All I Want for Christmas......

...is for Luke's diarrhea to take a hike.

Poor lil' bum..(and little thighs). It's too bad it doesn't take a break at night. Is there a cure-all for this that I don't know about?

Sorry, does this constitute as something that should be left unsaid?

Back to My First Love

Last night I took a break from blogging (gasp!!!) to go back to My First Love.


A scrapbooking comrade of mine joined me after the kids were in bed and here are my finished products, minus the journaling that I need to do today.

What Christmas song am I most like???

I found this over at Petersonpress and thought it was really fun.

If I was a Christmas song I would be "Let it Snow." And this is why...

Maybe you enjoy all of the year's holidays, but there's just something about this time of year… Even if Mother Nature cheats you out of a White Christmas, you know how to make the most of the season — whether with loved ones or strangers you meet along the way.As much as you might like to bundle up and romp outdoors (added by me-I USED to like to do that), you also enjoy kicking back to bask in the glow of the season — or maybe the glow of a dozen strings of lights in your living room (Exactly.) You, more than others, really know how to feel cozy. And for someone who enjoys curling up by a fire (how did you know?), warming a cup of cocoa, or snuggling down with a classic Christmas movie, there's no better theme song. So just remember: If the weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful, and if you've no place to go, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

Try it out and let me know which song you are.

Thankful Thursday

1. Aveda's Rosemary Mint line
2. Tator Tot Hotdish ;)
3. Sleeping in until 7:30...Wo!
4. Indoor play gyms during Winter months
5. I'm going with Kim on this one-a good pea coat, mine is black.
6. EVOO-for your food and hydrating your body
7. Giggling babies
8. When Oli hums to me in the rocking chair
9. My husband's cold ears after he comes in from outside
10. Prayer

Mario and Luigi's Quest to Save Lunch

It's one of those bizarre days. I'm talking about the days that you know your husband won't be making his entrance at his usual 4:30-5 timeslot, so you not only work your entire dayshift by yourself, as usual, but then work the nightshift solo too.

So on these "special" days...."special" as in "Everyone will be happy and at ease without daddy if the day is carefully planned out" kind of special....I try and do abnormal things. Some of these abnormalities include: All play and no work when it comes to house cleaning, trips to the our friendly Mega Store after everyone's pm naps, and....Tator Tot Hotdish.

This delectible and Oh-so-Mouthwatering meal is a favorite of mine and the kids too. So, we make a big batch of it when he's gone and eat it for lunch AND dinner.

Without assessing the ingredient situation, I started browning the hamburger but then remembered that our oven went on the brink. Oops, pausing for a nano second. That's ok, I'll make my own, "Simmer version."

As I went to grab some milk, I stood staring. Shoot. No milk. Something that is on our list for the Mega Store this afternoon. Well, heavy whipping cream will work.

After adding the rest of the ingredients I was ready for the Tator Tots. Right? Because we are making Tator Tot Hotdish.

Nope.

Nothing.

Now, I hope this doesn't change my friendship with all of you. You do realize my circumstances right? Two babies drinking bottles in their carseats while our 3 year old is painting at the counter and our little man is running around pushing his basketball in the baby stroller. And it is one of those weird days, did I mention that?

Well, the hashbrowns that we had crisped up quite nicely and were a perfect stand in for the Tators.

A success! Finished. Let's Eat!

As I was savoring each and every bite of our meal, watching the kids "Mmmmm" through it all...I couldn't help but picture myself as Mario or Luigi running through a little Mommy-world dodging numerous Warios, Troopas, and Bullet Bills.

Well, I saved her y'all...Princess Peach that is.

And our Tator Tot Hotdish.

Ok, Who are You?

Alright, whoever you are...Mrs. I-mop-my-floor-EVERY-SINGLE-DAY, you just shattered my contentment of having an imperfect "so fresh and so clean" kitchen.

Please reveal yourself.
(I'd love to have you as a guest host here on 4under3. Us stay at home moms could revel in your glory.)

I'm trying to convince myself that you have no children because we all know the amount of time our pre-kindergarten children require of us. But now I am scratching my head because if you have no children, what is making your floor so dirty?

Mucho Marvelous Yet Again.....

(Written by the Mucho Macho..I mean, Marvelous himself.)
Rarely will I post on this thing people call a "blog"...with make believe friends. (If you can't grill and ski with them, then they are not real.) But today is a special occasion. I am officially into the Fantasy Football semi-finals. The 124 points scored this week is an all-time high for our league and I now have a man-crush on Tom Brady. I won't say how much money I will be awarded because it doesn't matter. I do it for the love of the game. I love a few things outside of Jesus and family. Fantasy Football is one of them....and my wife knows this. Every Sunday after church she tries to let me watch football...but by the end of the second game she ever-so-gently tells me all she has done for me and what I NOW NEED to do for her. I love her!

(updated on Monday at 3:07p. To all my REAL blogging friends-With you, my days amongst little people are a tad bit spicier. I guess my husband doesn't understand the "quiet ramblings of the mind," yet. But he does know who the Blockbuster football players are. Booyah!)

Sunday Morning Mental Note

(Norah)

(Hazel)

Never try to skip the shortened morning naps before church when dealing with babies built on a firm "Babywise" foundation. No matter how great of a job they are doing playing on the floor...their lack of a shortened morning nap before church WILL catch up with them. This causing two very, very, very tired, sad, and tear stained babies along with a quite loud and crazy house during the "exiting portion" of the morning.

Our Little Snow Bunny

Since Mitch and I have been married we've shared the love of downhill skiing together....well, when I wasn't pregnant we went together. Which now that I think of it has only been 2 winters of our 4 years together. And, ever since J was born we have longed for the day we could take our children skiing with us.

Today was that day!

With size 3 Spyder socks, toe clips and a youth ski harness in hand, J and daddy hit the slopes. I wanted to go soooo bad, but didn't think the chalet would be a toddler/infant-friendly place for 4 hours. We didn't really know what to expect...and both knew that no expectations going into it would be the best. Well, she had a blast and wants to go back. Yea!

(She was "out" 2 minutes into the ride home while holding a half eaten granola bar in one hand.)

Egg Nog without the Egg

We only have this in the frig for Mitch...but J kept asking to try a sip. Being a non-egg nog drinker, I tried to convince her that it was "Oh-so-nasty"....if you remember that from a previous post of mine. I guess her 'buds' beg to differ. This is now a new favorite of Julia's.

Trial and Error

In case you're wondering how much fun is involved in bundling up
4 children under 3.2 and going outside together to make fabulous memories in the snow......there's none!

(J turning her back on me with her arms crossed)


(Oli begging me to unwrap the blue tape from the mitten that is covering his "favorite thumb."

(Geneva and Layla had just as much spirit as their older siblings.) gah....

Thankful Thursday

1. The beauty of a serious downpouring of snow
2. Heated Seats
3. My MOPs girls
4. In knowing that there will be a day when someone will want to watch all 4 of our children at the same time
5. Balmex
6. Rocking chairs and snuggly babies
7. That Jaclyn and Oliver love to play together every minute they can
8. A good haircut
9. Christmas choirs
10. My hard-shoveling husband

Ring Around the Rosy

We have 2 poles in our basement...

that the kids LOVE twirling around....

(notice our little "ear fettish" girl?)



...we all fall down!

My husband is Mucho Marvelous

Yesterday was "My husband is Mucho Marvelous" Monday. Now, don't get me wrong, my husband is mucho marvelous every day, all day long, like yours I'm sure. Well...except on those days when he is slightly marvelous...without the mucho.

You know, like when we're in bed and he rolls over, pulling my covers out from being so neatly tucked in at my foot of the bed. Or, when he gets over zealous while filling the dishwasher, craming dishes above and beyond the load limit causing the "spinner thing" to never make a full turn the entire 2 hours and 18 minutes that it is running. Which leaves every dish in need of a second cycle. But that's not what I came to say. I came to you to talk about My Mucho Marvelous Husband.

Yesterday we had a big date. My mom came to watch the kids over night while we went out frolicking around like fools-in-love.

After a much needed marvelous 1-on-1 adult conversation during our drive to the cities that included how great he thought I was as a mother (go ahead, say it..."awwww.")...we walked around the MOA looking for a couple pre-Christmas gifts for ourselves. Oh I miss that place!!! And tell me the truth. How many of you out there have this same problem I have, which I NEVER had in college. Who feels like you would be ridding your family of bare necessities like food in their tummy if you bought YOURSELF something? I mean, a $20 dark olive vest is not a 4 letter word, right? Well, I have this problem with spending money on myself when I am by myself...BUT, if my husband is with and gives me the go-ahead...it's like Christmas morning. I love that he wanted to take me shopping. Isn't he so marvelous!

Then we met some friends of ours at a cute, overcrowded restaurant in Dinkytown for a little pregame supper before the "Goph's" kicked NDSU nearly back home. It was a marvelous yet bittersweet win for us 4 since we're all big fans of the Bison's starting point guard Ben Woodside who grew up in a neighboring town of ours.

All in all, the day was a blast. We felt like we were single again...married but pre-children that is. But ohhhh did it feel good to get home and check on 4 little pumpkins who were fast asleep, digging my nose in 4 little cheeks and giving 4 little good night kisses. Mmmmmmm!