I got these hooks from Anthropologie ages ago. (Brass ones are on sale btw. Oh and I also have these which I love, but have yet to find a place for them). Way before C, but I bought a C. Basically like the only things I can afford from there. Love that store. The C isn't hanging yet. He isn't yet responsible for his own stuff. Brett needs to rehang them, I was making a point by doing it myself even though not correctly. How do you all manage all the freakin coats, hats, gloves, boots, snow pants, book bags during this time of year? Ugh.

You want to hear about the not so crafty stuff too. That stuff helps me keep my sanity, keeping the kids involved in an activity.





It is 1pm and I still am in my pajamas, I haven't had my breakfast or coffee. I have not started MY day yet but by 8am we were cutting paper-the boys, mainly Brady LOVE to cut paper. SO of course we cut some strips and made paper chain garland. Just a little linkage of it until they were no longer interested. I mean what's Christmas without that stuff. I'm like the little mouse in If You Give a Mouse a Cookie... If you give a mouse some paper and scissors and a stapler she's gonna make paper chain garland out of it and then it's going to remind her that she wanted to make ornaments so she'll go to the fridge and get the recipe the boys' teacher attached to the back of a notice, she'll see it takes 3 cups(!) of salt. Who has 3 cups of salt in their house ever?! I look, measured it out. I happen to have just bought some not knowing we already had some so we did! We had exactly 3 cups of salt. A lot of salt. So you're supposed to cook it with 1 cup of water, then gradually add 1 cup of corn starch....






I don't know if I did it right. It never made a nice dough, but we tried. We have a few, like one of each cutter's worth drying... Santa should bring them each a rolling pin because of course they fought over who was going to use it next and then next, and then who had more time using it, and who's turn it was next. Seriously can Santa bring me like a 5-in-1 timer thingy I can clip to the waist of my pants so that I can just put everyone and everything on a timer, maybe that will work. And then won't lead to some type of psychiatric visits or ocd in a few years. Not that anything is wrong with those.





While we were still in the cutting phase, Colin was getting into something as usual, and as usual I had my hands full so I asked Aiden to check on him. Colin was just playing with Brett's 12-pack of Heineken cans empty box he leaves on the floor before making it to the actual garbage, an inevitable part of his recycling process. Aiden took the box from Colin like a good big brother and this little mouse then decided he would make something out of that box. Something car related. IT kept him entertained and creative. The dough made a big crumbly salt mess which I still have not gotten the chance to vacuum up. Only necessary really since I do have a crawling child in my home. But in effort to get at least the cookie cutters cleaned I set Brady up in the kitchen sink to clean them (play with them in water, another thing he loves).





Since I gave the boys a bit of my time they were happy to play pretty well by themselves next while I changed a diap, played with Colin and fed him. My sugar was getting a bit low so I scoffed down some leftovers in between Colin's. Meanwhile dodging 20-30 other requests and refereeings. "He's standing on his chair, pinch his butt" "Mommy I just found chocolate on the floor and ate it" "Let's play Daddy and son and you send me to my room because I am bad" "He hit me" "Why does Aiden get to" "I have to go poops" "Why can't I have some candy?" "Can I watch tv?" "No school? I hate the snow" "Away in a Manger..." "Can I watch a Christmas show?" "He's playing with mine, that's mine, play with your own" "I want that. Give that to me."

Me: "Don't hit your brother" "Sit here until I come and get you" "Go find some underwear" "Put some pants on" "Be nicer" "Lower your voice" "Call Richter!" "Why are you yelling?" "Gentle please" "You can get yourself a drink" "No you may not" "No." "Come here" "Go get a book and I'll read it" "Are you ready for lunch yet?"

They wanted to play downstairs or maybe it was me who wanted them to play downstairs because Colin was napping and my boys are loud. Honestly I hate having to tell them to be quiet bc of their sleeping or trying to sleep baby brother. I mean it does teach them some respect for others but I find myself annoying so I know they do too. So we head downstairs and A wants to play on the computer so we find new stuff for him and Brady to do. Brady is allowed to watch Aiden, turn taking is just too annoying here. We checked Santa's list again for A and he was more honest this time, and sure enough he saw he has to try harder because he was slipping down the list. We went to Highlights.com and did some stuff there.

Lunchtime came. The mealtime manners when I am not at the table are something that needs work and I need to come up with a plan for that.

B is now napping, after I checked on him once already, his new thing of trying to read before nap time is almost acceptable. A is in 'quiet time' in my room after I read him a book and took my remote out of my room. Colin is down for amazingly nap #2. Swim lessons are at 3:30. Miss Eileen just called, swim lessons are now cancelled due to a pool thing. Ok. Post office and bank run then. I must go get some coffee and a shower first though. Too late. Aiden is asking to get out prematurely as usual and Colin is up. Oh well I feel like I had a little break in my day and that's good.