MOMICABLOG

After putting out Halloween decorations last weekend, I’m really looking forward to Christmas now!  I guess it finally hit me that the holidays are about to fly by!  I did some “research” on the internet today to get ideas for the kids gifts.  With their birthdays so close to Christmas, I try to give each relative/friend an idea for a gift….and I leave a few for me!!!!  Sofie is the hard one, being the youngest and we already have most everything a kid needs!  There are a few things we can get Sofie, like her own bike.  Santa is going to bring Ava a doll house.  Aden will get the I can play guitar from Fisher Price.  He needs a basketball hoop too!  Let the shopping begin!!!!!!!!!!

I’ve been to a few birthday parties….and have had a few as well!  Goodie bags are always fun for the kids, but after awhile it’s the same thing over and over.  Don’t get me wrong, I like the candy every now and then too!!!!!  We try to keep it age appropriate and within a budget.  For Ava’s little playgroup party last week we did a craft….and what fun we all had!  I went with the foamie art from Hobby Lobby.  They made door hanger things, spelled out their names and decorated with princess stuff for the girls and airplanes/trains/race cars/etc for boys.  What a great alternative!  Last year, a friend told me that she received a little wooden stool (painted with her sons name) as the “goodie bag”.  If you have the time to paint each one individually, more power to you!!!!  But still a great alternative!!!  Maybe at Aden’s birthday party in November the kids can make a chirstmas ornament or something?!?!?!?

what a great way to give back….it’s estimated Americans have 1.5 billion unworn pairs of shoes in their closets.  I AM GUILTY!  Since I’ve been home with the kids, I wear flip flops or tennis shoes.  Rarely when we go out do I dig out a nice pair of shoes!  Don’t forget the kids shoes!  Check out the website

www.soles4souls.org

I think I’m finally to a point I would rather not take the 3 kids out and about (to various events) by myself.  Now that I have 2 potty training and Sofie is walking around, eating, drinking, etc…it seems to be harder to keep up and I’m getting frustrated easily with them.  The other Mom’s at playgroup are awesome.  We have always helped each other out, but they have kids too (that are potty training etc).  I don’t want to give up on playgroups, birthday parties or other events, I know they have a blast.  It’s not fun having to keep track of Ava and Aden going different directions and Sofie wanting to have some fun too.  Most of the time she stays strapped in the stroller, I can keep one contained!  Hopefully it will get easier again as time passes. 

I don’t get it.  all the reports say wood chips are better.  but I believe pebble stones are better.  I spent an hour on a playground yesterday with my 2 older kids and we all had “injuries” related to the wood chips.  A wood chip pierced thru my flip flop, stabbing into the mid section of my foot.  My son had a wood chip pierce into the cuticle area of his big toe.  and then my daughter, oh lord….she couldn’t walk 5 feet with out having to clean out her shoes.  As I was sitting there watching them run thru the playground, I realized…if one of them fell, oh the pain we would all feel!!!!!  seriously, wood chips…..sharp enough to go thru my flip flops…..sharp enough to go in skin!!!!!!!!!!  pebble stones would NEVER do that!  Which wold you rather fall on, wood chips (SPLINTERS) or pebble stones?!!?!??!?!?!?!

 my 3 (July 2007)…Ava, Aden and Sofie.  Sofie was not in the mood for pictures by the time we got to this pose.

 school for Ava and Aden can’t start soon enough.  I know they are just being toddlers, but I’m exhausted answering the same questions over and over.  Aden has to do and repeat everything Ava says/does….even if I tell Ava NO, Aden asks/does the same thing right after.  UGH!  and then Aden is such a hard head, I have to tell him 5 times to do something.  I sure hope they listen and mind the teachers better than they do me (and carry it over to home and start to mind me a little better!!!).  It’s been a very laid back summer, we have had a lot of fun!  It’s going to be rough getting back on a schedule…actually waking up, getting everybody ready, fed and out the door to make class (on time).