We've Got a Man Down

I know this picture is actually from over a year ago, but it is one of my favorites, and I can do what I want! Her hair is even the same length on one side! Well, that little lady was sick again today. Yesterday started out with a fever and Addy acting a little more tired than usual. Today started off with a bang for both her and I! For Addy it was because she woke up getting sick to her stomach, for me it was because Addy was sick to her stomach. Little ones are not good about making it to the bathroom, so they inevitably get sick right where they are. So, yes, I am still doing laundry as I type. I had to wash her pillow and her blanket, not too bad. Then I moved her into my room and now I am finishing up on ALL of our bed linens! I made the mistake of thinking she might be okay to have some medicine, but it came right back up. I moved her to another location, but gave her a towel to use rather than a blanket, which did come in handy...unfortunately. When I did remake the bed, she got right in and took a pretty good nap. As of now, she seems to be feeling a bit better. She has even asked for something to eat, always a good sign of a little one on the mend. I was dreading having a sick kiddo on Christmas! That would not be fun for anyone. I hope we have seen the last of whatever this "bug" is, as we all know how fast "bugs" travel from kid to kid! Especially now when they are all home!

Long Night Ahead

I am fearful that we, my husband and I, are in for a long night. Nap time did not go well. When there is not a decent nap, I can usually count on an extra long evening. Kind of like the night the picture was taken. That is Garhett trying his best to escape his seat during dinner. Today I am not sure what brought about such an awful nap. I lied the boys down at their regular time, after they had eaten a good lunch. I like to feed them before napping, I feel like they sleep better. They both ate great, they each had half a PB&J with pineapple slices on the side. I actually cut up the pineapple this morning, and it is so good. Then everything went downhill from there. I don't bother giving the boys their cats or their blankets any more when they first get into bed seeing as how they just throw them back out. I have to wait a few minutes 0r forty for them to settle down a bit. Eventually I go back in and lie them both down and cover them with their favorite blankets and make sure they have their cats again. This attempt will last a little longer than the first. Lately, it has been Garhett who is waiting until his Brother lies down to grab his things and toss them out of the bed. Today was more difficult than usual. I don't think G-man ever went to sleep. I went back in their room a few more times, and I finally got Garhett settled. Next thing I know Brenden is up doing what his Brother was just doing. He probably couldn't fall asleep after I had to go in and out of the room 20 times and now he is wide awake! I guess we are going to have scrap the nap for today and maybe look for an earlier bed time. Fortunately, I will be at the grocery store tonight when the boys will be in their cranky moods!

Battle Ground

At the end of some days I feel as if I have just fought in a battle. I am truly exhausted today. My day began at 6:45 which is very normal and also fine with me. It is funny how much different I feel at 6:45 versus 6:00. I got breakfast for the boys and we all sat on the couch and watched "Shrek" for what was probably the 100th time this week! It did give me some extra time to wake up however. Then, when the boys were fully awake, the chaos ensued. Each of them threw their daily quota of items, and had numerous glasses of milk. I swear they are non-stop eating machines! I can only imagine what they will be like in ten years! I was an unwilling opponent in quite a few wrestling matches today as well. Matt has started a wonderful game of slapping with Brenden. This makes Brenden then think that his Mother likes to play the game too. Well, I don't! While I was sitting on the couch watching the girls playing Wii, each boy took turns climbing on and the off of my lap. They will use whatever body part of mine they can in order to pull themselves up onto the couch. Man, that can really hurt sometimes. That doesn't include how bony their elbows are. I feel like I am their personal jungle gym. When they do finally sit still, they have a tendency to throw their heads back on to the person holding them. Brenden did that very thing to me this evening. Wham!! He slammed the side of my forehead with the back of his head. I felt lucky though, if he had hit me directly on my face I am sure I would have had a bloody nose, maybe even a broken nose! I even had to take some medication for my headache he gave me. Just before sitting down to write, I was helping Matt get the boys ready for bed. I changed diapers and then we both brushed their teeth. Brushing teeth has also become a battle lately. Both boys want to do it themselves, and want a crap load of toothpaste! I will let them brush their teeth after I have brushed their teeth. This usually results in toothpaste getting everywhere because they are fighting me so much. Some days we are practically counting down the minutes till bedtime!

Girls Night Out!

Last night I took my girls out to the movies and left the guys at home! Our littlest men are not ready for the movies anyway. We invited Grandma Nora and Aunt Sammi, and went to see the new Disney movie Tangled. It was Addy's first time at a movie theater and she did really well. She was pretty excited to have her own giant bag of popcorn. She shared Grandmas soda until she started making those annoying noises that come from the drink being gone! Addy felt free to comment on the commercials leading up to the film starting and also the movie itself. I choked on a piece of popcorn when she yelled out, "Mickey Mouse is wearing panties?!?" It was a black and white version of Mickey during a preveiw, and I guess to a three year old his pants look a little longer now-a-days! When Rapunzel's tower came on the screen, Addy made sure everyone knew who it belonged to. Then, when Rapunzel was in trouble, Addy shouted, "go, Rapunzel, run!!" It was very cute to watch her cover her head when she was worried about Rapunzel. She also laughed along with her sisters when something was funny. There were quite a few funny parts in the movie. I personally loved the horse named Maximus that thinks he is a dog. Very cute. The genius behind the Disney writers is amazing, it kind of reminds me of...me!!

Park Day in December??

Every morning I watch the news so I can have the most up to date weather info. I do watch the news before bed, but as all of us who live in Colorado know, the weather can be a completely different story by morning. We used to have Alexys go out on the back deck each morning and check the weather, now she doesn't seem as interested. Today was exciting to hear that we were going to be having temperatures in the sixties! When the weather is nice I like to take the kiddos to the park, and in December we get very few days that are nice enough to enjoy the park. Even when the temperature is above 50, the wind around here is brutal. Not that warm breeze that comes around for spring, but that biting coolness that makes your eyes water and little noses run! It is just windy enough to make everyone not want to get out of the car. But, today is a different story! I especially enjoy park days because it allows the boys to run around acting crazy and not get into trouble! The park is also a great way for them to burn off some energy, and believe me, they have a ton of energy. We like to go to the park right after picking up Apryl and Lexy from school. The older two always have some sort of game they like to play, tag mostly. I pretty much suck at tag! I have never been that great of a runner, and now my knees hurt so much that climbing all over the park equipment is not easy! Why can't we just lie in the grass and find cool shapes in the clouds? Honestly, I would more than likely fall asleep!

As Good As It Gets

Saturday was our big outing to see Mr. Claus himself. We waited until the little guys were up from their naps, thinking this would be the optimal time to force them to have their pictures taken with a complete stranger. I had all the kiddos dress in Christmas colors hoping to get an awesome picture of them together. I knew there were going to be specific spots just for that unique family picture! We found the lighted Christmas trees right away, and thought this might be great for a background. I also thought it might be a good thing to get some pictures out of the way in case Santa scared them to tears. Our boys, acting as if they had been locked up in cages for weeks, would not sit still long enough for me to snap a decent photo for the life of me. I still do not know why I get my hopes up hoping for a picture with all our children. Or at least a picture with all of our children sitting and looking at the camera. Is that too much to ask?? People keep asking us when our next family picture is coming out. I honestly don't know! I suppose I could staple the boys to the floor and pull their faces back with tape in order to get a smile from them, then fill in with the girls...there, a Morrison family photo! Anyway, I took three or four quick pictures by trees, and a few more in a sleigh before calling it quits. I knew Santa was waiting for us and we needed to hurry over! I was surprised how little the boys payed him any attention. They blew right by him and hustled over to a couple of chairs to climb on, so Addy went first. She was very nervous. Addysen was rubbing her hands back and forth, speaking very quietly, and looked as pale as a ghost. She did not cry though and she did manage to eek out a few things on her list. Apryl and Lexy did just fine like I knew they would. Apryl had a list fit for the child of a CEO! Then came time for the boys to visit Santa. They were not too cooperative...go figure! Santa was very patient and even tried to help settle them. All I really wanted was a picture of their first time with Santa, and I did get that, albeit they were wrestling to get away. Maybe next year they will be a little more willing to pose with their siblings and let mommy get some pictures?!? I should ask Santa for that!

The Older Ones!

These past few days along with the next few have been crammed full of activities. Alexys has had two choir concerts in the last week, which also required two extra rehearsals. Lexy had a field trip to Denver, and another to the Arvada Center. Yesterday, Matt and I went to the school for the selling session is Alexys' classroom they hold for their mini-society projects they do. This was a treat to be able to go during the middle of the day thanks to my hubby taking the day off. We were crazy enough however to bring all the little people along. Addy was great! The young men however, hit the ground running the moment we entered the school. They pretty much familiarized themselves with the entire layout of the school, which is good for future reference. I am certain there were a few people that were glad to see them leave the building. Today was the spelling bee, which Apryl was a part of. I think about all the studying we did, and of course she wasn't asked to spell any of those words! She did just fine anyway. Her first word was 'ace', pretty simple. When I told Matt what her first word was he asks me, "you mean like the regular ACE?" I said, "well, yes. What other ace do you know??" Thank goodness he wasn't helping her with the spelling words! I could tell she was bummed however when she did misspell her word. Next week brings us to Lexy's holiday play in which she is Kid #2! I love the parts they hand out to the students. Better than kid #3 I suppose! We will finish our week off with the classroom holiday parties. I always volunteer to bring the paper goods! It is just easier that way for me.

A is for Alexys

As most of you know Alexys is our second oldest daughter. She is a free spirit with a lot of fire. She is as some say, a person that marches to the beat of her own drum. I admire that about her. There are many great qualities about Lexy, like her genuine care and concern for EVERYTHING around her. She is very in tune with people's feelings and she is really focused on trying to save the planet in one way or another. As bubbly and outgoing a kid that she is, she also tends to have this dark little cloud hanging over her head. Although, her cloud is bedazzled and has I heart Justin Bieber written on it! Lexy is always the kiddo that can fall trying to sit on the couch. She does her homework and then forgets to put it in her folder. She has lost two library books already this year...wait we did find those! She has the uncanny knack of doing things at the worst time. Her brain will tell her it is okay to turn on a movie for the little people even though Daddy is watching a football game. This lead to an all out brawl over the t.v. this weekend. She is our child who leaves paint out, which her brothers have radar for. Every night I ask her to get her clothes out for school and she does almost every night. She did get her clothes out last night except her socks. This had her running all over the house searching for a pair of socks, then she's looking all over for her shoes! It may not have a big deal if we were not heading out the door early in order to take her to choir practice! I just said goodbye when she was getting into the car, "bye mommy, I love you!", she says. She is completely oblivious of the fact that she still has no socks on!

Family Nights

We always try and reserve at least one night a week just for our family. We like to have movie nights or special dinner nights, this week we had Parade of Lights night. For us this means watching the parade on t.v.! We are not yet brave enough to venture downtown with our crew. There has been talk that perhaps in the next couple of years we might be willing to give it a go. It would also be wonderful if Denver could move the parade to June or July! As is stands for now, we like our comfy couch and warm living room just fine. Before the parade started Matt stopped at Red Lobster and ordered a few appetizers to bring home. Apryl and Matt are the only ones who like seafood, so this was a real treat for them. I did try the lobster nachos, but had the same outcome...I still do not like seafood. We gave each of the boys a piece of shrimp which was promptly spit out on to the ground. They were happy with a bagel and an orange for dinner. Before the parade started we all played hide-n-seek. The rules state that we are only allowed to hide upstairs, which immediately limits ones hiding options. Also I am handicapped by the fact that I have to hide with both the boys. If I don't take them with me they show everyone where I am because they think I am playing a game with them. So, there I am with the guys trying to hide in the bathtub. Garhett is throwing all of the tub toys out of the tub, while Brenden is shouting, "shower, shower!!". He almost got the water started. Needless to say we were found pretty quickly. When the parade did start, Addy said she could not watch it because Santa is scary, and our boys were upset because they didn't have laundry baskets to sit in. The baskets were doing their jobs, holding laundry!! All in all, we did have a great time. The hours worth of dancing we did wore the boys out so much that there was no fight at bedtime! I am going to keep that in mind. :)

Curiosity

Lately I have been noticing how curious our three little people are becoming. Addy has been inquiring about her world for a while now, but with her ever growing vocabulary the things she asks about crack me up! Yesterday she was sitting on the couch making the funniest faces. I watched her for a little while, enjoying how funny she looked. When I asked her what she was doing she told me that she was trying to look at her eyeballs! I laughed, and she continued to try and look at her eyeballs. After another ten minutes or so, she said, "it's not easy to see my eyes." I giggled, and suggested she look in a mirror if she really wanted to see her eyes. She kinda looked at me weird and asked, "I need to look in a mirror??" I guess she was just not ready for that! Recently, I was reading a book with her and I pointed out a brain. I said, "you have a brain in your head." This did not go over well at all, she ran away from me screaming about having a brain in her head. Matt heard her yelling and thought she was hurt. He asks her what is wrong, and she tells him through tears, "mommy says I have a brain in my head!" Now, almost two weeks later, she is still asking me if I can take her brain out! Just this morning I was brushing my teeth and I could see Garhett looking at himself in the mirror. He was being so cute. I could see him blink his eyes and open them real fast as if he was trying to see his eyes blinking. He was smiling and having a great time, but I highly doubt if he ever saw himself blink!! Now how do you explain that to a two year old?

Start the Countdown!

Now that we have hit December 1st, the countdown to Christmas is officially on! Each day the girls leave for school they can mark off another day closer to Christmas. The excitement generated by the holidays is magnified 100 times when you get to share them with children! They each have their Christmas lists ready for when they get to see Santa, and surprisingly, they are not too long! Apryl's list though is full of things that cost a bundle! She is our extravagant kiddo. Alexys on the other hand wants TOYS! Easy enough, so do the rest of the kids. The boys need clothes also, so I have a feeling Santa will be filling their stockings with t-shirts and socks, and maybe a little candy! This time of year is also a great time to clean out the toys and clothes that are no longer being used and give them away. We were able to give some of the boys clothing to their cousin, Landen, and everything else will go to Goodwill. It is nice to give and also nice to have some room again! We have already decorated the house, and will be visiting with Santa next weekend. Last year, only Apryl and Lexy sat on Santa's lap, I'm not sure if it will be any different this year. Addy has already told me that Santa is scary! And, for Santa's sake, the boys will not be ready to sit on his lap either! I would love to have a picture of all the kids with Santa! After all the visits with Santa are finished, we will grab a tree and set it up in the...kitchen?!? That is the only place the tree can go and not be disturbed! I hope everyone has fun getting ready for their holidays, as soon as they are over, we have birthdays two days later!!

Dinner Music

Well, Thanksgiving turned out how I expected. Our boys were the loudest and most boisterous of all the guests. Going to someone else's house was like a free for all to our guys. When they are at home there are no longer any pretty nick-knacks left in their reach. There are boundaries they can not cross thanks to the gate. Take them out of this element and all hell breaks loose! Their Aunt Peggy went out of her way to find toys they would enjoy, she even grabbed Cheerios for them when they started to throw turkey across the table at their Great Grandma! Grandma says, "where did this come from??". I pointed at Matt's Grandpa, but they didn't buy it! I was sitting next to Garhett who decided he only liked cranberry sauce. By the time he had filled up on the cranberries our side of the table looked like a crime scene! I thought to myself, "this is exactly why we aren't invited back to many people's houses!" I was sure thankful for dinner to be done! It was awesome food though, and what the boys did eat I think they liked. I barely even remember speaking to anyone else. Then with dinner over, the boys excused themselves to play the piano. They both had a great time banging on the keys. Thank goodness, this is a "child friendly" piano. It was okay for them to be playing it. After piano playing grew tiring, they both wanted to go downstairs with the rest of the kiddos. I said it was fine for them to go down the stairs because they are good with them at home. I watched Garhett make his way backwards down the steps and when he neared the bottom stair I turned away. Of course he ends up face planting on a doll stroller and cuts his nose. Now he is screaming and bleeding. I think he did that just to make a liar out of me! Now I am getting ready to leave, it has been fun but I am exhausted! On top of everything, I am still not feeling well, and my Mother and I are crazy enough to be going shopping at 2:30 a.m. Matt and I get the boys into their pj's, start the car, round up the girls, say goodbye to everyone which takes us long enough for the boys to take their pajamas off and throw them at me!

What Morrisons' are Thankful For

In asking my children what they are thankful for, they came up with a lot of the run of the mill type answers. While it is a great thing that they are thankful for their family members (near and far) and their friends, and are also thankful for having a roof over their heads and food on their plates, I really wanted to know what our younger people are glad to have in their lives today other than the usual. Alexys was very greatful to have a teacher that has been so supportive and helpful with her reading. I thought to myself, "I am also thankful for that!". Her teacher from last year and her teacher this year have turned her into an avid reader! She has flourished with the kindness and the time they have taken to show her how fun reading can be! Addysen is thankful for her new kitty. I too am glad she is here. Addy has kind of taken over Zorra and now says that she is her kitty. She plays doctor with Zorra, and the cat doesn't seem to mind. At least I haven't seen her sprinting down the stairs to get away from Addy! Apryl is thankful for her room. I think she likes the privacy it provides when she is needing some alone time. She also likes to read in her bed each night before going to sleep. Zorra also likes Apryls' room, it is a place where she can sleep without being bothered...too much! I guess with the boys being too little to tell me what they are thankful for I will just venture a guess. Knowing them like I do, I would say they are thankful for their cups when they have milk in them, they love their cats they carry around as well as their blankets, they are also thankful for Dora the Explorer and bath time. Oh, and they are very thankful when their Mother allowes them to run around without a diaper on! That last part is not necessarily something I am thankful for however! I know that there are many things in our world to be thankful for, but I am truly blessed to be able to have such inspiration, good or bad, to write about each day! Our children are the many reasons we do all things we do each and everyday. So, aside from the usual, I am thankful for bedtime!!

Mood Swings

On any given day we can experience a number of different moods at our house. Garhett is looking kind of sleepy here while Brenden is clearly upset about something. The boys' moods can change from second to second just by handing one the wrong cup. They also tend to feel a lot of concern when their Brother is crying. Garhett heard Brenden crying the other day and he ran to pat him on the back and then said to me, "sad?" I was impressed with how he understood that his Brother was sad, and tried to comfort him. Let us not forget about the three other kiddos that also have moods. Apryl is starting out with her "attitude". All in all, she is a very sweet girl, but boy does she have her moments. Alexys is also great at attitude giving, although it is not very often and is mostly directed at her Father. For whatever reason the girls think they can get away with anything when it comes to him. Often times I find myself in the middle of whatever it is they are having a disagreement about telling the girls to listen to their Dad. I know I shouldn't butt in, but I don't like them disrespecting him, not to mention butting in comes natural for me! That leaves us with Addy! She is an adorable little girl who knows EXACTLY what she wants at every moment of the day. She can be so sweet and cuddly, but do not cross her. When she is trying to be mad at someone she gives them a really dirty look. Addysen tries so hard to look mad that I always end up laughing, which of course makes her more upset. Her face just looks so cute with a scowl! When I think about everything as a whole, we are pretty lucky for how often our kiddos are happy!

Workin' It!

Our family is made up of quite a few pranksters. There is always someone looking to pull a prank or a joke on someone else. The people involved with the joke go to elaborate measures to help each other out and pull off the funniest pranks. At any given moment there could be someone waiting around a corner or standing outside the bathroom waiting to jump out and scare the other person. Believe me, they scream as loudly as possible to ensure the "prankee" has to use the bathroom again! Matt and I play jokes on them when we are camping also. I know most of you have already heard about the "alien" prank we pulled on our oldest two. I have also put a rubber band on the spray nozzle and asked the girls to grab me a glass of water. To their surprise the water is spraying them in face, and for a few seconds they can't figure out why! This is one our favorite jokes! We also have another running joke in the family. Whenever someone is unfortunate enough to be the last to get in the house or the car, they have to do a dance before we let them in! The pictures are of the girls dancing in the mountains so they could regain entry to the car!! This makes me laugh so hard each time that I end up crying! And, it has to be a GOOD dance. We have locked each other out of the house so many times that now you not only have to dance, but you also have to run around the house or dance on the neighbors driveway! Weather has never played a factor in being locked out either. Snow and rain only add to the humor of the situation, for the people inside anyway!

Bright Ideas

Well, I've officially had my bright idea for the day already. Sometimes it is good to get those out of the way early. We started the day off with our car not starting, always nice. My automatic remote start thingy didn't want to start the car. As it turns out neither did my key! Okay, so not really a big deal, we knew that we were getting close to needing a new battery. I call my husband and ask for advice, seeing as how I still need to get Apryl to school. (Lexy is home sick with a cold) He thinks that I can just go ahead and take the battery from our other vehicle and switch them out! I actually think about this, and then decide to give it a shot. NOT happening!! I can't do most of what needs to be done to get this battery out. The bolt holding the battery in place just won't budge. I know my husband is thinking I am just being a girl, but I have the blisters to prove that I tried all I could to get that bolt to turn! All the while Matt is trying to talk me through this over the phone and it is also pretty cold outside. So, in the end he sends my Brother over and eventually Ty does end up getting the batteries moved and my car is running again! Now I can get on with my regular scheduled events. Bath time is the first thing I tackle. The little people love bath time. I let each of the pick out a few toys to take with them, and I notice Garhett is carrying a miniature watering can. My first instinct is to take it from him and distract him with another toy. For whatever reason I think again, and now I am agreeing with his choice?!? Big mistake, huge! (Pretty Woman) I left them alone for a minute to grab towels and their clothes, and when I came back in the bathroom you would have thought Garhett was bailing water out of a boat with the amount of water that was on the floor. Needless to say, the towels I was holding weren't enough. Here is the kicker, I gave the watering can back to him! I think my brain must have been deprived of oxygen while I was sleeping last night. My second trip back to the bathroom, it was like a flood. My pants were wet above my ankles! Garhett is sitting in the tub saying, "uh-oh". I was thinking, "my ass 'uh-oh'!" So, that was the end of bath time! I think I used 7 or 8 towels just to soak up the water. That is all I need, more laundry!!

Oh Boy!

I like how Brenden is still trying to talk even with his mouth full of popcorn! That is indicative of their personalities, B-man is more forward and outgoing while G-man is more laid back and content to observe. Although, when it comes to figuring out new things, Garhett still seems to be the first. He can work his way through most of his daily problems. Now, thank goodness for the shirts that snap at the crotch, or else he would be naked all day long. He has yet to work himself out of a "onesie". I am running into a problem myself because of his wanting to not wear a diaper, I have to make sure I have clean snapping shirts each day. Each morning they get up, the first thing Garhett does is start undressing. Brenden will at least stop when he gets to his diaper. So, because of this behavior I have started potty training Garhett. At the rate we are going, he will be three before we are done. It is an entirely new ball game when it comes to getting little boys out of diapers then it is girls. My guys are still too short to stand on a stool and reach the toilet. (by short I meant their height!) Because of this, they are sitting on the potty. However, this angle gives them a straight shot at the wall in front of them. I was in the bathroom with Garhett yelling to Matt, "do I need to push "it" down??" He just laughed and ultimately was no help. This is exactly the reason I decided to potty train them at separate times. Just a few weeks apart, my hope is that Brenden will want to do what his Brother is doing. We have a small break coming up next week with no school and I can stay at home all day and try to really focus on Garhett using to the potty. He has the lingo down, now to just get the motions down!

Hanging Together

Our three littlest people spend all day together. So far, they get along rather well. There are times when Addy gets very upset however, due to her Brothers taking her things. She carries around a back pack that has her most prized possessions in it. This back pack is meant to hold maybe ten toys, but Addy has that thing packed to the brim. In the back pack you can find anything from a Polly Pocket doll with her clothes and a few friends, to a hunk of plastic cheese. She has furniture for her dolls and she also has 3 or 4 horses. Collectively, this is her "stuff" as she puts it. And, she does play with all of it. At dinner time I have to call her in to the kitchen so she can clean the table off. When she is playing with the boys, they are usually chasing one another down the hallway, or jumping on Mom and Dad's bed. Both games seem to end when someone gets hurt, unfortunately. They all like many of the same shows, they like to play games with Mom and color together. Brenden and Garhett are more often than not done with coloring before Addysen because they have thrown their crayons somewhere and can't find anymore. I get to enjoy sitting and reading a book with the three of them, it's like my own little pre-school class! Addysen is becoming such a great big sister, she calls the boys "son" or "fella". When they fall, she always tries to help them up, she will say, "let me help you sonny." It is a riot to watch the three of them playing together. They are crazy and loud! I suggest to visitors, bring your own ear plugs!

Morrison Movie Night

For quite a few years now we have been having Family Movie Night at our house. It is a nice way for all of us to wind down after what has usually been a hectic week. The movies are always kiddo friendly and so are the snacks. Fridays are the night that we make an easy dinner, and might even allow the kids to eat in the living room. Last night I made frozen pizzas, which our kids love. I am not sure what makes kids love frozen pizza so much, but they all asked for more. Then we had the usual movie popcorn. They like the popcorn with lots of butter. I bought these really great popcorn tubs for each of the little people, at the time I thought it was such a great idea! After last night, I realized that when I am shopping for the younger kids I need to think about how each item will affect my OCD. At first they did sit. They say long enough to get the movie going, and watch a minute or two. Then they both needed to change their seating positions. Keep in mind they are trying to maneuver over and around the blankets and pillows on the ground. Apryl and Lexy like to make a giant bed on the floor with every spare blanket and pillow they can find, normally okay! I was trying to sit and not freak out, watching their little feet trip over everything in their paths, all the while attempting not to spill their popcorn! When you have one boy following the other, he ultimately ends up stepping on and smushing the popcorn his Brother spills. Trails of popcorn now show all the places each little guy has sat. Every time someone else comes into the living room, the sounds reminds me of the mess. So, instead of relaxing like a normal person, I can only focusing on the POPCORN! I end up having to remove everyone from the bed of blankets in order to take them outside and shake them off. I also enlist my husband to sweep the floor before we can resume our relaxing movie night! My poor children were looking at me with those big eyes in shock! I can tell they are all hoping they never act this neurotic when they have kids! Ahhh....with the mess gone I could once again carry on with the evenings plans. Now, if they would only sit still!! :)

Brainwashed

I know this picture represents a proud moment for my husband, but lets be honest, the boys have no idea why they are wearing those shirts. All our little guys know is that their Daddy gets very excited whenever they are decked out in certain sports attire. Now this can include football gear of course, but our guys were born to be Yankee fans as well! (according to their Father) Matt waited an agonizing eight years before having a son, now that he has two, the three of them sit and watch sports A LOT! Yes, he spent many hours watching sporting events with his girls and "teaching" them which teams they should like. Along with that, he taught them about the teams they should dislike! Apryl has been primed since she was about 18 months to say terrible things about the Red Wings, Patriots, oh and let us not forget that other team, the Red Sox! Same goes for Alexys. Now, he has Addysen, our three year old telling everyone that the Red Sox stole her candy. Then she will go on to say that the Yankees got her candy back from the mean Red Sox, which are often called the Red Sucks! I understand how exciting it is to share ones passions with their children, but there must be a point at which we allow them to make up their own minds! God forbid our children ever start to like the Buffalo Bills or the Dallas Stars, they may never be allowed back in the house! I do however appreciate the time he spends with the boys during their male bonding Sunday Football Days! Now I have to go, the boys are so close to getting "Go Broncos" down!!

Early Risers

Today is one of those days when you are ready throw in the towel at 7:30 a.m. Why my boys were up at a quarter to six is completely beyond me! I could hear them in their room bouncing in the bed and yelling, "ma-ma!!" When I finally pried my eyes open and realized it was still DARK, I thought, "you have got to be kidding me!" When little people wake up in the morning they don't take their time getting out of bed and on the move. It's not as if the boys crawl into bed with us and doze off for another 30 minutes or so. They wake up hungry, and totally re-energized. "Na-na, na-na!" they yell. Both boys must be practically dehydrated when they wake up since I can not make a move that is not headed in the direction of the kitchen to get them some milk. When their morning snack is given out, they then bring every blanket they own along with their cats into the bedroom and sit...for two seconds! They are both shouting, "show, show", man they can repeat themselves over and over. Then they are playing with the window, and then the blinds, which I am surprised are still hanging! The boys are up and down and in and out of the bed so much that I have no choice but to send them into Alexys' room! I will say, "go see where Lexy is!". Poor Lexy! As soon as they see her head even move, they are asking her to play Wii! It makes me laugh because what they are putting her through, I have just experienced. I have said to Matt, "I will give you a thousand dollars if you get up with them!"

Brand New little Men!!

This morning was haircut morning, and the boys were overdue! I missed seeing their cute little ears, and even the back of their necks. Getting their hair done is always so much easier for them since they know their hair stylist rather well! Both boys sat very still and let Aunt Debby work her magic! Dad wanted a complete buzz, but I protested a bit because I wanted to be able to "style" their hair a little more, only cool styling of course! So, we met in the middle and they received a fade, new term for me. That way there is still hair on top that I can spike and make them look tough! As if they aren't scary enough with all that cheese cracker drool running down their faces! I think they also loved all the attention they received from the other ladies in the shop. Addy also had to get her bangs trimmed. She can not go to Aunt Debbys' shop without getting something done to her hair. Typical girl at a salon! I am always amazed how much difference there is after the boys have had their hair cut. It almost transforms them into different little people. I know that I am totally biased, but they look rather handsome! After haircuts we all ran into Target for a few things---and we bought the guys underwear! Nothing fancy like the girls would have picked out, but I made sure not the call them panties again! My husband was mortified when I said it might be time to buy the boys some "boy panties"!! Okay, I have been putting panties on my little girls for ten plus years now, and I just need to get used to saying UNDERWEAR! :) Little butts looks so cute in those underwear!!

Brendens' Madness

As I am typing this, I can hear the boys upstairs in their bed crying and screaming. Actually, it is probably only Garhett that is crying due to his Brother throwing his blanket and his cat out of the bed yet again!! Brenden waits for the exact moment I leave the room to get up and start picking on Garhett. He will watch the door and try to see if he can tell if I am still standing outside. I swear the instant he hears my feet move, he is up and doing something he shouldn't. Nap time used to be my saving grace, my time to sort of re-energize and maybe get a few chores done. Now, I am losing an entire hour due to the antics of my littlest guy!! He is full of Tom Foolery!! I have noticed lately that when they are out in the living room, Brenden has started tossing Garhett's favorite toys over the gate. This way G-man is upset and gets to play with nothing until someone can reach it for him. When I discipline B-man, he looks at me with his big eyes, and wonderful smile, and everything I intended to do gets all jumbled up in my head! Now, don't get me wrong, Garhett has his moments as well, it's just that lately Brenden has been the front runner of trouble makers! Addysen has even started calling him a Crazy Nut. She will ask me throughout the day, "why is he doing that Mommy??" I usually don't have an answer as to why he does most things. I tell her that is what boys do! It is funny to have my three year old concur about the strange behavior of her Brother or Brother's! For a Mom who had little girls for a decade to suddenly be immersed in the worlds of two little boys is totally life changing. They are just that different! I am happy to have the change, they just have to wait for me to catch up!

Trick-or-Treat!

I have to admit, our kids looked pretty darn cute. Once again, we were fortunate to have GREAT weather for trick-or-treating! For the past few years the weather has been really good. I wonder every time Halloween is approaching what will the weather be like. There have been so many Halloween's where you can't see the costumes the kids are wearing because they have to wear coats over the top. I can remember one year in particular when my camera froze and would not work because it was so cold out. When it is that cold out we try to talk our kids into going home, but the thought of missing out on candy is too much for them to quit. Those are the years when the neighbors feel bad for the kids and end up giving them twenty pieces instead of one or two. This year though, our boys helped themselves to the candy. They would both walk up the door and practically push their way in. Anyone who crouched down to their level was bombarded with four little hands grabbing as much candy as they could. I'm not sure the boys even know what it was they were grabbing, if someone was going to let them have something, then they were going to take it! The three little people did great with the walking. They all took turns riding in the wagon. Brenden went through three candy bags due to him dragging them on the ground. When we would go to a house, we would also have to ask for a new bag! Then we have the people who are fascinated with twins and have to ask questions. So, that made trick-or-treating a little longer. We also had a few people who thought it was funny that we dressed them up as twins! Alexys made sure they knew it was because they are twins. Addy had fun also. She liked the houses that had pets outside. She didn't want to leave one home because she was petting the cat! All in all, everything seemed to go pretty well. Thanks to our helpers the evening was a success!

Halloween Eve

Put together Taco Night with pumpkin carving and scary movie watching, you have a Morrison Halloween Eve!! Very spooky, I know! With five little people, we have to take what we can get. There is no more going to big people Halloween parties, unless our single friends plan them a month in advance, which never happens. Matt and I will get a call an hour before the party asking if we can make it. We both just look at each other like, yeah right, be right over!! We prefer to be with the kiddos anyway. It is funny how things change. It is more fun for us to make sure our children are having a good time than it is for us to go out and have to pay $6 for a beer!! If we both have a drink, that is the same price as a pack of diapers! Besides, look how cute Addy is as little Jason! Pumpkin carving done, I call Addysen into the kitchen to see what I have made of her pumpkin. She opted to stay in our bedroom and not participate because she thought the pumpkin "goop" was slimy and disgusting! She enters the kitchen and immediately begins to cry! Addy is yelling at me for what I have done to her pumpkin. Then, she says she wanted to scoop the goop, and wants to know why I am so mean!! "I wanted a happy jack pumpkin, not what Mommy did!" she says in between sobs! I was feeling like I was such a nice Mom for helping her out, unbeknownst to me, I was just being a complete idiot! Pumpkin carved and already lit, not much I could un-do! So, I just left the kitchen. The other pumpkins look great, and the girls had a fun time. Now, Matt and I have the mind-numbing task of getting the five of them ready for trick-or-treating tomorrow! Last year did not go too well as far as the boys were concerned, so we are crossing our fingers for a different outcome this year!

Funny Stuff

I know that this is not a picture of any of our kiddos, but it is funny! Honestly, I don't have anything new taken of the family, so this is substituting! I was sitting with the boys this morning and we were watching Dora. They seemed really tuned in. Each time Dora would ask a question, they would answer her. Although, they always answer her with an emphatic, "NO!", it is an answer just the same. "C'mon, everyone, can you help Boots reach his hat??" asks Dora, and the boys reply, "NO!" Then, Dora, still being so polite, thanks them even though my children have done nothing to help! "No!", is their general reply to everything they hear on the t.v. Dora, Diego, Mickey Mouse, whomever it is, is going to be hard pressed to get my boys to clap when needed or to get them to jump up and down, or to even get them to shout in order to help out with the predicament. My guys don't just sit and watch an obscene amount of t.v., but they are allowed to watch some. I like the twenty minutes Max & Ruby gives me to clean up the kitchen, or fold some laundry. The last thing I want to do is spend all of their nap time cleaning! It took me a while to learn to not feel guilty for cleaning while they were awake. It used to make me feel as if I wasn't spending enough time with them. Now, I see it as a way for me to have a little more time to myself when they are sleeping if I already have the dishes done or the floors swept. Also, when Mom is not constantly hovering over them, they play rather nicely together. I can often times find them in their room playing and not even watching t.v. Today, that is where they were. I found them both hanging on either side of the outside of their crib, yelling "Boo!" to each other. Have I mentioned that they are a couple of monkeys??

Party Time

I am trying to teach my littlest people when party time actually is. Our boys feel that the entire day should be one continuous party! Nap time has become such a joke to our boys that it is now taking up to an hour for them to settle down and fall asleep. Garhett seems to be the butt of his Brothers' jokes unfortunately. B-man throws Garhetts blanket and his kitty out of the crib at least 40 times in an ten minute period. While Brenden is tormenting his Brother, poor Garhett is screaming, and I mean SCREAMING!!! I sometimes feel as if my throat is hurting just listening to the sound that little boy can make. I do feel for him, so I end up going in and out the room over and over and over.... After a while, I am so over Brenden and his cute smile! I am convinced by the way, that smile kids have is what has saved their butts many times from being in major trouble! They instinctively know when they hear a certain tone from their parents to start smiling and look as innocent as possible. My girls have done that to me many times, and now my little guys are doing it! So, when I go in their room to give Garhett his things back, Brenden seems to be pretending like he is sleeping. He will sometimes have his blanket pulled over his head, because obviously he thinks I have no brain and won't be able to find him. I pull the covers back and there he is looking at me with those bright blue eyes and a grin from ear to ear!! All I can do is say, "Please leave your Brother alone, sweetheart!" As soon as I shut the door, I am instantly mad at myself. Sweetheart?? He is being a turd, and that is all I can muster up? It is not easy to do what my brain knows it should when my heart is so in love with these little monsters!! I am working on that, and as long as my boys are not aware of the fact that they can take advantage of their Mother in this capacity, I might still have a fighting chance!

Long Weekends

First I would like to thank my husband for holding down the fort while I was out of commission over the weekend. I actually was not even home during most of our daughters' Halloween party! Matt and my sister were able to pull off the party without a hitch! I know that there were a few details we didn't get to, but none of the girls noticed. There were plenty of other things going on to distract them. While I was "hanging" out with my parents, I did get a couple of phone calls regarding how to put curlers in and how to do make-up! I also received calls with food and game questions. I was impressed with how calm and reassuring he was. I had expected more of a panicked tone, especially with having ten girls arriving any moment! Apryl and Lexy's friends always seem to really like their Father. They think he is funny and weird, that is what I was told by one of the girls. When I did finally get to come home, there was only about an hour left for the party, and I was pretty tired. It was nice to see everything that I had envisioned was there. My sister made the "bloody popcorn" and Mattie played the body parts game, which surprised me how much the kids loved it! I kept hearing them say how gross everything felt or how disgusting it smelled, and yes, Spam does smell awful!! In the end, they were laughing and screaming at the same time. Everything seemed to go well, I am thinking that I may leave during the next party also just for the hell of it! Then we have Sunday! If you are also a Bronco fan, you know exactly what I mean!! WTF! There really aren't any words that can accurately describe the disappointment that comes with a loss the the RAIDERS, then to have them shove our faces in a loss like yesterday's makes one want to cry! :( Broncos fans, we can all sit and say what we think should have been done, or what we feel should be done in future games, but when my Grandmother could go out on the field and provide better pass protection, you know we are in some serious trouble!! I won't even bring up our running game, which my Grandfather couldn't do any worse holding onto a ball...(cough) Maroney.

Time Well Spent

Today, after school, I took the kiddos over to Grandma's house. The kids always like going over because it is a change of scenery and my oldest two get out of doing their chores! It is also a bit of a break for me. My Mom made pizzas from scratch for everyone! She says to me, "do you guys wanna stay for dinner?" I said, "if I don't have to cook, then YES!!" I don't know a mother of five who would turn down a night to have someone else do the cooking! That would be like asking me if it is alright for someone to clean my toilets! Well....Duh! Grandma's house also comes with toys included. Brenden and Garhett like to dump the toys out and sit in the buckets. They both played an interesting version of catch with Grandpa. They basically throw whatever it is they might be holding to Grandpa whether or not he is paying attention. Grandpa caught on quickly. He made sure to always have an eye on at least one boy. We usually have to really watch Brenden since he could quite possibly take some one's head off with that arm of his! They are both very fast, and they reload quickly. When the "catcher" is looking for the object they have failed to catch, the boys already have something else in hand to launch! Boy, I swear I have seen my life flash before my eyes a few times while trying to play catch with them! It is also beneficial to me to visit, because I get some much needed adult inter-action. I was talking so much, that I was excited when my Grandparents showed up so that I could retell my stories. I think it could be a good idea to have a 1-800 line for Mother's who need people to chat with throughout the day when no one else is available. I can only bug Matt at work so many times!!

Share and Share Alike!

Nothing in our home is sacred any longer. If there happens to be something that someone really likes or an object that is valuable in any way, then it needs to be put WAY out of reach. Sometimes certain things have to be hidden, because if the little guys catch a glimpse of that shiny item, they will do whatever it takes to grab it! When Apryl sat down with that caramel apple in hand I wondered what she was thinking. She had to know that the radar little people are born with was going crazy in their little heads, trying to figure out where the food was. I can just imagine what the boys were thinking when the wind picked up that applelicious scent and wafted it past their noses! The hairs on the back of their necks must have stood up, "food!!!" Well, that is how I imagine it anyway, since they didn't leave her side until we had to drag them both away. Then comes the taking turns thing...and poor Apryl wondering if she will ever have another bite. While she did manage to take another bite or two, it was Garhett who had the caramel apple in hand when I looked in the back of the car!

100 Miles a Minute

Like usual, not the best picture of everyone together, but they are kinda hard to coordinate. We are making memories, and that is the most important part of all the things we set out to do together. It feels like life sometimes becomes what is in control of everyone, instead of us being in control of our lives. Our family calendar is jammed packed with things to do. It becomes overwhelming! I am so glad that Apryl is done with softball, I know that may not sound like a Mommy sort of thing to say, but it's the truth. She played well, and I cheered like any Mom does, it was just too much trying to juggle fall softball with school activities and family things. Her very first game she missed part of Addy's birthday along with the parade. I don't want to be responsible for taking my kiddos away from the things that make them my kiddos. There will always be another game to go to, there won't always be another birthday! Last week took a toll on all of us. We were running from here to there most of the week. We had parent/teacher conferences, which by the way went really well. Nothing better than listening to other people rave about your children! Everyone knows how good I am at raving about them! Then, Lexy had two sleep-overs, Apryl's softball games, and grocery store runs, normal stuff! I know that everyone who has kids does these things, my point is that saying no once in a while is probably an okay idea. That is a concept I am choosing to use more liberally as my kids get older. There is nothing wrong with admitting that their Dad and I just simply can't get everything done that they would like. It becomes exhausting to try and juggle five little schedules along with the things that need to be done on an every day basis. I know other Mother's know that feeling. It is that time when everything is a bother and you get frustrated and want to cry. Then, later we get to feel guilty for not doing enough, or for saying something we didn't mean. By the time I talk to my older two, and let them know I am sorry or that I am just tired, they have already forgotten what it is I am talking about! Our family is very big on "family time", I just want to make sure it is spent together because we want to, not because we are stuck in the car together!

Grandma's Glasses??

No, these aren't actually Grandma's glasses, but they should be! Garhett is so funny trying to put these star shaped glasses on. It did however, only take a minute or so for him to break them in half. I'm hoping it was just his way of sharing a pair of glasses with his brother. Things don't really last that long in our house anyway. If one child has something the other wants, there is a good possibility that it will be broken during the scuffle. Then, nobody wants what they were originally arguing over. They are all pretty good about moving on, and finding something else to fight about. Lately, when Addy has been upset with me, she has taken to threatening me. She told me last week that she was going to run away! She says to me, "you are going to cry, because you will have loss me!" I didn't start to cry, and instead I started to laugh, which only made her more mad! She was yelling at me from down the hallway, "stop laughing!" Then, she would say, "now start crying!" I asked her where she was going and she said stomped her foot and said, "to Grandma's house!" I am still wondering where she heard about running away. She is the first of our kiddos to threaten me with running away, it makes me a little scared for the future, I can only imagine what the other little people are going to come up with!

Why No??

Lately I have been noticing a growing trend at our house. We have older kiddos that have learned the art of negotiation. They usually end up in a disagreement with their Father over just about everything they ask him. He is like the Nazi of the word "NO!" Boy, does he love to answer their questions with a firm "no" even before they have fully finished asking! I do laugh sometimes because he is so funny! Apryl and Alexys both look at him like he is from another planet some days! I have been wondering that myself for a while now! He has to be doing this manner of answering questions because he knows that inevitably, they will be asking him "why?" anyway! Which is true. He seems to be excited by the challenge that they present him in trying to find a viable reason why they can't have what they desire. Lexy, will ask for celery for dessert, and Matt says, "No, celery is not a dessert!" There I am thinking are you nuts, she can eat celery for breakfast if she wants! I always like when the girls ask to play in the rain because that is fun for me also, but along comes Dad with a pretty emphatic, "No!" Now, I am in agreement when there is lightning, or the weather is just too bad, we shouldn't be running around in the middle of it. I have never offered my children metal rods to play with during a sever storm! I think every once in a while I can see him smiling after his answer is given out. He feels satisfied in knowing that a rebuttal is not too far off, especially from his ten year old. Apryl only feeds my hubby's inner lawyer. I have told him so many times that he should have gone to law school. Mathew argues to the death! He will pull a point of of thin air, which is possibly total fiction and use it in his argument! Sometimes he starts arguing the same point the girls are trying to make and they end up agreeing with him not knowing how it happened. They will look at me with these bewildered looks, and I just shake my head! I think often times they leave the room wondering what the hell just happened! It is usually Alexys who comes back a little later and asks, "so I can't have celery for dessert??" Like I said, it's the fun of the pending debate that fuels their Father! He is very protective of his troops, and cares so much for their well-being, that much is true. He just likes to mess with their little heads also.

Pumpkin Pickin'

I am back again, I missed a few days because I was not feeling well. Before I came down with whatever this virus is, we did manage to have a pretty good Saturday. Matt and I, along with a few others, took the kiddos to a nearby pumpkin patch. We had told Addy a few weeks ago that we would be going, and she had been excited ever since! It was finally pumpkin patch day, and she even had a pumpkin patch shirt! It turned out temperature wise to be pretty nice, we just had to deal with the wind. Apryl and Alexys went for the largest pumpkins they could find, while both boys and Addy went for the smallest. Addy has practically adopted her pumpkin. She is calling it her baby pumpkin. She is sleeping with it at night, and toting it around with her everywhere. I will hear her say, "come on sonny!" Not sure about the name, but she likes it! I don't know if we will be able to actually carve the pumpkin she picked since she is so attached, it might hurt her feelings. The boys on the other hand, were not as easily impressed. They both held a pumpkin for about a minute, and when they realized the pumpkins broke when they threw them hard enough, that is what they did! If they could pick up a pumpkin it was only to throw it at another. I was lucky to get any pictures at all! They didn't seem too fond of all the walking either. We did get to stop by the petting area, and Garhett fed a calf some hay. That was really sweet, both boys love to be around the animals. It was cute to hear them doing their animal sounds when they saw animals they recognized. It was a good time, and I even snagged a bit of hay for the boys' costumes!

Watching a Show

I don't know about any of you, but I have always watched television while sitting a laundry basket. Honest! Many people have stopped by our house and witnessed me sitting in a laundry basket watching Dr. Phil or Ghost Hunters. Okay, maybe not! These baskets are a favorite of both of the boys. They rank among the top when it comes to toys that aren't really meant to be toys! On that list would include, paper towel and toilet paper rolls, buckets, Tupperware, pots and pans, oh, and rocks! It is funny how many things they guys can find do to with the baskets. They have used them turned over in order to reach things that are put up high for a reason. They have pushed each other around the house, and also tried to push Addy. They also like to fill them up with a bunch of toys. All of these things happen after they have dumped the laundry OUT, clean or not! Seeing a laundry basket filled with a cute little boy, I know that somewhere there is laundry on the floor. Usually they throw out the clothes as they move, that way they are able to cover the entire house. Thank goodness we have a gate that keeps them away from the stairs, I figure it would only be a matter of time before they tried to push each other down. I assume Brenden would be the one in the basket!

Paranormal Activity!

Lately we have been noticing some very weird disturbances happening at the house. We will see blobs of blue running up and down the hallway, they also seem to think they can run through doors! Each time, one of the boys runs with a blanket on his head, I am almost certain it will end up with someone being hurt. As soon as they run past the couch I cringe, I just wait to hear the sound of the linen closet being hit by a little guys head. I have even worn their blanket on my own head just so I could get a feel of what they are seeing, and I was not able to see ANYTHING! I think the boys are completely using the "force" when they decide to run amok with basically a blind fold on their heads. They both try to walk with their arms out in front, but that never works. Inevitably, one or both end up bouncing of a couch or walking head first into the wall! It is the worst when they run full speed into each other! Little boy bodies falling everywhere! A few tears are most often shed, but never enough to get them to stop. Now, I have decided to give my heart a rest and instead of stressing about the blind sprints around the living room, I put funny things on their heads, and I get out my camera. There will be a day when the hospital wants proof of the story I give them. When I look at these pictures, I can totally hear the laughter from underneath the blankets! The older the boys get, the more daring they become. I just hope my house can hold up to them!

Look at Me!

Matt and I took the little people to the costume shop and as always I brought my camera. I think Addy is wearing a mouse face, she tried on so many I can't remember which mask this was. I love that for now, being silly is fun for the kiddos. I'm not sure at exactly what age acting crazy is more embarrassing for kids rather than fun. Maybe it is an individual thing, because I know being a little silly is how I get through my day! I can remember Alexys wearing a pair of swim goggles that had the Little Mermaid on them, everywhere we went for quite a while. The goggles were practically the same size as her head! People did double takes when they would first see her. She just looked back at them and smiled as if there was nothing strange with what she was wearing. Matt has been the parent that is not as comfortable with the kids going out in public in things that are not everyday wear. For me, I see it as one less thing to have to fight with them about. Also, I think it is kind of cute. I love to see Addy in her princess dresses and with a crown on her head. I think it is cute when the boys come traipsing down the hallway with Matt's work shoes or his cleats on. Usually they are only wearing a diaper at the same time. They obviously aren't shy and don't care what people think--yet. Our boys were running down the sidewalk just this afternoon with a t-shirt and no pants, and it did not seem to bother them a bit!