Hug a teacher!!

Today is laundry day.  I didn't always have one day devoted to laundry.  I did it as it accumulated or was needed.  The problem became that laundry became impossible.  I would get it done and it would lay in a pile at the end of the bed, begging to be folded.  Or I would start a load and forget about it until the next day and have to wash it again.  The task was becoming impossible.  Then a friend mentioned she had laundry day and I thought I would give it a try and it turned out to be amazing.  I hated having piles of laundry laying around all week long with laundry baskets in every room.  With laundry day, I got ALL the laundry done, folded, and put away for the rest of the week.  It made the house look tidier and eased my mind.  Also, it helps me remember to wash towels and sheets.  Some weeks I would look at the kids' beds and think, "whens the last time I changed her sheets?!"

Now the challenge is not getting caught up in a project or cleaning something else and forgetting to put clothes in the dryer and start a new load.  I'm so scattered sometimes.  I'll walk in the bathroom with the Windex to wash the mirrors, but see that Aubrie and Emilie have left toys in my bathroom so I'll pick them up and take them to the living room and start picking up other toys and realize that the toy box is too full and I need to take some toys back upstairs and then I get upstairs and realize I forgot to put extra toilet paper in the bathroom and....before you know it, I'm headed to brush my teeth at the end of the day and there's the Windex sitting on the counter and I never DID clean those mirrors.

I just listened to a radio broadcast on Focus on the Family about His Brain, Her Brain by Dr. Walt and Barb Larimore.  They talked about understanding the differences in how our brains are made for men and women and how to use that knowledge to strengthen your marriage.  They made some very interesting points that not only helps me understand Adam, but will help me when parenting Kyle.  Women can process up to 7 things at once and men can only process 1 thing at a time.  If the tv is on, and you're telling your husband about a school program that he needs to put in his calendar, well forget it.  He can't hear you.  I joked with Adam that he was anxious for me to hear this broadcast so he now has an excuse for not being a good listener, which I tell him ALL THE TIME.

We downloaded Focus on the Family's radio app from ITunes and we both try to listen to it and then discuss it.  I love that we do it together.  Some things appeal to us, some things don't.  Some things we agree with, other's we don't.  We get a lot of good out of the broadcasts and you might would enjoy it, too.  Every day we are reminded of how hard it is to raise children and not only that, but be mindful of each other and keep the foundation of this family strong, which is our marriage.  Divorce is ugly and has taken over so many couples.  Marriage constantly needs our attention and work.  Maybe you can get a chance to download the app or go online and listen to a broadcast here or there.  You might find something you like.  (or maybe not!)  :)

Man, it's been busy around here.  The girls went to their first dentist appointment this past month.  They both did very well.  We went to Dr. Buzz in Franklin.

 Super dad's schedule is a little more flexible and he's been able to stay home a little later in the morning and he makes time to make oatmeal for the girls.  What a great dad.  They like peanut butter oatmeal (which they call cowboy oatmeal because that's how Poppy makes it).

 I've been working out in the yard quite a bit.  Our garden looks good and the flower beds are beautiful.  I've drug the crew to Lowes and Home Depot several times for flowers and other supplies.  Last time I took them, the girls were dressed up in their old Halloween costumes and didn't want to take them off.  I figured, hey! lady bugs and bumble bees like flowers.  Why not?

They were so helpful!!!  (they are not helpful)

I know some of you are concerned about Petey.  I don't talk about the family dog much anymore.  He's fine.  Don't you worry. 

He's so lazy.  I'm constantly finding tennis balls at the back of the yard that we have thrown and he failed to retrieve while I'm mowing.  There is also the obese bunny that just saunters right up to our back door and looks for treats.  I'm going to have to put a fence around my garden.  We'll let Petey out and he ignores the bunny completely.  He's also chosey about what table scraps he wants.  Lazy dog.  

The other day I had Camp Kellie.  I had the Kindred boys (Teague and Trace) over after school and the kids had a blast playing outside.  

Trace seeks out this string of pearls every time he comes over.   It doesn't make dad very thrilled, but it's quite funny how he insists on wearing them.  We call them his power necklace.  It gives him super strength!  (aren't his eyelashes ridiculously long?!?!)

Handsome Teague.  He and Aubrie have gone to school together for 3 years!

 This next sequence of pictures we will call the many faces of Emilie.  She's still 2.  Won't potty train to save my life.  Sometimes she'll go and she likes to dial her dad up on the phone and yell at the top of her lungs that's she's gone in the potty for him and all his co-workers to hear.  She's so stubborn and has a mind of her own.  Right now she's big into thinking that things are scary.  She'll run into the room and yell, "AHH!  Something scared me!" or she won't sit in her chair during breakfast because there is something scary on her chair.  It's driving me nuts.

Emi and her pal.  Some nights she will only eat for him.  She'll say, "Dad?  Can I sit by YOUUU??!"

This is my little helper.  She's got the sweet tooth and you can bribe her with cookies or candy.  That's the only reason why she is potty trained.  She really is a lot of help.  Kyle will be fussing in his high chair and I'll be upstairs wrestling Emilie to get dressed and I can yell down and ask her to entertain Kyle and she will make him laugh or hand him his juice cup.  She's getting so big.  She's going to be 5 in February, and I know that is a ways away, but it's going so fast.  She's so bright and talented in many ways.  She's got the kindest heart.  

This guy right here is into table foods.  And I mean, all of it.  He eats pancakes, bacon, any kind of bread, chicken, turkey burgers, lasagna meat sauce and pasta, watermelon, cantelope, peas, cheese, hummus, bell peppers, avocados, sweet potato fries, bananas, tacos, beans, rice, and he can down a chick fil a kids meal faster than his sisters.  He'll mow that chicken down, suck up the applesauce, and be looking around for more.  After spending the last year or so negotiating with Emilie to eat and take one more bite, it is nice to have our own little Hoover Vacuum at the table.  :)

Look at this face!  Don't you want to eat it?!!

Here he is flirting with me while I'm ironing.  I can't get work done with this guy flirting with me!! He now says Mama and that is really all that matters.  He still isn't crawling.  He's just now getting on all 4s and rocking.  He can scooch backwards quite a ways.  It won't be long.  Watch out Pete!

Yesterday we had Funday Monday with Marcie and her sister Michelle.  We went to the adventure science center.  Katie and I like to make things exciting and ride together.  We pile 5 car seats into the Tahoe and drive down to Murfreesboro.  Having Higgs in the car is always an adventure for the girls!

Teague and Aubrie were so funny.  Michelle snapped this picture of them.  It's absolutely perfect.  Teague's legs are right and everything!  He's working on the car and Aubrie's checking on him.

I think Aubrie has a thing for guys in uniforms!  :)  

Thanks moms for all the fun.

I hope everyone else is enjoying this spring weather and having fun.  Mother's Day Out is almost over and we've got a busy summer ahead of us.  Don't forget that this week is teacher appreciation week!  Go hug and thank you kids' teacher!  They are amazing!  I found a cute idea on Pinterest and made some changes to come up with some baskets for the girls' teachers.  The note says:  Orange you glad it's almost summer? Too cute.  Love our teachers!  And you all!  Until next time...

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