Juice Box

I'm not exactly sure why, but each time the girls ask for a juice box (which is usually just on vacations or days away from the house), I open it and take a BIG drink.

Well, I do know why. (Most things I do have a reason behind it). 
1.  I am thirsty
2.  I like juice boxes
3.  The less the juice in the box, the less amount that the kids can squeeze out and spill everywhere

It is so nice of the girls to share with mom.  No, actually they scold me for drinking out of their juice boxes. :)  Please and thank you.

Operation Playhouse Update

A few weeks ago, we started renovating an old garden shed behind our house.  The older girls had an idea to turn the shed into a playhouse, which we thought was a great idea.

We bought supplies and cleaned the inside and outside of the shed.  We raked around the shed and pulled old weeds.  We sprayed for bees and wasps.  My husband and the girls painted a little on the inside.

We stopped renovations there because we went on vacation for almost two weeks.  When we returned, we found our backyard all torn up due to a new septic system.  Argh.  The nice grass all around the playhouse has been turned into mud.  So, I guess Operation Playhouse is on hold until some grass grows back.

Bummer.

Kid Spa

I have had to use some creative ideas the past few days, lots of rain, and we've attempted going to the pool twice this week but have been rained out.  This leads disappointed girls and cabin fever. 

Bring on the KID SPA!!

I told the girls to wait in the kitchen while I prepared for their appointment at the "spa" (aka, the living room floor).  I put on some soothing music and lit a fragrant candle.  They were each adorned with a warm robe and a towel head wrap.  The received a face cleanse, and cucumbers on their eyes (which Ashlyn found very tasty).  I also did manicures and pedicures.

SO FUN!!  I don't know who enjoyed this day more, me or the girls.  Either way, it was a great way to spend a rainy day!

Tap Shoes

In the recent exchange of Hand Me Downs, from oldest sister to middle sister, Ambria found Mariah's beloved TAP SHOES.  (Mariah never took dance, nor has Ambria.  These were a garage sale find years ago--bonus!)

Ambria was ecstatic about her "new" shoes.  Mariah, not so much.

Mariah had a difficult time watching her sister prance, dance, and tap all around the house in her new found treasure.  Mariah's jealousy grew but after a few days, the emotions surrounding the shoes subsided.

Ambria hasn't taken the tap shoes off her feet in days!  I made the mistake and allowed her to wear the tap shoes to a store and a restaurant.
My bad.
Horrible decision.
Ambria had a blast creating her own dance routines in the store aisles and beside our restaurant booth, but my face grew red.

Our quiet, timid Ambria was being LOUD.  She wasn't ashamed.  She was proud.  She didn't want to quiet down.  She was beaming!  I'm sure half of it was her having fun, and the other half was her trying to make Mariah more jealous.

Germs

I'm not a fan of germs.  I'm not a complete germaphobe, but a moderate one.  I wash hands, use hand sanitizer, Clorox wipes, etc.  (Oh, and I don't like raw meat, hate the germs, and have only touched raw meat maybe five times in my life.  Eww, gross).

My kids have been known to eat things that have fallen on the floor in public places.  I cringe.  They survive.

Flu germs give me major anxiety.

I am getting better at coping with other kids' snotty noses.  Colds are one thing, flu is another.

The other day, I reminded Ambria to wash her hands.  Her response:
"I don't want to wash my hands. I want to be covered in germs."

Sigh.

I made her wash them anyway.

Hand Me Downs

Love them.  Definitely a benefit of having three girls.

I decided to be ambitious this week and go through the girls Fall and Winter clothes (yes, I know it is only July).  With Back to School shopping right around the corner, I make a mental list of items the girls need and clothes they have out grown.

Well, Ambria's Back to School shopping occurred in our basement, in BIN #5 Size 5 and in BOX #2 Shoes.

Awesome.

Boom, done with one kid.

That is what I call Smart Shopping!


(I added the label "Product Reviews" to this post because I give Hand Me Downs Two Thumbs Up!  Haha).

More Stories from the Grocery Store

Every time I take the three girls grocery shopping with me, I end up regretting it.  This time was no different.

I got one of those HUGE shopping carts with two extra seats attached, the kind that I can hardly push and can't see over.

First is the argument of who is going to sit where.
Ashlyn immediately starts asking for a snack.
Ashlyn doesn't like the snack option.
I pull out emergency snack.
All three girls want it.
Mariah disappears.
Ashlyn wants to switch seats.
Ambria starts climbing all over the cart like a circus.
Ashlyn wants another snack.
Ashlyn doesn't like snack option and starts screaming.
I don't have any other snacks so Ashlyn keeps screaming.
People look at me because Ashlyn is screaming.
I get Ashlyn out of the cart and hold her.
I attempt to push the HUGE cart while holding Ashlyn.
I am regretting taking the kids to the grocery store.
Mariah starts pushing the cart and knocks over 105 bottles of water in the aisle!! (No joke)
I stop to pick them up as they roll everywhere.
Ashlyn wants to walk.
Ashlyn knocks a jar of pickles off the shelf (and I held my breath hoping the jar wouldn't break-it didn't, phew).
Ambria's sandals fall off at the end of the aisle.  Must go back.
Ashlyn wants to grab all the tomatoes out of the bin.
Ambria wants to cool off by opening all the freezer doors.
Mariah doesn't want to push the cart anymore.
Ambria's sandals fall off again.

THEN, the forever long checkout line where the girls take just about everything off the shelf while they try to wait patiently...and I start to pull out my hair.

Shopping complete but all my hair is gone.


(I love my girls dearly, but man, is it difficult to go grocery shopping with all of them!)