What's Next!?

So this is Tuesday, the day after the washer quit and our fun adventures at the zoo.  I got up, got myself ready and packed laundry basket after laundry basket into the truck to take over to my Grandparents.  Typically I do one laundry once a week... from 7:30 am to about 4.  It's a long day of laundry, which I hate.  But do it all in one day and just be done with it.

My Grandparent's poor washer and dryer.  It's been doing only about 3 loads of laundry a week and got pushed to the limits by me.  (Not going lie, I was pretty nervous about one of them deciding to break on me like mine did!!)  Thankfully nothing broke!! 

I had to wake Madison up at about 9:30.  She's typically up at 7- 7:30.  Guess walking around the zoo and not napping on Monday caught up with her!  I gave her a quick diaper change and packed her in the truck with a waiting Makenzie.  Off we went.  

Love the Bed Head!!  Little Miss decided Great Grandma's breakfast was better than hers.

After lunch, I put Madison down for a nap and Makenzie in front of the tv for her quiet time.  I caught up on folding laundry and noticed my Grandparents sound asleep in the living room.  So sweet.  Everyone was quiet, the radio was quietly playing and I got out all my baking stuff to make some muffins.  As I was baking and singing to the music I couldn't help but to just stand there and think of how blessed I am.  So lucky to have Grandparents that I'm so close to and to be able to barge in for the DAY with my 8 loads of laundry!  Ha.  

As I was packing up to head home things got a little chaotic.  Makenzie's trigger got flipped and she was consuming all of my attention when Matt called to ask for the number of a mechanic.  It peaked my interest but didn't pay attention to it.  

When I got home there he was with the hood up and a funny look on his face as he said... "Well, the transmission went out!"

Monday- Washer dies

Tuesday- Transmission goes out

Hanging out on the new swingset.

Makenzie and Daddy cruising around the subdivision!

Just LOVE these two!

Makenzie trying to figure it all out.

1 plane or 4?  Happened to have camera out and snapped it thinking I could zoom
in and see... but I just can't tell.

Snacking on peanuts!

Her and her sunglasses!  Love this.

GRILLED Meatroll with grilled potatoes.  SO. GOOD!

If it wasn't for the great moments I had I would have been pretty cranky as the week was getting costly!

Monday Madness

Madness it was. 

Monday is laundry day.  I had my second load in when Makenzie flipped my trigger again.  This girl was giving us a run for our $$!  Big time!  Since the weather had turned all rules went out the window and listening is the last thing that she wants to do.  So she didn't.  No listening and bad attitude.  That Monday morning was it.  I was done.  Whatever we were doing wasn't being done right or working for her... we needed to change... then was the time.  

I sent her to her room so she could calm down and get dressed and I went to the laundry room to advance laundry as I was thinking. 

My mom was headed to the zoo with a kindergarten class and invited us along.  The weather was kind of iffy.  I hadn't made a decision yet, waiting to see how the girls were and how the weather turned.  I checked the weather again... was looking good.  Open the washing machine and the top layer of clothes were dry.  Uh oh.  Weird. Try wash again.  No go.  This Monday keeps getting better.

The day is what you make it right!  So I decided we were going to make it a great day. 

I went into Makenzie's room, she was on the floor crying.  Typical.  She didn't want to get dressed.  I sat down and we chatted.  I went over how the past few weeks had been really rough and no one was really happy.  Things weren't working and we needed to work together to make things better.  I told her I wanted to be done with time outs and taking things away from her because of bad behavior... why don't we choose good behavior!?  When you are good, good things happen.  I told her I wanted to show her what happens when she chooses good behavior and to make good choices!  So I asked her if she wanted to go to the zoo.  You should have seen her face light up!!   Perfect.

We ran thru a bunch more "situations" and had her come up with the solutions to them and how she chooses what to do.  I could see light bulbs going off! 

We had SUCH a fun time at the zoo.  The weather ended up being just perfect and Madison and Makenzie were just a blast.  Madison's enthusiasm even before we got there was just so contagious!  She was so excited to see "zoooooo, zoooooo.  Monkeeee!"  

"Here, let's take a picture before we go in!!!
We can show Daddy how excited we are!
Bad idea. Obviously."
Madison is so into temper tantrums.  Terrible two's here we are!
Makenzie is eyeing playground.

Now we are happy!! But still not posing for a picture.

In we went Madison in the stroller and Makenzie navigating the way next to me. At the first exhibit Madison nearly leaped out of the stroller. I've never seen her stand up so quick and she was just going!  She walked the WHOLE time.  No fear... she'd go as close to the animal as she could get.  Makenzie, ha, not so much.  She's content standing back, at a good distance, watching, maybe even riding in the stroller :-)  Love seeing the difference in the two.

  

Makenzie figuring out the map.

I just couldn't catch it on camera.  My goodness.  The enthusiastic pointing she has!!
Knees would be bent, face scrunched up, finger pointed, body leaning towards point... HILARIOUS!

Miss Madison had found the Monkey's.  As we were watching them she sucks in a great big breath and yells at the top of her lungs: DUUUCKEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!  Ducky Ducky Ducky!  Seriously girl... we see ducks all the time!  LOL!

A Bongo running after a duck!

Otter is standing up on a log.  These two (otters) were SO fun to watch!

My girls just cruising along.

A little cottage JUST their size.

Practicing horseback riding... Giddee Up!

Grandma and Makenzie checking out... something!  :-)

What a great day it turned out to be for starting so rotten!  

As for my washing machine.. it was done.  I went without one for just under two weeks... after 7 years it bailed on us with no warning.  Very excited about my new one tho :0)

The Earthquake that Started it All

It was Saturday the 2nd...

Matt and Makenzie headed out for a quick errand to the hardware store.  Madison was quietly playing in the living room and I was in the kitchen making quesadillas for lunch.  It was peacefully quiet!  So nice, really.  It doesn't happen much and I was enjoying having a few quiet moments in the kitchen to myself without a child crying or begging for food and wedging themselves between my legs.

The quesadilla was on the stove top and I went to the counter to reply to an email.  As the email was pulling up I could hear the screens in our sunroom clanging, our grates to the grill rattling really obnoxiously and the house creaking.  I watched and listened for the gust of wind to stop and realized there was no wind.  What in the world I thought.... Semi going by?  I don't really hear one and I still hear the rattling.  I turned to the living room where I then noticed the decor on the wall shaking.  Holy cow, I can feel the floor underneath my feet shaking.... This has GOT to be an earthquake.  As I think that, Madison lets out a frantic cry and comes running towards me.  By time I get her in my arms and stand still it stops and is eerily quiet in the house.  

I stay in the same spot and do a 360.  Madison is whimpering a little.  Well, it's lunch time and well, she's hungry!  Everyone outside is doing exactly what they were doing, our neighbors pile in their van and take off.  Hmmm... did I imagine it?  

The smell of burning pulls me out of my daze and I set Madison down and run to the stovetop to flip our now very toasted quesadilla.  I salvage it and put Madison at the table to eat.  I hop on Facebook because if something happened it would be there right!?!?  Nothing.  Do I text my neighbors?  No. I'm sure... I'm crazy.

I decide to call Matt asking where he is.  He's on his way home and will be here in a min.  Do I tell him!?!?  Sure...  'So something really weird just happened.... I'm not sure if I'm crazy or not!...'  He walks in the door saying something had to have happened.  That's just bizarre.  Yeah, tell me about it!  I was rattled by it... not knowing what "it" was and how crazy I am, but Madison reacted too.  I check facebook again and boom... all over... I was right.  

We had a 4.2 magnitude EARTHQUAKE! 

A Week Memories Are Made Of!

Last week was one of "those" weeks.  It was a great week and terrible week all in one.  Nothing really went according to plan, we were just hanging on for the ride.  

Well we hung on and here we are on Monday.  I'm sick... again. (Spent 2 weeks in March sick and assumed that would be it for the season!)  It's raining outside and I'm so thankful because that keeps my busy kids inside and in my sight, and me in my Pj's.  As I'm bumming on the couch this afternoon I'll upload some pictures and share our last week adventures.  :-)

~Our Menu~ May

I find it hard this time of year to cook.  A) I just rather be outside in the spring weather B) I've been working and playing outside that I'm exhausted and don't feel like making dinner or C) What do I make?  Casseroles and crock pots are fall and winter.  Not quite able to grill everything.  Either the meal I picked out is too "wintery" or too "summery" and doesn't fit in with my mood or weather doesn't cooperate.  Problems... huh?!?  :-D

Well, here's what I've come up with... lots of salads.  It's "springy" and healthy!  Unlike the winter carbs we mow down eating casseroles and pastas!

Menu....

(Note: FM=Freezer meal *= double meal, one to eat, one to freeze for freezer meal, CP=Crockpot)

Chef Salad w/ homemade dinner rolls

Burgers, baked beans, sweet potato fries

FM  Pulled Pork BBQ, peas, rice & black bean mix

Chicken Pineapple Kabobs over rice

Quesadillas

* Chicken Pot Pies

Grilled chicken thighs, salad

French Toast with Fruit


BLT Salad  (link is here to recipe. Doesn't that look amazing!?)

Meatroll & garden veggies

Chicken veggie pasta salad

Blueberry chopped salad

Brats, sweet potato fries and applesauce

Grilled chicken fajitas

Just Today

Yesterday was raining but nice temps.  Today was SO STINKING COLD.  C'mon Mother Nature.  It's April 10.  It was 40 degrees with a very cold wind for most of the day.  Brrrrrrr.

Matt was home today.  Home but busy.  Still home, and let me tell you how NICE that is.  After three weeks of him being gone almost all day every day we were all so happy!  Madison clung to him like glue, which is very unusual.  Ha.  When Matt and I went on a quick lunch date Madison walks towards us crying, I put my arms out to give her a hug goodbye and she sneaks right by me to Matt.  :-)  So sweet.  That's how we all feel!  Just want to hold him home for awhile.

The girls seemed to be feeling great this morning and then crashed soon after breakfast. Arg. Back to the couch they went.

Matt headed outside to start construction on a swing set for the girls.  A project in the making for awhile!!!  Maybe not in the making, but we've wanted it for awhile... just no time.  After working on it for a better part of the day I decided it was a good time for Daddy to be Daddy and left him with the girls while I got groceries.  I do not get the girls taken off of my hands much, it was a welcomed break, even though I hate grocery shopping :-).

By time I got back another April Shower had swung in and the kids were out with umbrellas.  What's more fun than playing in the rain!?!?  Sitting in the garage with Matt watching the kids play in the rain!

Good time for a walk! 

Splashing around with OUT RAIN BOOTS!

Group Picture!  Jaxon busy watching his Daddy drive by.

Fun times in the rain!!

Thunder, Lightning & Lots of Rain

Early this morning we were woken up by the sounds of a thunderstorm.  Lightning was flashing and flashing, the rain was hitting the windows, it was wonderful!!  We had a couple good booms that woke Madison, the light sleeper up.

The rain has continued all day!  A good heavy rain for most of the day, wow.  I can already see the grass turning green.  Robins are in their glory today as all the worms have come out from hiding and are EVERYWHERE.  The weather isn't slowing them down.  The birds have been singing all day and gathering grass, leaves and twigs for nest.

So nice to see so much good activity going on outside.  Inside, it hasn't been so fun.  We've definitely made the best of it and had many great moments.  Sickness has been passed and passed around for the last month and made things very trying.  I was really sick for a week and a half, 3 of the days I was really down and out.  Of course, because that's how timing works, Matt is super busy at work and worked late nights and Saturdays leaving us to fend for ourselves.  And that's exactly what we did!  Took it a day at a time and we've gotten thru each day.  We've had a LOT of TV time, that's for sure.  Makenzie and Madison now are pretty down and out, but I can tell they are on the up swing out of it.  Perfect timing for a rainy day as they don't feel compelled to run out and play with friends.

Here's to hoping this is the end of sickness for awhile!!

Madison fell asleep on my one day she wasn't feeling good while I
was chatting on the phone for a few minutes!  This was a first!

Baby Hensley fell asleep as I was giving her her bottle!
She was sick too :-(

Carseat nap on Easter Sunday

Was snoozing on Mommy until Daddy woke her up for a picture!
(Hence my face... Did you really just wake her up!?)

This was yesterday... we've spent a LOT of time cuddled up on that couch!

Makenzie took a bath yesterday and got out went right to couch and fell fast asleep!

After Madison woke up from nap today the rain let up a little.  I decided we were putting our rain boots on and heading out.  I was done being inside and a little fresh air might be good.  Both seemed to be doing ok so out we went!

Big Sister didn't want to wear her rain coat, which was good,
because Madison insisted SHE wear it!

Puffed out cheeks trying to blow all the worms away!

Trying to squish the worm!

"Ewwwwwww!" 

So. Stinking. Cute.

Makenzie didn't last very long but Madison seemed great.  And by bedtime both girls were running around being silly. Matt has tomorrow off!  SO excited, first day in weeks that he will be spending the day with us.  The girls and I are very, VERY excited!!