My 2 year old can beat your 2 year old

I've been up since 6

Ran 3 miles

Got 4 children dressed, feed and out the door

Worked 4 hours

Cole has a friend over to play with

Kennedy is in bed

It's a beautiful day outside

I think I will sit in a lawn chair and just rest..........

I hear the garage door slam? Weird, I just talked to my husband who is on Chiden Blvd, 2 of my 4 children are at school, 1 is playing in front of me, 1 is in bed. Maybe it is a neighbor that I didn't hear knock........

Oh no, it is Miss Kennedy. Who has crawled out of her

C R I B
She is missing a shirt and is looking mighty glossy. You can't tell from the picture. First I ask her what she is doing and she just looks at me. Like I am going to get a straight answer out of her, she can't even talk so an answer at all won't be happening. Yet, I ask again. I approach her and the scent of A&D ointment and Baby Vicks vapor rub is filling the air. She has rubbed it all over her tummy, arms, face, hands, pants and hair. So I am thinking to myself, how did she get this, I moved that stuff on the opposite side of the dresser so she couldn't get it.

We go upstairs in her room and I find this.

There is A&D ointment and Vicks vapor rub all over the sheets, the pillow, her blanket and crib. She has crawled out of her bed and crawled on top of the dresser and took the bin of stuff emptied it into her crib and through the bin out. So from start 1:49 p.m. to finish 2:08 pm, my sweet little 2 year has created a mess that requires a bath, a load of laundry, furniture washing and NO NAP. So to that all I can say besides crying is

MY 2 YEAR OLD CAN BEAT YOUR 2 OLD

Mothers' Day

Before I was a Mom -I slept as late as I wanted and never worried about how late I got into bed. I brushed my hair and my teeth everyday.

Before I was a Mom -I cleaned my house each day. I never tripped over toys or forgot words to a lullaby. I didn't worry whether or not my plants were poisonous.I never thought about immunizations.

Before I was a Mom -I had never been puked on - Pooped on - Spit on - Chewed on, or Peed on. I had complete control of my mind and my thoughts. I slept all night.

Before I was a Mom -I never held down a screaming child so that doctors could do tests...or give shots. I never looked into teary eyes and cried. I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin. I never sat up late hours at night watching a baby sleep.

Before I was a Mom -I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn't want to put it down. I never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I couldn't stop the hurt. I never knew that something so small could affect my life so much. I never knew that I could love someone so much. I never knew I would love being a Mom.

Before I was a Mom -I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body. I didn't know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby. I didn't know that bond between a mother and her child. I didn't know that something so small could make me feel so important.

Before I was a Mom -I had never gotten up in the middle of the night every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay. I had never known The warmth, The joy, The love, The heartache, The wonderment or the satisfaction of being a Mom.

I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much before I was a Mom.

Mother's Day has taken on a new meaning for me the last couple years. I started celebrating Mother's Day on the Saturday before Mother's Day Sunday. WOW!! What a difference that has made. I take the whole day to myself and do whatever and go wherever I want. My wonderful husband and children are much obliged and I truly appreciate it. This year I got to have 3 days! I went to California to be with my mom and my sisters. No children - it was blissful. I got to spend some good quality time with my mom and sisters. The drive their was great, my music, my food, my schedule. However, the drive home was quite different. I found myself being very anxious to get home to my family. I found myself thinking about all those road trips with children and how at times they were down right miserable, but I got the kids to myself for 8 - 9 hours. We have the opportunity to talk and play games and pass the time together. My thoughts were filled with my kids the entire trip home and how I am so lucky to be a mom and have this incredible life to experience and how really my life would not have a whole lot of meaning without them. I often wonder what I would do if I didn't have kids. Yes, I could sit and list all the things I could do for myself- but I assume that would get pretty boring after awhile. I feel so blessed to be able to have these children, although some of my posts say otherwise, and so very thankful that I am a mom.

I drove home a little faster than I drove away. When I did arrive home, I was greeted with loud shouts of Happy Mother's day, hand made gifts and cards and lots of decorations.

Jake,Kyle, Kate, Cole and Kennedy thanks for another FAB Mother's Day.

I love you more than you know!

PHEW - we made it.

It has been quite a week at the Jones'. Sometimes I like to look at my week and see what we have done. Although there are busier households than ours, I often wonder how I am going to keep up!I'll spare you all the details, like all the stores I drug 2 kids to to get those coupons deals, but here are the highlights.

Monday- Coley turned 4! We had some friends over for cake and ice cream and lots of presents! As much as I hate to admit it, I am thankful that Cole, as sweet and cute as he is, is moving on from 3.

Kyle had his first baseball game - no pictures. Besides the holes in the outfield and the goat heads in the infield, the Blue Dragons had their 1st victory.

Tuesday - The funnest day of the week for me - I get to go to Real Deals (home decor store) and play with all the decor. Best part, I get paid to do it! Jake left town - party with me and the kids. Oh heaven help me!

Wednesday- 5:15 call from the coach just making sure Kyle was going to be a the game. GAME, what game, it wasn't until Thursday night. Rain drenched fields, wind blowing, freezing cold temperatures, we played ball. No pictures of course- too dang cold to take your hands out of the blanket. He did play 1st base the whole game and racked up the outs!

Thursday - Left the house at 9 am didn't pull back into the house until 3:30 pm. Is this what a stay at home mom does - NOT stay home!

Friday - Swim lessons gone bad. Kennedy fell back into the pool as we were leaving and hit her chin on the side of the pool and ended up with 3 stitches. She was such a champ - I think I cried more than she did! Just an ironic sidenote - When Kate was 2 she fell into the same pool, with the same instructor, busted her chin open in the same spot!






Saturday - The yard- oh man! How do so many weeds grow so quickly in such cold weather? I don't know a plant that can grow or survive the way a weed does, why is that? Maybe I should consider putting dandelion's on my menu! We pulled weeds for "hours" it seemed like to the kids. Granted, there were a lot of weeds. But the funnest and most anticipated part of our weekend was definitely planting some of our garden. We only planted pees and radishes right now, few more weeks and we will be able to do the rest. This year we are going to try some watermelons, pumpkins, squash, cucumbers, and cilantro. Along with our usual tomatoes and carrots. We are going to skip corn, cauliflower and broccoli



Sunday - PHEW - we made it.

That I can do!

I don't consider myself great at anything.

Just good at a lot of things......

EXCEPT

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Definitely a fav at my house

My cookies seem to have drawn quite a following and are preferred by many

except my husband that is. GASP! as if ... I know, right?

There are couple secrets to this

REAL butter - no salt - an extra 1/2 cup flour - pampered chef small scoop

It is the Toll House recipe tweaked just a bit

3/4 cup brown sugar - the darker the better

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

1tsp vanilla

1 cup butter -melted

cream together and add

3 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

add chocolate chips

scoop with small scooper and bake at 375

don't ask me how long - until they are golden brown- don't burn them

Mmmmmmmm --perfect
So while I fall short on many things

Chocolate Chip Cookies.......

THAT I CAN DO

So Cal Trip

Click on the link to see our totally awesome trip to so cal- it just took me awhile to get the pictures posted. :)
http://keepingupwiththejonesid.blogspot.com/2010/03/finally.html

Deal of the Week

3 packages of shredded cheese

2 boxes of Ritz crackers

4 boxes of mac-n-cheese

2 bags of Cheetos

9 boxes of Hamburger helper

3 packs of Crush cups

2 packs of Danonino yogurts

Jar of parsley flakes

Jar of steak seasoning

2 Juicy Juice packs of juice boxes

2 packages of Ball Park Beef Franks

Retail $91.47

I paid $14.63

I love play group

Albertson's

Walgreen's

The Children's Place

Macy's

Post office

Fred Meyer's

Verizon Store

3 hours

No kids

I LOVE PLAY GROUP