Today I am...

my little happy calendar at work

Wearing... grey dress, pink tights, houndstooth Sorel boots, white puffy coat, red/white stocking cap, black/white/red mittens.  Rocking the snowstorm fashion. 

Listening to...  Def Lepard, Joan Jett, Duran Duran.  Its 80's on Pandora people!  Whats not to love?

Trying to remember... that some day bedtime battles will be over and that I will miss snuggling those cranky little people that live in my house. 

Drinking... lots and lots of coffee.  3 am starts to the day will do that to a girl. 

Playing... Candy Land (always the yellow piece) and Go Spidey (marvel's version of Go Fish).

Laughing... at Dottie's constant need to "shake her booty" even if she prefers to do so without underwear. 

Wishing... Charlie was a better sleeper, how can such a happy daytime baby be such a crabby night time baby?

Looking forward to... seeing Barb this weekend and Luke's wrestling tournament. 

Not Quite Hallmark Christmas...

Today was a snow day so I was home with all three kids.  It had its ups and downs.  Many downs, to be sure - everyone seemed very cranky and unsettled.  Of course, that means that nap time was a no go and so tonight, droopy eyelids were easy to spot.  

Luke fell asleep in the living room at about 6:20.  Dottie and I watched The Grinch and then were sitting on the couch.  I was singing Christmas songs to her and it had that "this could be in a commercial" feeling to it. 

Then I starting singing "Silent Night"  I was about 8 bars in and Dottie busts out -

YOU BETTER WATCH OUT.

YOU BETTER NOT CRY.

(She is very accusing - maybe she will be in the FBI)

YOU BETTER NOT POUT

ILL TELL YOU WHY.  

SANTA IS COMING TO TOOOOWWWWN.  

So much for my idyllic Christmas moment of peace and twinkly lights.

Trendy Tuesday

When Luke was born, I became a total slob.  I mean, I could barely comb my hair, get showered and dressed in something besides yoga pants.  I was adjusting to a 430 wakeup time, sleepless nights, all that jazz.  

When Dottie was born, I went from slob to zombie.  Two kids in 17 months.  I was barely functioning.  I have very few memories of the first six months.  My memories of the second six months involve lots of meltdowns (me) and tantrums (Luke) a confused baby (Dottie) and a traveling for work husband (Mike).  

Now with Charlie - it is like a lightbulb went on.  I am adjusted to the 430 wakeup, the nights of interrupted sleep.  I have come to peace (sort of) that my house is a disaster and that the laundry never is caught up.  I refuse to feel guilty that sometimes we eat just buttered noodles and applesauce for dinner.  No one is malnourished at my house.  

And so, I am coming out of the fashion black hole I have been living in.  Like - really making an effort to put together some outfits and wear accessories and (gasp!) makeup.  It is the makeup that is making this so fun - trying new looks, acting like Kim Kardashian with a huge smokey eye (lets be clear, I already had the huge ass) and not caring that a paper company lawyer doesn't usually mean fashionable.  

So if you are in that dark hole of either zombie or slob - there is a light at the end of the tunnel.  You can get your groove back.  Embrace that glittery gold eyeliner!  

But I do still love yoga pants.

Sunday Funday (the pumpkin version)

My most favorite thing in life?  Sunday breakfast.  It is not hurried.  It can be complicated (or not).  Everyone is generally in a good mood.  It is just the five of us.  It usually involves a dance party of some sort.  It is heaven.  

Today's heaven was pumpkin pancakes with bacon.  So if you have never had a pumpkin pancake with a piece of bacon rolled in like a taco filling with maple syrup - you have never lived.  Try it.  No need to thank me.  

Then, because I had an open can of pumpkin - pumpkin pie dip it was awesome and will be great to use up some of the ten million apples we have from the orchard last weekend.  

Now for those of you who have little people and are football fans, you must know what a travesty the NFL's 3:15 pm game can be.  The Packers played at 3:15 and it is miserable with kids - they want to run around and be crazy because they have recently napped.  You want to sit and watch the game and not run around.  So today, I had the brilliant plan to make pumpkin granola during the game so the kids were occupied and hopefully I could steal a few glances at the tv.  

I started with my basic granola ingredients and swapped out pumpkin in place of the olive oil.  I put the kids to work. After about 15 seconds of that, I think Luke sneezed all over the place.  We had to have a friendly chat about cooking cleanliness.  I like my granola like my life - very nutty.  Dottie was having a blast scooping and dumping ingredients.  Especially the peanuts.  

Luke was totally vigilant to ensure that Dottie wasn't getting to add or do something cooler than him.  He added about seven million tablespoons of cinnamon sugar.  He also kept sneaking tastes of the honey.  He wasn't even sneaky about it.  He left a huge sticky trail that gave him away.  They were excellent helpers.  

Of course, even the best 4 and 2 year old helpers get antsy.  And lets be serious, making granola is super tedious after the mixing part is done.  I was abandoned with the granola.  Which I guess is fine because it would have been pretty suspect parenting to let them do the roasting in the oven. 

Finally, several hours later, all the granola was finished.  The game was on but chaos reigned supreme here.  I would like to think of myself as some hippy, granola, calm momma, but to be candid - this is what it is really like:

In fact, shortly after the last roasted pan came out of the oven, Dottie informed me, "this nola is gross".

Great.  

Well, at least they are cute non hippies.