lists

i love to make lists, as wes will tell you with a look of disdain & loathing (he does not like lists, or at least my lists). but today, i need to make a list...i have so many things i want to do & then i start on one thing, jump to another, forget about a few, etc...so, to make the day better, here we go:

• return books at the library
• find new books & put others on reserve
• research christmas gifts for girls (you know, whether cheaper to buy some online versus in the store)
• call doctor & make an appointment
• update blog & try to figure out why some folks still can't post comments 
• VACUUM! (why is that so difficult to complete?)
• finish going through this year's pictures for 2012 calendar
• watch a tv show
• sleep all night

that's it. maybe i'll let you know how much i completed?

***

today marks something special: adeline *chose* to wear jeans to school. this has only happened one other time in the past two years! this is progress, my friends...

& yesterday was 8 years of marriage for wes & i. eight years! i think we even each other out very well. in a few ways we are similar (overall life philosophy: love god, each other, family, community. thinking politicians & banking industry are scamming us.)...but then we are mostly different, almost yin-yang. i think his brain is probably structured & organized, whereas i imagine mine is mostly a total mess--but then my house & its contents are super organized & then wes' spaces (basement, desk, closet, nightstand--places i leave for him to organize his own stuff) are highly messy, scattered. i am nearly a socialist & he is moderately conservative.

i could go on & on. but it seems we compliment each other so well, keep the other balanced. there's a good chance i would have the girls & myself at the occupy wall street protests if he wasn't here to make me stop & think about how disruptive that would be for everyone. (but! i think it would be an amazing teaching moment for the girls to see it all--until they had tear gas shot near them? hhmm...).

anyway, we work well together, we love super well together. he's learning how to communicate & read/express emotions & i'm learning how to chill out more, forgive & let my guard down. marriage.

***

yesterday i met up with a friend at the mall playground, 3 kids in tow. & this is totally ridiculous: they had santa & all that jazz at the mall already! seriously, what's up with that? it's mid-november! christmas music?! santa & elves & such?! anyway, without me realizing it, in a split second adeline ran over & was talking to santa.

fine for her, she knows santa isn't real & is just fun to pretend, right? that's how we're doing the santa & tooth fairy & everything like that. & it works--the girls still get a huge kick out of talking about santa & the north pole--eyes huge with wonder. it works.

anyway, i am a bit frightened of adults dressed in a costume like that, it just totally freaks me out. so my friend is all "heidi! addy is on santa's lap" & i'm trying to play it cool & am like 'ha, how did she get there already?' but thinking: WTF. WTF. WTF. then suddenly addy pops around from the north pole set up with a mini candy cane & was all happy that santa had given her a treat...which meant that amelia had to get one, also.

ugh, i handled it all with amazing control, smiled & waved at the santa & elf, & even mustered a thank you to them for being kind with the treats even though we didn't pay. i guess what i'm saying is why in the hell is santa here already? dudes--thanksgiving is only next week!

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my goal for this blog is to post more often. hold me to it. but first i need a comfy desk chair. ideas? something under $100, preferably!

***

uhhhm, just love this picture of addy. total look of: just get this over with, mom. but really, check out her outfit. high fashion!

this is the day of the pj's & candy extravaganza. & to my shock & dismay, they haven't asked for more candy since last week! it worked. candy inundation totally works, folks.

now for the ballerina!

something's up with the coloring in this picture...hhmmm...maybe i'll have to go with black & white?

amelia & her friend from down the street--these two together are quite a force of giggles & crazy ideas.

***

you may have seen this on facebook, but if not, you're in luck!

i decided to drag the girls to target last week. the day was going pretty good so i even gave them markers & coloring books on the way...& they were so quiet. addy didn't even freak out on the 'big highway' too much. so halfway there i called my sister & we chatted for a few minutes. i pull into the target parking lot & turn around finally to see that amelia had colored all over her face & hands, arms (& the window). i laughed, stupidly but then got off the phone, & turned to adeline--who had a similar situation going, but only in green.

schiester!

so i drug both girls into target, directly into the family bathroom & showed them both in the mirror what they looked like. adeline immediately began to cry, saying she didn't want to look like a tiger anymore & will this ever come off & GET IT OFF OF MY FACE, MOMMY!

amelia laughed & then roared like a tiger & then said something like 'i want to look like this for-EVER!'

so i told her that i'm going to take her picture & then wipe it off, which she was totally not happy about.

anyway, now you see it. & yeah, markers have been confiscated until further notice...