Fleeting Moments...

"Cleaning and scrubbing can wait 'till tomorrow,
for babies grow up, much to our sorrow.
So quiet down, cobwebs. Dust go to sleep.
I'm rocking my baby and babies don't keep."
I know they aren't babies to the rest of the world, but they will always be babies to me. My sweet, sweet babies that still like to cuddle up with their mommy and daddy.

Vitamin D

Within the last month we've had a couple sunny/rain free days. If we aren't sick then we bundle as quickly as we can and stay out there as long as possible to soak it up. The boys have a blast and I get some weed pulling done, I love it, they love...win-win. I've pulled out a couple of my favorite pics from those days.

WOW! A stick!

Mid stomp. Goofball, he would rather destroy his sidewalk chalk than color with it.

But Mama, I can't keep up with him...

Mud pie maker, they are in love with this. (Thanks Grandma & Grandad!)

Busy, busy boy.

Digging for worms.

And lastly, some airplane viewing.

I love these sweet, sweet boys. What would I ever do without them and their muddy, wet laundry? ;)

The Balance

We need the sunshine. The rain and sicknesses have kept us tucked away inside and the boys are growing harder and harder to entertain. I don't want them to be TV zombies, I want them to learn and have fun. It's a hard balance between creating fun things for them and me just wanting them to be zombies or leaving to themselves so I can actually get something done. You know... dishes, cleaning, the piles of laundry that do not ever disappear? If the house is clean, and if dinner is cooked it usually means that I had to turn on the TV to accomplish it or that someone got hurt while 'playing' (see below). If the house is messy, and we're having quesadillas for dinner then that usually means I was a very fun, attentive, and educational mother that day. I also want to just soak up this time with them, the moments are fleeting and I don't want to spend their whole toddlerhood/preschool years cleaning. It's a tricky, tough balance that I hope to one day figure out...advice, anyone?!

An example of their own version of fun...


It's cute, fun, and seemingly harmless, big brother pushing around little brother...


until about 2 seconds after this photo was taken, Jack started to stand up, Toby started to pull the wagon back, and then Jack flew head first over the handlebar and landed on his head. Yup...their fun, it's not so fun for me.

"...a child left to himself brings shame to his mother." -Proverbs 29:15 Oh do I understand the meaning of this, it could be my life verse right now.


Zombie equals...



productivity. I hate trying to find the balance. Can't I just live in a dump, and have no guests over, ever? Nope, that wouldn't work either, I would go nuts. I guess I just to need to learn to be SuperMom. Below is what happens when I decide to have a trashed house and have fun with the dudes...


Homemade play dough, Toby helped me make it, and Jack DIDN'T eat it. It was a miracle.



Here is the very loved (and easy) Oobleck. Jack didn't care for it, but Toby was in the bathtub playing with it for close to 2 hours. I asked him about a million times if he was done, but the boy wouldn't budge until it hardened up and wouldn't wiggle anymore for him.


This is a nice messy snack/art project. It's pudding painting...
Jack was confused and had to look to big brother to see what to do; he didn't quite get the memo about making 'art' with it. He decided it was way more fun to cover your hands with it then clap to watch it splash around onto the wall, mama, Toby, the floor, etc.. :)