Slow on the Uptake

When we go out to eat...I hate to buy a kids meal. Mainly because my child will only eat about 1/3 of it. Leaving me to cart home french fries that will never taste the same, and reminants of chicken fingers or some other kid friendly food the restaurant offers. I have to really not to want to share to order Ben his own meal. He's 3..obviously if I had a 10 year old I wouldn't be sharing my plate...but at 3...much different.

So, the other night when we went out to one of our favorite Mexican places I...a thought came to me. Mini burrito. I could make Ben a mini burrito out of the beans and rice that came with my meal!

Do I detect laughter from the peanut gallery?

Perhaps some of you other moms have already had this ingenious idea. I, on the other hand, had not. Why? I do not know!!! Jared got a great laugh at my expense when we sat down and I explained my plan of action. Me...fajitas...Ben a bean and rice mini burrito from the tortillas I wasn't going to eat anyway and the sides that inevitably come with the meal. Ingenious right? Wait...that's right...

slow...uptake...

It worked perfect! Minimal mess, just the right amount of food, and we didn't end up spending $6 on a meal that he wasn't going to eat anyway. Now that I think of it, I should have applied that $6 dollar savings to buying myself a Pina Colada.....

INGENIOUS!

For The Record

I have to say that I get a bit irritated when someone tells how they wish I loved being a SAHM more. Do I vent about my kids? Of course...is it normal? I like to think so. In any other job you would vent about your boss, co-workers..etc. So, why wouldn't you share when you had an extremely difficult day with your children?

I'm no shrinking violet...I have a pretty high tolerance for difficult situations. But the other day my mental capacity was pushed to it's limits. I've mentioned before that Liam is a screamer, and the other day he became the "King of Scream". I'm pretty sure he screamed from about 8am until 6pm. Nothing I did would satisfy him. So, I think when you find yourself and your 3 year old sitting in a dark bathroom crying because the screaming won't stop...well, I think that warrants a bit of venting. Remember how I mentioned that some days I can feel my brain start to smoke and fizzle? Well...that was Tuesday for me. Did I mention me, a dark bathroom with my hands over my ears?

So, to have someone interpret my venting as not being thankful to have the opportunity to be at home with my boys full time is a little irritating. I had to work after we had Ben. I stayed home for the first 6 months and then worked until we moved to Oxnard. That was one of the reasons we chose to take the job at Pepperdine. It would enable me to stay home with Ben and now Liam. But does that mean that everyday is a cakewalk? Nope. Does that mean that everyday I find myself playing the role of a perfectly groomed, perfectly mannered, perfectly motherly June Cleaver? Heck to the NO! And I honestly think that the majority of the SAHM's I know would feel the same way. You have great days, and you have not so great days...and when you feel like the not so greats are gaining speed....well, you vent. In order to save your sanity...you vent. Whether it's on Facebook, to a friend or even your mother-in-law.

And for all those not so great moments, you find yourself in the great moments where you're reminded why you stay at home. Like at 4:30 in the morning...when your baby wakes up happy as a clam and just wants to "talk" to you.

Just you and him...

We Start 'em Young...

Yes, I gave my baby chocolate chip pancakes...this mess is the result of like 2 chips in one large pancake.....and required a bath immediately after the fact! Feel free to comment on his baby boobs!

Our Dinner With A Naked Indiana Jones

Can I Get an Amen?

Old people, or people who have teenagers will stop me in a grocery store and comment how cute the boys are. They then proceed to tell me "just wait until they're teenagers!!!"....

Ummmm....hello..I don't even know if I'm going to survive the first 5 years people! I can't go to a land of 15, 16, 17 year old boys. A land where they drive, need a cell phone, and need money to go to the prom. I just can't go there yet. Because the 1st and 3rd year are kicking my ass here people.

In this corner, we have Liam. Age: 8 months
Famous for:Squawking/Screeching...basically any sound that can come out of his mouth that starts with the letter S describes him. Now, by some people's account (either one of his Grandma's) he's an easy baby. I would ask them to define "easy". If easy is not being able to leave the room without him screaming....then he's easy. If easy is him randomly waking up at 2:30 every night...swell. I won't say he's the most difficult baby. But I don't think I'd find his picture next to the word easy in any dictionary.

And in this corner, we have Benjamin. Age: 3 years.
Famous for: poor listening skills, back talk, questions, questions, questions and whining. Put them all together and you have me searching for my straight jacket. Seriously. The 2's have NOTHING on the 3's. Not a damn thing on the 3's. With the 3's came tattling, craftiness, this incessant need to throw EVERYTHING, and a larger vocabulary. There are days when I have to tell Ben just to quit talking. Because I can literally feel the circuits in my brain start to fizzle and smoke. Now, again, the Grandma's would just ooh and ahh and tell me what a sweet little boy I have. Yes, he's sweet....but this does not exclude him from being a world class three year old!

I sure do love my kids, but man...I am being run ragged. Can I get an Amen?! Anyone....


Anyone??!

4th of July Festivities

We had a great 4th of July weekend...thought I would share some pictures...

The boys in their patriotic shirts...courtesy of Grandma P...since we all know I don't support the economy by buying matching clothes for my kids...but if she does..it's fine!


I think Ben spent about 3 hours in the pool Saturday...we eventually had to bribe him..


Our view from Jared's uncle's place...they live right above the Rose Bowl...


Liam is a water baby..loves, loves, LOVES water..he too spent a lot of time in the water...


Our spectacular fireworks show...amazing as always!


Hope you all had a wonderful holiday weekend!