good morning baby

I love this boy. He wakes up with a big smile on his face EVERYDAY.

a good cleaning

It had been wayyyy too long since we'd seen the dentist, so finally the day arrived to get those pearly whites a good cleaning. I packed the kids into the minivan, dropped Olivia off with my sister Erika, and hit the freeway. Hannah thought it would be a good idea to read in the car, and I should have know better than to let her.

She was in the front seat next to me and within minutes she muttered, "Mom, I'm carsick." I turned on the cold air, full blast.

"Does that help? Just look straight ahead." She looked super pale.

We were zipping along in the far left lane when she announced in a panic, "I'm gonna throw up!"

"Aaah! Open your window! I can't pull over!"

Cars were everywhere to the right of me, and I was smack up against a cement barricade on the left. Hannah stuck her head out her window and let loose. The car behind us switched on their windshield wipers...I'm so sorry! The wind violently whipped a fine mist of vomit back into the car, and all of us were enveloped in it.

"Mom! Pull over! Make her stop! I'M SERIOUS!!" Ben was FREAKING out, so angry in the back seat. Nina plugged her nose and looked like she was going to cry. Will slept. I laughed so hard I was afraid I might crash, my eyes were blurred with tears. I had to call someone, this was just too funny not to share. So I called Erika and I could barely talk because I was laughing so hard...I managed to squeak out what happened. I literally cried off all my mascara.

Hannah finally sat down, defeated, with a grumpy frown and a pale complexion. There was puke all over her sweatshirt, all over her hair, and I don't even want to think about what her breath smelled like. AAAAH! We are going to the dentist! Right up close and personal. She was so mad at me for laughing.

When we got there she took off her sweatshirt and left it in the stinky van. I did my best to rinse her hair out in the bathroom sink and twist it into a bun. I gave her some gum, and cleaned all the mascara from my face. I felt like telling everyone in the dentist office, "We don't normally look or smell this bad."

Not only did the kids' teeth get a good cleaning, but so did the minivan. We hit the carwash immediately after leaving the dentist and took care of lots of interior cleaning at home.

P.S. My little sweet-toothed Nina had 3 cavaties.

:(

My wallet feels pretty empty. Where's the tooth fairy when you need her? I wish she'd leave some money under MY pillow.

wannabe runaway

{click on collage to see full size}

This is Olivia's attempt to leave to who-knows-where in Nina's boots and not much else. Unfortunately for her, the door was bolted shut, so that was the end of that, and I'm happy to report that she still lives with us.

better than laundry

As tempting as this looked....

I was soon distracted by babbling and a chubby yummy knee around the corner.

A little pre-bedtime fun.

{click on the images to see them full-size...I love Olivia's expression in this one}

Way better than laundry.

Do you like the pom-poms I made to hang over William's crib?

Here is Olivia saying, "Bye! I'm going to Grandma's!"

And Will's fat little head down in the corner.

:)

unusual pet show

The kindergarten had an "Unusual Pet Show" recently where each of the kids had to make a pet. Nina said this was her alien pet. Good job Nina!

swingin'

Took advantage of the kids being off track on a rare sunny day and met my sister Erika at the park. We packed the little cousins together in the swings and they loved it!

your local pal

Just to set the record straight, I have never poked fun at the PTA President, nor anyone wearing a turtleneck, or any pizza guy. In fact, Clayton delivered pizzas in the early days of our marriage, so I hold pizza guys in the highest respect.

:)

Hannah has quite the sense of humor...she left these drawings on mine and Clayton's pillows. We've had some good laughs with these! My brother Trevor busted up when he saw them on our fridge, "He has a good life AND he works at Little Caesar's!!?"

Resemblance to any person, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

P.S. The news reporter never was finished, but I thought he was hilarious like that. Like a fish from Spongebob.