Gone

The boxes are gone. Or most of them I should say. Yesterday was a beautiful day and the kids and I were outside playing for hours. As I can't just sit outside and do nothing, I decided to attempt to straighten up the garage for the zillionth time.

As I was moving stuff around, a strange compulsion to get rid of the boxes seized me. Next thing I knew, there was a mound of flattened boxes on top of the recycling can and I had a putty knife in hand, the putty knife being the sharpest thing I could find in my child-proofed garage. (fyi- putty knives have no problem slicing through tape and cardboard)

I actually had to stop myself in action as I do still need a few large boxes to hold my stuff for my Mothers of Multiples sale in a few weeks. I even had to find some packaging tape to repair one box in order to hold all the other disgarded boxes.

I am so proud of myself for getting rid of these boxes. I can't wait until after the sale so I can flatten those boxes too. It must be the season as I have been feeling this urge to get rid of things around the house.

I think it also helps that I know my mom has a pile of empty boxes at her house and she generally sends several large packages to us a year. In fact, she was the culprit behind half the boxes I had. I know she is up to the challenge of replenishing my box supply!

Hoarder!

I have a cardboard box addiction. I admit it. It's a really bizarre item to hoard, but I just can't bring myself to toss them in the recycling. My garage has at least three different stacks of boxes with nothing in them. Why am I saving them? I don't honestly know.

*Perhaps this is due to moving 5 times in less than 4 years. It really is a nuisance to start collecting boxes a mere 10-11 months after you just unpacked and got rid of the last lot.

*Or perhaps it is because I have always had a thing for cardboard. My mom will recall the year or so when I was eleven that I "rescued" empty toilet paper rolls. I had a gigantic garbage bag full in my closet before I finally got over the compulsion to save them.

*Or perhaps I feel that I just might need them to store something. Nevermind that we have some 10-15 plastic storage totes in the garage as well and at least 3 are currently empty.

I really can't pinpoint the reason why I can't get rid of these boxes. I do know, however, that something will need to be done with them soon. Jake has commented on the cluttered feel of the garage several times. Thankfully he hasn't investigated yet. I know that as soon as he discovers that the mounds of empty boxes are the problem, they will have to go. As I seem to have a sentimental attachment to them, I would like to be the one to dispose of them. The only way I see fit to do this is to rid of one box each week. At this rate, I should finally be free of empty boxes by July. What are the chances Jake won't put it together before July?!

Spring is on the way!

Ava here! I just had to share how excited we all are that it is finally getting nice outside. It is so fun to go outside and not have to put on all the gear! Carter and I are also super excited because Mom & Dad bought us our own tricycles! Mine is pink and purple and Carter's is red. We love to scoot around on them. We haven't quite figured out how to pedal yet but I bet we'll have it figured out by summer!

Here is Ellie's wish list for her most recent book order. Mom thought it was funny that she wrote down every book and how much they each cost. Ellie is just like Mom because Mommy loves to make lists for everything! It's really funny to listen to Ellie try to negotiate how many books she should get. She thinks she should get every book on the list! Mom keeps telling her that she can get a few but not all. Poor Ellie, she just hasn't mastered those negotiation skills yet. I'll have to teach her some of my tricks!

Hope everyone is enjoying this wonderful weather! We sure are!

Love, Ava

Two Year Old Antics!

A few weeks ago, I told the twins to head upstairs and get into bed for naps. It was quiet upstairs as I finished lunch clean-up so I thought that for once they decided to listen to me. Well, they kind of did. They decided to take a nap in Ellie's Barbie house! Ava took the third floor, which is the bedroom, and Carter took the second level living room. Luckily, I was able to convince them to move to real beds!

Ava also likes to scale the pantry to find something to eat. I have caught her two shelves up a few times. Little monkey!

Carter throwing one of the "throw yourself on the floor and sob hysterically" tantrums.

Catching Up

I haven't updated the blog as frequently as I'd have liked to lately. I wish I could say this was due to the fact that we've been incredibly busy, but that would be a lie. It is more due to my lack of motivation to do anything that doesn't involve sitting on the couch and reading a book. I will have to post my January reading list with number of pages read but I'm guessing I read at least 10 books and around 4,000 pages. Too bad I can't get paid for reading as I think I could make a fortune!

I have received various feedback regarding using the blog as an outlet for my wit. Luckily for anyone who reads this, I have decided to disregard all opinions that are not in line with my own and will continue to make witty and hilarious posts. Of course I will continue to post pictures and news of the kids, but as I am the center and foundation of this family (I'm modest, I know), I will also be posting more about my thoughts on life in general. My inspiration for this came from this blog. This lady cracks me up and I check daily to see if she has posted anything new. If you check out her site, read her "best of" selections. I was actually in tears one night, they were that funny!

As far as what's new around here: not too much. Ellie did get Student of the Month for February! That was exciting, although the award was for cooperation. I didn't know she had it in her to cooperate, but I guess school is a whole different world. She also had an awesome report card, so we are pleased with all her success. Ava and Carter are talking more and more each day. Some of the things they say are quite humorous. I will have to decide if some of it can be repeated in the cyber world. They are both also showing more interest in the potty and enjoy running around naked and then using the potty when they have to go. I think if I actually focused and made the decision to go ahead with it, I could get them trained. Maybe this coming weekend as Ellie has a four day break and we can stay home and make a go of it. That's it from this camp for now.

Photographic Evidence

I feel it necessary to post evidence that I do actually take the children outside on my own and without prompting. I'm under the impression that I've gotten a reputation for hating the outdoors so here is proof that I will take my kids out without another adult telling me to or the kids begging. If that doesn't get me nominated for Mother of the Year, I don't know what will!

I also love this series of photos for the posing. They are in reverse order but that first (bottom photo) was Ellie giving a thumbs up, the middle one Carter also had to do a thumbs up, and the top and last photo finally got Ava looking at the camera!

The Trials and Tribulations of a Stay at Home Mom

Ahhh, my subject title would be an excellent name for a book. Perhaps a book I shall write when I one day have the time. I have been thinking about blogging certain topics for quite a while. In fact, I even have a new direction I'd like the blog to go. (More about me and my sardonic sense of humor, about the same amount of info on the kids) But alas, I just can't find the time to get the posts I write from my head to the computer. You'd think that as a stay-at-home mom, I would have all the time in the world, but that is where you are wrong. There really is so much more to staying home than just caring for and playing with the kids. There are studies out there that estimate the worth of a stay-at-home parent at over $100,000, largely due to all the hats worn by this one person. Nanny, cook, maid, laundress, chauffeur, and so on and on and on. Add to this the fact that every now and then, I'd just like to take a day off since I "work" 24/7 and you can see why things don't get done around here.

As I write this, I see two loads of laundry to get folded, one to get moved to the dryer, and at least three more to get washed. Add to this a dishwasher that needs to be emptied and reloaded, toys all over the living room floor, one bed stripped and in need of new sheets, three other beds that haven't even been made in days and you can see where I might feel daunted by all these tasks! So rather than be productive during naptime and actually get this things done, I read books. I have this great philosophy of "why do today, what I can put off until tomorrow or even next week." It's really working for me. I feel so much more relaxed in life! Who cares if Jake doesn't have clean socks to wear tomorrow? He can pick some up off the laundry room floor and get two uses out of them. Ellie doesn't have sheets on her bed? Ah, that's what all those blankets are for. Just wrap up in them. This mama doesn't have time for the trivial things in life! I'm all about relaxation!

I will try to post in the next few days about my inspiration for the new blog direction. At this moment in time, I have two kids in the tub who are cold and a basket full of laundry to push out of my way to get to them. I suppose I'll just fold that tomorrow.....