Snow!

We've had an unusual winter here in Oklahoma. We normally can expect a light dusting or two of snow for the entire winter. This year we had a big snowstorm on Christmas Eve that shut everything down for a few days, with the snow lasting in some areas for 2 1/2 weeks. Yesterday it started snowing again, and now that Jason is home from his business trip, we are happily "snowed in". Last night I needed to work on TMOMs stuff for awhile, so Jason took the kids out to play in the snow. They had a great time. Risa lasted for about 10 minutes out there but the other kids played until dark.

Bittersweet

Risa, my two year old, just walked into the office and announced: "I'm going to my meeting. I have my phone and my coffee. Goodbye." Sometimes I'm amazed at what she says. Today I mostly just felt sad. I've been so busy with all my commitments this year (I'm the Secretary for Oklahoma Mothers of Multiples, 2nd VP for Tulsa Mothers of Multiples, running the TMOMs bi-annual garage sale, on the board for both TMOMs and OMOMs, volunteering in the nursery, and coaching Bible Bowl), that I feel like I'm gone all the time. My kids beg me to stay every time I have a meeting or an event to attend. At this point, I just need to stick it out until May for the multiples clubs and then I can step down. I plan on continuing to volunteer at church because much of that is with my kids, rather than something I do solo. My husband has been so great about taking over with the kids without complaint when I need to be somewhere but I know this is wearing on him as well. He has started traveling more for work so it feels like we rarely get family time. I know that volunteering is about helping others but I think that I'm so overly committed that my family is paying too big a price. I'm trying to finish strong but am really looking forward to May. So here's to restoring balance!

This is what over-commitment looks like...

'Nuff said.

Much Loved Friends

Last night I took two of my wonderful friends, Beth and Amber, to the airport to say goodbye after they came for a little visit. They are two of my closest friends from college. We have tried to get together at least once a year since college (along with a few other friends) and have been successful most years. I am the only one of my college friends who has kids so we've always gone to other cities to spend a girls' weekend together. It has been about a year and a half since I've seen B and A and so they offered to come here. It was so great to see them, although there is definitely a different vibe when the kids are present! They joined in on our regular activities and were such sports about it! We did have a chance to catch up a little bit but spending time with them makes me wish we lived closer. I am excited about the next time I'll get to see them!

Ribbons, Ribbons, Everywhere!

At our house we have what we call "the hair basket" to hold, well, hair things for our three girls. Over the six and a half years that I've had daughters, we have accumulated a few things to fill that basket. In fact, we have so many that my husband (who is not usually bothered by things overflowing out of drawers, doors, and whole rooms) told me that he hated how disorganized the girls' hair basket had become. My husband rarely complains so I figured that if it was a big enough deal for him to mention it, that I should really do something about it. I didn't want to spend money so I looked around on the ol' internet and found some good ideas. One blogger used empty infant formula cans for storing buttons.


We don't use infant formula anymore but we use a huge amount of coffee and have lately been buying 2.5 pound cans of coffee. One of these cans isn't big enough for all the hair stuff but it is big enough to hold the ribbons, bows, and head bands. We recently finished off one of these cans so I cleaned it and set to work.

Here is what I used:
1 empty coffee can
spray craft glue
2 brown paper bags
animal stamps and ink pad
crayons
black ink pen
scissors

I cut one of the brown bags to lay flat and used it to protect my work surface from the glue spray. I cut the other bag so it would fit around the can and glued it on. I am not very artistic so I decided to make scenes by using the animal stamps and filling in the scene first with the black ink pen and then color everything with the crayons. It took me about an hour to finish it but I think it's pretty cute. As we have more of these cans available I think I might do a few more with jungle animals and farm animals for organizing craft stuff.

Old Lady and Jam

Jason has never really liked it when I wear perfume, lotion, body spray, etc. I've tried sweet smells, spicy smells, and musky smells, hoping that I'd find something that we both like. We've been married 7 1/2 years and I still haven't found any scents that he likes on me. He is very much a natural guy and loves it when I am make-up and fuss-free. For Christmas my sister gave me some shower gel and lotion from Bath and Body Works. It is the Eucalyptus and Spearmint scent from their aromatherapy line. When I tried it on for the first time I liked it but thought it smelled a little masculine and said as much to Jason when I asked for his opinion of it. He said that he didn't think it smelled masculine and that HE ACTUALLY LIKED IT! When he told me this he had a silly smirk on his face that made me think that something more was going on. I asked him what he was smiling about and he wouldn't tell me. I persisted and he finally told me that he thought "it smells old ladyish"--but get this--"in a good way". HA! It sounds so funny but I knew exactly what he meant. There is a particular smell that my paternal grandparents have that is one of my favorite smells and whenever I smell it it makes me think of them. We had a good laugh and every time that I've used it since then I think about him telling me that I smell like an old lady and it cracks me up again.

The "jam" part of this post is just an excuse to show cute pictures from my two youngest children from this afternoon while the older girls were at school.

I maybe, just might be, slightly neurotic

Today Jason and the kids and I moved Toby's bedroom around to accommodate a bunk bed and moved all of Risa's clothes and toys up to her big girl room (she has been sleeping upstairs for about a month now but we just never finished moving her upstairs until today). Two dear friends from college are coming to visit next week and since we don't have a dedicated guest room we're going to have them stay in Toby's room and he'll join the girls for a few days. This was an all day affair and though everyone had a good attitude we were pretty ready to be done with it. When we were about halfway done, I went shopping for bedding and Jas and the kids took a much deserved break. I went to three stores, two of which I had to return to because I found things I liked better at another store. In the end, I found almost everything we needed to complete the room. I really like the bedding, especially the chocolate brown microfleece blankets I bought to go under the comforters.

When I got home, Jason came outside to help me unload the car. Then he took everything back to Toby's room and started unpacking the bags, pulling tags, throwing away trash, making beds, etc. Or at least that is what I keep telling myself happened. What it looked like to me was that he took my beautiful new microfleece blankets, rubbed them on the fleece he was wearing that was covered in dog hair, dragged them around on the fuzz and string filled carpet, and lovingly played hide and seek with Molly-The Hairball-Lawrence with them, then put them on the new beds. I pretty much flipped out. I felt like yelling at him (thankfully I didn't) so I whimpered and cried instead. I knew I was being insane but couldn't quite convince myself to calm down. I hate it when my crazies come out! Am I ever going to grow up? I had to ask for forgiveness, which he quickly granted. I am so grateful for my patient and kind husband who helped both of us to later laugh about the situation.