bath+bubbles+babies

One full bottle of Mommy's new shampoo + water = lots of fun

Messy house, happy hearts

Of all the things I imagined stay-at-home me would be capable of, maintaining a tidy home seemed like the first battle I would be able to tackle. Which is yet another joke on me and my lofty ambitions. If anything, our house is less tidy and more chaotic since I have been home with the kids. At first, I felt really guilty because if Nick was working to let me stay at home with the kids, the least I could do was keep the house clean for him. Luckily Nick doesn't even imagine such demands, because keeping a tidy house is just about at the bottom of my to-do list these days. 

It wasn't always like this. Those first few weeks, I ran in circles chasing the children with many arms like some Shiva, picking up toys as they fell to the floor and following up with a vacuum, constantly tidying and maintaining some order to things. And then we had a few busy days and I realized it could all happen at night once the kids are in bed. And then I realized that at the end of the day I either wanted to do something for myself or spend time with Nick, or both. And then there is the issue that I am fairly useless at the end of the day, mornings are my productive time (I told myself), so it will wait to the morning. I will get up early! Before everyone else! And have some quiet time drinking coffee and cleaning! But then someone or another would keep me up and I would somehow be the last person out of bed in the morning and the house would still be messy, with a breakfast mess on top and then we would all be out to the door to preschool and meetings and whatever else is going on and I have only barely managed to drink 1/2 a cup of coffee, let alone picked up the blocks. 

So, I admit it, the house is messy. Almost always messy. But there is more love and play and laughter here than ever before and I think we are all happy with a messy house full of lots and lots of love.

All chairs moved to fort position, probably been like this since dinner last night, and for the record, this is actually pretty clean for us

Eating cereal off the floor (they spilled them on purpose and I didn't say a word)

Singing to herself in the prone position on the floor, no other open surface to lay her sweet head upon, poor little thing (kidding)

Boys

Something about this photo absolutely tickles me. I found it on Pinterest and can just picture Finn in a few years with a little brother making the same fed-up faces at yet another photo shoot by Daddy. Love it.

Photo originally found on Maluba's Blog

Like brother, like sister

Wild Child

Happy Monday!

This picture sums up our weekend (it was actually taken last spring). Three out of four Hall's have been afflicted with a pretty nasty cold and although one of those three is Finn, it has done little to slow his surge of energy. He has been bouncing off the walls all weekend and driving all of us a little nuts. Despite his cold, I am off to the YMCA gym where he can play with a ton of other kids in the tumble gym and hopefully get some energy out. The last time we went, they took the kids running around the track like a pack of sled dogs and he fell asleep in the car on the way home. Fingers crossed we will have the same results today.

At least they sit down with us for dinner

Finn's Belated 3rd Birthday Party

We were in Mexico for Finn's 3rd birthday, so we celebrated yesterday with a party with Nana, Papa, and all the local Aunts and Uncles. I made a digger cake using crushed oreos as 'dirt' and chocolate 'rocks'. He put on five candles (why not?) and added a few extra construction vehicles for effect. It was a huge hit. So were the many, many presents he received (thanks to all!).