Today was a gift...

...and quite undeserved. I woke up not feeling the greatest and wasn't really into a whole day with the kids. I'm just getting so worn out lately! But today I felt worse. Anyway, before Russ left for work we prayed as usual, and I don't think I expected anything from the Lord, but it has really been a fun morning with the girls! I was all geared up to go grocery shopping, and decided that would just be frustrating, so I'll go later by myself (key words: BY MYSELF). Anyway, I was able to take a shower with no one getting hurt, screaming, dying, fighting, going outside, or getting into the sink, so that was the first victory.

Then, since we don't have much to eat in the house (grocery trip is necessary!), I decided to rummage through the freezer and see what we had. I found a bag of cut up apples and thought maybe, just maybe, they would be busy with play-dough long enough to make some apple bread muffins. It's always a crap shoot. You never know if they're just going to fight over the play-dough, if the baby will just keep eating it, if they'll get it all over the house... you just never know. But today it worked! Lydie stayed in her highchair for an hour and fifteen minutes (what?!?!?!?!) and didn't eat the play-dough! She didn't eat one piece! A HUGE gift!!! And the older two were so busy doing a cooking show that they didn't even know I was baking and didn't ask to help. Another gift! Another grace. Side note: I do like the girls to cook with me, but it takes forever --like FOR-E-VER-- and sometimes you're just not feelin' it. So I'll happily take a break from their help when I can! ;)

After that, the play-dough clean up was really easy and while I cleaned up the kitchen, they wanted to play in the garage. It has been so hot lately, that they've started to go in the garage but never unless I tell them they need to ride their bikes around for a little bit. Anyway, today they stayed in there for another 45 minutes! They didn't get into anything, and they didn't fight. Chalk this up for a victory I didn't even plan or have to set up!

That gave me enough time to prepare lunch and also take a random pregnancy shot. This poor boy will have almost no record that he was ever in my tummy for a good 9 months. I think I only have 2 other shots! Oh well. Here we are at 30 weeks. Belly is taking over!! Since I'm not buying any more maternity clothes (the subject of countless previous posts), I've become very familiar with the few outfits I have, and somehow all I have are jean skirts! I know I bought a few of them on sale, but I have like 10 maternity jean skirts! I'm not even really into jean skirts! Oh well. Since I'm hardly wearing make-up anymore, pulling my hair back everyday, and covered in chewed up goldfish, I think I can handle a few jean skirts. I'm just wondering why I have so many... Less than 60 days to go, folks!!! The countdown is on!!! (Oh, and in case you noticed the new look in the dining room, I'll post a before and after soon. We are loving the new color!)

AND...since I'm having such a great day, and was in the downloading mood, here's a few pictures from Ruthie's birthday. Her Elmo party is yet to come, but as a family we went to Chuck E Cheese, Hubee Dee's for dinner, and TCBY for icecream (Ruthie's FAVORITE!). We realized the next day that we never did candles (because the dessert was in TCBY), so we gave her candles on her waffle the next morning. And of course, she had to have it on a purple plate. I'll post more pics after her party.

Ruthie, Mom, & Brother

Daddy & Noa Jane