another day, another update.

took some time off, or rather, was forced to take time off due to illness.  first jack (the host), then dylan (victim #1), then ben (victim #2) and lastly, moi (victim #3).  we are all better now, not a trace of nose dribble and all antibiotics have been consumed.  i spent the day cloroxing-windexing-pledging, basically, if it was in my cupboard and had a lemon scent, it was used.  even opened some windows, was in the middle of vacuuming the floors, and then it all came to a stop.

you know those time when you are just cursing your significant other for something they continually do (like, why am i even surprised i'm mad... they just DO this...)  well, for me, it's ben's clothes on the floor on his side of the bed.  i watch this pile grow by the day, he adds to it every night for a week, just a pile of dirty work shirts, balled up socks, jammies that have been worn for an hour (oh, he'd be thrilled with me calling his sweatpants and t-shirts "jammies"), maybe 2-3 hoodies.  and every time i tell myself i'm on mound-o-clothes strike, i swoop in and do it.  it's ridiculous.  it'd be one thing if i didn't have to go on his side of the bed, which i don't, but when i walk out of our bathroom, it's the first thing i notice.  gah!  or ladies, how 'bout this, my personal unfavorite: the toilet paper roll.  is it really that hard?  c'mon.  

ok, so i came across a huge thorn today only, it wasn't ben.  it wasn't the kids.  it was ALL me.  long brown hairs.  snippets of colorful thread.  long and twisted, wrapped around in the vacuum thingy, like, a bajillion times.  and, who's to blame?  ME.  same person that clogs the shower drain with balls of gooey shampoo-conditioned hair.  so, as i'm crouched down on all fours, in the middle of the hallway, tiny scissors in hand, dylan eating who-knows-how-many goldfish just to keep her quiet for a sec and jackie a millimeter away from my face asking whassat-what doin-whassat-what doin until i felt like i was gonna lose it.  damn me.  so being this up close and personal with my dear dyson, i realize that i have yet to clean her filters.  ever.  (yes, she's a she.  we work together several times a week and only a female would put up with that much use and abuse.)  an hour later, her filters were pulled, rinsed thoroughly, and the instructions inform me to perform this every 3 months.  i really don't like that sort of pressure.  i'll get to it when i get to it.  (or the next time i'm clipping hairs and thread from the roller-thingy, more likely.) 

40/40 update?  we're donating a desk that is not practical, takes up way to much room, you can't put a computer on it, filing is very limited, and there are no spaces to neatly pass cords through.  so with anticipation of its removal, i went through all our files and tossed old papers.  yowza.  threw away old non-working markers and highliters, tossed some stretched out rubber bands and bent tacks.  i did find a new desk, but i've been urged to hold off until the other one is out of our hands.  i can hardly contain myself.  (isn't it silly what we get excited about these days?  furniture?  really?  YES.)  

the only other check off i've completed is going through my books.  i'm usually pretty good about turning books back in to titlewave for credit, but i likely have not done that since pre-dylan.  bringing kids into bookstores, well, any store really without shopping carts, just doesn't happen too often these days.  so, i was able to pilfer through my collection and end up with two target bags full of hardcovers and paperbacks.  titlewave, i'll be seeing you soon...

we are down to just 24 days, people.  time to kickstart this party - who's bringing me a daily jolt of java?  

  

the fountains

we spent our last full day in cali, playing at the fountains.  again, we were blessed with gorgeous cerulean skies, presenting yet another perfect opp for some photos of kids, no?

at the end of the day, uncle jeff invited jackie in the garage to work on a project.  i had no idea what those two were up to, but i did know jack was really missing his garage time with his father.  this was THE perfect way to end our vacation.  i only wish i would have been invited too - to snap a few pictures of the work in progress.  look how proud they both are!  to you and me, this is a bird house, but to jack miebs, this is a garage for micro machines.  remember those teeny tiny cars and trucks from the nineties?  (thank you, marky, for having them!)  they provided hours of entertainment for my dear boy.

times two

you ever have to step back and think, ok, when was my last shower?  or did i brush my teeth this morning or was that yesterday morning?  or you stop and count on your two hands how many hours of sleep you've had in the last 72 hours?  or how 'bout this one:  the snot on two certain parts of your body is not your own?  (insert nursing baby...)  so for me, my answers go: 2 days ago (i think); yesterday, for sure; 9; and yes, guilty.

my weeks usually go by at normal speed, sometimes i'm amazed that the weekend is only a sleep away.  but this week?  wednesday came, and i was like, what?!  it's only wednesday?!  my poor babies. dylan spent wednesday night developing a very similar cough to her brother's.  then, the fever hit in the middle of the night.  panicked at seeing (another!) 102.1 temperature on such a little being, i had to count to ten (ok, 20).  i'd like to say that after a dropper full of tylenol, she went to back to sleep.  but, little miss needed extra cuddles (like, a few hours) and a little less jammies.  cool wash cloth, more feeding and snuggles, an episode of jersey shore, and she snoozed until nine a.m.  my wonderful doctor was able to squeeze yet another child of mine in and informed us that the walker had an ear infection.  now, jack never had an ear infection until a month ago.  but, he was able to tell me exactly "mama, my ear huwts, need medicine frum doctow."  simple.  done.  but her?  i wouldn't have guessed it.  now i know why all my girlfriends can't say enough bad things about the ol' ear infection.  because you know what?  it's a bitch.  truly.  they can't lay down which makes sleeping interesting (see: nonexistent).  the irritability?  atrocious.  and forget about having any patience.  what would normally cause no reaction is now causing uncontrollable crying, pathetic whimpering, constant moaning and this hilarious (albeit ridiculous) throwing herself onto her back, usually smacking her head pretty nicely, adding to even more frustration.  just silly.  what normally gets smiles, coos and baby chatter, now gets blank stares from her red-rimmed eyes.  her raspy voice replaced her sweet, squealer girly sound.  and let's not forget, the drippy faucet nose.  the only good thing out of this, she's pretty dang cute for a sickly little thing.   

a very concentrated mouth-breather

ridiculously sweet

sacramento zoo

can you tell we love zoos?  they're really the perfect place for kids to get out energy (always my first priority with jack), enjoy themselves, learn a little something and burn some calories.  the sacramento zoo is tucked away in the cutest little neighborhood.  there is a train for parents and their bubbas, a beautiful carousel, a station for up close and personal giraffe feedings, wide walking paths so you can easily navigate around the slow pokes and a really super fun playground - adjacent to the bathrooms - right on the way out.  we picked the perfect day to visit, too.  definitely the nicest day of our whole stay.  what a blessing.  

jack says cheese

blowin kisses bye-bye

 baby connor

 waving, what a sweet boy.

 love her!

 good shot, gramma!  you know junie was feelin left out!

 peek!  there she is!

 my little butterfly

not 5 minutes after leaving...