Busy Bunnies and Bribes

“Bribe” is probably a strong word.  But it’s no exaggeration that my little bunnies were some kind of busy on Saturday.

Saturday we had not one, but TWO Easter egg hunts!  The girls didn’t attend any official hunts until they were in preschool…but they’ve made up for that with frequency over the past couple of years.

Saturday morning we went to the egg hunt my company hosts.  It’s incredibly sweet for me…so many years before I had kiddos, I remember seeing the advertisements for the company egg hunts, thinking how sweet it would one day be to bring my kiddos there.  It took a few years…but here we are!!!

I knew there would be an Easter bunny at the party.  And to date, I have zero pictures of my girlies with The Bunny.  I’ve asked them a few times if they would be up for a picture with the mall bunny, and they’ve vehemently declined.

On Saturday morning I told them, “Mommy doesn’t have any pictures of you with the Easter bunny, and I would really like one.  Would you be willing to have your picture made?”  I reinforced that it was their decision.  At first they said no (although not quite as vehemently as in years past).  I told them I would stand beside them, and they didn’t have to touch the bunny.  I reiterated that it was their decision.  They looked at each other, and finally acquiesced.  (Cue internal squeal from Mommy!  And I didn’t even resort to a bribe!)

The girls held true to their word and took a picture with the bunny as soon as we got to the party.  They even smiled!!! 

The girls made two rounds through the obstacle course, played a couple of games, and then it was time for the magic show.  This year they again asked me to sit with them.  (They don’t seem to be big fans of clowns, either!)  I sat for a few minutes, and then told them I’d like to stand behind them.  They were OK with that (although they kept turning around to make sure I was still in sight).

Finally it was time to HUNT!  The girls were in the Big Kid group this year (ages 7-12).  Baby A scored 11 eggs, and B found 7.  They were satisfied with their treasures, and we went home soon thereafter.  (It was COLD!!!)

After a light lunch and a short rest time, we loaded up for our Mothers of Multiples Easter party.  There were two adorable crafts (although there was a little disappointment because B didn’t like how she placed her bunny ears, and A didn’t like how her handprint turned out…both were easily remedied the next day in Mommy’s craft room).  

Due to the COLD weather and threat of rain, we held our “hunt” indoors.  The girls scored far more treasures, and it was so cute to listen to them ooh and ahh over each egg they opened.

It was a full day for my little bunnies, for sure!  But fun memories – and a few heirloom pictures – were made!  I call it a great day!!!

Making the Most of the Evenings

Since the girls started to school and I started back to work, our evenings have become pretty hectic.  I do my best to get home by 5:30.  I do quick hugs (and someone usually talks to me while I am on the potty).  I change and heat up supper.  We eat, and we try to squeeze in a quick book or a game before we start our bedtime routine at 6:30.

Whew.

These past couple of nights, though, we’ve somehow managed to squeeze in a little more family fun.  And it’s been wonderful.

We’re having a magnificent taste of spring this week…sunshine, and highs in the 70’s and 80’s!!!  I’ve gotten away from work closer to 5:00, and I’ve gotten home to play outside with the girls for a few minutes.  B has chosen to ride her scooter, and A and I have played catch.  How wonderful it is to enjoy some fresh air and sunshine with my baby girls!!!  We enjoyed lots of laughs…high fives…and hugs.

On Tuesday night, in particular, we somehow had time to play outside…eat a quick supper (leftovers!)…AND play a bit before bed.  Daddy and A played a game of UNO, and B read her library book to me.  We were 10 or 15 minutes later than usual heading upstairs, but the girls were focused on accomplishing their bedtime routine, so we were still in bed by 7:00.

What an incredible difference it makes to have this extra playtime with my baby girls.  

Bring it on, Spring!!!

THREE DAYS at Home

We had a colossal snow (12”, which is huge for these parts!) on Friday.  I worked from home that day, and we spent the weekend snowbound, as well.  That’s THREE days I’ve been HOME with the family.

I’m just coming off a lot of holiday vacation, so a three-day stretch away from work isn’t a shock to my system.  It’s not leaving HOME those three days that I realized is such a new (old) experience.

I truly can’t remember the last time I was HOME for three days.  I know I spent a lot of homebound stretches when the girls were younger.  (And when they were infants, there were many stretches longer than that when I didn’t even leave the house to go to the mailbox!)  Surely this can’t be right, but my best guess is that it probably dates back to PRESCHOOL, maybe THREE YEARS AGO, when I last enjoyed such a treat.

Actually, back in the infant and toddler days, I’m not sure I would always have characterized three days at home a “treat”.  But it sure did feel like one these last few days.

Certainly it wasn’t a “vacation”…especially since Hubby hasn’t felt 100%, I’ve cooked and cleaned and done laundry and organized.  I’ve not had much “prop up” time…even after the girls have gone to bed, I’ve been tooling around most evenings.

But…

I enjoyed cooking a nice breakfast for the family every day.  I made creative lunches and yummy suppers.  AND I made homemade dessert a couple of times, too!

I PLAYED with my babies.  We snuggled and read and played games and built creations.

I WORKED with my babies.  By this, I mean that we did things in the house together…I involved them in the organizing, just the way I like to.  We weren’t rushed to clean up in 30 minutes.  We took an entire morning to organize the books in the house.  And another morning we made a giant color-coded list of all our toys, games, and art supplies (something for them to refer to when they seem to get in a rut).  And we went through their closet to pull all the too-small spring/summer things to get ready for an upcoming consignment sale.

I COOKED with my babies…a little bit, anyway.  The girls were ecstatic to peel eggs and help me stuff them.  They stirred guacamole, and watched me chop veggies for soup.  These last couple of years, that seems like a luxury.  So often I’m cramming in cooking amid five other things, such that I don’t take the time to involve the girls.  I miss that.

And of course we PLAYED in the snow!!!  There’s something completely exhilarating about donning our snow gear and setting out to tromp, stomp, run, jump, and wallow in all that white powder. 

Day 1 I took a few pictures here and there.  Day 2, we went sledding as a family, no camera in tow.  I would have loved to have recorded our antics, but we were all so in-the-moment.  Day 3 the girls and I had a lot of sledding fun…by that time the snow was beginning to pack a little more, and it was FAST!!!  We all played hard, and then I came in for the camera for the last 20 minutes or so.  It was a perfect balance for me of fun and picture-taking.

Judging by lamentations on the computer, there are a lot of folks who are ready for this snow event to be over.  Sure, I’m looking forward to a nice lunch out and a trip to the grocery to replenish a couple of things…but it wouldn’t hurt my feelings to have another day or two at home.

And this experience reminds me what a blessing it is to BE home for a few days.  I just might have to schedule that again soon.

***savoring the little things...for they really are the big things...***

Snow Days and Balance

After a really warm fall, we’ve had some really wintry weather here this week.  We had about 3” of snow on Wednesday, and we’re experiencing near-blizzard conditions (at least for this part of the world!) today.

Hubby and the girls have only been in school one day this week.  Monday was the MLK holiday, and things have been shut down here with the weather since Wednesday.  Even Mommy enjoyed working from home on Wednesday, and I’m typing in my pj pants again this Friday morning.

I am so thankful for the gift of technology that allows me to work from home…but at the same time, it’s challenging to do so.

The girls want me to be hanging out with them full-time.  But I am trying to be respectful of the work-from-home privilege.  It’s an uncomfortable balance at times…I am on the computer, and they are begging me to play.

I managed the balance well enough on Wednesday until early afternoon.  Then I decided to call it off and have fun with my babies. 

Although the snow wasn’t deep, it was the perfect consistency for snowballs and sledding.  I only took a few pictures (relatively speaking) before sledding and afterwards…I was in the middle of the fun!  I will treasure seeing Hubby instructing the girls on the perfect snowball formation…and their intense giggles as they prepared to attack him many times over.

Sledding was a blast, as always.  The beautiful rolling hills of Kentucky make for a wonderful playground!

And it always cracks me up how our girls love to lie in the snow.  Sure, there are snow angels attempted…but there’s something about crawling and rolling in the snow that A&B find irresistible. 

First steps outside...first picture...right on their tummies!

Baby A likes to do forward-facing snow angels...HA!

My A!

My B, tired after sledding!

My favorite picture...they snuggled together without me asking.  <3 td="">

After our snow excursion, I treated everyone to homemade hot chocolate.  And then I made a big pot of split pea soup, a family favorite.  While I still got the “…but you didn’t play with us much today” before bedtime, I know we all had a great time frolicking in the snow.

I’ve been on the computer since early this morning, trying to knock out a few things.  I’m planning to have more balance today.  At least it’s Friday, so I can make up some additional time over the weekend.  It will be worth it to enjoy a rare Friday home and some PLAY with the girls.

My favorite place to be, between my girlies!

Where Have I Been???

Sigh.

I was so proud of myself for writing EIGHT blog posts in the month of August!  Granted, we had a lot of fun stuff going on between the end of summer break and the beginning of school.  I was on top of my game, making time to write here and there.  And I enjoyed it so much!

And then…September.  School was in full swing, and I wasn’t keeping up with my vow to make lunches the night before the next school day.  Soccer season started (which deserves multiple posts itself!).  And my fall travel schedule kicked in the week after Labor Day.

Travel.

I have to remind myself that I had zero travel through the summer months.  But I am making up for it now.  I just finished my third trip in three weeks…oh, and we had five days in MEXICO in the middle of that.

I’ll take this opportunity to capture what TROOPERS the girls have been.  Most of my travel has been in/around/over weekends.  That’s stinky on one hand…but nice on the other.  I think it makes it a little easier on the girls (AND HUBBY) not to have too many school days minus Mommy.  [And it makes it a little bit easier on Mommy not to have to worry with packing lunches and doling out casseroles for many days ahead.]

The girls have missed me, for sure, but they’re pretty self-sufficient.  I’ve come home to clean, semi-brushed hair (although it’s not braided) and not too big of a mess in the office and playroom.  And I’ve been able to take off a little time here and there in between trips for some one-on-one time to reconnect.

Catching up with my baby girls at the orchard / pumpkin patch!  Bliss!!!

And my hat is off to Hubby for keeping everything afloat.  I know it’s stressful to manage things single-handedly, especially during the girls’ first soccer season.

I still have a couple of weeks of travel ahead of me, but the end is in sight.  I’ll be at the remainder of the girls’ soccer games, and I’m vowing to pick back up my picture editing.

I have three-and-a-half more weeks in October…here’s to blog posts to come!

So Thankful for This Grainy Photo

I don't take many pictures on my iPhone, and I was way behind on looking through the few that I did take.  I made a point this weekend to download the keepers...and I'm so glad I did.

I love every.single.thing about this picture...the goofy look on my face...the girls piled on my lap...the big, genuine snaggle-tooth smiles on their faces...and the memory of this fun occasion.

Hubby had to stay after school unexpectedly, so I left work to pick up the girls.  My boss was kind enough to tell me to take the rest of the afternoon off, and boy, did I enjoy it.

I surprised the girls by picking them up, and we voted to go to Spencer's coffee shop downtown -- what once was a regular stop for us, now turned a very rare treat.  The girls shared a smoothie, and I got a coffee.

We were giddy in love with ourselves...an unexpected gift of togetherness...bliss!!!

A selfie queen, I am not.  (I think my arms must be too short or something...HA!)  And the latest and greatest cell phone, I do not have.  I will treasure this grainy photo, though...a reminder of a crystal clear memory with my baby girls.

The Silver Lining of My Work Travel

I traveled for work last week, three days and four nights.  The longest I’d been away prior to that was one night (twice), both times within the last 8 or 9 months.

I was nervous to leave everyone.  I knew they’d ultimately fare fine, but I knew it wouldn’t be easy on anyone.  I could picture the girls (and maybe the husband!) getting tired and cranky by Day 3, breaking down into a puddle of tears.

I’m thankful to report that everyone seemed to do pretty well in my absence.  In fact, I think I’m the only one who cried.  It certainly wasn’t easy on anyone, and it’s something I hope I don’t often have to repeat, but I’m also glad to have this milestone under our belts.

As I look back on the week, there are three really sweet things that stand out to me…things I wouldn’t have experienced had I been in the same zip code all week.

1) I had a morning flight on Tuesday and I had to be at the office about an hour early.  Daddy took the girls to school (to early drop-off) so I wouldn’t have to manage that additional piece of run-around as I was working to get on the road.  They left a couple of minutes before I did, so I got to wave goodbye to them.  Since my vehicle is the only one that had carseats prior to kindergarten starting this fall, and since I always take the girls to school, this NEVER happens.  How sweet it was to kiss them in their carseats…to stand in the driveway while we waved madly at each other…to sign “I love you” to each other as they drove off.

2) It was only about a year ago that I talked to the girls on the phone for the first time.  When we weren’t together, they were either at preschool or I was out for a quick errand.  I remember very clearly talking with them on the way home from spending some time with my friend D in December ’13.  It struck me how grown-up they sounded on the other end of the line!

During this trip I talked to them quite a few times.  The highlights were hearing their excitement over the “leprechaun” who visited their class on Tuesday…and then hearing their signature, “Bye-I love you-bye!” at the end of every conversation.  Once they’re ready to get off the phone, they’re READY, but not without first saying “I love you”.

3) On Thursday morning I missed talking to the girls.  (I left a message at home for them to call me, thinking they were upstairs.  When I dialed J’s cell phone a few minutes later, he told me he’d just dropped them off.)  I felt TERRIBLE.  I decided to text A’s teacher and ask her to pass along a note to the girls.  “Please tell them to have a great day, I love them, and I’ll talk to them tonight.”  [And it was then that I cried.]  I love the girls’ teachers, and I knew Mrs. S. would make sure they got the message.  Although it was still a rough start to my morning, it made my heart smile to know that she’d take special care of them that day.

I got home Friday night (after a crazy run-around in the airport, not knowing if I’d make my flight due to weather in the northeast), just in time for bedtime.  I read the girls, “Who’s Got My Purr”, where the kitten searches for her purr…finally, exhausted, she gives up and curls next to her mommy…only to find her purr right there.  “You hear it when you’re happy!” her mommy explains.

Purrr-fect.

Snow Days are Hard

Until this school year, snow days were all fun and games for the girls and me.  It meant Daddy was home from school, somewhat unexpectedly, and we got to hang out as a family of four on a random weekday.  If there was enough snow, we’d play…but at the very least we had a fun time inside (and Mommy got a break from standard SAHM duties…I may have even gotten a nap!).

We’ve had quite a few snow days over the past three weeks, and things are different these days with the girls in school themselves and Mommy working.  In total, counting today, the girls have missed 7 days of school.  I’ve worked from home for three of those days, and then managed to make it into the office the balance.  That’s the tough part…the not-just-fun-and-games part…and I don’t love the way it makes me feel.

We’ve had plenty of notice for both recent snow storms, and I was able to pack files home to work on.  Snow days are “vacation days” for Daddy and the girls, but for me, they’re work days.  Granted, I get to conduct that work in my pajamas, but I still have work to do.

The excruciating part is that I feel like I spend so little time at home with the girls, and I miss our unstructured time so, so much.  When I am home on the weekends, I try to make that time just about what we want to do.  That’s not always easy, or possible…there are groceries to buy and laundry to do and meals to cook…but I try to harken back, as much as we can, to the 5 ½ years we spent hanging out, doing our own thing.

On snow days, how I would love to be hanging out in my pajamas all day with the girls…doing crafts, reading books, playing games, setting up some crazy pretend scenario.  Instead, though, for a large part of the day, anyway, I am holed up in my office, trying to respect the privilege of working from home.  The girls are respectful, for the most part, but they keep asking, “When are you going to be done?”  “Mommy, can you please come play with us?”  “I thought you said we could play XYZ???”

Yesterday I got up early to get some work stuff done before the day started.  I worked until lunch, and then I worked during “quiet time”.  I did call it for the day (at least until after bedtime) around 2:30.  At that point, our *FUN* started for the snow day.

Baby A's static-crazy hair as she crawled out from the "tent" she made during quiet time.

And we did manage to have quite a bit of fun…the four of us had a fantastic time sledding and throwing snowballs!!!  The snow had a little more moisture to it, instead of the total powder we had two weeks ago, so it was great fun.  And after we were totally exhausted from playing outside, I made homemade hot chocolate when we came in.  And then the girls got a bubble bath.  They watched a little bit of TV with Daddy (while Mommy might have rested her eyes for a few minutes), and then it was time for supper and bed.

The tracks we made in the snow, taken at sunset (through the window).

Certainly the day was not a bust.  We had some great fun together, and I got most of my work done, too.  It’s just hard when I am trying so hard to separate Work Time from Family Time, 99% of the time, to have to combine the two on what feels like it should be a pure day of Family Fun Time.

I’m hoping my girls remember snow days as fun…and not as days they were begging Mommy to pay attention to them.