Girl Power Is In The House

We recently received a new netflix movie called Barbie and The Three Musketeers. Grace and Emme have watched it once with friends and once by themselves. Both times when the show is done they have a new level of energy and they become empowered to fight bad guys. They start kicking, rolling, "flipping" as the tough Musketeers do in this show. They are now saving their money to buy play swords so they can be true Musketeers. Tonight I found them outside with the broom fighting the bad guys on the basketball court while they lived under the Golden Tree (tree with yellow leaves). I don't think this empowerment will end soon. It's a lot of fun to watch. You go girls!!! (snap, snap, snap)

A Favorite Day

The weather was SO nice yesterday so we decided to go up the canyon for a walk. It was really nice and I was able to get some nice pictures for memories.

Just thought I'd add some nice color/river/serene pictures.

I love my girls.

Who could pass up a plumber bum shot?

Get a load of Max's face. It cracks me up.

They always have to find some huge walking sticks when we go up the canyon. One of us always gets hit/poked with their sticks when we go.
Just me and my boy!!!

What else can I say but I love you Mary.

Log entry #7

1. Final log entry, thanks goodness.
2. Started the day at 12:30 am with max crying. I hadn't gone to bed yet.
3. Max woke up again at 2. I let him cry back to sleep.
4. Max woke up again at 3. I picked him up and he was wet. I changed his wet poopy diaper. Thank goodness I brought a second set of PJs.
5. Got Max down by 3:30. Emme got up at 3:45.
   
6. Got Emme a late snack and back to bed by 4.
7. Dad was awake so I talked with him until 4:30.
8. Laid in bed trying to fall asleep until 5:30.
9. Came up with a new training/educational simulation in my mind why in bed.
10. Fell asleep at 6. Emme got up at 6:30.
11. My sister took care of Grace and Emme so I could sleep. Thanks Ash, you rule.
12. Took care of kids until 11 and put Max down for a nap.
13. Ran some errands, visited my brothers at work.
14. Stopped at the store and forgot to buy 2/3 of the items I went for. (no sleep = no brain)
15. Came home and spent time with kids and parents.
16. Can't wait for Mary. I'll be picking her up tonight around midnight.
17. Must stay awake while driving back to Logan.
18. Bummed that Mary missed her flight. I miss her and want her home.
19. Thought this was going to be the last post. It's not.
20. Packed up the kids and drove back to Logan. Hopped up on caffeine and M&Ms.
    
21. Have to find a babysitter to watch Max and Emme so I can go teach my class tomorrow.
    
22. I will now be volunteering for an hour at Grace's school.
    
23. Got three hours of sleep last night so I'm going to try to get more tonight. Kids, please please please sleep tonight.
24. Oh yeah, and Max started to walk on his own without Mary there to see. Sorry babe.
    

Log Entry #6

1. Kids got up at 6:40
2. Max had leaked out everywhere so gave him a bath.
3. Fixed the girls green waffles with instant mix and food coloring. Never again!!!
4. Max pooped while eating. I have to explain this poop. It had the consistency of clay. It stuck to his skin like glue. I could not get it off. I have no idea what he ate that would cause this consistency. Hammer and chisel would not help this poop. It was crazy.
5. While getting the laundry started Emme hit Max so I had to defuse that one.
6. Started to clean and pack for the drive to Grandma's this evening.
7. Realized how tired I was. I had one of those dreams that never went anywhere and the next thing I know the kids are up.
8. Just found out that my dissertation proposal defense has been set. That' s cool and nerve racking.
9. Cleaned the house and packed the bags for a quick visit to Grandma's
10. Took kids to babysitters and taught my class from 1:30 - 2:30.
11. come home picked up kids and drove for 2 hours to Grandma's.
12. Grandma had dinner all ready when we got there.
13. Played with the kids, read some books. and helped Grace do some homework.
    
14. Helped Grace and Emme play dress-up in my sister's old 1985 prom dress. That was funny.
15. Got them to bed and have been talking with my sister since.
16. Good night. See you tomorrow Mary.
    

Log Entry #5

1. Got this kids some breakfast this morning. I didn't want to make anything so they had cereal.
2. Played with the kids for a while.
3. Gave Max a bath and put him down for a nap.
4. The girls dressed themselves today. Emme had on a sleeveless dress and no tights. Grace at least had an under shirt on.
5. Got to church with 5 minutes to spare.
   
6. Max was pretty good during sacrament meeting. Emme was the one that I had to deal with. She finally fell asleep and then things were ok.
7. Sat in the the hallway for the next 2 hours because Max will not fall asleep on me or will not sit still.
8. Got home and put Max down for a nap.
9. Played games with the girls.
   
10. Let them watch a movie.
11. Had dinner, pancakes. (I think that is the 4th time we've had pancakes this week.
12. Emme hit me with a heavy pillow which then hit my arm which then hit by forehead/eyebrow. Oh yeah I was wearing a watch and yes it hurt. After I said ouch she wound up and hit me again. Ruthless kid.
    
13. Gave the girls a bath, read books, and put them all to bed.
14. Cleaned up and watched some TV.
    

Log Entry #4

1. Started at 1:15 am cleaning up Emme's throw up. (I didn't know she ate that for dinner)
2. Woke up to Emme tapping my arm saying "Daddy there is goo in my panties so I changed them" (that is something every daddy wants to hear first thing in the morning.)
   
3. Bought a package of Bacon last week for a good Saturday morning breakfast. When purchasing I saw 75% less.... and thought it said fat. However when I opened the package and noticed it really said 75% less packaging. Who cares about less packaging? So in short, yes it was fat bacon and yes it tasted good and yes I ate most of the bacon. (the girls had a few pieces)
4. Went to fix myself a bacon, egg, and cheese Mcmuffin and notice that a part of the McMuffin maker was missing. I remembered that Max had played with it the other day. Since the garbage can is right there in the kitchen, it dawned on me that he probably threw it away. The next thing to dawn on me was that I took the garbage out last night. So yes, I climbed into the dumpster in my PJs and with the neighbors watching, I pulled out my garbage bag from last night, brought it back into my house and went through it piece by dirty diaper piece. I found the missing piece to the mcmuffing maker, cleaned it and made myself a tasty bacon, egg, and cheese mcmuffin. I really wanted it ok!!!
5. Watched Max go around the house hitting a beach ball with a medium sized sauce pan.
6. Got a babysitter and went to the store for groceries. There were only 2 checkers so I waited in line for 20 minutes.
7. Took the kids to the library. They were the noisiest kids in the building.
   
8. Forgot to eat lunch.
9. Kids watched a movie
10. Took the kids over to a friends house for a Halloween party dressed as an Elephant (Grace) and Mini Mouse (Emme). Walked outside and noticed that my back tire was flat. Spent the next hour in Walmart while I waited for them to fix the flat. Awesome!!!
11. Got the kids in bed and watched the BYU game.
    
12. Boy what a day.
    

Log Entry #3

• Woke up
• Took care of kids
• Only lost temper once
• kids are in bed
• The end

Forgot to add this. I left the girls in the living room for 2 minutes and when I got back this is what I found.

I mean who gets a polly pocket stuck in their hair? Emme, that's who!!! The real question is how do you get a polly pocket stuck in your hair?

Log Entry #2

1. Emme wakes me up at 5:30. (Oh just like the good old days)
2. Get Max up at 7:00 am.
3. Give Max a bath because he peed out of his diaper.
4. Thought about going to the bathroom myself.
5. Fed kids pancakes at 7:45 - 8:00.
6. Deciding on whether or not I should send Emme to preschool or not.
7. Can't wait for Max to take a nap 8:45. (is that normal?)
8. Max goes down at 9:30.
9. Read books and played with Emme till 10:00
10. Started a show for Emme and started to work on my proposal. (Boy am I tired)
11. Sent Emme to preschool at 12:15 and Max said "bye" and waved just as Emme was leaving. That's awesome.
12. Played with Max until 2:30 and went to pick up Emme.
13. Picked up Grace at 3:30
14. Played with the kids. Had dinner at 5 and sent the girls off to soccer at 6.
15. (Missed talking with an adult)
16. Watch Max and Britton until 8. All kids in bed by 9:15.
17. Finish proposal.
18. I love and miss you Mary. Have fun.

Operation Mr. Mom Is Underway

Log Entry #1

• Started the day at 1:30 a.m. (went to bed at 11) to Emme throwing up in her bed. Couldn't get back to sleep after cleaning up barf and changing the sheets. Ate bowl of Cheerios at 3 after Emme got up a second time to throw up. Talked with Mary for a bit and both of us went back to bed at 3:30. Sent Mary to airport via shuttle van service at 5 am.
• Awakened by Grace at 7:20, after brother-in-law called and woke me up at 5:40 am.
• Changed Max's nasty diaper at 7:30.
• Helped Emme with her diarrhea at 8:00, 8:20, 8:40...(you get the picture)
• Sent Grace off to school at 8:50 am.
• Played with Max and Emme till 10:00 am. Put Max down for nap.
• Played games with Emme and read books. Got ready to go to class. (Emme said something funny but I can't remember what it was)
• Took Max to babysitter at 1:00 pm
• Took Emme to class with me and started class at 1:30. (Emme watched a movie on the computer with no issues whatsoever)
• Finished class at 2:30 and took Emme to Sam's club to buy wipes for Max.
• Picked up Max from babysitter at 3:15.
• Picked up Grace from school at 3:30.
• Came home and did homework with Grace.
• Took the kids to new park in Logan at 4:30 - 5:45.
• Had pizza for dinner.
• Watched Monsters vs Aliens.
• Read books to girls and put them to bed at 8:20 p.m.
• Might work on article and/or proposal.

I respect all mothers that take care of their children day in and day out.