How To Give a Cat a Bath

Do you ever feel like getting your kids to bed is about as frustrating as trying to give a cat a bath?  Not that I've ever attempted such a thing...but my goodness, why does bedtime have to be so frustrating around here?  It's like switching the light off is cue for them to turn in to wild animals! 

8:20 - Brax and Sadie have an all-out contest to see who can yell and sing the loudest.

8:30 - Sadie's pack n play turns into a trampoline (yes, she's still in a pack n play because that child will NOT stay in her toddler bed for anything!)  Don't judge unless you've had a Sadie Blue!!!

8:40 - Brax gets up for the 2nd time in 20 minutes to go potty. 

8:50 - Sadie's pack n play turns into a tight rope (don't ask).

9:00 - Brax gets up for the 4th time in 30 minutes to go potty and tell us a really interesting story about Thomas the Train that really could not wait until morning time.

9:10 - In an attempt to get closer to one another, Brax throws one end of his blanket to Sadie.  She grabs it and he pulls on the blanket and slides her and her pack n play across the room until they are side by side.  (True story.  Smart kids.)

9:20 - Mommy and Daddy flip their lids.

I hate it when sweet bedtime stories, songs, prayers,
Goodnights and I Love You's turn in to

"SO HELP ME IF YOU GET OUTTA THAT BED ONE MORE TIME...

(insert ridiculous and completely unfulfillable threat here)!!!" 

Total bedtime failure.  

Some days I just can't wait for them to grow out of some of these difficult phases! 

And then there are moments that I wish I could pause and freeze time for awhile...

   

Making Memories

We recently spent a weekend in Branson celebrating my parents' 40th wedding anniversary.  I learned several things on this trip.  One - Silver Dollar City with two toddlers is exhausting.  Two - Paddle boats are from the devil.  Three - It is unbelievably important to remain within 30 feet of a bathroom at all times when you no longer have a gallbladder.  And Four - When sending a text with highly secretive content (such as one's weight), it is super important to be absolutely certain that you do not accidentally send it to the wrong person (for instance, one's brother-in-law).  Yes...that happened. 

Our last evening of our trip, I got the bright idea that it might be fun to take the kids out on a paddle boat on the lake.  Yeah, we're gonna file that under "What Were We Thinking". As we approached the docking area, we quickly realized that I could not help Matt paddle in the front because that would mean leaving the 2 yr old unassisted -- Not wise seeing as she continuously tried to lean over the side of the boat - and by the way, did you know there are no seatbelts or restraints of any kind in those things?! I climbed in to teeny tiny back seat with Sadie and then Matt got in back-to-back with me to face front and paddle. If you haven't pictured this yet, that means all of the adult weight was distributed on the left side of the boat. As we almost tipped the boat over and died, Matt sacrificed himself and jumped overboard expecting to land in 4 feet of water instead of about 9. Once we finally got all 4 of us in the boat with the weight mostly evenly distributed Matt paddled furiously against the wind attempting to get us out away from the shore line. We made it out about oh, 20 feet, before he would stop to take a break for 30 seconds and the wind would blow us back to the shore. Repeat this process about 4 times while the other boaters (the boaters that had enough sense to rent a boat with a motor and a little standing room) watched us and didn't try all that hard to muffle their laughs. Eventually Sadie broke into full meltdown mode because I wouldn't let go of her life jacket and allow her to topple head first in to the lake, Brax started crying because his feet couldn't reach the peddles and he wanted to help paddle, I ripped my brand new sundress because I was trying to fold myself into a seat made to fit a 3 year old (why did I wear a sundress to go out on a paddle boat??), Matt was dripping with sweat and was about to pass out from his burning thighs, and we were beginning to contemplate divorce. It was around this time that we allowed the wind to bring us back to shore and we gracelessly climbed out of the darn thing with 2 screaming children and an audience. And we paid $15 for this. I think next time I'll just stay home and pull my toenails out one by one.

Honestly though, it was a fun and memorable trip and our little family of four fell in love with each other all over again.  I love making memories with my family!  I know that I'm going to blink and our little blessings will be grown and out of the house and then Matt is going to have to buy me a puppy.  

And Happy Anniversary, Mom & Dad!