Catch up and "A Day in the Life"

It's been a long time since I've written. We've been busy. And, I spend a lot of time on FB, so I guess I assume most people know what we're up to. This is a type of journal for our family though and it's been almost a year of un-documented stuff! Not a lot has changed. Still a family of 4 (thank goodness!!), George is still working at Carmax and loving it, still waiting on the FAA to tell us what to do with our lives, same callings in church, still in this awesome apartment. We're happy, just ready to move on. We feel like our progression as a family is being stopped right now because of our living arrangement. We obviously are so grateful to have a roof over our heads and electricity and safety and money to pay our bills and buy things, but we are literally stepping on each other over here! There's just no room! We need space and all our nerves (mainly mine) are shot. Sooooo, we are looking for a home to buy here in Tulsa. I know what you're thinking, we thought about it too, believe me. "Why would we buy when our future is so up in the air? Why do something so permanent? Why not just find a house to RENT??" Here is why.... We're not in Vegas anymore. It is seriously cheaper to buy than it is to rent. By a lot. And, it's a really quick turnover to sell here, too. The realtors we've talked to have all said a house rarely stays on the market for more than 45 days. I can do 2 months!!! We love it here. George has a great job, with room to grow in the company. We feel good about this. So hopefully it starts working out. We've found lots of homes in our price range, we're just waiting a couple months so we can move right when our lease is up at the end of July. So, if you could, send good home finding/buying vibes our way. Thanks :)

I was intrigued by Janssen and Lindsay's recent blog posts... "A Day in the Life". So, I thought I'd try it out, too. Here's a typical day at our home.

6:45am- Leah wakes up and tries to wake up everyone else by yelling at Charlotte. I go in and change her diaper and tell Charlotte to go to the bathroom and then she can watch TV. I put Leah on the couch with her blanket and teddy bear and turn on Curious George for the girls.
7-8am- Usually I go back to bed and sleep for another hour and George comes out on the couch and sleeps while the girls lounge around. Today I stayed up and showered and got the girls dressed since I had lots of morning errands to run.
8am- Breakfast. We have family prayer AND a blessing on the food. Charlotte is the only one allowed to bless the food in this house, apparently. So we do 2 prayers. I pour a bowl of cereal for the girls, give them each half a banana ("I want the top part!" Charlotte demands EVERY morning) and two gummy vitamins. I make myself a piece of toast with PB and jam and a glass of milk. George also eats cereal. Leah has a full meltdown because I wouldn't let her immediately drink her cereal and milk.
8:20- Ask George to do the dishes, since I need a clean sink to do hair this afternoon.
8:45- Kiss George goodbye as he leaves for work in a hurry.
8:30- Get Leah ready for a quick nap and lay her down. I do my hair and make up and search for a shirt that will be comfy enough for a busy day, but cute enough to look like I'm not a complete slug. Believe me, it's a struggle sometimes....
9am- Look over my shopping list and see if there's anything else I need to add. Add Zantac to the list. I'm almost out. Surf around some blogs for cheap meal ideas. Add more things to my list.
9:15- Ask Charlotte to start cleaning up toys and books so we can get ready to leave.
9:20- Nothing has been picked up yet, so I ask her to put on her shoes and socks while I tidy up the hallway (I have a couple loads of laundry to do today...)
9:30- Start snapping at Charlotte that toys have STILL not been picked up NOR does she have shoes and socks on. I help her clean up and open Leah's door so she can start waking up. Charlotte gets her shoes and socks on by herself. I tell her to go brush her teeth. I come in the bathroom and do her hair while she brushes. "Dinosaur teeth! Open big! All the way in the back, top and bottom! Now monkey teeth! All the sides! Good, now bunny teeth! Get the front ones really well!"
9:45- Leah wakes up. Put on her shoes, socks and coat, put on my shoes and walk out the door. Fight with Charlotte about getting in her car seat.
10:05- Arrive at Aldi and get half of the shopping list for SUPER cheap.
10:30- Arrive at WalMart and get the other half of the list. Feeling good that I didn't break the bank on shopping for the next 2 weeks!
11:30- Load up groceries and kiddos in the car. Wonder what motivation I could possibly give Charlotte to just obey and get RIGHT in her car seat the SECOND the door opens!! Sanitize hands all around.
11:45- Back at home. Take groceries and kids upstairs in 2 trips instead of the usual 3! SCORE!
12- Fix "snack lunch" for the girls (crackers, sliced ham, cheese slice, carrots and ranch). Girls squeal in excitement that I bought the green "Naked" juice and are thrilled to have a glass. *proud mom moment!* Fix me a leftover sloppy joe and carrots. Eat and sing the first 2 Articles of Faith 200 times.
12:30- Change Leah and find some comfy pants for Charlotte to nap in. Find a book for Char to read and lay her down with her blanket. Close the door and cross my fingers that she'll actually sleep.
12:40- Clean up lunch and toys, gather hair stuff, lay Leah down for naps. Debate sweeping kitchen before friend gets here to get her hair done. Decide not to, since I'll be sweeping up hair soon anyway.
12:50- Surf around online then begin this post.
1pm- Friend arrives to get her hair done. Chat for a bit, then get started.
2:30- Finish her hair and sit on the couch to chat and adore her baby girl. Girls are still quiet *yay*!
3pm- Charlotte is making noise in her room and from the sound of it, probably hasn't napped the whole time, since we weren't exactly chatting quietly.
3:15- Charlotte emerges with her blanket over her head like a ghost. She's nervous to be seen by others and slowly makes her way over to me, while stubbing her toe on the wall. NBD.
3:30- Leah wakes up. My girls and her baby play on the floor for a while, while we chat some more.
4pm- Friend leaves and Stacey calls on her way home from work. We chat about different hair coloring techniques and what we're making for dinner, while I get the girls shoes and coats on to go to the library.
4:10- Leave for the library, still talking on the phone, forget book I need to return. Get to the library, hang up, say a swear in my mind for forgetting, go inside anyway. Librarian understands and renews the book for me. Put my name on the 23 person wait list for the book "City of Bones" recommended to me by Meghan. Grab some books and a couple DVD's for the girls.
4:30- Load books and stroller back in the car. Charlotte and Leah have both discovered snow on the grass by our car and are playing in it. Leah starts walking away (too fast, that girl is QUICK!), way too close to the road for my comfort (ok, it wasn't THAT close... I'm just a worrier! What if a car swerves WAY out of traffic to my baby girl!?) Grab Leah and crunch the icy snow back to the car. Make a smiley face out of our footprints. Girls laugh. Put girls in the car. Girls scream. Charlotte kicks the car and stomps over and over in the car (again, taking a MILLION years to get into her stinkin' car seat!). I take away a book so she doesn't stomp on it and she screams at me.
4:45-Get her buckled in and start to leave. All while hearing in the back, "MOM! Give me that book RIGHT now!". Start driving through a neighborhood to look at houses and calm my nerves outside busy traffic. Ignore the screaming. She finally calms down and says sorry, which never happens without prompting from us. Victory! Continue house hunting and start heading home. Taylor Swift "I Knew You Were Trouble" comes on, Leah squeals in excitement and Char and I sing along the rest of the way home.
5pm- Get home, wash hands, turn on the Elmo's World DVD from the library for the girls so I can make dinner and call Meghan. Chat with her about church callings, planning a possible kid/husband-free trip this year, and what we're making for dinner.
6pm- Hang up and get dinner plated up for the girls and I. Text George to see when he'll be home. He calls to say he'll be home around 8....late again. We exchange our sympathies for having to do bedtime alone and having to stay at work late.
6:40- Get girls in the tub while I mix up a batch of bran muffins for tomorrow. Sing along to MJ on Pandora. PJ's all around.
7pm- Turn on a show and cuddle with girls. Send Char to go potty again. Teeth brushing party. Sing "I Belong To The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints" and the first 3 Articles of Faith. Practice the 3rd one a couple times. Read a few scripture verses. Prayers and tuck them in. Threaten Charlotte with her life to stay in bed or I'll turn the light off/take her blanket away/swat her tush. Give both a kiss and close the door.
7:10- Charlotte is out of bed and playing with Leah through the bars of her crib. Turn off hallway light and wait for crying.
7:15- Charlotte runs back to bed and starts crying and yelling at me to turn the light on. I tell her to stop getting out of bed and go to sleep. Turn on the light.
7:30- girls are out and I have 30 minutes of silence before George gets home. Do some blogging.
8pm- George walks in and informs me that our front door is open, but he saw the TV was still there, so he was relieved. Oh, and he was glad we were all safe, too ;) Talk about our days and sigh at the sad era we live in.
8:45- Grab a cookie and watch 2 episodes of Downton Abbey together.
11pm- Head to bed. Read scriptures, pray and take Charlotte to the bathroom again. Leah wakes up and is delirious. Put both girls back to bed and head to bed ourselves. Kiss each other goodnight.
11:45- Leah has been laughing like crazy and babbling up a storm in her room, waking poor Charlotte. We finally just bring Leah in our room to sleep, so Char can fall back asleep. While I'm holding her, I say, "Leah, it's time for bed. No more playing. Go to sleep." She grabs my face and starts rubbing noses with me and starts cracking up. This girl is OUT of it!
12am- Finally fall asleep after talking to George about some more things that I just thought of. "Oh, and one more thing! Last thing, I'm sorry! OK, for real, last thing, I just need to tell you this so I don't forget. OK, goodnight, for real. Love you."