Classy Curls

Chilli bean has spent the past few days in a tutu.

She actually slept in two (going for the layered look) last night. Nothin' cuter than Chilli in some footed jammies and a tutu.

Brent however was a bit confused when he heard her up around 4 o'clock in the morning and found a fluffy, pink tutu-clad munchkin whining on the stairs.

Tonight when I tucked wrestled all of them into their beds, Chilli insisted upon sleeping in tap shoes.

Because that is comfortable...and totally normal.

But going back to the tutu... today's version was a tutu-leotard combo. She switched out the footwear a couple of times... even topping it off with an ahem... coordinating hat.

I'd like to say that I'm just super laid back and want my children to dress in whatever way they feel comfortable... that I just want them to express themselves through their clothing choices and feel free to be the fun and spunky kids that God made them to be.

Yes, I'd like to say that...but, the truth is... I'm really just too tired to do anything about their very "special" clothing choices.

Consequently, scenes like this are common in my life:

Yes, that's my child...

in a tutu leotard...

without shoes...

standing on a skeeball ramp...

dancing...

at dinner tonight.



We are so classy.

Maranda

I don't mean to brag, but I am one fine tooth puller

My house is in a state of utter chaos and I desperately need to give it some attention.

So naturally, I thought I would blog.

The truth is, I'm trying to get my bloggy groove back and figured I better not let another day pass without posting, lest I slip once again into oblivion.

Unfortunately, I have little to report today except that Sassy lost her second tooth. She was whining on the way home from the park, uttering dramatic ultimatums such as, "If my tooth doesn't come out when we get home, then I'm not eating dinner! I probably won't ever eat again!"

Not wanting her to waste away, I pulled the tooth.

Now, I hear that some people "don't do teeth"... like it gives them the pee shivers. I however am not grossed out by teeth and fancy myself to be a pretty stellar tooth puller.

I'm two for two in case you want to know my stats.

Within ten minutes of having it pulled, the tooth was missing again. I think she took it into the playroom to show a sibling and set it down somewhere.

Awesome.

I just hope I find it before Banjo does.

Maranda

P.S. What is the "tooth fairy's" obligation under these circumstances?

DeeDee Spangler Photography

Deedee Spangler loves my kids.

Deedee watches my kids... like all 4 of them... at the same time.

Deedee is a photographer.

Deedee is a great photographer.

Deedee is only 16!

We won a photo contest she had which entitled us to a free photo session. I posted these photos from the shoot on my facebook page a while back, but they are worth sharing again. Check out her page HERE and keep her in mind for your holiday family photos. She'll hook you up!

 

Maranda

Baby floor buffet

The little Banjo man is a busy critter.

If I leave the stair gate open for a millisecond, he's climbing like a Sherpa... truly, it is almost as if he he has radar for my forgetfulness in closing it.

He also has a freaky sixth sense for seeking out little pieces of rubbish on the floor. If I wasn't worried about his health, I'd be happy that he was doing his part to keep the floors debris-free. Lord knows I am not doing a very good job of it! Sadly, it was a telling moment when I found tinsel from Abi's Halloween costume in his poopy diaper the other day.

Perhaps it's time for a vacuum.

The dog food and water are particularly appealing to him lately. Also the big kids are really into Legos right now, so there is always a choking hazard to be found in the playroom. Seriously, it's a full time job keeping him from eating crap.

Here's what's weird though: the dude will not eat baby food... or really any thing that I intentionally feed him. There are a few exceptions... he likes yogurt and will occasionally eat baby food carrots or pears... but pretty much he's a hater of solid food.

I'm thinking that perhaps I should just throw the baby food on the floor. Kinda like a baby floor buffet: Cheerios, Lego man head, glitter bead, carrots, dog kibble, pears, yogurt blob, Halloween tinsel.

Like The Golden Coral - only Banjo-style.

Mmmmm.... delicious.

Maranda

Thank you old lady at Aldi

While shopping wrangling kids at Aldi today I was approached by an older woman who said the phrase I knew she'd utter the moment I saw her look our way: "Oh, they grow up so fast. Enjoy it!"

The blog on this subject has already been written by someone far more articulate than me... so I don't need to revisit it, but I was particularly annoyed for some reason today. The thing is, I really do try to cherish these years... but as I held one whining, jello-legged child by the arm while simultaneously attempting to keep the other from knocking jars of pickles off the shelves, with one strapped to my body in a carrier, I wasn't exactly treasuring the moment.

However, I was convicted later this evening as I exhaustedly did the bedtime routine solo...

I was tired...

I was not carpe dieming the moment for sure...

but it was a moment worth cherishing....

And I'm glad I didn't miss it.

Maranda

Enchanted Forest

I haven't worked out in several days weeks months years.

Seriously, I have taken quite the hiatus from such strenuous behavior.

However, I may have broken the cycle of slothfulness.

I walked/ran for 35 whole minutes this week!

This is huge. Especially because I have plans to do it again... Granted, I also had plans to blog more frequently. So, based on this equation, I will be working out again some time around Christmas.

People, do you know what happens when you work out? This strange liquid seeps out of your pores and you get smelly and stinky and really wet! I think they call it sweat.

Like I said, it's been a while since I have exerted myself for a sustained amount of time, but I don't remember sweating in such volume. I am more the type to glisten glow boil on the inside and just turn a lovely shade of red.

Well, I may have just been doing some piddly walk/running but it was hot outside and consequently I did some serious sweating. (Sidebar: is the past tense of sweat, swat?)

This would have been fine if I was just going home after my work out. However, I was scheduled to read to my daughter's kindergarten class.

Desperate, I decided to go to Target to buy a new shirt. At least it would be dry and might provide a clean barrier to protect kids who approached me for a hug.

So I took my sweaty self on down to the Tar-jay and found me a shirt.

But I also saw some cute jeggings.

Now, I know what you are thinking: Maranda... just get the shirt and get your stinky self out of Target.

But no... this would not do... I determined that because I was finally at a store without my children I must try on some jeggings. Never mind that I was sweaty, hot, and red (not to be confused with red hot, or smokin' hot which I most definitely was not).

So off to the dressing room I went - all sweaty and stank - to squeeze into some skinny jeans. Because after my intense 35 minute work out, skinny jeans are now on the table again.

Trust me, it didn't end well. For me or the jeggings.

Dejected, I peeled those suckers off and whispered an apology to the person who would inevitably buy them. I then worked my way back into my smelly, moist (shudder) work out clothes and in doing so, got a big whiff of myself which solidified my plan to stop by the deodorant isle.

While in the deodorant isle... I realized that the situation I was dealing with was going to require more than just some Secret Solid. I wondered, is there a perfume section at Target? Because how would I know? After all, this was seriously the first time in like 6 years I had been at Target without children and I can assure you, I didn't take them down any perfume isle. Ain't nobody got time for that.

So, I confess... I went in search for a body spray sampler.

Now you know my shame.

I finally stumbled upon it and was happy to find what I thought to be a fairly neutral option - Baby Powder. After a few sideways glances to insure no one was observing me, I gave myself three full spritzes.

It was then that I noticed that this wasn't baby powder scent...

Somehow, I had picked up "Enchanted Forest"

Enchanted Forest, in case you are wondering, is not a neutral scent.

I guess this was my consequence for sleazing body spray from the local Target.

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.

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In other news...

We gave Sassy two little hamsters for her 6th birthday.

Feel sorry for me.

Scratch that. Feel sorry for them.

Maranda

Lately

I think my kids are funny.

Obviously, I'm biased. But come on...

Wearing pants on your head? That's funny stuff... I don't care who you are. 

Truly, they make me laugh constantly. Well, at least when they aren't making me cry. :)

Case in point, I found Chilli tidying up a mess of crushed goldfish crackers on the living room floor... in this, ahem, manner:

But who doesn't enjoy a good cleaning whist wearing nothing but one's Easter Sandals and a bow in one's hair. 

This same day I found 81 "selfies"of the child on my phone. 

 No, I'm not exaggerating. 81.

Vain much?

Sassy, ever the project master, has been making costumes for her siblings. This morning they were playing hospital and Chilli toddled out of the play room in this little number.

 According to her, she and the rabbit are apparently "nurseries" ... not to be confused with "nurses".

In other recent Sassy creations, she drew this for me the other day.

What? You can't tell what that is? Really, come on? 

It is obviously a dog turd on our green and white striped rug. 

Yes friends, this is how she informed me that the dog had done her business in our house. 

Gross... yet, strangely effective.

Maranda

Piggy

Sassy has been in project mode. Thank you Sprout ipad app.

Honestly, I love it... but the urgent need to create immediately upon viewing Noodle and Doodle does make me slightly insane.

Sassy: Mommy. I want to make a dream catcher... All I need is some netting, paper plates, feathers, pipe cleaners, string, a hole punch, a stapler, glue and colored tissue paper.

Me: Is that all.

Seriously, the child hounded me for 3 solid days for a milk jug.

We had just returned from the beach. There was not a drop of milk in the house - much less a milk container. A grocery store trip was desperately needed but I was so overwhelmed by the magnitude of the shopping list that I couldn't muster the courage and stamina required for such an undertaking.

Consequently, my kids ate peanut butter quesadillas and dry cereal for dinner for a couple of nights, because weren't you listening?... no milk in the house.

Anyway, after I finally managed to drag myself to the grocery for what was an epic trip involving two carts... We eventually had a milk carton for the piggy bank project she'd been obsessed with.

I have to admit... it is kinda cute.

My favorite part - the pig has paws.

Clearly we are not familiar with the concept of hooves.

She informed me that since she now has the piggy bank, she will no longer have any use for her small coin purse wallet which she never rarely remembers to bring with her on shopping excursions. So, if you see a kid toting around a big plastic pig at the store, she probably belongs to me.

Maranda

Hello Again.

Since it has been practically an eon since I last blogged, I will summarize a few of the highlights from the past few months in list format below:

1. I had a baby.

We call him Banjo... thanks to the Social Security office.

2. Sleep deprivation set in. 

We all got a bit grumpy.

This is Mr. Jenkins demonstrating how I feel when trying to function on tiny slivers of sleep. I think in this particular photo he may be revolting over something earth-shattering such as the unacceptable shape of the ketchup on his plate.

My children are extremely rational and reasonable creatures.

Even the primary source of sleep deprivation had a few grumpy moments. Um... are 2 month olds supposed to know how to scowl like that!?

3. We tried to do some fun family outings in the midst of a busy season.

Hiking in North Georgia

Trip to the Zoo

 Mr. Jenkins informed us that his favorite animals at the zoo were the "mangos".

Chilli asked to get out of the stroller at one point, and her place was quickly taken by a lazy 5 year old. Despite negotiations with the 5 year old, she was not able to regain her seat.

It worked out okay for Chilli in the end...

However, not so much for daddy.

4. We celebrated the resurrection of Christ.

We made some resurrection rolls.

 Which was a pretty good idea...

 ...But also a fairly epic fail on my part since they exploded in the baking process. 

Also, I'm pretty sure Chilli ate all of her Jesuses.

 But a few were salvageable enough to resemble the empty tomb.

There were many eggs and bunnies around our home during the weeks leading up to Easter.
We dyed eggs, we painted eggs, we cut out egg shapes and taped them on doors and mantles...we attached them to our scraggly hair.

There must not have been enough bunnies for Sassy's liking because she started making bunny masks for her non-bunny stuffed animals. 

Pictured here, Furby and Purple Kitty... bunny-style.

5. Brent, Banjo and I went to Chicago to run our sports ministry conference.

 Banjo was quite the office assistant.

6. Brent is running ropes courses and preparing for summer camp like a crazy man. 

Along with a team from Signature Research, he built this beast earlier this spring. It is called a Teams or "Tec" Course.

7.  The kids and I, along with my mom, dad, sister, soon-to-be-brother-in-law, and grandfather are currently at the Beach. 

It is Glo.ri.ous.

Well...Except for the fact that Brent isn't here. It was just too hard for him to get away with all the camp preparations and staff training that takes place this time of year.  I truly miss him terribly.

But we are trying to find a way to soldier on without him.

I promise I'll try to get back on the blog wagon and post more often.

Maranda