State of the household....

1. I have a 5 going on 16 year old, a 3 year old who acts and looks like a 2 year old and a 1 year old who thinks she should be able to do whatever she wants.

2. Taylor and I often refer to Lauren and Zach as the "kids" throughout the day.. because clearly, Taylor is not a kid herself.

3. Here is an example... today after Zach hit Taylor, had his 3rd time out for the day and went over to her to apologize, she hugged him, shrugged her shoulders, and said " I just love that little guy. He's so cute." Then we put him to bed, and she came downstairs with me and said, "Little boys, huh? They just can't control themselves sometimes." Oh yes, wise one. Really?

4. While trying to do a Care Bears puzzle with Zach this morning (care bears because he gets all of his sisters left overs)- I asked what was missing from the bear (clearly the legs)... to which Zach responded... "his pee pee".

5. Lauren likes to hit me now whenever I am pulling her away from something she wants to do that will likely put her in some sort of danger. Which is pretty much all the time these days. I'm pretty sure she's going to end up in the Juvenile home.

6. I have a new found appreciation for the snow. For the past 2 days my kids have spent hours outside playing by themselves in the backyard. It's amazing.

7. Bedtime can turn the nicest of parents into crazy, screaming maniacs. Why can't they just stay in bed & go to sleep? Is it too much to ask? Every single night after about a 1/2 hour Zach has to get up to poop. Every single night he wakes Taylor up and she starts yelling at him for waking him up. Of course, he can't go to the bathroom by himself, so one of us ends up sitting on the tub talking to him for a good 20 minutes while he goes to the bathroom. It's a fun time. Then after we tuck him in for the 2nd time Taylor starts crying hysterically about the bathroom light being on.. even though, a 1/2 hour ago she demanded we leave it on. Everyone is over tired and round and round we go.

8. In the same way I have a new appreciation for the snow, I have also remembered why I dread this time of year. The extra hours it adds to the day of putting on & taking off snow gear, of getting out the door and of course the traffic/roads while driving back and forth to school each day.