Arboretum Day

Can I just say that after a FULL day of an early morning, rushed house cleaning, crazy breakfast, last minute "picture bow" run, "Carolina screaming like she's on fire so that everyone in the restaurant stares until Mike walks her out" lunch, standing in a 40-minute long picture line stripping our kids down to their skivvies and into picture clothes, jumping around like fools to get the perfect shot for the photographer, then jumping around to get the perfect shot for our own cameras, standing in a 1.5 hour silhouette line, going to the petting zoo where Clay grabbed a chicken by the neck (and the lady said we might be having chicken for dinner...) and where Clay brushed a goat, laughing as Clay came back from the petting zoo and told me "I brushed a gonut!!", going to get pinwheels to keep both kids from screaming (still in line), laughing as Carolina chased birds (still in line), going to get a drink for Carolina so that people wouldn't think we were abusing her from her screams (still in line), listening to Carolina's happy screams from the petting zoo (she LOVES animals!), going to get Clay's face painted like a dalmatian, laughing as Clay chased a squirrel, almost peeing our pants from watching Clay's pants fall down and him trying to take them all the way OFF while Mike tried to catch him, holding kids still for silhouettes (we finally made it to the front!), going to Sonic for a reward (for us all!), having Carolina throw her drink at us because she didn't like it, laughing as Carolina snored in her seat, giving Clay my drink so that he wouldn't fall asleep in his seat, Clay and I getting out of the car as quietly as we could at the toy store so we didn't wake Sleeping Beauty, getting the phone call in the store that we had closed the door too hard and awakened S.B. (oops!), trying to hold Clay as he peed all over his pants in the store bathroom (oops, again), Mike and Carolina catching up to us and me realizing Carolina had no shoes (or bow) on in the store (Daddy!), picking out toys for Clay's birthday and taking turns at the train table while the other parent shopped, picking both kids up of the floor from fits when it was time to leave the toy store, going to have another crazy meal, dashing home for quick baths, listening as Carolina squealed as she ran down the hall after her bath and catching a glimpse of her just as she squatted to pee all over the floor, cleaning it up and dressing two tired little ones for bed, putting Carolina down, doing the Resurrection eggs with Clay and laughing as he tried to take the coins from tonight's egg representing Judas trying to sell out Jesus and put it in his own piggy bank, saying prayers and finally sitting down...there's no one else I'd rather share my crazy days with than Mike. Thank God for good daddies and husbands!


And here's some pics from our little day...








...I think it was worth it!

The Funny Bunny Cake

Clay has a little egg hunt tomorrow so I volunteered to bring a bunny cake (idea courtesy of Aunt Jamie) and some pasta salad. I thought I would get the cake started this afternoon and I could finish after Mike got home to help with the kids. When I realized he would be over an hour late (and started adding up baking/cooling/decorating time), I went ahead and started.

It's a fun time when you are trying to ice and decorate a cake with 1- and 2-year-old's sitting on the counter taking out every utensil in the utensil bucket, unloading the silverware drawer and trying to grab EVERY candy you're decorating with (and you're OCD about cleanliness in the kitchen).

I thought I was doing a good job decorating and properly monitoring the kids (except for the one time when Carolina came thisclose to taking a swig out of the vegetable oil container-- who taught her how to open lids anyway??).

We were having a great time as I went from memory (no running to the computer when you have little ones on the counter). As I decorated I talked to Clay about how special he is and that the reason that I was decorating the cake was so he would have something special to take to the party tomorrow. I wanted him to know that this special project was just for him.

I was so proud that even though my original plans had gone a little haywire that we had made fun memories and had a super cute cake to show for it. I was SO excited to show it to Clay and get his reaction. Mike had come home by this point and stood over the cake holding Clay.

Me: Loooook Clay! Do you see the cake Mommy made? Do you like it??

Clay: Mama, it's a CAT cake! It's a cat!

Me: No, it's a bunny. Don't you see the bunny ears?

Clay: No, it's a cat, mama. It's a cat.

Mike (whose opinion I didn't need at this point): I don't know. It kind of looks like a cat to me, too.

Since when are cats the only things with whiskers?? And that's when I made both of them do the bunny hop to bed with no dinner. Just kidding. But don't think it didn't cross my mind.

Sorry, Carolina...

we're not laughing at you. We're laughing with you. Kind of.

Quick Pic Post

I have lots to post but no time so...







...this will have to work until then.