The morning paper

My daily ritual

I get the kids somewhat going and then I take my bath. Sometimes that bath is at 9am sometimes it's not till 1pm, but a bath is what I do. It's me, my large, rose smelling bar of soap, my breakfast and my phone. I eat my breakfast and then it's time for the news (your blogs).  I'd much rather tune in each morning to the  joys and sorrows of all my loved ones than depress myself with the nightly news. I like seeing who went to the zoo, how smart your kids are or even sympathizing with your life heartaches. I don't comment like I should, cuz I'm in the tub, but just wanted to let you know I do enjoy my morning paper!

Maybe I really SHOULD join pinterest

I didn't realize I was bursting at the seams with such creativity. 

It's just not fair for me to keep this from the world. See how these toilet paper rolls didn't end up in the garbage. Pure rocket science.

Sports Commentator

Swoosh!

And that's how it's done!

So you've heard that Ivan likes anything sports. Maybe he'll be a sports commentator some day? Often times he commentates his own game. Sounds something like this.... "here comes Ivan up the court and swoosh, he dunks it!" or "and he moves to the right, to the left, he takes the ball, an interception from Ivan Balle!"  There's always a "hand off" here, a "dribble up the court" there and many a "touchdown" of course.

Well the other morning he was playing himself a game of basketball and I hear, "It's Ivan Balle on the court. He's all clean and his hair smells good!"

Whatever the boys ends up being he'll be a clean one that's for sure. We've had a winter of extremely dry, cracked and bloody knuckles because he insists on washing his hands 60 million times a day. For a while he was making his friends wash their hands before they could play with his toys.
(Don't worry, I am familiar with the term OCD) 

But back to the sports thing, he is also into doing his sports plays in slow motion. So he runs across the family room floor, slow motion, football in hand, commentating all the way. Then lucky for me, he likes to tackle in slow motion and comes up numerous times a day behind me, usually when I'm holding something or in the middle of something and wraps his arms around my legs, pulling me down in a slow motion tackle. It's REALLY fun!

I didn't think I was obsessed with shoes, I guess I am, cuz I know I've already done a post in the past about them. But goodness, gracious aren't these so cute!?!

After I bought them I was so bummed because her legs were too fat and they wouldn't close in the back, so she couldn't wear them. They still don't close all the way, but the tights were enough friction to help keep them on anyway.

 I'm sorry, I've decided I have to take a picture now and then when she's in a cute outfit. I'll admit, I'm part vain and I do enjoy buying clothes. No one really gets to see them. So I'll be posting a cute outfit  once in a while.

It's amazing, the power a movie has over our children. 

I'm not kidding you, like one second before this picture the kids were bouncing off the walls. Running and screaming and laughing. A significant amount of energy. I told them to gather on the couch and they were still so silly. Then I pushed "play."

(It's not that I don't want them to play and have fun. It's just that we were tending and it was getting late and they kinda needed to wind down so that when they went home they could go to bed)

My new parenting style

I told Mike last night that I was going to start parenting Downton Abby style. It's sure to spice up our lives a bit, don't you think? So this mornings situation could have gone more like this..... please use an accent as you read

Ivan: "Ma Ma, (make sure that accent is English and not southern)  I wish for you to build a cave for me to play in"

Lady Balle: "My dear boy, it's close to half pass the hour and we must leave for school at once"

Ivan: begs and cries and begs and cries and begs and cries some more

Lady Balle: "Should you insist on carrying on like you are I shall have to remove you from your ladyships presence, never build you a cave, spank your bottom end as hard as my royal hand can stand and order you straight to your room. Now, I bid you good day!"

Pin this

I've never been on Pinterest. I feel like all the creativity and cute ideas out there would be a sensory overload for me. That's why I like In and Out burger so much. It's like 2 choices, a regular burger or a cheeseburger. I feel like my life is so simple when I eat there. I daresent do pinterest to myself. 

Is this what one might find on there? 

Feel free to pin my idea. It's an ice cream bucket artistically converted into a tub toy holder. I've included a tutorial below if you would like to make one yourself.

1. Eat all the ice cream from the bucket
2. Wash in hot, soapy water
3. Place securely on the edge of the bath tub. For safety, a corner is recommended
4. Gently place the heap of toys into the bucket

They're tucked!

You can all breathe now!

She did it!!! That's my girl! 

Now, instead of collecting floor dirt all up your body, from dragging yourself, you can start burning holes in the knees of all your cute pants.