Friday, April 25, 2014

Lenten Tales--I hope that is how you spell Lenten!

H




So I know last week I promised a week of B's life...but I have discovered that it would be a very short post:

1. Sleeps--I could post countless photos of this, here are a few



tummy time sleeping

pack'n'play sleeping

outdoor sleeping





2. Eats--No photo available--this is not that type of website!

3. Diaper changes--I'll will also spare you the photos of this...just know that we are emptying our diaper genie once a day between L and B and I often fight the urge to sing the 'Smelly Cat' song from Friends. Seriously though, WHAT has L been eating?



Looking innocent--don't be fooled!



So instead, with Easter being this last weekend, I decided to write a couple of silly stories involving some family Lent-related moral dilemmas. I feel that its necessary to preclude this story with a little background: Coming from a very Catholic background, our father spends every Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday re-iterating that we give up 'everything good'. Example: Are you eating a cookie?!?! But its Lent!  Are you enjoying that soda? But its Lent! Are you smiling?!!?! You get the point.



*Obviously not taken during Lent since dad is smiling

Needless to say there is always a lot of pressure to give up something that really is difficult, but not so much that you can't do it. (This means when D gave up watermelon for several years in a row it was heavily frowned upon.) Because of this--we have all discovered a system of giving up something we love but being VERY technical in the execution.

Here are some of the struggles that have resulted.......

J--a known shopaholic--gives up buying clothes a couple of years ago (notice she didn't give up shopping--these small nuances make all the difference--Be very careful when crafting the wording of your Lenten promise.) J, A and I were at the mall. J found something that she HAD to have and couldn't wait, A and I tried to talk her out of it, 'But Easter is next week! You are so close.' But by this point, J's resolve was gone, she was going to buy it. A and I went to the next store while she waited in line. 5 minutes later, J SPRINTED to us with a look of sheer panic on her face and here's why: When she got to the register the cashier tried to check her out but something was wrong with her card. As J explains 'It was an intervention!' and due to fear of smiting (see above reference to upbringing) she grabbed her card and ran from the store without so much as an explanation, leaving her potential purchase and the bewildered salesgirl behind. This, needless to say, was a near miss.



'That was close!'



Once I gave up candy. I went to a party at a friend's house, and she was serving Monster cookies....I have never looked a sweet in the face and turned it down....this was going to be hard. As the night progressed, I finally caved and ate the cookie BUT I ate around the M&M's. Questionable? Yes.

Technically cheating? No.



L shares my love for candy. Very similar to what I looked like on Easter Sunday that year.

One year D gave up purchasing (key word) coffee and while visiting her I asked her, what if I bought a coffee and offered it to you than could you drink it?....D's answer? Yes. Tricky tricky.





Of course, the majority of the time we actually follow our Lenten promises and the last couple of years we have tried to add something of value instead of giving something up but those stories don't allow me to post silly photos of my sisters....good thing I didn't give up teasing for Lent!

Friday, April 18, 2014

H: Weekly Adventures



H

 

As I mentioned in my bio, Mr M and I were just blessed with our second child a few weeks ago. I will be lucky enough to spend the first 8 weeks home with my boys.

We decided it would be best if we sent L to daycare one day a week. I'd like to say this is so he can stay on a routine and see his friends and other appropriate thoughtful parent things...but really it's to preserve my sanity and give me a 'snuggle and nap' day every week with B. This has been my second week and definitely a learning experience for all. What we have learned:

L: how do I wake up from my nap precisely the moment mom starts feeding B

B: who keeps poking me and throwing binky's in my crib

H: when two babies are crying which do you pick up first (similar to the chicken and the egg dilemma- and I still having figured out the answer!)

That said, we have had lots of fun this week! Here are some of the highlights:

Day 1: Pinterest fail

PINTEREST: 'Put your child in a box with crayons and they will be entertained for hours and no mess!'

REALITY: Your child will eat the crayons, smile at you with a purple tooth, than will tip over the box and escape, leaving half-chewed crayon all over the floor





Day 2: Discover cereal cupboard
Stomping and spreading quickly follows




L was put to work cleaning his mess.

 This proved to be even more fun because the broom is very effective at distributing the cereal across the floor.


Day 3: Mom got smart
Loaded cupboard with empty cereal box: HA! I felt so smart until I realized I still had to find somewhere to put the full cereal boxes, rats.

Day 4: Daycare (to visit his friends and keep him on a schedule of course)
L's friends made cards congratulating him and welcoming B, so sweet!


Day 5: Hygiene is going out the window
*not shown--my hair--which is significantly worse off than L's, probably why he is laughing



Next week: What has B been doing???

Friday, April 11, 2014

Welcome to 4IowaSisters


Welcome to 4IowaSisters





This blog is about the tales, tribulations, and life lessons of a typical (or not so typical) Iowa family as told by four sisters. We thought this would be a fun way to put a witty twist on keeping up with each others lives and some tips, recipes, and lessons we’ve learned on the way.


ABOUT US:

A, J, H, D


H:

Hi I’m H! I’m the oldest of this motley crew and as a ‘typical’ oldest sibling find myself acting as the glue and motivator to the rest--or at least they let me think I am. I am happily married to Mr. M for 3 years and we just recently started a family with a son (L) born last January and another son (Baby M for now--still waiting on a nickname!) born last week. Mr. M and I are blundering along with this parenting thing making every mistake in the book, my favorite saying has become ‘this is why they don’t remember anything until they are 3’. I have no plans to pen a best-selling parenting book-so if you are looking for legit baby advice you are in the wrong place. If you want to to hear how the best of intentions go right out the window, you forget where you keep the vacuum, and how to get somewhere only 10 minutes late then read on! My interests (spoiler alert! This is what I’ll be blogging about the most) include: spending time with family, traveling, winning at games, mild exercise, reading, and finding the cheapest, easiest meal preparations I can. My goals are to keep my husband from eating pizza for every meal (harder than it sounds), raising a happy silly family, and trying to find ways to work off my cheese and sweets habit.
 

Christmas 2013


L's first birthday


L and Baby M