Mice Mice go AWAY!!!

The girls were better behaved today than the last few days and I am so thankful because I really needed a break from all the arguing! We worked on a craft project to mail to Scott and made it to the post office to mail it. As we were waiting in line to mail our package, Mckenzie looks at me and tells me very loudly that she needs to go poop. Gotta love what kids say! We had gymnastics tonight and then it was home for a PB&J before bath and bed. I left Abby's bedroom door closed while we were gone to see if I was really smelling dead mouse. When I opened her door, a very powerful stench came out of the room and nearly made me throw up. Abby is scared to go into her room because she thinks the mice are going to get her. I tried to explain a dead mouse can't do anything but stink up her room, but she is still afraid. I hope after the smell dissipates she is willing to go into her room. She is sleeping in the playroom tonight. I just hope the smell doesn't travel into there. It is really strong now and Abby won't sleep with her door closed. I called the pest guy and he will be out tomorrow morning. I hope he can resolve this situation. I am fed up with it. My kids shouldn't have to live in a house with mice. I am disgusted and wish I could move away from this place. I had ordered the girls each a bookcase and they were delivered today. I can't believe how quickly they shipped. A little heavy, but I managed to get the boxes into the garage and take the stuff upstairs in pieces. I managed to get one out of two assembled without any damaged. On the first one I assembled, the screws went right through the shelf leaving huge marks. Luckily, PBK has amazing customer service and they will be shipping a new bookcase out tomorrow. I'm sure the customer service agent thought I was a little crazy when I started crying after she told me it was no problem to replace it. I am just so thankful they are able to fix one thing for me so easily. It was a long day and I think I'm a teeny bit stressed. I should probably get to bed soon. No pictures today. The ones I took turned out like garbage and aren't worth posting:( Maybe I will get something better tomorrow.

Another day of school for Abby. We got up early enough today that Abby had time to finish her homework and get to school without rushing around. Mckenzie and I ran to the store. I forgot to get thank you notes the other day and then Mckenzie and I came back home. She is such a little stinker. We were working on her colors and she got about 75% of them wrong, but as I listened to her talk throughout the day, she managed to identify her colors without trouble. I think she just doesn't like when I drill her on colors. We got to Skype with Scott this afternoon. Horrible connection again for most of the conversation, but the girls enjoyed seeing their Daddy. Abby got another birthday present today from one of her friends that couldn't make her party. It was a polly pocket toy dressing room. So, you put the doll in undressed and she comes out with clothes on. Abby was super excited to get that toy and the girls had fun playing/fighting over it, like any new toy around here! The girls are in bed. I had to lay on Mckenzie's floor again tonight. I remember Abby going through a similar stage and we spent many nights in bed with her. I hope this doesn't last too long because I am sure it is very stressful for her.

She goes in without clothes...

And comes out dressed!!!


She didn't want to look at me for a pic!

We had snow that turned into rain this morning, making for a icy mess out there. Glad I had nowhere to be this morning! Another very lazy day. Kids didn't get out of jammies until afternoon. Mckenzie didn't want to nap so I had to lay down with her. I asked Abby not to disturb us unless it was very important. I guess getting her barbies dressed is very important! Mckenzie finally fell asleep and Abby and I played with her Lite Brite. She is in love with that toy! We had to run a couple errands tonight and then it was back home for bath and bed.

I think we all were a little tired after yesterday. It was one of those cold, gloomy days and Abby didn't get out of her pj's until late afternoon. I think I asked her to get dressed a couple hundred times, but she always got sidetracked by a new toy or game. I don't know if there is something wrong with the heater, but it has been so chilly in here today. No matter what temp I adjusted the thermostat too, I couldn't get it higher than 68 and that is with having the fireplace on all day. We finally made it out of the house this afternoon. Groceries and batteries. Good times. Abby kept asking to play with the toys that required batteries and unfortunately, we didn't have the ones the toys needed. The kids were a little wild in Target, but who could blame them? They were stuck in the house all day and they always have so much energy. I was feeling lazy so we stopped at Chick fil A on the way home from shopping. It's cold enough to leave the groceries in the car (nice bonus!) and I wanted to let the kids run around a little. I thought it would make bedtime easier, but both girls kept finding reasons to come out of their rooms. I should say, Abby will come out of her room while Mckenzie just shouts for me from her bed. She has learned that I will take her stuffed animals out of her bed one by one if she gets out of her room. She was already down three tonight before the lights were off. I guess she didn't want to lose any more!

Happy 5th Birthday Abby

Abby woke me up this morning, saying "It's my birthday! It's my birthday! I'm five years old". A Very excited little girl. She was ready to go to her party as soon as she was awake! So, we waited until Mckenzie woke up and then we gave Abby her presents. She was so happy with what she got, although, after playing with her guitar for a little while, she was asking for a set of drums instead because her guitar didn't sound good. I explained it wasn't the guitar's fault and it would take some time before she could make it sound good. Although, it does need to be tuned. Anyone want to do that for me? I have no idea how! We picked up Abby's cake and it was huge! I wished I hadn't ordered a dozen cupcakes in addition to the cake. I was worried we wouldn't have enough and I was way wrong! Abby's party was a huge success! She had so much fun playing with all her little school friends and running around the huge climbing area and inflatable slides. Mckenzie had a good time too and I was so thankful that so many of the parents helped keep an eye on her for me. She only got misplaced once and no one even knew she was gone. I just saw her heading back towards the table by herself from an area she wasn't supposed to be in! She is so curious and seems to live by the "it's better to ask for forgiveness than permission" philosophy in life. Gotta love her spirit! Abby had a couple of upsets during the party. One time her skirt got caught on one of the slides and she got scared. The other time, she lost her necklace, but luckily it was found! I was a little surprised at how shy she was during the Happy Birthday song. She seems so outgoing most of the time, but every now and then, I see a glimpse of her more cautious side. Abby got to go in the cash cube as part of her party. It is a cube that has tickets with prizes on them that blow in the wind. Abby was hilarious to watch. She was more concerned with how she looked in the mirror than with actually reaching for the coupons. I couldn't stop smiling at her! It was a great time and we all were exhausted by the time we left. We made it home just in time to Skype with Scott. I felt bad for him because the kids were still so hyper and would hardly sit still or be quiet long enough to actually talk to him. I was impressed by Mckenzie because when Scott asked her how old Abby was, she immediately said 5 and held up five fingers. I'm glad to see she pays attention to what is going on around her. After we talked to Scott, I let Abby open up all her gifts from her friends. She was in heaven getting all those gifts! What generous playmates she has! Bath and dinner and it was time for the girls to head to bed. Mckenzie didn't get a nap today (unless you count the 10 minutes she fell asleep while I stepped out of the room to play with Abby for a bit) and she was very tired. She gets a little bit feisty when she is over tired and didn't even get to read a book tonight because she wouldn't sit still and she kept taking the book from me while I was trying to read it. I don't like taking away story time, but she was just too tired to stay up for it. It was a great birthday and I only wish Scott had been here to celebrate with Abby. I can't believe she is already five years old! Where did the time go? I can still remember waking up in the middle of the night in labor and Scott was at the door ready to go waiting for me to finish cleaning up the house before we went to the hospital! Abby is such a sweet girl and has been such a blessing. I am amazed at what a wonderful little girl she is turning into and I look forward to seeing what the future has in store for her! I am proud to say she is my daughter and I hope she feels the same pride when she looks at me as a mother!

Abby's last day as a four year old and we didn't even make it out of the house! Scott called this morning and the connection was not the greatest. I hung up feeling like we had an argument since it felt like we were shouting at each other the entire conversation just to hear one another! Mckenzie slept right through the entire phone call, of course, I'm sure she was very tired as she woke up at 5 demanding a yogurt and milk and didn't go back to sleep for quite awhile! Scott sent Abby flowers/balloons/stuffed bear for her birthday and she was so excited to get them! She gave the bear a great big hug when I told her it was from her Daddy. Then, she ran upstairs, telling me she was going to give Daddy a hug. At first I thought she had forgotten Scott wasn't here, but she came back downstairs with her Daddy doll and I understood what she meant:( I ended up giving the girls a bath earlier than normal because Mckenzie was a little stinker and wet herself twice today. Not sure what her deal is! She has done so well for so long, I didn't even think it was an issue anymore. Both girls took long naps today which means both girls had lots of trouble going to sleep. It took Abby an hour before she finally conceded and it took Mckenzie two! It also didn't help that Abby was missing Scott again tonight. She was crying and holding onto her Daddy doll! Mckenzie needed a sugar fix and was demanding another yogurt before bed, but finally settled on milk! Let's hope tomorrow night goes a little more smoothly! As I was looking for gift wrap to wrap Abby's birthday gifts (which I couldn't find any), I happened to find Abby's snowboots from last year. I was curious to see what size they were thinking maybe Mckenzie could have worn them this year. Turns out the pink boots I found in the closet match the pink boots I just bought her, same size and all! If only she hadn't worn the new ones yet!

The happy girl with her gift from Daddy!

A little blurry, but I love how cute she is in this hat!

I was the parent helper in Abby's classroom today and we had a super fun day! We brought cupcakes for Abby's birthday and it was show and tell day! Abby loves being the leader and she told me many times today that she was glad we got go to class together today. Mckenzie even got to join the class for a little bit as the nursery mom had to leave a little early today. Abby loves being a big sister and Mckenzie follows her around like Abby hung the moon! I am so glad Abby's teachers are flexible enough to let Mckenzie join the class for a bit. We met some friends at Chick fil A for lunch today. It was really like a zoo once all our kids got there. The kids had fun until one of the little ones got a bloody nose from bumping another child's head. After that, it seemed like it was time to get going. Lucky for me, Mckenzie didn't fall asleep on the ride home and she took a very nice long nap. Abby and I got to play together for awhile and then she decided she wanted to watch a cartoon. She decided on Garfield (gotta love Netflix instant at home capabilities!) After nap, we headed to the mall to pick up my ring that Scott gave me for Christmas last year. I never had it sized and one of the stones fell out so I had to get a replacement ring and finally got around to doing it just before Scott left. On the way home from doing that, I missed my turn and ended up in a shady neighborhood. So, I decided to drive a little faster than normal and wouldn't ya know it, I got pulled over. Lucky for me, we have insurance that is for military members and the police officer recognized that. He asked if my husband was military and when I said yes, he handed my documents back and left. I felt very lucky! The girls kept asking what was going on and when I started crying, Mckenzie told me a knock knock joke and then asked if I felt better. Such a sweet girl. Abby was very concerned after we starting driving again about how fast I was going. Every time I hit the accelerator, she told me not to speed! Abby asked if we could go to one of our family favorite restaurants and I said yes feeling brave enough to take both girls out to dinner at a sit down restaurant close to bedtime! The both were good and are now in bed.

We stayed home all morning today. I didn't feel like going out and the girls were content to stay at home and argue over toys! Abby and I got to Skype with Scott this afternoon. Mckenzie was taking her nap. It was nice to talk to him. He always looks so tired, but he is like 9 hours later than we are, so it is to be expected! Abby enjoyed talking to her Daddy and she is getting to the age where she will sit still for a little bit and carry on a conversation. The girls had gymnastics tonight and both enjoyed it like always. Abby is able to do two or three birdie perches on her own now whereas before she couldn't even do one on her own. And, she is starting to develop a greater sense of balance. I caught a glimpse of her walking on the high balance beam tonight and she was doing a great job! Mckenzie always has so much energy and could bounce all day long on the trampoline. She impressed me tonight by doing a handstand against a mat all by herself. Normally, we help her do it, but tonight she beat me to that station and was already climbing up the wall with her feet by the time I got there. It is so fun to be able to see the little progress each time we go. Abby got to enjoy an early birthday gift from Grandma H. She made both girls Dora pillow cases and both girls are in love with them. Abby insisted on putting the pillowcase on her pillow right away. Mckenzie refused to use it as a pillowcase and is using it instead as a blanket! Thanks Grandma!

Snow Day!

School was cancelled for today. I think it was a little silly considering it was gorgeous outside this morning, temps well above zero, and the roads had already been cleared from the 6 or so inches of snow we got. But, I guess that is what happens when you cancel school before the snow even has a chance to accumulate on the ground! Abby was disappointed she didn't get to go to school. She told me she wanted to go so she could learn something! I'm surprised she thinks she is learning since every time I ask what she learned in school she can't remember! So, after a late breakfast, I put the girls in front of the tv (one activity there is rarely any fighting over) and headed outside to do a little shoveling! Lucky for me, my neighbor used his snowblower on my sidewalk and another neighbor came over and cleared out the end of the driveway for me. I guess I have the damsel in distress look down pretty well! I was actually warm while I was shoveling! I don't ever remember that from the few times I had to shovel as a kid. Thanks Dad for always taking care of that! After I got the driveway cleared, I dressed the girls and let them play outside for a bit. I borrowed my friend's idea (thanks Laurie) and dug out the beach toys. The girls had a blast with them and it kept them from asking me to make snowballs from dry snow! Poor Dakota probably wasn't too happy though, as the girls kept filling buckets of snow and then dumping them on her. She would run away from them and just start to act all silly, rolling around in the snow! The girls warmed up by the fire with a little hot chocolate. The rest of the day was pretty routine, just playing games and fighting over baby dolls. Seriously, I think we have a dozen dolls and just about every day, the girls argue over one doll. It doesn't matter what doll, it just matters that someone decided to play with a doll and now the other one wants it too! We got to talk to Kadence and Grandma Betty which was really nice. And, we got to talk to Scott for a little bit, but the connection was terrible and I could hardly hear him. I wish I could have talked a little more to him because I found out one of my friends/former coworkers from Florida was sent to a hospice center today. She was a strong woman. She was diagnosed with ovarian cancer several years ago, but she still continued nursing school, graduated and started working on the same floor in the hospital where we treated her as a patient. An amazing woman and I am lucky to have known such a kind and caring person!

Mckenzie was up just after 6 this morning, wide awake and ready for her yogurt! Abby slept in a little bit longer, but why shouldn't she, she was nice and comfortable sleeping in my bed! Got the house cleaned this morning and then we ran to the post office to mail a package to Daddy and stopped by the recycling center as well. Now there is nothing left to throw away/recycle/donate in the garage for the time being. It feels so clean and organized in there! Abby wanted to do lunch at Chick fil A, but I couldn't find anyone for a playdate so we just ate at home instead. Mckenzie didn't take a nap today, other than the 15 minutes she slept in the car, so she was pretty feisty starting late afternoon and on into the evening. When she is tired, she get frustrated much more quickly than normal. The girls are in bed now. I am hoping Abby stays in her bed tonight. I bought another mattress topper to make her bed more comfortable. I am starting to think that by the time her bed is comfortable enough for her, I could have just bought a different bed! We talked with Scott this morning. I love how often he is able to call! Helps make the separation easier, although, we don't have much to say when we do talk. I can't imagine he wants to hear the mundane details of our day and he can't talk too much about his day so we are pretty much left with "I miss you and I love you!" It is snowing out right now. Lots of big, fluffy flakes! Can't wait to get out and shovel in the morning! Um, Dad, can I borrow your snowblower;)