is the website if anyone is interested. http://www.opkansas.org/_Vis/Farmstead/index.cfm

Chuck E Cheese

So our last night before Andy started work and evening time became a crunch, we decided to go to Chuck E Cheese. That sounds crazy I know. Drew and Jillian haven't been to Chuck E Cheese since Drew's going away party from daycare in Carl Junction, but every time we pass one he notices it right away. I am sure he is a victim of marketing and doesn't not have an unreal memory. Giddy up Jillian.

Drew butt - climbing out to the car.
Jillian immediately climbed on a ride before we could take off her jacket.

The real live Chuck E Cheese. Jillian looks a little confused, but someone has the girl front and center trained to smile for the camera. She is a few of our pictures. Drew was not impressed, he was busy climbing through the tunnels and going down the slide.

Skee ball, ski ball, skeet ball - I am not really sure. Drew thought he was the greatest when he finally got it to the top, it took a couple of tries.

Jillian was content watch Drew and pressing the buttons.

This was a ride for both of them and the seats would move while you were watching the screen - it made you feel like you were bob sledding.

Being a fireman.

Much to my lack of delight, my son loves guns - yikes.

With our few tickets we got Jillian a necklace, sticker, a spider and mini Tootsie pops. Drew would have been satisfied with just the suckers. Drew won't stop talking about Chuck E Cheese. Most night I ask him what his favorite and worst part of his day was, for days after he kept saying his favorite was Chuck E Cheese.

Not a Morning Kid

I absolutely love this picture, because it sums up how I feel 90% of the time. Waking up earlier and getting ready has been an adjustment for the bean. She was used to waking up whenever- she never did sleep in late, but until now has never been woke up. She used to wake up and laze around in her jammies for hours. I am missing my morning snuggle time with Jillian. I told Andy no matter what, I am getting her when she wakes up this Saturday morning, because I need so lap time with my girl.

This picture in no way fully represents the wildness of that day's bed head.
This "not a morning girl" is defiantly like her mama.