As if my floor wasn't dirty enough

I'm officially giving up on blueberry waffles. Not the elaborate kind. Just your garden variety muffin mix you add milk and egg to and dump in the waffle iron.

I thought that maybe actually mixing the waffle mix, spraying the big iron and clamping it down would make me more of a Super-Mom instead of walking to the freezer, taking out the Eggo's and toasting them in our 100 year old toaster.

I.was.wrong.

Before I could even plug the waffle iron in, Sophie was chanting in protest: "nana, nana, nana!" I give them a fruit with their breakfast and in her little 16 month mind, she could skip her starch and make due until lunch on her banana.

I have tried the blueberry waffles 3 times. I thought it might get better each time - you know, give them a few times to get used to it....

Not so much.

This is the floor this morning. It's the worst it's been in the 3 times I've attempted to expand their palattes - who was I kidding?!?

Seriously. I'm done. Back to Eggo's. (Do you hear the cheering from my house?)

This is Sophie's defiant look AFTER I saw the mess on the floor.

This is Sophie laughing at Izzy because Izzy actually ate said waffles.

This is Sophie hiding from a bite that I was trying to get her to eat.

This is Alexander's uneaten plate of waffles.

"THERE ARE STARVING CHILDREN IN AFRICA!!" I screamed.

"What's Africa?!?" asked my 4 year old.

Seriously. I'm done.

The Conversation Went Something Like This...

Today I spent the day helping my Mom pack her & Dad's house as they are moving across the bayou in a few weeks.
I dropped off the girls at Daycare for the day and Alexander was going to spend the day with Mom & I.
However, Ann called & said that she & the boys were walking to the park and would I like to drop Alexander off to spend time with them. I found a stopping point in packing and drove to the little park up the road. Visited with Ann for a minute and went on back to sorting knick-knacks in Mom's computer room.
About an hour later, my phone rang and the caller i.d. said "Ann's Cell." When I answered, she said, "nothing's wrong, I just thought I'd call to tell you what the conversation was like on the walk home from the park."

And it went something like this:

Alexander: Andrew, you know what? I gotta stepdad.

Andrew: Uh oh, no you don't have a stepdad.

Caleb: (Giggling) Alexander, you are lying, you don't have a stepdad.

Alexander: Yes, I do. I gotta stepdad.

Nanny: Alexander, are you being truthful? I don't think you have a stepdad.

Alexander: (Grinning from ear-to-ear) Uh-huh, I did have a stepdad, but he died. He died.

Nanny: Alexander, you are telling a story. You know you don't have a stepdad.

Alexander: Nahhhhh, I'm just picking, I'm just picking.

Later that afternoon Nanny heard Landry walking through the house: I wish I had a stepdad....

A Blogger Friend of Mine...

For quite some time now, I have been following a blogger named Devin.

She has a beautiful family - She and her husband, Rob have 3 beautiful children: Riley, Ethan and Blake.

Ethan & Blake were born just days before our girls last March and sadly, Jesus thought it best for them to be with Him. I found her blog, Homesick, a few months after her enormously sad time and would weep with every post that I read. My heart just cried out to God for her. I found myself thinking of her through out my day - especially whenever I would have that "Oh my God, I have two of them!" moment. My entire being would swell with pride for my girls and then it would break for this woman I have never met who wouldn't see her boys again on this side of heaven. I really couldn't, for my life, understand why my God, her God, the God of grace and mercy would allow her and her husband to endure this type of heartache and suffering. It was beyond my comprehension what I would do if I were in her shoes. What makes her get out of bed each day knowing what she went through?!? I was angry for her, sad for her, overwhelmed for her - and we've never met! But with each post, I could see a little light for her, just a glimmer. With each day, the Lord began to do a work in her. She would have good days and bad days, but miraculously, Devon was able to get out of bed - I don't know how I would have done it! She has been so transparent with her grief and faith. So much so that I have been strengthened in my walk with the Lord. How would I follow Him if I were going through such a tragedy? Would I be able to praise Him in a storm? Would I be able to continue serving Him if he chose to take one or more of my babies?
Just recently, actually a few months ago now, Devon and Rob decided to announce that they were having another baby!! Praise God for new life!! We (all of the thousands of Bloggers out there) have been praying incessantly for Devon and this new life growing inside of her. How great is our God, that in His timing, He would show his sovereignty. With each passing week Devon would update us with her growth, health and Drs. appointments and with each passing week we would praise God for helping her get through another week. She's made it 22 weeks now and is on bed rest in the hospital. She's had lots of contractions lately and is on meds to keep them to a minimum. Now it's up to Baby Girl Mikels to just stay in her Mommy's warm tummy as long as possible.

I have added Devon's button to the my right side bar to remind anyone who looks at my blog to PRAY, PRAY, PRAY for Devon and her baby Girl.

More specifically, these are prayer requests straight from Devon:
* For the contractions/irritiability/cramping to stop
* That my spirits would be encouraged and lifted
* For Rob as he is balancing single dad with a "sick" wife
* For Riley that she would handle the shuffling around
* For my mommy heart as it is SO hard to not be with her, to play with her, take care of her
* For our parents and family as they are having to shuffle their lives around as well to help us out.

Lamentations 3:20-24 (The Message)
It's a Good Thing to Hope for Help from God
19-21I'll never forget the trouble, the utter lostness,
the taste of ashes, the poison I've swallowed.
I remember it all—oh, how well I remember—
the feeling of hitting the bottom.
But there's one other thing I remember,
and remembering, I keep a grip on hope:
22-24God's loyal love couldn't have run out,
his merciful love couldn't have dried up.
They're created new every morning.
How great your faithfulness!
I'm sticking with God (I say it over and over).
He's all I've got left.

WHAT A 1 YR. OLD LOOKS LIKE...

...HAVING A MELTDOWN

Herding Cats....

That's where we've been

Herding Cats

I realized when Chris said it recently

that is what I've been doing for the past few weeks

since Izzy's started walking/running

Herding Cats

They go in opposite directions at Warp Speed

Running as fast as they can

Away from ME

It really keeps me on my toes

Although it has it's ups and downs,

we just laugh through it and wait for them to come back

We can't get them to sit still for much other than food

yes

I said food

Nothing escapes their appetite

They eat pretty much anything & everything

Then they burn it off running away from me

Tried to get a few shots to show how they've grown

This is the best I could get

Sitting still was not an option

Sitting still on the couch was not an option

Sitting still on the couch next to a sister was not an option