Crazy Mix-Up

This week shaped up to be one of those weeks that looked busy on the calendar but was taken to another level in real life. I've decided that happens because, on the calendar, you don't have slots filled in for bad attitudes, sibling rivalry, and minor break-downs during Phonics. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not looking for sympathy. I get my rewards in zur-burt kisses, tiny giggles, "Mommy, I love you"s, and bear hugs. I'm just stating the Mommy facts of life.

So last night, mixed in with running around like a chicken missing its you-know-what, my eldest kindly reminded me, "Mom, don't forget tomorrow is 'Crazy, Mix-up Day' [at co-op school]." Oh, fabulous. As I fell into bed last night, my littlest gymnast was extra energetic, making sure to keep me awake so that I could dream up what on earth I could dress the boys in the next morning.

We appropriately started our Crazy, Mix-Up Day with a crazy, mixed-up morning, scrambling around to find the right clothes. It culminated in Isaiah holding the iPod Touch up for me so that I could see the step-by-step instruction on Google for tying Elijah's backwards tie. We were done after 10 minutes and a bunch of whining for daddy. From me, not the kids. As we rushed, late, out the door, I realized that a photographic documentation was probably a good idea. So we ended up with something that looks more akin to mug shots of Mr. Half Summer, Half Winter and Mr. Backwards.

Preggo Pics

When the camera comes out, the place I want to be is behind it. Never is this more true than when I'm pregnant, specifically more than 6 months pregnant. If the camera adds 5 pounds when you're not pregnant, than it seems to add 15 pounds when you are. Or maybe it was the last 20 donuts you ate.

Besides having to be confronted with the fact that, yes, you have put on weight, and no, it's not just all baby, you also have own up to your face. Because, as if it doesn't look bad enough now, one day you will actually have to look back on these pictures wondering things like: "Was my face really that fat?!" and "Why didn't some stop and tell me it was that fat?!" Though if they had, the only choice at that moment would have been to punch theirs.

The problem is that my kids love looking at photos of me pregnant with them, and I happen to enjoy the photos of my mom pregnant with me. To further complicate my wish to remain unphotographed in the last trimester, my friends from afar convey wishes to see my preggo progress. And I'm the hypocrite who pesters long-distance, pregnant friends for a peek at their own blossoming bellies.

So here are some photos of my "four" children...

So there you have it, my pregnancy in all it's *cough* glory.

*Sigh* It's all too depressing, and I need some cheering up. I think I'll go have a donut.

Green Day

Our "green day" happens to come on March 17th. St. Patrick's Day is excuse to take a normal school day and mix in a few pinchy giggles and a lot of green in the hopes of making memories. The kids donned their green tall hats as soon as they woke up to ward off any pinches in the green-less pajamas. They made sure I picked out clothes with green while Elijah lamented the fact that his only really green shirt was a dress shirt, and settled for some thin green stripes.

While we of course ate our traditional "Irish Reuben Casserole" for dinner (I can't remember a St. Patty's Day without it), I tried to spice up each meal with a bit of green because even just some green sprinkles on yogurt makes it taste better.

We Interrupt Your Winter Programming...For Spring!

The change from winter to spring seemed to happen in the matter of minutes here in Northern Virginia. One day we were having the blizzards of the century, and the next we were enjoying temperatures in the mid 60's. Thank God, because I was ready to migrate to Cancun at the next sighting of white...and I wasn't even shoveling!

This means we've gotten to take our three little couped-up-waaay-too-long bundles of energy outside. You know, the kind of going outside that doesn't involve one hour of bundling and two hours of cleaning up slush and drying everything down to their underwear by the fire. Ahh, spring!

While your kids are on the playground, swinging and sliding, my oldest is the one off on the sidelines playing with his favorite toy- sticks.

Steven was going around with this walking stick when Adriana informed him that he looked like Willy Wonka.

That would be a pretty scary version of Mr. Wonka...the kind that actually makes Johnny Depp look cuddly.

Little Soldiers

If you aren't already aware of it, we're a homeschooling family. Both Isaiah and Elijah are homeschooled four days a week and go to a co-op school one day a week.

Lately we've been learning about World War II in History. I was relaying a story of some French priests taking Jewish children to safety. As I told the boys that the priests took the children over the border to Switzerland, Elijah gasped.

"Switzerland! They're bad!!"

Completely confused, I questioned him, "Why are they bad, Elijah?"

"They tried to beat our hockey team!!"

Now that's some serious Olympic sentiment...

Here is a photo their teacher sent me from "Boot Camp Day" in their History class; Isaiah is in the back middle and that's my little Swiss-judger in the far back left whose face you can hardly see: