Neigh

"Mom! Do you like my horse?" -Topher, getting creative with playdoh.

Done With Winter

We gathered at our back windows on Monday and watched as crazy snow flurries fell. We were all surprised at how much was coming down. Topher looked shocked, then he said in his most encouraging voice, "Come on spring! You can do it!"

I think maybe we all need a little pep talk sometimes, even spring.

I took this just as the snow started in earnest.

Brain Pop

My brain is exhausted and not really functioning at the moment. I can't quite figure out if it's not working at full capacity because:

• I'm completely exhausted (this is true).
• I'm hungry (also possibly true).
• I've continued to live in a pandemic at home with all my people while the majority of the world around us goes back to normal and my brain is overwhelmed by two years and counting of this (definitely true).
• I have an autoimmune disorder where my body is trying to kill my thyroid and one of the symptoms is brain fog, sometimes (this is true too, though I've never written about it on the blog before).
• I've spent the day/week/month/year listening to my kids explain/complain about everything that pops into their heads and by the evening I just can't form coherent thoughts anymore (truuuuue).

Huh, I guess it's not so surprising that my brain isn't performing as I think it should. I think I'll go have a snack...and maybe a nap.

It's Epic

Sometimes the kids get really excited about oddly shaped food. Last week Peter found a few quadruple (four pieces stuck together) frosted mini-wheats and saved them in a Ziploc bag. I found them on his desk later. Periodically the kids will ask to borrow my phone so they can document the cool food they find. Last week I came downstairs after bedtime and found this chip and note. I decided to be proactive and took the picture before anyone could ask.

I had no idea a chip could be epic.

Now I know.

Material Needed

Cooper: Mom, I've noticed most of your blog posts recently are about Topher.

Me: Yup. If you guys let me take more pictures of you, you'll be on the blog more too.

Plant the Seed, Round Two

Driving Lessons

Great Grammar

Peter wore this shirt yesterday. When Topher saw it, he stopped what he was doing, pointed at the picture on it, and said, "I want one of those. Mom, can you make some?"

Bunked

Bryan spent his Saturday putting together bunkbeds for the girls. It was time well spent. As you can see from the pictures below, the girls LOVE them. Sophie loves her fort on the bottom bunk and Phoebe loves her loft on the top bunk. Bonus, their room feels a lot more open now.

Close Ups

Out of Sync

Changing from Standard Time to Daylight Savings (and back again) is always tricky. I know I've felt extra tired this week as I've tried to adjust. Dinner hasn't been ready on time for the past several days, in part because we've been playing outside instead of making dinner, but also due to the fact that no one is hungry when the clock says we should eat.

Those things are nothing compared to poor Topher. He's had several meltdowns this week, including multiple emotion explosions just yesterday. I knew he was tired in the morning and was thankful when he took a long nap. Usually a solid nap carries him through until bedtime, but this one didn't quite make it. He was hysterical through most of the bath/bedtime routine. Bryan and I stayed pretty calm, which is a feat when a wiry three-year-old is trying his best to smack you, well, anywhere.

Here's to hoping that Topher is able to adjust to the new schedule sooner than later.

In Like a Lion, Out Like Summer Vacation

On Saturday we got several inches of snow:

Yesterday it was warm enough for popsicles.

March weather is wacky.

Plant the Seed

Having our own yard means having our own garden! Topher and Sophie helped me start some seeds yesterday. I didn't take many pictures because this activity required close attention from me so those peat pellets didn't wander off. Also, watering cans (and the water they hold) are apparently magically attracted to little hands. Who knew?

Catching Up

It was pointed out to me recently that I don't sleep enough and that it's having a negative impact on my health. I did know this already, but I guess I needed to hear it again. That's why, on this weekend when we lost an hour of sleep, I went to bed early on Saturday night and took a nap on Sunday afternoon.

Maybe I'll do that again someday.

Let's Go for a Ride

Many Hands

Super Topher

It Comes In Many Pieces

Bryan took not one, but two epically long trips to Ikea last weekend. After he and I spent hours curating a list of items for him to purchase, he and Peter drove well over an hour on Friday afternoon only to discover that the app gave false information and many of the things we wanted weren't there. He discovered that an Ikea in the opposite direction not only had the stuff we were looking for, but also offered curbside pickup. On Saturday he ordered everything, then spent even longer in the car than he had the day before to get it. He was exhausted, but we're thankful for his sacrifice.

While he was there, Bryan picked up a few fun treats for the kids. On Saturday morning, before his second Ikea quest, he gathered the kids together in the kitchen and the following conversation took place.

Bryan: (holding up a bag of Swedish candy) I got some special Ikea candy to share with you.

Peter: Oh, do we have to assemble it ourselves?

All the rest of us: (stifled giggles while we try to keep listening to Bryan)

The candy came pre-assembled, but the furniture did not. Peter and I are working our way through the boxes...

Returned

I've got a backlog of books that I've been listening to recently. I've burned through a few series (Phoebe wanted new recommendations, so I tried them out first), read an excellent book about personal revelation, and am looking forward to those in my queue. I always love adding another title to my ever growing list of books.

Something I don't love? Dedicating time to a book and having to stop partway. Usually I have a good sense if a book is going to cross my appropriateness threshold soon after I start reading. Occasionally one slips through. Last night I had to stop reading a book after I was more than halfway through. And I was annoyed. I didn't think the story was well served by the addition of material that made me blush and say out loud, "Nope" while I returned it to the library. I'm mostly annoyed that I gave almost three hours (listening to the book at double speed) to a book that I'm not going to finish. But I'd rather return it than add that kind of material to my brain.

Oh well, on to the next one.

In Your Dreams

One night this week Cooper was upstairs in his room after Topher had been tucked into bed. Cooper heard someone walking around so he got up to check who it was. He saw Topher, sitting in front of his open door but behind his closed gate. That's when the following exchange took place.

Cooper: Buddy, why are you awake?

Topher: No, I'm just dreaming.

Wacky Wednesday

We had a low-key celebration for Dr. Seuss' birthday. It was so low-key that it basically just consisted of reading/watching his books and passing around a tall white and red hat. But something is better than nothing, right?

Mr. Independence

We are officially in the I-will-do-everything-for-myself-or-else-I will-go-pout-or-throw-a-tantrum stage.

It's exciting.

Tree Time