Nightly Fires

I guess I didn’t take any more pictures of our vacation with the Robbins.  Had to much fun enjoying their company I didn’t stop to freeze the moments and get pictures. 

Our four kids played amazingly well!  We never saw them the whole time.  They were either in the basement playing or outside playing.  We didn’t worry about them – they just played so well and got along fantastically!

The guys & little boys went out for another Jeep trip.  We (the mommas) were shocked when the Guys said they wanted to go out again in the Jeeps and take the little guys (who are both age two).  Max had it rough in our Jeep – with no top or window or air conditioner… and came back covered in mud and dust – but came back with a huge smile.  You could just see that he is just like his Daddy and that was just what he needed.  Owen loved it too – he had a little more comfort of tops, windows and AC… but he was in his element as well!  Boys will be boys I guess… even at age 2! 

While the guys were out the girls went and got their toes painted and ate a cushy lunch at a restaurant!  No mud in our adventure!

I think just about every night we ended it with a campfire.  We had perfect weather while they were visiting and campfires were in order.

It was so much fun having them with us.  They use to live at the bottom of our apartment stairs when we lived out in Oregon.  We seen them (I think I can safely say) about every day.  So seeing them again just makes me miss them so much.  We have so many memories.  So many memories.  Memories that throw us into laughing so hard we get tears.  However, when we do get together we pick right back up where left off as if no time has passed.

Mud + Jeep = Fun

One of our close friends bought a Jeep.  But they live in Indiana and not by us.  Some how we fully convinced them to come to Wisconsin in their brand new Jeep and go Jeepin with us.  They love us! A lot! : ) 

It was a mad dash to get our house finished (or finished enough to have guests stay with us) before they arrived.  The day they arrived all three of us (Jesse, myself and the carpenter) were running (literally running) around the house.  Jesse and I finished with our jobs 10 minutes before they drove up.  Carpenter was installing hand rails on the stairs as they drove in the driveway.  It was intense.  But we did it!  And we got to have a grand reveal for them which was fun because Natalie seen my house only a few months after we moved in – so it has changed so much since she was last here. 

The first full day we of course couldn’t wait to get out in the Jeeps and do this Jeep Thing.  The guys decided that we need to be full-on Jeep and take the doors off. 

Getting ready to leave for our unknown adventure.

It was the first time out without the top for the summer.  (July 4th!) Max wasn’t a fan of the jeep last year – but this year he was all about it.

Mallory is always a fan.  Had to bring her new friend that our guests bought her.  And I think that is a play cell phone in her hand too.

All of us. 

One of the trails we were on.  No doors makes it real easy to stick my head out and get pictures.

 

Quickly found a mud hole.

Brandon got stuck a bit.

I got out to spray the kids with bug spray because the bugs were so very bad and we could not sit still very long without being horribly attacked.  When I went to spray Mallory she says… Mom you have mud on your face.  So I snapped a picture of myself to see.  Sure enough!

All the mud was on my side, of course.

Making his way threw it.

Then to realize that the trail only gets worse and we need to turn around and go back threw that mud hole.

If it wasn’t mud it was dust for Brandon & Natalie. 

 

He can even sleep on our mudding adventure.

So can she.

No sleeping here!  Wide awake with the radio cranked enjoying the ride.

Took a pit stop to rehydrate and get a snack.  Had to get a picture of Natalie & I… it is kind of our signature move. 

The Jeeps.

I tried to get a picture of all the kids.  Natalie got one so I thought maybe I could get one. 

Jesse busted into the scene.

Owen had enough and he was outta there.  No such luck.

Brandon lead for awhile.

This was just day one of the Jeep adventure!

What I Do All Day

You know there may be a point in my life when my kids are all in school and I'm here alone during the day and it is (blissfully) quiet and I'm going to miss the chaos that goes on here all day... so I'm going to let you know what I did all day today... so far...

Mallory wakes up.  Dragging her blanket behind her.  Climbs up to the counter and lays her head on the blanket and says "I want breakfast."

Max wakes up.  Dragging his blanket behind him.  Nuk in mouth.  Climbs up to the counter.  Sneezes.  Wipe his nose.

I make two waffles - one for each child.  One wants cinnamon & sugar.  One wants syrup.

Pour two glass of juice.  They will not drink anything else in the morning.  Must be juice.

Max's nose is running.  Wipe his nose.

Serve up the waffles.

Max won't eat.  His nose is running.  Dose him with motrin because otherwise I  know how this day is going to go - whine whine whine - wipe nose - whine whine whine - wipe nose - and repeat!

He finally eats.

Mallory gets dressed.

Max just wants to snuggle me.  So I stop and snuggle and we all play games on my phone.  They think that is the best ever - because I don't let them do that very often.

When I think their baby brains are good fried I tell them no more and ask if they want to play playdoh while I pack my bag for vacation (we leave on vacation tomorrow!!)

The loudest "YES" I ever hear!

Dig out playdoh.

Set them up to be entertained while I go pack my clothes.

They yell "Mom can you help us?" 16 times while I am trying to pack my bag.  To which I come out for every single one and assist them.

Watch in horror as they mix the playdoh colors!  It is like I have twitch when I watch them mix the colors.  I have to bite my tongue and walk away and let them be kids.  I can't stand it.  Why do you have to mix them?  Can't you be neat little 4 and 2 year olds?

Max has to go potty.  Max has to go real potty (#2) but is totally afraid of doing that in the toilet where it belongs!  He is totally trained with #1... but refuses to do #2.  And I'm afraid he is going to get constipated because he does this... I have to go potty.  So we run in there and he doesn't go.  Then I get him all dressed back up - because he is in the phase of have-to-remove-all-clothes-in-order-to-go.  2 minutes later... I have to go potty.  I'm not kidding we did this 5 times.  Then I finally said, Max, just poop in your pull-up!!!!  I'm done!  To which he responds in his sweet little voice "but you get mad".  *feel like horrible mother now.*  I told him I would not get mad... this time.  : )  Then he says... I have to go potty.  Back in we go.  I reminded him of the special treat I have in the medicine cabinet for when he does go and walked out the door.  3 seconds later he yells "I'm done!"  I said... no you are not.  And left him and started cleaning up the playdoh bomb that went off.

Max goes poop on the potty!!!!!  Mallory and I act like huge fools and are clapping and cheering!  Mally says "Oh Max I'm so proud of you."  Then I say "Max, Mommy is so proud of you too!"  Then Max says "I'm proud too."  This was a HUGE accomplishment!  That special treat has been sitting in the cabinet for 3 weeks!!!

Finish cleaning up the playdoh mess to which Mallory has to put all the crazy mis-matched playdohs back in the containers because I can't do it.  The colors are messed up!  How do you know which container to put them in?  So she does it.

Sweep the floor.

Max eats his special treat.

Sweep the floor again.

Decided that I should make homemade chocolate chip cookies for our vacation.  Dig out all that stuff and let the kids help.

Clean up that mess.

Sweep the floor again.

Make lunch.

Let them each eat one cookie.  Max drops his cookie.

Sweep the floor again.

Read stories and put kids to bed!

Clean up kitchen for the 3rd time today!!

Now... go to work while they nap!

Vacation tomorrow!

Vacation from staying home & sweeping floors!

So excited!!