The Morning After

We woke up and the kids and I headed in while the boys started the clean up. Miss Shannon had sent over some powdered donuts for breakfast. Yum Yum!

All four little campers.

The sleeping bags went onto the living room floor and we lazed around all morning on them. A much needed day of nothing for me.

Cutie Man

Jillian inside Andy's sleeping bag with him.

Sticker mania.

So silly these two. Another dirty face. I am really slacking on my mom duties. At least we were not in public.

Jillian put a J and G on her nose, I think she was going for her initials.

Back to work Sunday night - boo, but it was very nice weekend with the family. The first days we have spent all together in the whole month of August. Pathetic.

Backyard Camping

We invited our neighborhood friends over to enjoy our "campfire" - hotdogs and smores of course. 4/5 of the Schifs, 2/3 of the Cooley and the whole Long clan came over. Everyone was invited to pitch a tent with us and sleep under the stars, but we only had 3 takers, Brett, Owen and Emily.

The kids were all running around with flashlight pretending to be ghosts and monsters. So cute.
It turned out to be kind of a cool night. Thank goodness Drew's sweats from last year still fit okay, because I haven't even washed all the new fall/winter clothes.
An up close of Drew's disgusting hotdog and smore face. Seriously I need to make sure their faces are clean. It kind of grosses me out and annoys me too. He is still cute as ever even dirty faced.

Olivia Schif and Owen running wild :)

Owen wanted me to take a picture of the scary dragon (that's him).

Emily and Drew

Jillian spent most of the evening on my lap or at least close to me. One near disaster, she fell forward and hit her forehead on the fire pit. I panicked a little, swept her up and ran inside to check out the damage. No visible mark and boo boo bear made it instantly better. We went back outside and the others had figured out that what ever the fire pit was made of didn't transfer heat, the edge of it wasn't even hot. Amazing that science.

In our tent and ready for bed. Yes the dogs slept in there with us. Jillian did great. I was assuming that I would have to take her inside at some point. She did wake up and cry a little when the neighbor dogs started their ritual middle of the night barking. Drew woke up once and said he was scared. I told him I was right next to him and I wouldn't let anything happen. He said okay and right back to sleep.

Not much sleep for me that night. I spent most of the night repositioning the kiddos back into their sleeping bags and making sure they were warm enough.

That little sister is a wild sleeper. I woke up once and her foot was on Drew's face. Obviously it didn't bother him, because he was fast asleep. She would be at the wrong end of the tent, sitting up and falling over asleep. She was all over the place. We made it through the night and it was so much fun. Drew knows that since he did such a great job we will be able to do it again.

Tiblow Days Year Two

After I finally got up and moving around we headed to Tiblow days. A little festival in Bonner. Drew was upset because we missed the parade I told him about, sorry buddy. We met our friends at the post office after the short hike. They were all leaving and we were just starting. Here is Owen, Levi and Drew patiently waiting while the grown ups chat. Jillian was strapped in the wagon and Emily was entertaining her as always.

The kids went "fishing" at a booth and Drew caught these cool cow glasses. I think it was the cutest thing we did and it was free. (Sponsored by a local church).
Watching and waiting for their turns on the planes. Jilli's little stance is pretty darn cute.

Of course the best big brother in the world shared his moo glasses with sister.

Take off.

Mid flight. Jillian did good until the very end when she finally saw me waving at her and then she started crying for her mama. Good one, huh? I should have just let her enjoy the ride.

Andy and Drew went to the Pirate ship that he loved last year and Jilli went into a bounce house.

She liked it a little if you can't tell.

Before we even got to the carnival part I told Drew since he was 3 years old he could ride 3 rides. He asked if next year when he is 4 years old can he ride 4 rides? Of course, I said. This seemed to make sense to him. So he knew he had to pick his three. The last was the carousel. Thank goodness he didn't notice that sis is two and she rode three rides.

Drew getting some help from the nasty carnie to win a fire hammer. Jillian got a pink dolphin and I immediately clorox wiped them both down when we got home. The carnival totally grosses me out.

So heavy sanitizing and then it was time for lunch. Sis enjoying a dog.

Then snow cones. Drew wanted a green one of course (that is his favorite color) but all they had was red and purple. He chose red and as soon as Jillian saw his she wanted one. Of course, why didn't I see this coming. So we went back for a purple one for her. She looks ever so pleased.

They didn't last long before they were trashed. Oh well, just a dollar and for a good cause, Project Graduation.

Goofy boy. Drew kept calling them Tibblie days - hehe.

We headed home after a couple of hours and prepared for backyard camping.

Kicked the the Teeth by Life - A Short Novel

Deer smushed my car AGAIN!!!!! So I was on my way back from ANOTHER call back around midnight and not far from the hospital a deer ran right into my driver's side door. I had my window part way down enjoying the cool air and out of no where a big jolt and loud noise right next to me. I thought something was going on with my window at first, it felt like it was coming up and towards me. There is no cross street so I knew it wasn't a car. I immediately slam on my brakes and then I see some deer running across the road. I pull over and then I see the poor deer in the middle of the road. It was flailing and trying to stand, but it back legs were broken. Any of you that know me know this was excruciating for me. (and if you don't know me, why are you reading my blog) I called 911 and tell them I hit a deer and it is in the middle of the road and someone need to come put it down now. Of course I am crying hysterically and then I get disconnected. My phone for the first time is screwing up. I couldn't make a call or do anything. So I am in the middle a road in Kansas City crying and praying for God to stop it's suffering. It finally makes it way across the street by crawling and pulling itself with it's front legs. It was sitting on the side of the road licking it's wounds and then it would try and get up again, over and over. It was horrid to watch. Finally the phone comes back on and I call the police back and they say that all the officers are busy and I should leave if I am uninjured and my car was drivable. Yeah right. I stayed there with this poor suffering deer for about 40 minutes until the cops showed up. Three people stopped to offer help but no one was able to help the deer. The last person that stopped was a tow truck driver, he went back to check on the deer and see if it was aggressive. He came back and told me what I already knew, that it couldn't survive, so he called the police and they showed up immediately (he must have connections). I left before they shot it. I had complete deer fear all the way home and was driving like a granny while having a small pity party for myself. My parents had just brought up their truck for me that morning because the Mountaineer needs transmission work and now this car is crunched. After some counseling from my husband and mom, then a drink and a hard sleep I got over my pity party and was ready for a fun family day on Saturday.

So as if that wasn't traumatizing enough there is more. On my way to work Sunday night a large white bellied bird drops from he sky and thuds on the hood of the Mountaineer, I didn't stop. They have a name for this I think - animal magnetism. (wa wa waaa) AND THEN...... I drive past the scene of the incident and there are three spotted fawns grazing right by the road. I killed their mama! Even more guilt. This really bothered me until my dad told me that it is highly unlikely that a doe had three fawns and that she was getting ready to kick them out anyway because it is almost mating season. Sigh..... Is this really my life?

Linsey - I almost had a cornea when it hit me AND it wasn't even deer seasoning (I need a good laugh till I cry again like that day you were telling the story of hitting the turkey).

Drew's Moves

So Drew has moved on from the hokey pokey skirt and now he always wants to show me his moves. His moves are very break dance like. I said where did you learn your moves, he says he learned them from himself. I may have a little b-boy on my hands. They have even got better than this video in the past week.

Mascara Incident

Sister always wants to sit on the vanity while I am putting on my make-up or doing my hair. I usually give her a fluffy brush and my blush and that keeps her content. So the other day I go back to the back bathroom and I find her with my mascara and a big glob of it right in the corner of her eye. I call Andy in to wipe it while I hold her still, then I told him to take some pictures while I got ready. These are the two less than stellar pictures he took.

Since this mascara incident she has been wanting to put on eyeshadow. So I let her if it the weekend or before bath. She must be paying attention because she always puts the make-up on the appropriate part of her face.
Now I just need to convince her that chap stick goes on her lips and not her chin. She is always stealing it off my dresser (by climbing the drawer handles), putting it on her chin and then digging into it with her fingernails and making a complete mess. What a stink.

Sick Jilli - So Pitiful

Sunday night after the disastrous dinner I went to work and all was well. The next evening when Andy got back from his trip my mom left and I got ready for work. Every night before I leave for work I check on my babies and give them kisses. Jillian woke up and cuddled for a minute and laid her back down. A few minutes later came the screaming, we went in and she had vomited a little. Andy changed her bed clothes while I cuddled in the rocker with her. She went right back to bed so I left......

I probably made it five miles before Andy called and said round two put round one to shame. So I called into work and came back home. She vomited 3 times and did a lot of dry heaving in the night. This was the first night she has ever slept all night in our bed. She stayed home with me the next day and seemed to back to normal. The the squirts came Thursday and Friday. Poor little girl had a belly ache. She laid off food for at least 4 days and I don't know if her appetite is even back to normal now. With her diarrhea came horrible butt rash. She would cry when I wiped her and then every time I put cream on her she would say "thank you mama." So sweet that bean. And now I know why she was a crab the weekend before, plus we have a molar coming through.

Visiting Baby Claire

So Andy, my dad, brothers and nephew made their annual Nascar trip to Michigan the weekend of the fifteenth. My mom came over to my house and we went shopping and she sent me to the spa. Ahhhh, so nice. Sunday we headed over to visit Aunt Tammy and Baby Claire. Here is Jillian with a big curly-q pony tail holder that lasted for less than an hour. I thought it went with her 80's dress Nana got her.

I attempted to give Drew a mo-hawk. He wanted spikey hair that day.
The star of the show, the belle of the ball, the apple of Drew's eye - Baby Claire!
She was entertaining my crew in her jumperoo. She is changing so much and getting so big. Now she is doing consecutive rolls. Watch out world she is on the move.
Jillian and Drew giving Claire double sweet kisses. I am not so sure Claire knew what to think of it.

Nana and her little girls.

Jillian showed a little jealously when her Nana was holding Claire, but showed a lot when it was my turn to hold little bit.

The Three Amigos

After visiting at the house, we headed out to dinner. Calling dinner a disaster it a bit of an understatement. I had to take both of my children out of the restaurant and we waited in the car while Nana, Tammy and Claire finished dinner. Sister was out of control, climbing out of her seat (of course it had no seat belt), throwing fit and screaming. Drew was not staying in his seat either. Wow - deep breaths. Once we got out to the car, Drew was ready to go back to baby Claire's house and I said no because he was misbehaving and that caused the meltdown of all meltdowns. A definite test of a mother's patience.

They were fine after we got back home, at least Drew was. Jillian had a rough weekend in general and I soon found out why.

Dancing Drew - Total Blackmail

This poor kid is just a product of his environment. Jillian got this super fun hokey pokey skirt for her birthday and he couldn't resist trying it out. Like I say in the video this could only happen with a little sister. If I remember correctly my mother has a picture of me blow drying and doing my brother's hair with my new beauty shop toys from Christmas.

I can hardly contain my giggles. It is so darn cute and funny. He is going to kill me for this one when he gets older. Jillian just wants her skirt back.

There is a box that starts and stops the music in the front of the skirt, so at the end of the video he hits himself in the junk to turn it off. Wow, you couldn't script stuff this funny.