Busy week

By Monday we knew it was going to be a busy week. I had my late night on Monday, which isn't THAT big of a deal but I don't get home until 6:30-6:45 so the night with the girls is basically over and bedtime routine is starting.
Monday night we had to get some wrapping done, we hadn't done anything....didn't really know what we had, what we didn't, what we needed. Took us an hour together, getting it all done. Perfect.
Tuesday Steve had a half day for work so he was able to get some additional shopping done and once the girls went to bed we he had to work on putting together their big present. Hour and a half later, he was done.
Tuesday was a irritating day for me in general, with work, with people and then once Steve picked up Presley from school I was irritated even more for 2 reasons.....1) For some reason they had her down as being picked up by a parent after school....and not going to KTC, which she has NEVER done. So she stood outside with a teacher waiting for one of us to pick her up....well we never did since that was NEVER the plan. Somehow they realized that she would go to KTC and went on her normal early-out afternoon....but why didn't they call one of us?
2) She told me they had a Winter Party, I didn't think twice about it. Until she said that some parents had come to watch them sing....what? Was this something that we could attend? Why didn't we know ANYTHING about it? Did these parents just drop in and invite themselves to watch? Were we supposed to be there to watch? I don't know!

Wednesday......Christmas Eve, we both had to work which I don't normally find to be that big of a deal. So Presley spent the day at Grandmas and Piper went to Generation. Steve got off a little early, but had to run some grocery shopping errands and by the time he was done with that and work, I was lucky enough to cut out of work at about 3:15 to pick them up anyway.
Now.....as I said, working this day doesn't seem like that big of a deal to me...until my kids are the ones in daycare while others aresleeping in at home....and until other people I work with took this day off to do nothing. If they were with their kids or family, that is one thing...but just to take the day off and not have plans....that is irritating to me! So Piper was one of the very last kids picked up from Generation at 4 pm (they were closing at 5 anyway) so that made me feel bad too. UGH. So next year, this mama is fighting for some more time off during the holidays!

Sunday Funday

We went to my parents for our Packer party on Sunday and did our Christmas cookie decorating at the same time. It's so fun to see Presley get excited about this kind of stuff. (she had me straighten her hair this day....she looks too grown up)

Boston was more interested in eating the sprinkles

We saved 2 cookies for Piper once she got up from her nap, she was mostly interested in eating the sprinkles too (you know, after grandma poured a pile of them in front of her!). She got mad when the sprinkles wouldn't stay on b/c there were SO many on there already!

Well because my family is totally grown up.....Holly and my mom started smearing frosting on each other....it was SO funny!

Scott decided to tickle Holly's feet...which you DON'T do....this was his payback!

Ahhhh.....just a typical Sunday at the parents house!

Steel Panther

Saturday night we had Carlyn come and babysit while we went to dinner and to the Steel Panther concert. I hadn't even heard of them until about 2 weeks ago. They are the ultimate 80's band. They actually have really catchy music but the lyrics and overall show are completely sex related. I'm sure this is why Steve liked them but it was a really good show, really funny and completely inappropriate. You definitely have to go into the show with the right attitude or you will be totally disgusted and shocked.

Brought out my big hair for the night. We met our friends Fuller and Kruse (who we haven't seen in years!) at Twin Peaks for dinner (I told Steve I would be a cool wife for a night and go there with them)

 See the best mullet ever? Yes, his hair line was really that far back and yes, his hair was as long as mine. Totally awesome.

It was a great night out and the girls were perfect for Carlyn!

Catch up time

Miss Presley Pie! (I think she looks too thin in this picture, but I know it's just the angle) either way, I'm slightly biased but I just think she is gorgeous.

Miss Piper can't just smile. She has to cheese at me, this smile just melts my heart!

And the girl can hold a pen/marker like an adult! #gifted

 

 Friday night we had our first annual Sips and Sparkle party that our friends Angie and Nicky organized! It was fun, good food and such a great idea for girls to get together and enjoy the holiday season with some sparkle!

Me with my BFF at work, Amy and Holly

 13 girls showed up! Good turn out and so nice to meet some new people and see people that make you realize what a small world it is!

Saturday we didn't do much, as usual. Steve went to work and the grocery store. Presley begged to have her friend Allie over (who lives 2 block away), we gave in. They go to school together and get along pretty good.

 

FYI....Piper the elf has made it back to our house this year. I have not taken pictures, I have not bragged about it on FB, I am not fond of the fact that other parents are now having their 'elf' give presents to their kids some mornings. Not cool parents! For the record, Piper the elf played poker with some animals, took a ride with Ken in Barbie's car, went for a ride on Barbies horse and spend two days hugging a snowman (oops!) along with many other, not very exciting things!

Piper did have to leave Presley a note last week reminding her to be good....this week Piper left Presley a note telling her how much better she was behaving (yes! It worked!)

Time

The one thing I want for Christmas I can't get.
I want more time.
I want more time with my girls.
I want more time do to fun things with them.
I want time to learn how to use my camera with some sense of knowledge.
I want more time to read.
I want more time to catch up on my DVR'd shows.
I want more time to sit and watch movies with my husband...when I don't fall asleep.
I want more time to cook (hey, I would do it!), bake, and be a 'pinterest' mom.
I want time to complete baby books and make photo albums.
I want time to just relax.
I want more time to have girls nights.....with ALL my different circles of friends.
I want time to eat popcorn and watch movies with my girls (if I could get them both to sit still).
I want time to travel with and without my kids!
I want more time to spend with our families, near and far.

It just goes too fast. Where can I buy more time?

(Yes, I spend too much time working, sleeping, eating, on the computer, reading and doing household chores...ok maybe NOT the last one, but I spend more time doing it than what I would like to be! But I think you get the jist!)

(Yes, there are MANY other things I wish I had time for so don't be insulted if you are not personally listed here!)

Random

- Is it bad that I find myself kinda scrambling over the last couple Christmas things we need to get done and I just don't really care?! I should care!
- Piper is a challenge. My friend Janelle posted about her little girl Cora and it is just all so familiar to what we go thru with Piper. Tonight after Piper's bath....she changed shirts 4 times and pants twice, she can't quiet do it herself so it takes so much patience from us to let her do it herself...and it takes understanding on her part (which how do you get this from a 2 year old?) to realize that she can't ALWAYS do it herself!
- Piper can't be in or near the kitchen. Basically you cannot open the fridge door or you will be giving her food or listening to a crying fit b/c she was cheese, applesauce, milk, yogurt....whatever.
- Our new bad habit with Piper when we are trying to get 5 minutes of quiet or sitting still....PBS Kids on the ipod...she is loving Super Why and Sid the Science Kid, and this is the longest we have ever been able to get her to sit still, so I'll take this 10 minutes and run with it! Think of the stuff I can get done in 10 minutes!

- Presley loves reading. Good thing her teacher is all about the reading! They encourage them to read 15 minutes a day, so of course, they started a chart for them to keep track. She wanted to be the first one to turn it in....but 5 kids turned it in today and she will tomorrow! :)
- Presley spent almost an hour the other night doing an addition workbook for 1st graders...she said it was too easy....on the first pages, by the time we got near the back of the book she was getting frustrated with me when I was trying to explain things and said I was being 'bossy'! Um. Ok! She also argued with me when I told her that 6+2 is the same as 2+6.....she really thought I was wrong!

- My friend Cindy's baby girl had heart surgery last week. I can't imagine what they have been going thru. She is in Iowa City with the baby and her husband is back here with their 5 year old and the other baby girl, working, holding down the fort and being a singe dad until Zoe can come home, which might not be for a couple weeks. I might have to be a secret Santa and send them a gift card or something. (I'm pretty sure neither one of them reads this, or has time to read this, so it should be secret!)

Only Wednesday

This week just seems to be dragging!  Presley has actually been good since her attitude issues this past weekend, she has been begging for us to start a star/sticker chart for her behavior/chores...so ok?! I guess we can do that!
Tuesday Samantha's wedding dress had arrived so after work I picked up Piper, drove her home, Presley then came with me and we headed to meet Sam, Boston, mom and Holly to see her try it on and of course, go to dinner out! Presley seems to like these girl outings, but don't tell her that, or she will refuse to have fun and like it!
This was the first night that Piper went to bed half-way good! I think having Presley around just stimulates her too much and then she has a hard time calming down....we are working thru it and trying to find a new and good bedtime routine for her.

Tonight the girls were just out of control. So loud, so sassy, so having to repeat myself over and over again either b/c they weren't listening or it was too loud for them to hear me. It's one of those moments where you think you might be on Candid Camera and someone has set you up to have a breakdown......well it's 8:22, they both ate dinner, both got baths and right now both are quiet. I think Presley is asleep however Piper I'm pretty sure is still talking. Talking is better than screaming or crying.

We actually have a busy, fun weekend ahead and then crazy, weird work and daycare weeks over the next 2 weeks. Hopefully the girls will adjust well to the different schedules and routines to come!