When your mother emails you and says “I am tired of POOP!”, and you know she’s not talking about herself, but your blog, it’s time to sit down and write. Then 20 minutes later when you get an email from your sister telling you she’s having blog withdrawl, it’s time to sit down and write.

The poop is subsiding, it’s now work that has kept me away. Here is our dining room table right now:

I was hired to work a party tonight and I’ve been working all week on the details. It’s a going away party with a Western theme, and I will post photos tomorrow. I’m doing the centerpieces and also will be taking family portraits at the party of all the guests. Then once the photos are developed, I will be putting them into a mini-album (you can see the cover on the table, it has a Y on it) with notes that the guests will also fill out at the party. Anyway, I’ve just been super busy, but so excited that Jodified Designs has an actual job!!! I’ve also created another new blog banner with my Jodified logo b/c I need to start making this more about my business than anything. So that will go up hopefully tomorrow as well.

So anyway, more to come in the next day or so, but I have to share this amazing story first…

Yesterday I went to get gas and the person before me had prepaid $30 on the pump! I felt like I was stealing, but the guy working said they just wanted to be nice. So I owe the universe $30. If anyone has a creative idea as to how I can pay it back let me know, b/c I want it to be equally as special and amazing as what that person did. I just love when you run into the good in people.

Wish me luck at this party tonight!

Chris told me tonight that he is sick of coming home and having me discuss poop as if it is on par with subjects like politics and religion. What I don’t think he understands, is that in the world of two babies in diapers, it is. I know poop better than I know politics today. Sesame Street, Blue’s Clues, children’s songs and poop are all topics I am well versed in right now. World culture, I am not. I honestly couldn’t tell you what is going on in the world. Isn’t that sad? And I know that I could read online, make myself watch the news at night or read the paper, but at this point in my life it’s a choice. I just kinda don’t want to know right now. Although I don’t love knowing all things poop, I do sort of like being lost in the world of Big Bird, Elmo and morning cuddles. I like that instead of watching the news at lunch, we sing songs or read books and instead of Oprah we do flash cards or playdough. I’m tired and worried enough about my kids, I think my brain would go on overload if I tried to keep up with the world as well. Someday soon I will start paying attention again, if for no other reason than to have something besides poop to talk to Chris about at night. But for now, I’m happy in my toddler world I’ve created here.

And just b/c I’ve brought it up, and since you’re not my husband, I’m going to vent about illness right now. I think we have the plague. Seriously. Bailey was fine after last week’s bout with stomach flu, Parker was fine and I am feeling good today too. But oh no. Not this house. Parker had 12, yes TWELVE, messy (read “messy” as major diarrhea) diapers today and tonight Bailey decided to join in with two (one of which went up her back and all over our white living room chair). Bailey also has developed a rash on her stomach. I called the after hours for our ped just to find out if I should be worried about the rash, and as she’s asking me all of these specific questions I found myself realizing I couldn’t have told her what I ate for lunch today much less how many ounces Parker had with her last bottle. Don’t doctors understand that when you have had NO sleep and been changing diapers round the clock you are just glad you remembered to FEED your baby when she cried?

I swear I try every day to be grateful for my kids, for the fact that I can stay home with them most of the time and to remember that this time goes so fast I will miss it one day soon. But lately, I just want alone time and me time and just time to sleep or scrapbook or read or something other than changing poopy diapers and listening to crying sick kids. I feel like a bad mother, which is a theme in my life lately. One day I love love LOVE spending every waking hour with my girls; we play, we do art projects, we go to the park or for a walk or just cuddle and read on the couch. Then the next day I just want to run out of the house and scream. I know it has something to do with the fact that someone in this house in continually SICK, but I still feel guilty constantly and am filled with self doubt as a mother a lot of the time too.

ANYWAY.

So although I’ve had a rough day, I am going to force myself to go sit and scrap for an hour b/c even though I just want to crawl under the covers, I know that my soul will feel better if I get a little glue on my hands. And working with amazing photos of my little girls helps put days like this into perspective also.

Go scrap, I swear it is life changing.

And just b/c I can, here are my current favorite photos of some people in my life…

Parker

My mom

Bailey

I am in love with her eyes in that photo.

Enough for tonight. Good night!

Someone tell me the day your kids are old enough that you go to bed at a reasonable hour, sleep throught the night and wake up completely well-rested. If I know there is a time like that coming, these mornings wouldn’t be so hard, b/c I would know the end is in sight.

For some reason Parker thought 3am was 6am. She was talking and laughing and proceeded to wake up her sister, that KNEW it wasn’t morning yet but was willing to party. So by 5am Bailey was in our bed, Parker was asleep and Mommy all but passed out.

What didn’t help is that I was up a lot before that with a stomach ache. Oh, did I mention that I got the bug on Sat? So I don’t know if it was just the end of it, or what, but I was awake from about 11:30pm-1:30am. Not enough sleep!

What do you think of the new banner? I was just in love with that photo, so I thought I would change it up. It needed updating anyway.

Chris is in the midst of summer school right now to attain his teaching certificate, so he’s out the door at 6:30am, gets home around 5pm, eats and relaxes for a minute before starting the hours and hours of homework. I don’t think they should allow you to get 9 credit hours in three weeks, it’s insane. He’s working so hard that I’m cooking up a surprise for him when he’s done… can’t tell!

I have some cute photos to post later. This week one goal is to get back on here b/c I have missed it! I actually wrote this long drawn out post yesterday, and then decided I’d gotten too personal and deleted it. It’s hard to remember sometimes that this isn’t my actual journal, that people out there read my rambling thoughts.

Anyway, happy Tuesday morning. Heading off for my much needed Mountain Dew soon. Thank you Lord for Bread Co!

I am so tired tonight that I’m just going to post my favorite photos from the trip to KC this week. Bailey is better as far as I can tell, but Parker is now vomiting. I can’t wait to see how tonight goes! Anyway, enjoy the photos… as soon as the house settles down I’ll be back here more often. I’ve also been supre busy with my new passion… Usborne Books! I’m officially an independent consultant and loving it! I am so in love with these books that it truly makes me happy to share them with others! Email me if you would consider hosting an eShow… my sister is hosting one right now and with 3 sales she has already earned $10 in free books! I will get more info on here soon about UBAH! Visit my site if you have time and check out the books: www.ubah.com/R2070

We walked The Plaza and with no sleep, throw up and just plain exhaustion, when we rounded the corner and saw the Panera sign, I swear the heavens opened up and angels sang to me. That Mnt Dew was the best I’ve ever had!

Just a quick note to tell you that we’re back a day early. The girls, my mom and I left for Kansas City on Monday… Bailey started throwing up Tuesday at 4am… Parker never slept more than an hour or two in a row each night… Bailey felt better Wednesday and we were able to have some fun… Parker was up almost all night Wednesday night… Bailey started throwing up again at 4am this morning.

4:30am I had a melt down and said we were leaving.
5:30am we were at Quick Trip for soda and gas.
6am we were on the highway.
9:30am we were in my driveway.

Bailey threw up four times in the car on the way home and I never stopped. I Just kept driving. And when she would start to throw up I swear I would hit 90 mph to just get HOME.

She’s been good since about lunch time today and Parker is not sick. I’m praying that tonight goes well with no more vomitt.

Andrea, I am so sorry I never called… a sick baby and no sleep kept me preoccupied… we will catch up soon!

What I was the most sad about was missing my first ever Usborne Book home show. That was supposed to be tonight. Oh well.

Can you tell how tired and brain dead I am? Great photos to share when I have time… hopefully tomorrow. Until then, goodnight.

Ok, we leave tomorrow for Kansas City and I’m not totally packed so this will be quick. I put 15 out of 72 photos in an album if you want to see some photos from the party… so cute! I included some of my details from a decorating standpoint with explanations if you’re interested! I will write more soon I promise!

I will have some internet access while we’re gone this week, but I don’t know how much or how often. So if I don’t write again until next weekend, have a great week!!!

Are you ready for this? Lots of photos. Here we go.

Chris and I took Bailey to the Webster Carnival last night which was a REALLY big BIG deal b/c we NEVER push her bedtime more than a half and hour (and that’s usually if Mommy didn’t make dinner in time and we’re just running late)! We just felt like this was the year to let her see fireworks for the first time. The first thing we did was the ferris wheel…

Then we rode the “horsies”

I love how out of focus this photo is… it makes us look like we’re flying, which is how Bails felt!

By the time we rode two rides, watched Daddy play a game, watch Bailey play a game, visit with C’s students and eat popcorn, we still had about an hour until fireworks and one very sleepy/cranky girl.

So we headed back to the car, hoping that we could maybe get comfortable there and watch the fireworks at the car.

It was great! We hung out in the back, ate snacks and enjoyed the show. Bailey LOVED the fireworks and has been talking about them all day! She wasn’t scared in the least, thank goodness.

She finally got to bed around 10:30pm. You have no idea how hard it was for us to break her schedule! When it takes you MONTHS to get your kids ON a schedule, the last thing you want to do is break it. BUT, for this one time, it was well worth it. We all had a great time!

Then this morning we headed out to the Webster Groves 4th of July Parade. Again, great time. Bailey loved all of it! The horses, the police, the fire trucks, the CANDY and seeing people (like Kelsey and Jenna)! Parker even had fun! We went with my parents, Pat and Nicole and watched it at the Snelling’s house. Here are my favorites from today…

The parade was a hit, but with the late night the night before, we left right when it was over. And I tell you, the second the car started moving, the girls were asleep!

So our 4th was full of fun and new experiences! I have more to share…Parker crawling and pulling up and my front porch… but you’ll have to wait until tomorrow. Enough photos for one day! Hope you had a Happy 4th!

No, I’m not talking about Bailey, although she IS a master scribbler! I’m talking about a new website that I’m addicted to! Rather than trying to explain it, go there and PLAY! So fun! Here’s my latest scribble:

Bailey’s big day is this Sunday and that scribble is the start of the celebration! Seriously, GO HERE and check out The Scribbler! It’s awesome!