A Hairy Situation

On Monday's I drop #1 at preschool and then the twins take a music class 30 minutes later (at the same place). Well after music there is not a great amount of time to do anything so I drive the twins around until they fall asleep and wait until release time in the parking lot. While I was driving the twins around I saw the school was calling me. I thought, darn, #1 must be sick. However, it was the director. I thought, I must have made a mistake on my registration paperwork for next year. Not so much. They sent in the big guns because #1 crawled underneath a table and cut her hair. As in, they are telling me they think it can be "reconstructed" and won't have to be all cut off. Excuse me? I didn't overreact because, hell, kids do that. I was just in shock. So I promptly called one of my best friends and sobbed into the phone like someone had died. I'm pretty particular about #1's hair. Just that it is long and she has only had slight trims. And there was a huge lump in my throat until I could pick her up to see the damage for myself. 

So we found ourselves getting our first real, true, hair cut at the age of three yesterday. Luckily my step-mother's hair stylist was able to fit her in after my Dad's appointment. 

She did the damage on the left side and cut a big chunk up to her chin. Basically, I think she was trying to give herself "The Rachel" from the 90s. #1 explained to me, "I just wanted short hair." Since a 3 year old does not understand the concept of style nor unintended self mutilation of her mane, I get it. So we proceeded to get a good bit cut off. 

This one, is a fierce one. Determination will serve her well. When she's 20. I, on the other hand, simply dread having to teach her how to drive. 

In other words:

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The Housewife

Monday Obsessions: Housewife Edition

The last week of October was really busy for us. School on Monday, gymnastics and Trunk-or-Treat on Tuesday, Wednesday was just kind of meh (also a school day) and Thursday was Halloween. The twins have been coughing, not napping well and Harper was very fussy. On Friday, while I was at home and #1 was at school, I decided to get a sick appointment for the twinks. Luckily, Turtle was home and could go get #1 from school while I took them. That's when we discovered November was welcoming us with RSV, breathing treatments and Harper also had a double ear infection. Awesome. So that has been our joy the last few days. Wednesday, I also indulged in a bit of retail therapy. 

1. BC Love Life Loafers

The Single Gal and I have been debating on getting some TOMS. So as I was on the Nordstrom's site, adding those to my virtual shopping bag, I also peeped at loafers. These were adorable and at the price of $59 they fell in my shopping bag too. Three cheers for free shipping, Nords!

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2. MakeUp Forever Rouge Artist Intense 42

I had a hankering to find some red lipstick. Naturally, I enlisted the Single Gal's help and we took a field trip the Sephora, aka The Mecca. I had done a little research before we went and I love MakeUp Forever HD Foundation. We debated a NARS red but ultimately went with our gut and I couldn't be happier. I was so intimidated by red lipstick. I wore it this morning and the lasting power is cray. Whether or not red is your color of choice, I do recommend this line of lipstick. Sold.

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3. Benefit GimmeBrow Gel

Life changer people. I follow Birchbox on instagram and Single Gal is constantly yelling at me to do something to enhance my brows. Also note, the Benefit founders are twins. I knew I loved Benefit products for a good reason. The Single Gal also says the They're Real mascara is awesome. This is super easy to apply. 

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Have you guys been adding some things to your makeup arsenal lately? I'm going to try to rock out my red lips with some neutral eyes this fall/winter. Anyone discover any sleep potions for three year olds? The Single Gal has been hosting 3 Putt's parents on and off while they make their travels in the States. We wish her well with her home cooked meal for them and her tablescape escapades. 

xoxo

The Housewife 

The Things You Do.....

We had our family photo session this past Saturday. It was okay. It was way more exhausting than I envisioned it to be with three kids, namely two that can't walk and one that enjoys eating grass, leaves and sticks. Also possibly exhausting because I ran 12 miles Saturday morning. Take your pick. I tried to chalk this up to #1 as an adventure. We were going to a cool place to play and let a nice lady take our picture. Enter a generally uncooperative #1 and she may or may not be in pictures. Photoshop is most definitely this photographers best friend. If she's not photo shopping #1 into the actual picture then she is spending hours editing the leaves and moss from Hadley's mouth in every.single.picture. We will always remember this Christmas card as the year we sweat our asses off in winter clothing while it was currently 86 degrees in North Georgia. In October. I didn't expect it to be 50 but I could have stood  some weather in the 70's with a nice fall breeze. I also laid down in the woods. (Was that the correct form of laid or did I make this creepy?) In the Single Gal's brand new J.Crew sweater she just bought. As in, I took the tags off of it before I wore it. Thank God nothing got on it that didn't brush off. Some out takes from our sweat session. 

11 months old today by the way!

Playing in the creek afterwards

Checking out the cows

Guess what I will be doing this Wednesday? 

My dear friend and I are taking our girls to see this. My friend did it last year and said her daughter loved it. #1 will be receiving a birthday present early, her Rapunzel princess dress, and we will be heading down to Phillips Arena. Lord help me, I hope the screaming is less than when I went to Barnes and Noble for a Stephanie Meyer book signing during the rage that was Twilight. I still love Twilight.....just not screaming teenagers. 

And now I have the rest of this week to have anxiety about #1's birthday party this Saturday. 

xoxo

The Housewife

No Napping Crazies.

I bet you think this post is about two tiny people who won't nap. WRONG. #1 has basically been on a nap strike for 20-something days and let me tell you......she still needs a nap. This is my excuse for a lack of blog posts although I'm sure you like the Single Gal's exciting life way better than mine. In this house we basically need a lot of patience and Jesus. From 4 in the afternoon to 6 in the evening we are ripe with meltdowns and cries for Daddy. So while Jesus is always around sometimes my patience appears to have runaway to a far off land. This is the deal. #1 has been potty trained for at least 6 months but when I put her down for a nap (we are still in pull-ups for nap/nighttime) or her "quiet time" as we now term it, she basically poops and therefor won't nap. Every.damn.day. I have even gone back in 10 minutes after leaving to change her, put her back in bed and she still finds a way to poop some more. I cannot even explain the rage living inside my head. RAGE.

I don't really see it as a serious regression because she has no problems in public or when she is with a grandparent. This golden behavior is only reserved for nap time. I will also be the first to tell you that "quiet time" is bullshit. It is not relaxing and it is not a mental break. It's how much can I get done before she starts kicking her door with her feet or pulls her monitor camera down onto her head.  Better yet, the time I have no idea what she was doing and after her screams find her with the bridge of her nose scraped up and bleeding. She used to nap every 5 or 6 days so I had resigned myself that was fine but after so many days she needs a nap. Pediatricians will tell you that you cannot force the to sleep. This is quite obvious A, and B doesn't make me feel any better! It wouldn't be a huge deal if she could go without totally breaking down but 8/10 times that is not the case.

So no, I do not want to hear people who say, "Oh. My 4 yr old still takes a nap and I'm worried about kindergarten next year." Really??? You poor thing. How will your 5 year old deal with no nap? I say these mean things out of the jealousy in my heart. I want to put a sign on #1's back when we go out in  public that says, "Please excuse our behavior. One of us no longer naps. This is why there is screaming and kicking. It is not my fault. "

I should end this with the fact that she really is a smart and funny kid. She is totally smart because she knows to poop in her pull-up every stupid day. She retains so much. Grammie got her a Tinkerbell DVD for the car and one day #1 kept talking about "Biddia" and she found some jar she was playing with. I haven't watched the DVD (I know, super parenting) but I did figure out "Biddia" was probably a fairy. So we would ask her why Biddia was in the jar and she would say Daddy put her in there. Well I did watch part of the video and she was also talking about Lizzie, who is a girl. Lizzie's Dad put Vidyia in the jar and Tinkerbell has to save her. Who knew? At least "playing" and talking about Biddia gets us distracted from our tantrums. Sheesh.

I have some posts I really want to write and a DIY I did for the twins room to post as well. Maybe one day.

The Housewife

*please ignore any typos as this was an iPad post.

It's So Hard To Say Goodbye

Tonight will be our last night in this house. We are staying with my in-laws for a few days so we can finish packing tomorrow and the movers come on Wednesday. Don't get me wrong, I'm very excited about the new house and everything that we will do there. What about everything I did here though? I brought all my babies home from the hospital here. I realized the other day that #1's picture with her chalkboard saying "Last Day of Preschool" for this year will be on the steps of another house, as seen in this post. I won't get to see my hydrangeas bloom this year. How many times will I drive by my new house thinking I still live in this house? Yes, that's totally something I would do. I can't even believe I'm leaving my beautiful stencil wall in the twins nursery!! I spent a long time in the bathroom floor with #1 potty training this fall super pregnant with the twins and hardly able to pull myself up out of the floor.

I remember moving into this house. I thought it was so far out from everything. I remember thinking to myself, "How long would it take someone to find me if I died?" Obviously the Single Gal lives 15 minutes away now so it wouldn't be an issue. I love our little house. We need more space now though. It's time to move on. The new house is also closer to the Single Gal....of course! Trying to decorate a larger house keeps me up at night. I know, first world problems/housewife problems, right? You can make a home anywhere but I'm still sad to let this place go. I would add a picture but we wiped our iMac because it was running super slow and everything is on the backup drive thingimagiggy.

My sinuses are OOC right now and I'm doping up on Allegra. I haven't seen the gym in over a week. I didn't realize when we set closing that it was Easter weekend but Easter weekend is always supposed to be the first weekend in April. Am I right or am I right? The church Easter Egg Hunt is today but we have been graced with thunderstorms and cold weather so that's going to be a no go for us and two infants. I'm working on egg coloring projects today for #1.

Well, cheers to change! I'll be sure to take some before/after pics because the new house needs lots of painting.


The Housewife

Buying and Selling

Housewife here to vent. We have decided to put our house on the market because as you all know we did some expanding recently. The market seems to be rebounding here. No ones taking you to the bank and you're not getting anything for a steal unless it's a short sale. That's just my unprofessional opinion though. It's HARD. My Dad always says, "Nothing ventured, nothing gained." Blah.  Our house showed 10 times in 5 days. Which is really great, except no offers. Freaking crickets. I live like a gypsy. I keep supplies in the van for the little people and just go from family member to family member's home to kill the time and vacate my house.......for NOTHING. I think I'd be happier if someone just made a ridiculously insulting offer. At least someone liked it enough to make one.

Only, then someone made us an offer. One we basically didn't even counter. Then they ended up countering themselves two more times and we got a contract. In 20 days. Put that in the real estate is great column. The home inspection went very well and now we are just waiting for the buyer's lender to send their appraiser. When I say wait.....we have been waiting and waiting. My agent's operations manager calls these people 3 times a day. Nada. More crickets. Also, we could not find a house. The market has such a shortage it's unbelievable. Houses go in 3 days sometimes, people are in bidding wars and are jumping list price by tens of thousands on some homes according to our agent. It's crazy! So truthfully we were jokingly saying we didn't really care if the deal fell through because we would be homeless.

Then, we found a house. We secured a contract fairly quickly. So now I'm excited, but we are still waiting on the appraisal on our house. I don't think there will be any issues but you never know. I want to know if my dream home hopes are going to be crushed. Put that I. The real estate is lame column. Know what else is lame? All these conditions and contingencies. I swear they could put a contingency in that said, "This sale is void if a double rainbow shines and there is a pot of gold with a leprechaun at the end of it before said date and midnight." So if we could just confirm the appraisal and get that out of the way everything should be good.  I'm crazy stressed right now. Also, I'm so not packing up anything until the appraisal is returned. Thankfully we have until the end of March but still. I have three small kids.  My apologies for a lack of blogging once again.

Sigh.
The Housewife

Time Management

Time management is really a big joke around here at The Housewife case. Sure, I obviously have some because we are never late for preschool, I have managed to make it to the gym (I have to make infant reservations.....like they are eating at a fancy restaurant or something.), and have almost completed the class project for #1's preschool class. Now, the project is a few weeks late but I can explain. I sound like I Love Lucy.........Luuuccccyyyyy! I run on survival mode 24/7. My mind is constantly 40 steps ahead of where I am in order to get us to whatever the next step of the day is and stay on track for the next 40 billion.

Ok, class project. No one would commit to this so of course I feel bad and even though in September I'm obviously super preg and heading towards whale status....I agree. Well then I realized that the "project" is really for the school's Spring Auction. Great. What the hell do people do for these things?  Massive google search commences as the email comes out project ideas are due in a week and must be approved. Shit, I'm back at work again and in a twilight zone. Fine. On the list people are doing these finger-print vases etc. Well, I don't want to do the same old thing everyone else is doing so I come up with the idea I can do a small quilt on it with a church and balloons coming out of it like the movie UP. Gets approved. I beg my mother-in-law to help because I know jack about making a quilt. Long story short I couldn't quite get the balloons to work (just needed more time to figure out the strings) but did get some clouds done and a rail fence pattern on outside. It actually turned out really well; I just got it back from the quilter.

Another reason I'm a crazy lady right now is we decided to put our house on the market to see what happened. Well, it showed like gangbusters. I'm hauling all of the kids to any place I can for hours at a time. We would get one showing for the day and the it was like a snowball effect and a good number of days it would show three times in a day. #1 apparently learned how to lock doors. I figured that out when I ran my diaper bag and an armload of things to my van in The Single Gal's driveway for 20 seconds and came back to the door, which was locked. #1 thought this was pretty funny. After much pleading on my part and many giggles on hers I ran to some random construction workers and begged in my best Spanglish to borrow a phone to call the Single Gal and leave her a message that she needed to come back right away or I would have to call 911. That's right, I didn't even have my cell. Then, #1 basically busts out of the garage looking for me. I knew she knew what she was doing. Guess it wasn't so fun when she thought she was alone. Long story short, we got a contract yesterday.  So fingers crossed everything goes through.

I am doing my best to find time to blog but it's hard. I'm very Jessie Spano these days....There's no time!!! I have been working out at Crossfit and running some since I can go back to my regular gym. I'm starting to go twice a day sometimes. We will see if anything helps my wrecked body. I'll try to upload the video of #3 giggling.

The Housewife

Twice the Babies = Twice the Hormones.

I am truly not a person who minds being pregnant. When I was pregnant with #1 I had a very easy and uncomplicated pregnancy. I had some early swelling that never seemed to go away and so far do not have that this time around. With #1 I was sort of a little sick.....maybe......when I woke up in the morning and on my drive to work. With the twins I was sick all.day.long from around five weeks to ten weeks. I would wake up in the middle of the night and feel sick. I don't know what is worse, just feeling like you will vomit all the time or vomiting all the time. The Single Gal has a dear friend who is still sick and throwing up most days and she's due the first week of August. My mother-in-law pretty much threw up everyday with her first (not the Turtle).

Also, when these twins are sassy teenagers I will remind them how they broke mommy's nose because I'm pretty sure my nose is jacked up. Problem is the only way to tell is by a CT scan and I can't get one of those things until I deliver. And I can't afford a nose job anyway so why get the CT scan? Now the Single Gal can say her nose is better than mine when we used to be equals. Stab her.


This little adorable gal loves the word "NO" right now. Can we go change your diaper? NO. Do you want to take a bath? NO. NO. NOOOAAAAH. (runs away from mommy). I can't even have my own water as you can see. (This is one of my better pictures that's not over exposed. Kind of self teaching and half learning from the Pioneer Woman blog.)

Do you know what you buy when you're pregnant and having a bad day? Candy. Candy and magazines because you can't buy a magazine and a bottle of wine. The grocery bill is a good place to hide these things from your husbands because it's very general and doesn't show up as "GAP" on your billing statement. I am struggling because one of my placenta's is over my cervix right now (placenta previa) and I've been placed on "pelvic rest," with no heavy lifting, no running or jarring activities. I can swim. While I have no problem adhering to the doctor's orders for the safety of the babies it is mentally frustrating. I really like working out.....and while I was a competitive swimmer for many years I really do not enjoy swimming that much anymore, especially by myself. The midwife said this should hopefully resolve itself and not be an issue down the road but they can't really say when. I hope by my 16 week appointment. 

I promise not to be a crazy, grumpy, hormonal basket case. Most of the time anyway. Y'all enjoy your Memorial Day weekend and eat some BBQ and hang out on the lake or something.

The Housewife

Monday Obsessions: Ikat

Housewife checking in again before the Single Gal murders me. I don't have much going on right now except that I found a rug for my living room. I'm trying hard to trust my decorating senses and cues and buying what I like. I just hope it looks okay together and not like an HGTV makeover gone bad. Y'all know I have crazy decorating woes. Plus, the Single Gal doesn't have to contend with a husbands opinion and tastes when she does her decorating. I'm usually faced with finding something we "both" like; although, sometimes the Turtle will concede. I'm really glad we both love this rug. It was an immediate yes yes conversation. I found it at Home Decorator Collections. Have any of you ever been in that store? They just opened one near our mall area and while it's not cheap it's certainly a very reasonable store for it's merchandise. They have a great rug selection and I was very happy I actually got to see the rug in person because once I looked it up at home online the coloring definitely looks different.


I'm mad at the Internet right now because I can't just insert a pretty image for you I have to use the link above. Anyway, the blue looks a little sharper than the image but I just adore ikat and love the large scale of this. I'm sure it will look fine with my couch but I'm just a little worried about the geometric ottoman I ordered that will sit directly on top of it. The goal is obviously to look like Sarah Richardson put this living room together and it looks lovely and layered. I know, my goals are too high.

Living Room update so far....floors are done and floor outlet installed. Rug and furniture all ordered and waiting for delivery. The rug will be here in 7-14 days which will be before the furniture comes. Turtle advised he did not want to move furniture just to put the rug down. Still need a tv, console, side tables and  accessories.

Are any of you in any decorating dilemma's? I know I still want to paint my kitchen and figure out some sort of shelving for one empty wall. I have an empty entry way that needs attention too.

Remodeling Woes

Remember when I talked about my living room here? The Turtle and I tackled getting all the toys moved upstairs into out bonus room along with storage for those said toys, a TV, TV stand and a new Ektorp Sofa. I have been in heaven. #1 loves to go "upstairs" and it's working out just as I dreamed it would. Turtle had some trying trips to the IKEA store but he survived and he's a better man for it. Actually, all THREE of us managed a pleasant trip the second time and on a Saturday no less. Not super parents, more like "thankyoutheyhaveafoodcourt."

Here's where you ask, well Housewife, what is going on in your living room? Right now we are truly living a bohemian lifestyle.....it may not even qualify as bohemian at this point either. We had some decent furniture and we tried to move some of it on craigslist with no dice. Power tools and bookshelves were where it was at with selling our junk. So I called a local charity organization who took large items and they would send a truck and movers as long as everything was on the first floor. Perfect. The contact guy called me and I offered to send some pictures via email and he called a few hours later and wanted to pick everything up the next day. I even got the guys to move our heavy ass old TV into the back of my Jeep so I could drive it up to Goodwill. Just like that, there is nothing left in the living room.

We are having hardwood floors installed in about two weeks and they dropped off the wood today so it could acclimate. We've been in the Lazyboy store working with their designer for a sectional and an ottoman. I've called an electrician so I can have an outlet installed in the floor. We also have to find a place to live for the 5-6 days they are working on the floors. (Umm....hint, hint Single Gal?) We have existing hardwoods on most of the main floor except the living room and hallway to the other rooms. They will have to lace in new floors to the existing and sand and re-finish all of them.

These are not really "woes." We are savers and have had in-expensive items in the living room for a long time and we have finally decided it's time to update some things. The floors just seemed like a no-brainer since I could have most of the bottom floor empty before the new furniture arrives and the floors will add value to the house (even though that statement is a complete joke with the housing market right now but it will be worth it down the road).  I just hope we don't end up like this.....

Don't worry! I'll be posting the good, the bad and the ugly from start to finish. I even have a picture with all the kid crap in there. Just insert embarrassing and more embarrassing. 

The Housewife 

Catch and Release

There was high drama at the Housewife household yesterday afternoon. The Single Gal can agree because she was on the phone with me during my time of need when it happened. First, let me introduce you to my new friend whose been hanging around my front porch.

I mean, it's not exactly the same one that is hanging around my porch but close enough. My guy is less scale-y and a dark grey black color, but potato pahtato. It's still a creepy amphibian. 

In the middle of having a phone call with the Single Gal I went to check my mail and I picked up a towel that had been laying on my front porch to bring inside. I get inside and shake the towel and hear a "thump." I looked down and guess who fell onto my foyer floor????? The mother freaking lizard. Ugh, you have got to be kidding me. Luckily, #1 was away spending time with a grandparent and not expected home in the immediate future. Great. The lizard has now scurried under my dining room table. So we start to size each other up. He tried to crawl up the chair legs and that's not working out. I'm freaking out on the phone with the Single Gal asking her what the hell I'm supposed to do. asldkfaitjhfglksjgalkfdjlksjf!!! 

So we decide I should get a bowl to trap the lizard under until possibly Turtle comes home and can get rid of my unwanted house guest. Seems reasonable. I do panic and tell the Single Gal, "I have to go. I mean, I just have to go." Then I hang up on her. I get my bowl and the little guy moves to the other side of the table and I'm praying to Little Baby Jesus that he does not go under my ninety thousand pound buffet with a hutch on top of it. I'm feeling bad that if I throw this ceramic bowl on top of him that I will inadvertently amputate one of his four tiny legs. I know that their tails are supposed to grow back but I don't remember anything specifically about their arms and legs/hands/feet growing back. Big Sigh. 

Then he decides to climb into one of my small plants because he's a genius lizard king. He starts climbing up one of the leaves and that's when I make my move. Bam. Bowl over the plant. I carefully scoot the plant over to the door while maintaining pressure over the bowl to avoid any criminal escape plots from the lizard king and manage to get the plant onto to front porch and take the bowl off. Whew. I cannot even imagine the chaos if #1 was home. 

I explain my feat to Turtle last night. He said, "So what the lizard alright?" I said, "Yes, we run a catch and release program here."