The Apple Doesn't Fall, Etc...

Ladies and gentlemen, meet the apple:

That would make Yours Truly the tree. I take full responsibility for this pose and look.
You see, as a child I did the folded-hands-next-to-face-head-tilted-sweet-voice-
pleeeeease A LOT! My grandfather Bill and Uncle Gary were real suckers for it. Seriously, growing up I had like 8 ponies, 5 cats and since they took me to all the local flea markets, 254 jelly bracelets!
Now, it's my daughter's turn and she's working it. Have you seen the child's wardrobe, Barbie collection, art supplies or 22 Webkinz?
If only I could still use it! For example, "Will you pleeeease babysit my 4 children overnight?" or "Will you pleeease wash, fold and put way this laundry?" If only...........

What Do You Do When You Only Have Stinkin' Brothers...

Adopt you a "sister" and dress like twins, of course!

Sweet Ashy and Abi who both cried when finding out they were only going to have brothers and who will always be able to sympathize with one another over the fact! That is until that dreaded day when they realize their brothers have lots of cute friends who come over-aaaaaahhhhhhh!

Gate Jumping Justified...

For those of you who have been to my home in the last year and have thought, "Is it really necessary for her to have a gate at the door and a gate into the kitchen. I mean it's really inconvenient for me to have to step over them!"

To you who have asked that I say #1: Quit your whining. I gate hop about 376 times a day and if carrying twins didn't ruin my hip bones for all time then hopping their gates have. I won't even mention the 2 dozen times I haven't cleared the gate and fallen down flat taking gate and various bystanding children with me!

#2 A funny side note here: I know there is a gate about 2 feet inside the door. When I welcome you into my home that implies you may come over the gate. You do not have to stay in the entryway. Seriously, no one comes all the way in any more!

3. Anywho, back to your question: are they necessary? Let's see what happens if they are down for about 30 seconds:

Yes, the gates were down for all of 30 seconds and this is what I found. You will notice several interesting things in this picture:
1: Big sis is laughing and in no way trying to stop it or warn me of what's happening.

2. Will is obviously gifted and only wants to be involved in the math lesson that was taking place and in no way is trying to be a table dancer :)

3. Will is not making eye contact with me or the camera because he know he's being naughty and like all peek-a-booing toddlers everywhere is a firm believer in the "if I can't see them they can't see me" philosophy.

4. Wesley, unlike his brother, is not interested in scaling Mount Table and is in fact headed to the laundry room to get his beloved broom that he always makes a beeline for to do some sweeping. Come to think of it, maybe I should let him out of the gate more often!

Before you feel too sorry for these children who spend their lives entrapped, I can assure you these two little Houdinis have their ways:

Hey, I'm using this gate thing as long as it works, although I can see their days are numbered.

My Concern...

Sometimes I am really concerned that the big kids can be too rough with the little ones.

Of course, by "big kids" I obviously meant Wesley who anytime he sees someone on the floor happily jumps on top! I guess my concern should be for whatever poor child happens to be on the bottom!

Will on Fettucini...

or is it fettucini on Will???
Anyway, he gives it 2 thumbs up and 3 noodles on the floor! And we won't even guess how many in his hair!

Fun in the Garage...

I have no idea who put this wonderful Little Mermaid helmet on my poor child, but I can guess it was a certain little girl who is trying to convince me that she needs a new helmet and is maybe trying to show me it can be a hand me down???

What could be more fun than smooshing cat food with Daddy's golf club? Don't worry Daddy only has $5 golf clubs so he was probably trying to get them to break so he can convince me he needs a new one. Do you sense a pattern here? Poor Wesley,
just a pawn in their viscious games. And by the look on his face he knows it!

I Always Wanted a Big Brother...