Christmas Decorating Efficiency...

I spent the greater part of the last three days trying to get my Christmas decor in from the garage and actually set up.

My Christmas Decorating Efficiency was greatly thwarted by a wreath dismantling imp and a giddy Christmas light strand stealer.

Lil Chick is fascinated with wreaths. I can just see the questions in her brain: "WHY in there a big circle on the wall? WHY are those little colored balls stuck to that big circle on the wall? WHY are there some sticks poking into that big circle on the wall?"

And WHAT is the best way to find out about something and how it works? Yes, she dismantled it.

Picture thousands of tiny Styrofoam red berries dotting my carpet and a little girl with a whale-spout ponytail chewing on the end of a curly willow branch.

Like I said, Christmas Decorating Efficiency...ah...Thwartation. Pretty sure that's a word.

As for the budding electrician, we are SUPER CERTAIN that there are light strands with half, a third or the first and last third of the light bulbs burnt out. OR short circuited. Whatever. What I now know is (thanks to the info from my brother-in-law, Wonderboy) I am not supposed to store them in the garage. Which is what I do. Which is why I have issues with my lights. Huh. Shocking. (Stunned silence.)

Our strands of Christmas lights have now been plugged into eight different double light sockets around the living room, connected together in every mathematically possible way and painstakingly examined bulb by bulb by my little wannabe electrician. And to think I was considering putting a Christmas tree in his bedroom!? OK, I may still just do it. Cause it's fun. And he's a kid. And kids should have fun.

I'll be sleeping with a industrial sized fire extinguisher on my nightstand, but hey, kids should have fun...

A

P.S. For all you delightful lovelies, I have decided to have an indefinitely active Vintage Dutch Girl Etsy shop coupon code for 15% off all orders. Cause you are delightful. AND lovely. Your 15% off coupon code is: FOLLOWLOVE15 . You still have time before Christmas to get some gift shopping in! I have multiples of every scarf ready made and am trying to ship out next day if possible. Happy Shopping!

On Shopping With Young Children...

Is there anything more awesome than shopping with young children?

We are FINALLY getting our family photos done and wanted to get some clothes for the shoot. While I don't want all of us in matching navy polos and pleated khaki's I would prefer that Bubbalu wear something other than a peanut butter smeared t-shirt and ripped jeans.

Oh yes, shopping with young children.

My hint? Bring CANDY and TOYS.

New toys in shiny plastic wrap that they are only allowed to hold and drool over until they have behaved sufficiently to earn the right to lay their grubby paws on an unpackaged toy.

Cereal bar? Nope, not good enough. Trail mix? Nada. Cut up pieces of fruit and a shot of wheat grass? Nice try.

You need CANDY.

Candy that ALSO has shiny plastic wrap on it that they are only allowed to hold and drool over until they have behaved sufficiently to earn the right to shove it into their mouth and swallow without chewing.

You just need the earplugs to silence the "Can I open it now? CanIcanIcanIcanIcanIcanI? Moooooooooom, can I open it NOW?" that is sure to ensue.

I would also suggest not bringing the noise cancelling earplugs because when your son sets off the store wide fire alarm you'll want to hear it and intervene appropriately before they ban you from shopping at their store permanently.

Hypothetically speaking, of course.

Not that this has ever happened to me before.

Or yesterday at 2:44 pm at Old Navy. But whatever.

My biggest mistake was not bringing a restraining device. I should have just brought my single stroller along but completely forgot. ( I decided to forgo the strait jacket because I figured it wasn't politically correct. Plus they don't make them in his size. Ain't that a shame? )

Strapping him into the 47 point harness in the single Bob stroller would have been beneficial being that he tipped over a rack of clothes, ran down a sales associate in Macy's, tried to climb the huge employee-only restocking ladder, peeked at other customers under the dressing room dividers and got lost, well, about 47 times.

Also, that little poo sweet boy WILL NOT ANSWER ME when I call for him. At one point all I could see was tufts of hair sticking up in the middle of a clearance rack in the next clothing section.

Good times were had by all (Insert massive eye roll). OY.

Any other hints and tips for shopping with young children? I need all the advice I can get...

A

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Dorothy and a Swordless Pirate Distracted Me...

We interrupt this Plaid Flannel Party to present you with the following concerns:

-Amanda's been too stinkin busy with cranky high energy kiddos that she doesn't have much free time.

-She also was a single parent all last week and grossly miscalculated the need for R and R after the loooonng days. (R and R is roughly translated as: Watching TV and Eating Cookies.)

-Um, hello, the church Harvest Party is tonight. Yep, TONIGHT. Missed the memo on that one when planning the sad Plaid Flannel Party. So yes, I've been busily trying to fit in outfit creating during my gobs of spare time. I promise I won't send my kids to the party half dressed (maybe).

-I invited some people over for the express purpose to motivate me to clean the house. It worked. And when the cleaning bugs are finally, belatedly biting, I don't ignore them. I let them keep on biting and enjoy the rewards of (finally having) a clean house.That means crafts and blogging go on the back burner. Not my favorite place for them. I prefer my front right super industrial fast boil burner to be loaded up with crafting and blogging and my piddly slow simmer burner to be laden with the housework.

*** INSERT EIGHT HOUR BREAK***

-I'm so scatterbrained and ferklempt I didn't even finish this post. We are now back home from the harvest festival with one tired out Lil Dorothy:



And sadly, my best photo of my swordless pirate:




There was no way on God's green earth that I was going to willfully hand a sharp weapon over to my boy. Not with his track record.

Sad picture, huh? I'll have to wait for all the Grandma's and Aunties to send me better pics of the kiddos when we did the "Look at how cute they are in their costumes!" show-off circuit around town before the harvest festival.

I had a riot making their costumes. SUCH fun. I decided to make many of the pieces adjustable for future hours of dress up playtime

I may have gotten a little carried away with all the costume fun. Dorothy DID wear ruffle butt bloomers in The Wizard of OZ, right?



These bloomers are stinkin cute and rather easyish to make. I think she might need one in every color.

Hmmmm, maybe in PLAID with a tutorial so I can get back to my sad Plaid Flannel Party???

A

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Glow-In-The-Dark Galaxy...

I went and got my thrift on this morning. As always, I came home with more things I didn't know I needed.

I was jazzed to find these glow-in-the-dark stars and planets for 99 cents:



Be honest, how many of you had these on your bedroom ceiling as a kid?

Confession: I didn't have them but secretly thought they were cool. My brother had them and sometimes I'd sneak in there when he wasn't home to look at his glowing little ceiling galaxy.

(Jason - I also MAY have played with your legos and transformers. )

I just stuck a bunch on them up on Bubbalu's bedroom ceiling and he is LOVING them. Maybe it will help him stay in bed and take naps again? (Trying to be optimistic here...just go along and pretend with me that children that don't take naps are wonderful creatures, mkay?)

I also came home with a delicious bag full of vintagey lace and trimmings.



I may have to incorporate some of these into my plaid projects for the Plaid Flannel Party starting next week. Plaid + Lace? Yes please.

OK, off to try to convince the 3 yr old that quiet room time literally means QUIET and IN YOUR ROOM...

A

Don't forget about the party starting next week!

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Costco....Thumbnail....Poffertjes....

Let's do some housecleaning!

Nah.

Let's do some cleaning out of the draft folder instead. That's WAY more fun:

***

Saw my kids excellent pediatrician at Costco today but hid from him so he wouldn't see the 10lb bag of chocolate chips, sweet potato fries or hot n' spicy wings packages in my shopping cart...

***

I'd completely forgotten how messy a twenty month old can be while eating.

You know it's getting pretty bad when instead of choosing foods based on their nutritional value I'm choosing foods based on their "scratch off the wood floor with a thumbnail" rating.

***

My take on the annual, held-in-my-small-town Fair:

I don't love crowds. I get crabby at people who walk slowly and then stop in the middle of a walkway forcing everyone to walk around them. However, since I am now one of "those Mom's" who push a gargantuan double-wide Bob stroller around I fully realize I am now part of the crowd problem. My penchant for speed walking and whipping around people with the double-wide Bob doesn't help. I'm pretty sure I startled eighteen or so peoples, whom surely though that there was an emergency or free Poffertjes giveaway that I was rushing towards.

 ***

Not in the draft folder but blogworthy news: Christmas has arrived at Costco. Yes, I already purchased a roll of sassy Christmas wrapping paper. I'm thinking this might be the year that I actually have all my shopping done and wrapped before December. 

Anyone with me on this one???

***

Thanks for providing me with an excuse to ditch the housework. Blogging is much more exciting than scratching crusty dried food off my wood floor with my thumbnail...

A

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Please Don't Set Your Teacher On Fire...

I was this close to pulling out one of my cheerleading outfits from way back when to help CHEER Bubbalu into this new age of education.

Yup, my baby's going to preschool.

And I'm certain he'd appreciate the extra effort his Mama would show by squashing her times two postpartum self into an eensy teensy cheerleading skirt and top.

Acutally, he probably wouldn't notice. I brought him to the door and before I could say, "let's hang up your coat" he was off and running. Uh, can I at LEAST have a hug or something? You know, show SOME recognition that it pains you to be separated from your Mother for three hours?

I'm sitting at home waiting for the phone call from the principal to have me come and collect my child.

So far so good. No teachers set on fire, no mass stampeding of the school and no ripping down the display boards.

There was one tiny thing I forgot to mention to his teachers. I do hope they hid all of their sharpies...

A

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Bubbalu's Morning...

I've had a busy morning so far.

I started out with some fun coloring and decided that coloring on paper was for babies and decided instead to color ON babies. And myself. That's much more fun:


( I don't think Lil Chick appreciated my artwork very much.)

Then I moved on to some lovely crayon scribbling on the glass slider door which Mommy made me scrub off:


(see my drawing on my face? I like it a lot.)

But that was boring so I started shredding the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser pad. Why not? It was fun:



Then Mommy went away for a few minutes to count to ten or something silly like that and I found this itty bitty bottle of fun white powdery stuff that smelled like babies...which Mommy AGAIN made me clean up:



She's such a party pooper.

And right this very moment I'm in my bedroom having a quiet time. Except I'm not being quiet...because that is NO fun. No fun at all...

A

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I Need A Clone...

Needed:

One Amanda Clone. Preferably one who loves to clean the house, discipline the children and maintain a modicum of order and sensibility. Needs to be subject to #1 Amanda's wishes and commands. Needs to be willing to play the "spaceship" game with Bubbalu and must display a thorough knowledge of sharpie removal tactics. Those frightened by loud noises or easily overwhelmed need not apply.

Does this little angel scare you?



Please don't apply.

Does this well-mannered child make you cringe?



Please don't apply.

All those left, please call 1-800-Mama-needs-a-clone...

A

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Incriminating Evidence...

"Bubbalu, WHAT are you trying to lick off your face?"



"Nutin!"

"Bubbalu, did you eat your paint?"



"NO, I did NOT!!!"



Uh huh, RIGHT. Sometimes you just gotta let em paint...even if that means they sample it here and there...

A

Linking up! Go on over and read other Mama stories and fun!



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Bubbalu Likes To Vacuum...

Bubbalu did the 30 min Shred with me this morning. Lil Chick wanted in on the "fun" and did a few push ups and squats too. Yep, my kiddos will be ripped in no time. Nothing like a 6 pack on an eighteen month old. So anywho, I start the workout and Bubbalu takes one look at Jillian and says, "Mommy, that woman is angry. That is a MAD woman". You got that one right Bubbalu!

So on to my post subject...

If Bubbalu is bored (which happens frequently, evidenced by his insatiable desire to destroy things and see what household items the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser CAN'T remove sharpie from) my catch phrase is: "If you're bored you can choose to play outside or scrub my floors". I can just hear my Mom saying that to me when I was a young gal. What can I say? Apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

Bubbalu played outside for a good long while this morning on his play set. He then came to the screen door and said, "Mommy, I'm ready to scrub your floors!".

Love that boy.

Well, I scrubbed the floors yesterday so I offered him the job of vacuuming up the crumbs under the table. True to form, this boy not only vacuumed the entire dining room but moved on into the kitchen, pantry AND hallway making sure that no crumb was left behind.

LOVE that boy.

"Mommy, I'm done, now what can I do?"

SERIOUSLY?

OK, you can wipe down the table and your place mat for me.

So he wipes down the table, place mat, chairs and Lil Chick's high chair as well.

LOVE THAT BOY.

OK Bubbalu, you've helped out SO good, now you can go back outside to play.

Do YOU ask your kiddos to help out with daily chores? Which ones and at what age?

A

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Sunshine Soaking...

Sunshine has been scarce in our parts. Lots and lots of days of gray and drizzle. I KNOW I live in the pacific northwest, but C'mon!

When the shy sunshine actually comes out I drop everything else and race outside to soak up some good ole Vitamin D.

Here's what I grab to head outside, summer sunshine-style:



Diet Coke on ice

Sunglasses

Spray sunscreen (Seriously, if you haven't tried the spray yet, you SHOULD! Especially for kiddos. No more slathering for us!)

Telephone

Ipod - Currently jiving to Allison Krauss

Magazines

Pirate Booty....which Bubbalu stole and ate.

Beach towel

and one good craft project. Nothing like cutting/seam ripping/sewing in the sunshine.

Ooops! Speaking of sunshine, I see some right this moment.

See ya, I'm off to relax...

A

Lil Bits O Random...

Remember that I posted my love for the Swagger Wagon song? Yup, still love it. BONUS: Found out you can download the mp3 for free from the nice funky folks over at Toyota. Already have it added to my running playlist!

Oh, you want it too? Ok, go HERE to download it. Caution: may make you laugh when you are supposed to be exercising and focusing on your breathing. Just sayin.

Remember that I said I was freezing a pair of stinky shoes in the hopes that it would kill the stench-causing bacteria? Don't bother trying it. Could hardly tell a difference on the ole stink-o-meter. What DID work? Setting those stinky shoes out in the sunshine. Ahhhh, back to un-stinky feet and shoes!

Remember that I mentioned Destructo Boy peeled a cute space-ship wall decal off his wall? Well, he struck again. This time it was a cute robot decal that is now disemboweled, dismembered AND decapitated with it's sad body parts stuck in random spots all over Bubbalu's room. So much for a quiet, rejuvenating nap time. Good thing those decals were clearance items. Goodness gracious.

Oy, off to pick robot parts off the walls...

A

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Crafting Feeds My Soul...

The last three weeks in May were crazyness in our house. Bubbalu had a bad reaction to his anti-allergy medication and well....it made him kinda crazy. OK, more than just kinda crazy. Most of you already know how mischievous my Bubbalu can be. He took it to whole new level. Which in turn makes Mama crazy. You know how it goes.

Finally figured out what was going on and my normal mischievous level little Bubbalu is back!

(Big breath.)

I also had coffee with an amazing mentor Mama who said to me , "Amanda, have you been doing any crafting the last few weeks?"

Uh. No.

"Honey, you NEED to be creating. It's what you do for YOU."

Hmmmm.



I'm one of those Just finish your work and THEN you can play kinda people. Worked great when I had, you know, a REAL job. However, when anyone asks me if I'm working I always say, "Why yes, I do work, harder than I've ever worked in my life. I'm a Mom". Problem is, my job IS NEVER DONE. Are you a Mom? Is YOUR job ever done? Nope.

There is always something to be done and I feel guilty indulging in my crafting/sewing/creating time.

But I was unhappy.

So, I made a choice. I chose to leave dishes out, laundry unfolded, papers left on the counter and bathrooms still needing a scrubbing and ran for the craft room.



My mentor Mama was right. Crafting feeds my soul. It always has. I've been gluing, cutting, sewing, crocheting, stitching, painting, drawing or designing my entire life. Just ask my Mom. It drove her crazy at times! Love you Mom. Thanks for putting up with me :)

I picked up my scissors, plugged in the glue gun and turned my sewing machine on. It's been GREAT to be back. I'm working on some super girly, bright, fun, polka dotty and ruffly accessories. They'll be in the Etsy shop soon.

So, what do you do for YOUR me time? Is it crafting and creating like me? Reading a book? Taking a nap? Exercise? Eating? (Oh wait, maybe that's just me. Yep, right next to my sewing machine you will find a red Fiesta Ware ramekin that is always full of Costco's Ambrosia Chocolate chips. You know. Just in case of a chocoholic attack.)

Seriously though, I'm curious what other Mama's do for their ME time.

Spill it...

A

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Wearing Tomato Cages And Eating Dirt...

I FINALLY got my garden in earlier this week. It was a glorious weekend and my seeds would have germinated...had they been in the ground on time. Oh well, at least they are in now!

Bubbalu helped me pot and stake the tomatoes while Daddy worked on building a gate:


("Look Mommy! I'm a ROBOT SPACESHIP!!!")

I'm hoping that tomato production and consumption will be good this year. Well, as long as my Tomato Bandit leaves them alone, that is.

OY.

Lil Chick was nearby and discovered that she was VERY fond of the potting soil and "helped" me plant my pots:






("Hey Mommy, this brown stuff is F.U.N. to play with! It looks like chocolate cake, but doesn't QUITE taste like it. But that's OK, I'll still eat it.")

* Did you happen to spot a chair revamp in the background? I honestly forgot to post about it. Will post it soon!*

The kids have been LOVING being outside in the sunshine. Mommy has been loving it too. The perfect kind of day for lunch on the deck:



Little did I know Bubbalu would steal Lil Chick's sandwich when I went back inside. Oh, the brotherly love...

A

** Didja know you can find me HERE on Facebook? True story. Become a fan (or like) and see the latest Vintage Dutch Girl posts in your news feed. Oh, and it'll make my day! **

My Special Custom Costco Cart...

Dear Costco,

In addition to the drive thru that you will install for me, your #1 Customer, I have another request.

I would like to request a special custom cart saved just for me and a select group of my friends who make the list. (Am currently compiling the list and will deliver it to you upon completion of my request).

My Special Custom Costco Cart must include:

1. A plexiglass divider between the two seats in the front of the cart. It must be at least 4 feet tall so a certain 3 yr old cannot reach over to pummel his 1 yr old sister.

2. A plexiglass kick plate on the front under the shopping cart handle that extends down a good 3 feet or so to protect my legs and stomach from being kicked by aforementioned 3 yr old.

3. Why don't we just go and enclose the entire child-holding part of the cart while we're at it. Please let it be completely soundproof as to mute the sounds that comes out of my 1 yr old when she opens her mouth. (Lil Chick screamed so loud today in Costco that the elderly woman in front of me jumped clear out of her orthopedic shoes. Then she glared at me. Right before Bubbalu threw my Costco coupon book at her. Lovely. Mother of the year.)

4. I NEED a cup holder. And maybe you could make it keep my hot mochas hot and the frozen ones cold. Why don't you just put two or three of those hot/cold cup holders on there while we're at it so I can sip one while I shop and keep one or two more the appropriate temperature so when I arrive at my Sister's house they will be the perfect temperature for an hour long impromptu chat/playtime.

5. I could use a small mirror so I can fix my hair that gets hopelessly disheveled when I walk through the wind tunnel at the entrance to the store.

6. A receipt holder clip on the side of the plexiglass child enclosement so that the receipt isn't in a sweaty crumpled mess in my fist by the time I get to the sharpie wielding checkers at the exit.

7. A map of the store complete with current location of the Starbucks Frapps and Tostito's queso cheese. Yes, I could NOT find the queso cheese today. Very disturbing.

8. A priority checkout pass. Ya know, because I'm your #1 Customer and all.

Except for your Kirkland Signature Macaroni and Cheese. You missed the mark on that one.

Please let me know when my cart will be ready. I'll be waiting.

Yours truly,

A

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The Flute Got Flushed...

I was all excited last week to give the kids a toy flute and harmonica to play with. After all, we are excellent parents providing our offspring with creative, mind enriching toys.

That flute was LOUD. VERY LOUD. It kept getting "lost" on top of the piano and on the highest shelf in the cupboard. Sad, very sad.

However, Bubbalu kept finding it and playing with it. And yes, the flute did get flushed down the toilet last week. It wasn't the ENTIRE flute, just a four inch mouthpiece that makes the remaining pieces of the flute...well...NOT like a flute.

More like a blue stick with holes in it.

And guess what?

It's a Mute Flute.

Yep, completely quiet. He can try and try to make it whistle, but nope, that thing is mute.

And I'm not ONE bit sad about it.

Fast forward a few days to 9:30 pm Saturday night. I'm busily scrubbing down the bathrooms in anticipation of hosting a family BBQ right after church Sunday morning. (What?!? Doesn't EVERYONE scrub their bathrooms at 9:30 on Saturday night? SUCH a life of luxury I lead...)

Scrub the toilet and flip the flush lever. And the toilet is hardly draining. It SLOOOWWWLLLLY finishes flushing and I remember that stupid flute mouthpiece.

Argh.

Which leads to a 9:35 PM Saturday night phone call to my dad, "Uh, Dad, how do you take apart a toilet?"

And what does he say? "I'll be over in five."

Awww, thanks Dad!

Mom came along to witness the fun and helped me finish scrubbing the house. After we made a much needed Dairy Queen run for refreshments we reviewed the pics I'd snapped of the Toilet Flute Incident of 2010:



Dad pointing to the place where they found the flute mouthpiece:



And we've sealed our Classiest Neighbors on the Block status by using our FRONT LAWN as a toilet hosing out location:



Extra fertilizer, right?

I'm just glad it was dark:



After the whole thing was over my husband says to me, "Do you have ANY idea how disgusting it is to pick up poo with your hand?"

UMM.

Did you REALLY just ask me that?

A. You got to wear gloves when you cleaned up poo

B. You got to haul the whole thing out the front door and hose it off. Can't really do that with the kids. Well, I COULD, but that's a little harsh.

C. I'm a Mama with two kids under 3, so yes, I DO KNOW what it's like to clean up poo with my hand...and it happens on an alarmingly frequent basis.

But, I've gotta give him props, he fixed our toilet!

I'm watching Bubbalu like a hawk around the toilet. Especially if he's been playing with musical instruments. I REALLY don't want to have to call my Dad at 9:30 at night explaining that his grandson flushed the harmonica, bongo drum AND maracas down the crapper...

A

** Didja know you can find me HERE on Facebook? True story. Become a fan (or like) and see the latest Vintage Dutch Girl posts in your news feed. Oh, and it'll make my day! **

My Plunger and I Are Going to Be VERY Good Friends...

No no, not because I have malfunctioning bowels. Besides, do you really think I'd BLOG about having intestinal issues? Goodness gracious. That's just disgusting.

Anywho...

Destructo Boy has been VERY busy this week.

That, combined with Lil Chick's new found love of dancing on top of the dining room table while screeching her little lungs out has greatly affected my frequency of blogging.

Oh, you noticed I've been a bit absent?

I'd love to stay and chat but I've got to go and figure out how to get a flushed blue flute mouthpiece out of the toilet.

I'm going to hope that the plunger works some miracle flush-reversal for me.

But you can bet on one thing: If I DO manage to unflush that flute mouthpiece you won't catch ME playing that flute EVER AGAIN.

Nastyness!

Also, I need to pick the remainder of my wall decal off the wall. And yes, that'd be because Destructo Boy thought it would be fun to peel a few necessary pieces off first.

Come to think of it, I haven't found all the parts he peeled off the wall. Wonder if he flushed them too?

Off to plunge...

A

*Didja know you can find me HERE on Facebook? True story. Become a fan (or like) and see the latest Vintage Dutch Girl posts in your news feed. Oh, and it'll make my day :) **

Busy BEIGE Bloggy Break...

Well lookey there, took another bloggy break. Mama's been busy.

Busy painting some walls. Now, don't get all excited about a special color or anything, it's BEIGE. Boring boring BEIGE. I had to paint over the ugly non-flattering brown-red sludge that the "interior designer" picked for our home when it was built. It made the woodwork look orange. Not just a tinge of orange, but IN YOUR FACE orange. I was o-so-happy to get rid of it. Even if it was to paint it BEIGE. Had to make the room ready for our new chocolate brown sectional couch. The family room is coming together nicely. Except for all the BEIGE.

Can you tell I'm not a huge fan of the BEIGE? But it's worlds better than the sludge.

Busy feeding the children. Because they are food disposal professionals. They HAVE to be going through growth spurts because this is crazyness.

Busy cleaning and organizing the home front. Yep, unpleasant, but someone's gotta do it.

Busy building some gates for our yard. You know, a child backyard containment assistance device. The hubby and I have been having fun doing some carpentry. Power tools make me smile. I've got a bunch of projects on my list.

Busy getting the boy allergy tested. Let's just say skin pricking tests aren't Bubbalu's most favorite pastime. Mama and Bubbalu were both exhausted after that appointment. Starting to wonder what shenanigans Bubbalu will be getting into once he's healthier. Note to self: Hide the sharpies in a better location.

Busy helping Bubbalu and Lil Chick make my sister Sallie a birthday video. Not your average Birthday song, but oh well...



OK. The bloggy break is now over, nice to see your lovely faces again...

A

**Didja know you can find me HERE on Facebook? True story. Become a fan (or like) and see the latest Vintage Dutch Girl posts in your news feed. Oh, and it'll make my day :) **

Duplos...

So earlier this week I was on the phone having a deep serious conversation with my dear Mother In Law (whom I love dearly, by the way. Not your typical MIL to daughter-in-law relationship. So when I say having a deep serious conversation with her, that's a GOOD thing! ).

I was roaming about the kitchen and family room picking up things and doing that general tinkering about that most Mama's that I know do when chatting on the phone. Bubbalu and Lil Chick were nicely playing in the living room with the duplos.

I walked around the corner to check on the kids and BURST out laughing...right in the middle of a very intense sentence of Mom's.

This is why I was laughing:



Oh yes he did.

Duplos in the fishtank. WHY? I'm guessing he was thinking, "Well, she never said I COULDN'T throw my duplos into the fish tank, so let's try er out!".

I grabbed the little fish net thingy and was able to get most of them out. Yeah, I said most of them. There are three single duplos that sunk to the bottom that I couldn't get at.

Which is why, if you come over, you might see something like this in our tank:



But hey, at least the fish now have something to play with...

A

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Our New Rule...

We have a new rule in our house. A rule that needs to be repeatedly shouted, oh, about 19 thousand times a day. Our new rule is:


"WE DON'T SIT ON BABIES!!!!"


For some unknown reason (other than the fact that he is a BOY and is feeling quite sick of being cooped up inside all the time), Bubbalu is having a REALLY hard time following this new rule.

Poor Lil Chick. I'll hear a muffled squeak, groan and cry coming from somewhere in the house and I freeze, try to determine the direction from which the muffled sounds are coming from, and sprint to her rescue while screaming our new rule at the top of my lungs.

I try to throw in various decibels and tones to keep Bubbalu on his toes. Also, in an effort to increase the effectiveness of the reminder I put emphasis on different words in the rule each time I yell lovingly and gently say it:

"WE DON'T SIT ON BABIES!!!!"

"WE DON'T SIT ON BABIES!!!!"

"WE DON'T SIT ON BABIES!!!!"

"WE DON'T SIT ON BABIES!!!!"

"WE DON'T SIT ON BABIES!!!!"

Sometimes, I even pull out the Emphasize The Entire Rule strategy:

"WE DON'T SIT ON BABIES!!"

But that one's saved for dire emergencies. For example: When I hear only a teeny tiny squeak and then.....SILENCE. Yep, that's when the Emphasize The Entire Rule strategy works wonders.

Followed up by a reciting of Bubbalu's entire given name with reminders as to what toys and privileges he holds dear and what may happen to those toys and privileges should he fail to acknowledge and obey the aforementioned rule.

I did say she'd have to be a tough, feisty girl. What with FIVE boy cousins and, ya know, a professional BABYSITTER for a brother.

Yeesh, it's been one of those days...

A

***Didja know you can find me HERE on facebook? True story. Become a fan and see the latest Vintage Dutch Girl posts in your news feed. Oh, and it'll make my day :) ***