Source: google.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

KID: Free to Good Home

So, I had to send a gift via Amazon to a friend today. I was gone for about 5 minutes, maybe. This is what I found when I walked back into the living room...

::sigh::

My life.. is interesting.

One Day

One day, when I'm a grown up, I won't let the words of others hurt me.
One day, when I'm happy, I won't let the hate of others bother me.
One day, when my kids are adults, I will look back and miss this.
One day, when I'm alone, I will feel content, not lonely.
One day, when I'm in love, there won't be so much struggle.

One day I will no longer be angry, hurt, diminished, torn, scared or disgusted.

One day.

But I'd Be Lying...

Inspirational Quotes

♫♫ 

But I gave you all
I gave you all
I gave you all

But you rip it from my hands
And you swear it's all gone
And you rip out all I have
Just to say that you've won 

♫♫

-Mumford & Sons

Goodreads

So, someone deleted my Goodreads account.  I won't name names, because it isn't necessary, and they know who they are, and I won't give them the satisfaction.  So, all the work that I've put into it over the last year and a half was lost.

I spent a good 2 hours this evening after the kids went to bed, trying to put all my books back on there.  Not fun.  But at least it is starting to resemble what it once was.

I can't understand some people.

Inspirational Quotes

"There are some things you learn best in calm, and some in storm."

-Willa Cather

The D word isn't for babies.

I've been struggling to write something here for the past several days, but I'm stuck.  I have so much to say, and so little that I'd actually like to say.  I can't seem to find inspiration anywhere.  There is a reason for this.  It's called getting a divorce, and it's really sucked my brain power completely.

So, I'd like to say a lot of inspirational things, but I'm not feeling very inspiring.  And I'd like to say a lot of mean things, but I don't think that's too mature, although sometimes it happens anyway.  I'd like to say a lot of depressing things, but that's not at all productive.  So instead I'm just going to say this...

One day, when things are more calm than they are now, I will find a place within myself where I can just breathe. It might take a while.  Maybe it won't happen for years.  But it will happen, because I will make sure it does.  My happiness is dependent only on me.  So, I will strive to be happy, even when it's hard.  And, even though I won't always succeed, I will not give up.

Can I get an AMEN!?

Inspirational Quotes

♫♫   And there will come a time, you'll see, with no more tears.
And love will not break your heart, but dismiss your fears.
Get over your hill and see what you find there,
With grace in your heart and flowers in your hair.   ♫♫

-Mumford and Sons

Blast from the Past

It's About to Get Real...

‎"Think about how often you find yourself lowering your expectations in an attempt to insulate yourself against disappointment."

My thoughts are really scattered today, so please excuse any rambling that ensues from this point forward.

I can't tell you how often in the past 5 years that I have literally told myself, "I can't expect this much of {insert person/place/thing}", in some lame attempt to stop myself from being disappointed when what I expected doesn't happen. Guess what? I was still disappointed anyway, so what good did it do? None. In fact, it did far more harm then good. By continually lowering those expectations, I grew to not expect anything at all. It's sad, really.

This well-timed quote, found on facebook, has really got me thinking. I have to stop. I have to move forward, into a more peaceful life. I need to have expectations of greatness, no matter the looming cliff of disappointment. If I fall off the edge, it's going to hurt when I hit the bottom, regardless of how far I fall. Leaving myself inches from the ground isn't anyway to live. Greatness desires/deserves risk.

So, in another well-timed find this morning, I'll leave you with a song (how classy of me)...



Lyrics:

Regrets collect like old friends
Here to relive your darkest moments
I can see no way, I can see no way
And all of the ghouls come out to play

And every demon wants his pound of flesh
But I like to keep some things to myself
I like to keep my issues strong
It’s always darkest before the dawn

And I’ve been a fool and I’ve been blind
I can never leave the past behind
I can see no way, I can see no way
I’m always dragging that horse around

And our love is pastured such a mournful sound
Tonight I’m gonna bury that horse in the ground
So I like to keep my issues strong
But it’s always darkest before the dawn

Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh woaaah
Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh woaaaah

And it’s hard to dance with a devil on your back
So shake him off, oh woah

I am done with my graceless heart
So tonight I’m gonna cut it out and then restart
Cause I like to keep my issues strong
It’s always darkest before the dawn

Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh woaaah
Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh woaaah

And it’s hard to dance with a devil on your back
So shake him off, oh woah

And given half the chance would I take any of it back
It’s a final mess but it’s left me so empty
It’s always darkest before the dawn

Oh woah, oh woah…

And I’m damned if I do and I’m damned if I don’t
So here’s to drinks in the dark at the end of my road
And I’m ready to suffer and I’m ready to hope
It’s a shot in the dark and right at my throat
Cause looking for heaven, for the devil in me
Looking for heaven, for the devil in me
Well what the hell I’m gonna let it happen to me

Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh woaaah
Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh woaaah

And it’s hard to dance with a devil on your back
So shake him off, oh woah

Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh woaaah
Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh woaaah

And it’s hard to dance with a devil on your back
So shake him off, oh woah

Inspirational Quotes

“The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”

— Lao Tzu

Book Review

I recently finished Book 3 of The Russian Trilogy by Noel Hynd.

Overall, a great Mystery series.  What really stands out is the amount of research and information.  It's stellar, and I really enjoyed it.  Check it out if you are a history buff.  It's entertaining AND educational.  Can't beat that!

October Unprocessed!

What would happen if I went for an entire month without eating any processed foods?

Well, that's what I intend to find out.  October Unprocessed 2011 starts today!  I've taken the pledge and I'm going to try to fulfill it!

So what is unprocessed food?  Easy!  It's any food that could be made by a person with reasonable skill in a home kitchen with readily available, whole-food ingredients.  Think "REAL" food.  All those fruits and veggies in the produce section... unprocessed (and usually quite pretty, not to mention tasty).  Boxed mac and cheese... think again, it's processed.

So, it's not going to be easy (which is laughable, but unfortunately true).  It's not that it's hard to do, it's those days when I'm feeling tired, and I don't want to slave away in the kitchen.  But, no matter!  I'm committed!

Want to join me?  Take the pledge and get started!  I'll be sharing my journey here.  :)

Ms. Levine

Just finished reading the two books!  Great reads!  They were fast, fun and had killer cliff hanger endings.  I recommend the entire series by Kelley Armstrong (Women of the Otherworld)!

My rating:  

Inspirational Quotes

“Perhaps it is better to wake up after all, even to suffer, rather than to remain a dupe to illusions all one's life.”

— Kate Chopin

Rules I TRY to Live By

"Remember, if you're arguing on the internet, you've already lost."

Unfortunately... this rule conflicts with my nature.  And this:

::sigh::

Inspirational Quotes

“When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall. Think of it--always.”

― Mahatma Gandhi

I guess I flunked science class...

Sophie: "Momma!! I can't breathe through my nose!!"

Me: "Then breathe through your mouth."

Sophie:  "I can't!  That doesn't work!!"

Mohawks R Us

So, getting a kid's hair cut is never easy.. or fun.  But with Cole, it is taken to a WHOLE OTHER LEVEL.  Seriously.  We've been saying we need to cut his hair for a while.  It's super long and hanging in his eyes.

Cole decided to take things into his own hands last night, and took a few snips before I caught him.  So, it was definitely time for a cut.  We looked at pictures, and everything he wanted was SUPER short, but he also likes a mohawk now and then, for kicks I guess.  So we picked something out.

Our FAVORITE hair-creationist (hahaha) Rexanne fit us in this afternoon.  Here is what followed:

Arrive, winded (from rushing).  Get Cole in the chair, with his "keep the hair off me" cape.  He is still (hooray), only moving his head a bit to look around.  This lasts approx. 5 min.  Then he starts to lose it.  Within 10 minutes, he's snatched off the cape, and next he's running UPSTAIRS and playing "I'm going to run away and you have to catch me".  NOT COOL.  I finally get him back in the chair.  Bribe him with everything imaginable... ice cream, pizza, friends, my bracelet, my keys, chapstick and finally my phone.  That occupied him for a bit.  Meanwhile, Rexanne is cutting his hair in many fun positions (standing, sitting, sliding, me holding him, etc.).  It was... interesting.  Finally it's done, and he lets us style it in a mohawk, and it looks awesome.  That lasts about 45 seconds, at which time he promptly squashed it, and messes it up.  WOW, thanks.  After getting in the car, he put his hat on (geez).

He does like it though.  After he took the hat off, he played with it all the way home.

Anyway, after chasing him around to re-style and get a photo, here it is.  Not the best picture, but the hair cut ROCKS.

Coffee House Chat

There is a blog.  You need to check it out.  NOW.

http://chc-gals.blogspot.com/

Rules of Parenting

Don't swear around children that are learning to talk.  And under no circumstances should you call other people names in their presence.  This will come back to bite you... in the ass.

Inspirational Quotes

"You got it, bitch."

-Lafayette (True Blood)

Empowering Birth

Our BirthNetwork Meeting today went AMAZING!  Our speakers were fantastic, the kids were loud, the mom's were funny and inquisitive.  It was perfect.  I may discuss this more in depth, when I'm feeling less silly, and more intellectual.

Also... Jane's raw coconut creme pie was.. OMG.  No words.  Yum.

Adventures at CHC

Topics this week included:

• Nonsensical Hilarity
• Things we shouldn't have words for, yet do.
• Photography

Also, Green Tea Chai is AWESOME.

In related news...

‎"Girl! You better shake your hotsy-totsy ass in front of someone else's man, or there won't be more than a tittynope left when I'm done kickin' it. That's right. Mmm hmm..."

Rules of Parenting

"One thing they never tell you about child raising is that for the rest of your life, at the drop of a hat, you are expected to know your child's name and how old he or she is."

-Erma Bombeck

Having an Empowering Birth

What is an empowering birth?

How do you achieve one?

This month, the Wiregrass Birth Network will be discussing how to have the best birth for you. We'll talk about birth plans, VBACs, doulas and childbirth education, immediate breastfeeding, and more!


Speakers:

• Jodie Kilpatrick, La Leche League of the Wiregrass
• Amanda Martin, ICAN of the Wiregrass
• Lee Ann Murray, Co-Leader WBN
• Rachel O'Donnell
• Ashley Motzenbecker, Co-Leader WBN
• Jazmin Price, Midwife

These meetings are family-friendly, so please do not let children hinder you from attending! We love kids!

Date: Tuesday August 16, 2011
Time: 10:00 AM

Location: Allen Heights Neighborhood Center, Fort Rucker, AL

Feel free to show up without an RSVP, but we'd love if you'd join the Meetup group!

Battling Birth, Part 2... BARF.

Part 2 of the WDHN Story: Birth Battle: Moms Say Alabama Law Stands In The Way

So, I'm still pretty annoyed.  I'm irritated with the way unassisted birth vs. homebirth is being portrayed. We are bluring the lines on two very different types of birth! I think unassisted birth should be an intensely personal choice that should be combined with research and soul searching, and should not include a doula (as that changes the very definition of a UC), and should not be included in the midwife/OB debate period.

As a doula, I've been asked to attend an unassisted birth before. I have always said no. It's not because I'm against it, because I'm not. I think unassisted births can be amazing. It's because it is not fair to allow a pregnant woman the advantage of emotional and physical support, without the precaution of emergency medical support. It's not fair to them, that you would be forced to choose between standing by while something devastating happened (even with the risk being ridiculously low) or attempting to help and doing more damage, or being no help at all.

My personal feelings on unassisted birth are one of the biggest reasons I feel this way. If you think you need the support of another individual during your birth... YOU SHOULD NOT BE HAVING AN UNASSISTED BIRTH. If you need to have that crutch there to feel secure, you aren't yet secure enough to do this.

Getting back to the main article... Dr. Scott is doing what I think other women will do... blur the lines! Of course midwives are trained to repair perineal lacerations, and deal with hemorrhages. They are trained to handle the emergencies and complications that can arise during birth. They provide excellent prenatal care, that is far superior to that of an OB practice.

Stop confusing the issue! Stop presenting misleading "opinions" that are represented as fact. Stop telling women where they should give birth.

Adventures at CHC

Topics this week included:

• Unassisted Birth
• Copious amounts of Swearing
• Minimal Supernatural Talk

Breastfeeding happened and no one got hurt.

Except Jodie, because LeeAnn knocked her in the chin with her shoulder...

Rules of Parenting

No matter how old you are, no matter how badass you think you are, if a toddler hands you their ringing toy phone...
You answer it.

-Unknown

The Big Latch On

On Saturday 6th August at 10:30am in multiple locations and time zones across the globe, 4123* women and their children came together and breastfed simultaneously across 294* locations as part of the Big Latch On. (*provisional total)

In Dothan, at the SAMC Women's Center, we had 18 breastfeeding mothers participating, and 12 stayed latched on for the full minute!

Inspirational Quotes

"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind."

— Dr. Seuss

Battle over Birth? or Misinformation?

So, last night, WDHN aired Part 1 of their piece on home birth.

http://dothanfirst.com/fulltext/?nxd_id=176837

On the whole, the piece was fairly concise and well done, but it started to go south midway through. While I appreciate the look at home birth, I'm agitated that Dr. Johnathon Scott (the local OB who was interviewed for the piece) presented misinformation about shoulder dystocia and midwives training with such.

In the piece, he discussed when "home birth goes bad". He relayed his story about a home birth transfer of a shoulder dystocia, and the outcome resulted in a "neurologically devastated" baby. He did not explain any other circumstances surrounding the transfer, including whether a midwife was present or not. He then went on to state that woman are not trained to handle shoulder dystocia's, nor are midwives. This is where I lost my head.

Does he not pay attention to the research in his own field? Ina May Gaskin, a world renowned midwife, pioneered the "Gaskin" maneuver, which is one of the best methods of resolving a shoulder dystocia. The maneuver is named after her, for heaven's sake! Fear mongering against midwives is NOT helpful. They are competent, trained professionals.

Ok, so maybe I'm not agitated, maybe I should say I'm irritated, angry, disgusted, fuming... whatever, I'm mad. Frankly, if you're going to run a piece on something this important, at least stop allowing fear mongering... stick to the facts, make sure that your sources are stating actual facts!

The British Medical Journal's CPM (certified professional midwife) 2000 study (the largest prospective cohort study of American home births by CPMs, including 5418 births), the overall transport rate from home to hospital was 12.1%, but only 3.4% were considered urgent. The cesarean section rate was only 3.7%. This shows that 70% of the transports DID NOT require an emergency cesarean, which contradicts the claims reported in this coverage.

Well, I guess I'll get prepared for tonight segment. Maybe I can keep flames from erupting from my eyes...

Dancing to the Beat

So, tonight the kids and I danced in front of the computer for a while.  We were eclectic in our music preferences.  The soundtrack to the jaunt included:









Among others...

Inspirational Quotes

"I am here for a purpose and that purpose is to grow into a mountain, not to shrink to a grain of sand. Henceforth will I apply ALL my efforts to become the highest mountain of all and I will strain my potential until it cries for mercy."

— Og Mandino (The Greatest Salesman in the World)

Sookie and Eric

My True Blood nerd side is showing!  OMG!  Tonight's show was amazing.  Sookie-Eric sexy time!  That's all that needs to be said!

Adventures at CHC

Topics today included:

• Multiple uses of the word "Penis", in a loud voice.
• Circumcision: "If you don't want him to bleed, don't cut off his dick!" (wow, that was loud)
• A lot of frivolous NONSENSE.

Breastfeeding happened.  Whoops.

I don't think I really have to add anything to this one.  It speaks for itself.

Book Review

Eternal Kiss (Mark of the Vampire #2)
by Laura Wright

rating

OK, this book took me a really long time to get through. The first half was really hard to get into, so maybe I was just a bit burnt out on romance, but the last half was interesting, and by the end, I wanted to read the (unpublished) next book in the series.

Watercolors

After our exciting water balloon fight today, I got out the paint supplies and let the kids create some masterpieces.

Happy BIRTHday!

Welcome to the world, Baby Mya!

Sweetness

Cole and Daisy (the Great Dane) watching cartoons.

Inspirational Quotes

“Before you diagnose yourself with depression or low self-esteem, first make sure that you are not, in fact, just surrounded by assholes."

-William Gibson

Boredom

So, I've been thinking that I need to post a blog-post lately... but I haven't yet... because I'm a procrastinator. I'm doing it now. Get off my back.

Ok, so, I read a book series last week that was fantastical... The Dark Swan Novels, by Richelle Mead. Can't wait for the 4th... If you like shamans, gentry (fairies), otherworldly creatures, modern fantasy stuff, kingdoms, magical battles, sexual tension, prophesied deadly children, etc., then you should read this series.

I also started the Sabina Kane series, by Jaye Wells. It's FANTASTIC as well. Just read it. I'm waiting on the next two books to arrive in the mail tomorrow from Amazon. :)

I also re-read a bunch of the Sookie Stackhouse books in honor of True Blood, season 4. Great, as usual, and the season is off to an excellent start. Eric... DROOOOOL.

I've also read some other books, and read two more in the Kelley Armstrong series, as well (great). Well that's it.

Second Tooth Gone

First Tooth Gone

Yet another amazing day in the Motzenbecker Household!

Observations

"Cole said hungry, and he said it like a human"
-Sophia

Schooling.. or lack thereof

"It is a miracle that curiousity survives formal education."
-Albert Einstein

So, after much back and forth (of which there will probably be more), I've decided (again) to homeschool... well, unschool. For the past couple of months, I've been struggling with the idea of sending Sophia to public school... something I never wanted to do. I've be procrastinating with getting her Vaccine Exemption forms, I haven't even enrolled her yet... so, I'm making an executive decision... I'm just not going to.

For being such a laid-back person, the thought of homeschooling frightens me. Not because I'm scared of it, or because I think I can't do it... I was homeschooled some myself... It's those little things like, "How do I measure how much you've learned?". "What are you supposed to learn this year?" For me to have also picked a more "unschooling" approach positively baffles me... but then again, I also had no idea why I seemingly at random chose to have an un-medicated birth, and within the week, also decided to have a home birth. I guess I'm just unconventional in a mildly self-destructive, yet positive way. More to the point... my first reaction upon making this "schooling" decision was to google "how to unschool".... makes so much sense, right? Google provided me with this lovely link...

http://sandradodd.com/howto/precisely


I'm in heaven.

So, then I turned to Sophie and asked her how she felt about not going to school in August, and just staying home with me, and learning here. She of course said "Yes!", then she asked what we would be doing. "We'd being going places and learning things you want to learn about." She liked that. The little spark of interest that flicked on in her eyes the moment it was out of my mouth made the decision worth it.

So, here's to seeing how it goes... later. :)

Book Review

Bitten by Kelley Armstrong

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

EXCELLENT! EXCELLENT!

Ok, first off - I am not a huge fan of were/shifter books. I just don't enjoy the animalistic quality of the books as much. I don't hate them, they just aren't my first choice. But, the review on this one looked great and I wanted a new series to start, so I tried it out.

WOW!

It was sooo good. I'm excited by the writing style, very detailed, which I actually enjoy. There were parts of the book where I was so tense, my muscles were clenching. Even for things as simple as a lover's quarrel.

Great great book! Read it.


View all my reviews

Book Review

City of Fallen Angels (The Mortal Instruments #4)
by Cassandra Clare

Finished: May 1, 2011
Rating: 5/5 stars


This book was Excellent! It had a killer, cliff hanger ending. Now I'm dying for the next book!

Math Lesson of the Day

Scene 1
Early Morning, Breakfast Table

After placing 3 pineapple slices on Cole's plate....

MOM: Sophie, how many pineapple slices do you want?

SOPHIA: (THINKING, THINKING) Um, 4.

MOM: 4? Then I'll only get 2!

SOPHIA: So?

MOM places 4 slices on her plate.


END SCENE.


Scene 2
A few minutes later, Breakfast Table


SOPHIA: Mom, if you would have given Cole 4 slices, and me 4 slices, you would have only gotten 1.



My child is a subtraction genius.

Happy BIRTHday!

Welcome to the World, baby Livia (chubby cheeks and all)! 8lbs, 7oz - 21in

Book Review

Eternal Hunger (Mark Of The Vampire #1)
by Laura Wright

Finished: April 26, 2011
Rating: 4/5 stars

This was a good book. Nice plot, great pace... never dragged or felt slow, good twists. Excited to read the next in the series!

Book Review

Demon Angel (The Guardians, #1)
by Meljean Brook

Finished: April 24, 2011
Rated: 4/5 stars


Ok, so... while this took me a lot longer than normal to finish, it was indeed worth it. I enjoyed the dialog between Lilith and Hugh, and the romance wasn't bad either.

A few weeks can mean a big difference for unborn babies...

An article in the Dothan Eagle today discussed inductions, and why they are more often harmful, than helpful.

Dr. Middleton, of Dothan OB/GYN is quoted saying this:
“Nature knows best,” Middleton said. “Doctors aren’t God. We don’t know God’s plan. Unless there’s good evidence we’re improving things by inducing, we shouldn't do it.”

Note: The above quote is mis-printed in the online article as "should", but it is correct in the actual printed newspaper article.

Book Review

Eternal Kiss of Darkness (Night Huntress World, #2)
by Jeaniene Frost

Finished: April 14, 2011
Rating: 4/5 Stars


LOVED Mencheres in the book! So delectable! I quite enjoyed the second in this series spin-off. Excellent characters, loved the excitement!

Hope she writes another book!

Book Review

First Drop of Crimson (Night Huntress World #1)
by Jeaniene Frost

Finished: April 12, 2011
Rating: 4/5 stars


Thought this book was excellent. Really enjoyed reading a spin-off that actually involved the original series characters!

I thought Denise was a bit of a wimp, at first, but she grew into a great character.

Great book!

She Waits

April 1, 2011

She waits
Patiently perched beneath an Oak tree
The sun beating down
Its careless rays alight on her skin.

She waits
Promise swirling in the breeze
Like blown dandelion seeds
Their feather-weight caressing her freckled nose.

She waits
Always with hope
Though the sun bakes
And the weeds grow.

She waits
Her golden hair held aloft in the wind
Rising higher with each gentle breath
Then slowly falling back to earth at her shoulders.

She waits
Fingers twining though green grass
Braiding spring and youth together
In a portrait of time spent alone.

She waits
Always with love
Though the clock ticks
And the moon moves above.

Happy BIRTHday!

Welcome baby Clay to the world! You are amazing. Women never cease to amaze me with their strength!

Sophia

So, I'm standing there trying to get dressed this morning, thinking about how I want to go make coffee, but I really should get dressed first, when Sophie comes waltzing in. She's wanting something, as usual, little bloodsucker.. anyway, so she's talking talking talking, and I'm trying to find clothes. Next thing I know, Cole comes traipsing in, wearing Sophia's halloween costume.

Unfortunately, he has been unsuccessful in zipping the back zipper. He wants Sophie to help.

Well, what does Sophie have to say about this?

"You think you want to be a witch? Well I'm not zippin' it!!"

Right, seriously Sophie? You're not zippin' it? Goodness, kids say the darnedest things.

Awaiting Poetry

(Random Old Poem of the Day)
1/8/2003


He hooked and reeled me in, waiting.

His voice darted from shoulder to shoulder
Demanding comfort, somewhere to lay his head
Low.

Just to provoke a reaction I pushed aside what
Bound me to him, what I always knew was
Real.

His face flexed and I felt the shine
Fall from his eyes, into my deepest
Shadows.

The illusion fell from my lips, awaiting penalty.

The composure was forgotten and all emphasis
Fell to the stain, the mark I had
Branded.

His passion for me, now fetish driven, sank
Below my waist, and laid
Loose.

His voice faltered as he wandered solemnly out
Of his comfort zone, into some other
Culture.

The words fell from my lips, awaiting poetry.

Something left to brighten his day, make him happy.

His escape is overlooked.

Book Review

Forsaken (Fall of Angels, #2)
by Keary Taylor


Book Started: February 23, 2011
Book Finished: February 23, 2011

This was the second book in the Fall of Angels series, and I really enjoyed it. It was much darker than the first and somewhat depressing, but not so much that it depressed you to read it.

Huge cliff hanger of an ending. I hope there will be a 3rd!

Overall, a great book, but nothing life altering.

Cole

Yeah... don't ask.

Ok, I'll explain what happened... except...

Well... we're not really sure. Cole just went walking by, and my husband thought he was dragging the thing around the living room, so he keeps telling him to put it back... and Cole is just getting more and more frustrated. Paul (the husband in question) finally goes over after the third time he tells him to put the table back and realizes it's attached to his belt loop.

Who knows how he managed to accomplish it.... Paul had to twist it around in a circle just to unhook him...

Oh yeah... are his pants on backwards??

Introductions

To start with, I should introduce the culprits.... my kids.

Sophia is a charming, energetic and dramatic 5 year old (and yes, she JUST turned 5). She enjoys dancing around the living room, singing her favorite songs (as well as some made up ones), and generally behaving as though she owns the place. She is, of course, amazing.

Cole is a boy. He is about to turn 3. He struts when he walks, leans on the wall and crosses his ankles to stare at you, and generally disturbs the peace (as boys tend to do). He enjoys coloring on my walls, rummaging through my kitchen and making messes. He is, well, challenging.

So, why the blog?

Well, because everyone else is doing it... duh.

But also, because my kids, just like everyone else's, do the craziest things. Why not document that, and use it as embarrassing information for future girlfriends and boyfriends?