The little things...

Do you see this face? Sweet little 6 (almost 7) year old Karleigh! I just love her to pieces! She can be honery sometimes, and knows how to stomp all over my last nerve, but she's also got a direct line to my heart! I have thought lately about how I am so busy that I am missing the little things that are going on around here. I have resolved to look for the things that I would normally pass by and not notice in the craziness of life! I can't keep up with anything because I am so unorganized that even if I "file" it away, I forget where the "file" is so I am taking pictures! I thought I'd share a couple of my finds!

I almost threw this away before I stopped to notice what it was. We were having company so I quickly went into the front bathroom to wipe it down and make sure it was presentable. As I was cleaning the piles of magazines and notebooks off of the vanity I found this. Karleigh isn't quiet very often, and when she is we always know where to look for her! THE BATHROOM! LOL! I think with her two brothers she needs a place to escape, and the bathroom has become her hideaway! When she is in there she always takes a notebook, pencil, crayons, scissors, book...lots of busy work! On this particular night it looks like she was thinking of her day at school. She practiced addition, and started a list of her classmates! She wanted to post her work, and since we have a crib in her room where her whiteboard and corkboard are supposed to be...she used the band-aid box! What creativity! She even stored her pencil for future use!

Now this little gem I found a little earlier in the year and put it away to use in a scrapbook "someday maybe" when I get to do that again. BUT, I lost it for awhile and just recently found it again! This sign was on the bathroom door! It took me a little bit to be able to decipher it, but I got a laugh when I did! For those of you who don't read 6yr old language, it says "No Knocking at the Door when People are in Bathroom". So funny! I have a few more pictures, but they are on my other camera so I will have to share them later. Until I can scrapbook again I thought I'd keep up with this on my blog...well, it's my intention anyway!

It HAS NOT been THAT long!

Ok, so I know I was away for quite sometime...I guess it has been that long! I have wanted to blog many days, but just can't seem to come up with the energy! I guess the last time I wrote was before Kaleb started waking up 5 or 6 times a night with ear infections, and before he started scoot/crawling all over the place eating everything in sight!!! Oh, and before my sweet little Kole turned into a 2 year old Monster!!! (Someone bring my sweet little boy back! )

I do remember the "terrible two's" now, but I guess it had been so long I had forgotten! I LOVE my "little monster", don't get me wrong, but he can make me want to run for the hills too!!!

We have had to make some changes in sleeping arrangements in our house so that Kaleb can learn how to "put himself back to sleep" without disturbing Kole. We moved Kole to Karleigh's room and Kaleb now has Kole's room. Kole is crushed! He beats on the door to his room and says "MINE, no Kaleb's bed!" One night he BEGGED to sleep in "me's room". I hate it when I have that feeling of "Am I really doing the right thing here, or should I just let him have his way?"...Of course I KNOW that I'm doing what I have to do, and in a big family sometimes you have to make sacrafices. Sometimes it just melts my heart when I would love to give my kids something, but know it's just not possible! (silly hormones)

Jason had to go to a coaching conference in Tulsa Thursday and Friday of this week, and I can say for sure that it is no fun being a SINGLE MOM! I am always tired lately, but after waking up every hour with all 3 kids last night (was something in the air?) I am EXHAUSTED! I don't sleep well anyway when Jason is gone, but whew...I think I might have slept pretty good if the kids would have left me alone last night! Kaleb is still trying to get over ear infections in both ears so he was up every 2 hours. Kole must have had bad dreams because I woke up to him crying 2 times. Karleigh woke up when Kole cried because I was just getting back to sleep when she came to my room and asked if she could go to the bathroom! (I guess she forgot the way! LOL) Bedtime in itself is a job for at least 3 adults in this house! Bathing everyone, and cleaning up all the water splashed halfway down the hall, the sopping wet towels, and clothes is the first part. Next, comes holding Kaleb still long enough to get a diaper and pj's on, and catching Kole (who loves to run naked) and dressing him in the "right" pj's. (it varies from night to night, but if you dress him in the "wrong" ones he will undress in the night and wake up cold) Then, we must convince Karleigh that she is sleepy, very sleepy, and not hungry for yet another snack! When teeth are brushed, hugs and kisses given, prayers said, and everyone is in their bed it is not the end! Someone must stand outside the door to Karleigh's room (like Super Nanny says) and put Kole back down in bed 50 times before he is ready to give in for the night! Finally, we collapse in the computer chair to try and blog (watch tv, read, take a bath, study...)and just as we are starting to relax...KALEB's SCREAMING his head off ! Have you ever read the book "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie"? Well, we often refer to it in our house! One thing leads to another and it feels like we go round and round a lot just like a circle story!

Well, as I said, Kaleb's screaming (and not doing a very good job of putting himself back to sleep) so I'd better go now! Hopefully it won't be a matter of months before I'm back again!