I've Almost Reached My Limit

 

I'm trying the best I can to hold my tongue but I'm about to so a switch a roonie on some people. Some things just have to be said. I have literally sat with both of my boys (a 23 yr old and an 18 yr old) this week and just let them cry on my shoulder and punch things and let them yell to get things off their chests. My heart is breaking for them and this momma is about to go Momma Bear on people.  I really just pray all day and all night for my boys, but when they get this far and hurting,  it breaks me. I have been in prayer more the past two years than I can ever remember being. 🙏 But the good Lord always hears and I just have to keep trusting him. 

We had another sleep over 😴 just because they  wanna be with Poppie and Gmaw. 

When I say these girls are glued to me or under my feet, that's exactly what I mean. 

We have been busy doing a little school again.  Also a little snack while we watch some Preschool DVDS 📀 

If you don't know what a sensory box is,  you should check into it. It helps work on fine motor skills and sensory. Not to mention, it keeps them entertained.

Well, dill and mint are pretty good and good for you. 

Some days I will rotate things out in our school stuff. Yesterday all they wanted to do was our activity binders. Today I changed out and got a bunch of flash cards and manipulatives out. I have started putting our days activities in a basket the night before and having it ready for the day. It works good. 

We don't do school all day everyday. Although I have one that would and loves it. She is going to be the kid that will be on the honor roll at school and will stress over bad grades. The other will be sent to the principals office every day and mom or dad have to go to the school. 😅😅😅😅😅 

See:

Don't even ask. 🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🤪🤪🤪🤪

These girls keep me on my toes that's for sure. You gotta love their little individual personalities. It is fun to be teaching Littles again and having them in my home. I so remember teaching my boys and loved it. Then they get to the age where they think they know everything and want listen to anything. 🙄🙄

That's life. 

Why Do I Do This To Myself

 Sleep over with my buddies. Movie 🎥 and popcorn 🍿 night. So far this morning we have read books,  made chaffles with our own grown herbs from our Aerogarden, and ate breakfast 😋. And everything tastes better with ranch. Picky kid tested and approved. 

These girls love staying with Gmaw. Dakota came and picked them up after breakfast and Atleigh didn't want to go but they had a bdsy party to go to so I know she had fun once she got there. 

After they left I kicked it in high gear and tried to get some stuff done. I finished some breakfast freezer cooking. I made the rest of the chaffles, and then I made some whole wheat/oat waffles 🧇. 

While the waffles were baking, I multi-tasked and took my aggressions out on the refrigerator. No, in a seriousness,  cleaning out the refrigerator was on my to do list. I started the new year off cleaning and scrubbing every room in the house 🏠 and everything in it. Today, I just cow girled up and tackled it. 

The bad part is my feet and legs were beginning to kill me.  I had to hurry up and finish and go lie down. 🙄 

After I rested some, I got up, had round two of coffee and tackled my floors. I swept, mopped and steamed them. It was time. Now, I do a daily maintenance so don't freak out. 😜 Occasionally,  I just love steaming them and getting rid of grime and knowing they are sanitized. 

However,  I started hurting again. 😞 Just too much standing in one day.  Why do I do this to myself?  

I got finished and ate some supper and promised myself I would pamper myself later and I did. Big, hot,  bubble bath with Epsom salt, peppermint and lavender.  

Now I'm sitting on my bed and just drinking some warm tea and catching up on videos. 

Goodnight all. 

All In My Feelings

 I didn't have the girls yesterday and used that opportunity to run errands and get groceries. First,  I went and layed on the tanning bed. That is my therapy for my joints. It is winter time and I have more trouble in the winter. I grabbed me something to eat for lunch. 

Trucks are running again and stocking the shelves. However,  Walmart had no milk at all. NADDA!  I had to go to another store just to get milk. And I grabbed 3 gallon. I have two toddlers and that is their favorite thing to drink. 

I was all on my feelings yesterday because all the family circumstances we are facing. Dallas is facing a huge decision. We have come up on a situation and I am not at liberty to say at this moment in his life. I just needed time to myself yesterday. I needed prayer time and grace. 

This morning the girls came early. I was so glad to see them. However, they had a bad day yesterday. They didn't get a nap at all and didn't go to bed until 9 pm. Mind you, they are just toddlers,  that does not mix too well with them. The looks on their faces says it all. They just needed some snuggles. 

After a bit, they got hungry and whined to me what they wanted. 😔 . We ate breakfast and got baths and shower. That helped them a little to relax. I was able to fix my hair and put on a little makeup a little. Some days I look like a busted can of biscuits, some days I have to just get with the program and I feel like looking nice. We all have days like this and it helps to have self care and just  primp a little.  It boosts your self esteem. You have to just make yourself do things some days and when you do, you feel accomplished.  

We got all freshened up and started a little school, well, mostly I just went by their lead. It's OK to let them lead sometimes instead of being so structured. They just wanted to be alone and quiet in their thoughts. 

We read some books and sometimes they were just a little clingy. 

When a toddler says, "I want you" that translates to, "I NEED YOU!!!" ❤

It was time for a snack and somebody loved chocolate pudding with sprinkles. 

She started trying to fall asleep at the table so I knew it was nap time. Follow their lead. 

Sometimes you just need a few friends to take a nap with. 

After nap, I had my afternoon coffee and they had some milk with a snack. We went out and played for a bit but the weather started dropping so we came in. I got supper ready for them.  

After supper we just played and played til Daddy came to pick them up. He is finally off call and is off tomorrow.  They are gonna hang out all day. 

After everyone left, I cleaned kitchen and just sat down and chilled out the rest of the night. 

Tuesday

 Well, this morning was back to normal schedule. Jossie came and picked up the girls yesterday evening when she got out of school. It was different seeing them go after having them here with me all week. It was kind of too quiet and lonely last night without them. 

They were back early this morning. We had breakfast. And got ready and they wanted to do school 🏫

I bought this little manipulative for them to practice with. This kept them busy for a bit. 

There is a few homeschool moms of preschoolers that I follow on YouTube. I learn alot from their videos. Yes, you can teach an old dog new tricks. I put together this little teaching game. 

I have some number flash cards and magnetic numbers. I have them count the objects on the card and look at the number word. Then they are to find the magnetic number and place it on the card. Then count out the number of items that I have for them. Today I used popsicle sticks.  I have colored popsicle sticks to use for separating and learning colors too. 

I have been working on more of their activity binders by laminating and putting the pages in sheet protectors. I got these ideas from the videos too. One young lady I love to watch is Brittany Lynn on YouTube.  

Another lady I love to watch is Jennifer Fudge from The Family Fudge. She puts out lunch ideas and it's called Bunches of Lunches. She goes all out though and is very creative. I love her lunch inspiration ideas. I love when kids eat healthy. It makes my heart happy.  I love this simple little lunch I made for them one day. It is a chaffle, cut up apple and a little treat my momma always made for my boys. It is mock ice cream sandwiches.  It's just Graham crackers and whipped cream spreaded on them and put in the freezer. 

You can find all kind of chaffle recipes online. The basic one is just cheese and egg ratio. They love them and they are packed with protein and are nutritious.  

Atleigh is getting to where she will try new things. One day I got her to try peanut butter and banana mixed together. I eat this alot. She loved it. Some days I will let them pick out their chips and snacks for their lunch. Gives them a chance to feel like they are making decisions. 

After nap everyday, I will get them a snack together for when they wake up. They love goldfish 🐠

After nap today, it was so gorgeous outside that we finally got to get out to play. 

While we were out, Jossie came to pick them up. 

I came in, cleaned up a little,  and made my supper. Ate and just relaxed the rest of the night.

We Are Ok

 We are all OK here in my neck of the woods.  I know there are alot of people still without power or water. People are beginning to go stir crazy. Personally,  I'd rather be cooped up with my family any day. It beats worrying about them being out and about. Oldest son works for our local power company and he has put in some hours during this whole storm and then some because he is on call this week. He is so exhausted. He has been froze all week. He finally gave in and called a family friend to help him with his frozen pipes. He will be there tomorrow to work on those. He was so tired of worrying with them and tired from working so many hours. He is one proud man 👨 just like his dad and tries his best to do things himself and doesn't want to ask for help.  That's good he's like that but I told him it's OK to ask for help every once in a while. 

Jossie got tired of driving back and forth on the ice to go to work so she just decided to stay at work a couple of days. They have rooms fixed up for nurses and emergency staff. I told her it's probably for the best because I was so worried about them getting these girls out in it every day and driving with them. So I told both of them to just let them stay here til all this ice and snow clears off the roads. 

We have been baking, cooking, school, playing and watching movies. 

This is the most snow we have had in years. My kids can't remember it being this much. Wednesday night it started getting heavier then it just kept coming down and Thursday it came down even harder. We built a fire and roasted hot dogs and marshmallows in the fireplace and had a picnic in the living room. 

I made popcorn 🍿 and we watched a movie. I made homemade popcorn in the microwave.  All you do is get a paper bag and put some kernels in it with a little drizzle of oil and salt 🧂 and fold your bag up and put in the microwave on your popcorn setting and wholah! 

The next day we got out and played in it. Of course, we couldn't stay out too long with little ones because the temps were in the single digits. I fell 4 times and was sore for 2 days. 

They had snow cream for the first time. 

The girls help with clean up after eating so we can watch a movie. They love to help empty the dishwasher.  Messy buns and all. 😁

They love to play dress 👗 up in princess dresses everyday.  Anna and Elsa coming at ya. 

Daddy got to come by and play for a bit but every time he gets settled, he gets a call to go out. 

The temps are beginning to rise a little and melt a little but at night it gets below freezing and freezes again. Tomorrow, the temps will rise again and Monday it will be higher so some of this will leave us.  Our main roads are clear but some back roads they have  not gotten to yet and are shaded by trees so it will take them longer. 

I am so glad we were prepared and I got what groceries we needed before this and we have been blessed with power and water. Some people were not so fortunate.

We have gotten a bit off bedtime routine and getting in bed a little later than I like for them to, but hey, this is sleepover at Gmaws for a little longer anyway. 😁 

Well, they are asleep now so I better follow suit. Goodnight all and please stay safe and use caution when getting out.