Very seldom do I answer the QOTW at Multiples and More because I think it's weird to answer my own question, or one that Lani and I just talked about. But this week really wanted to share on this one, so here we go. This week was more of a writing prompt than a question:
Write a list of 10 surprising things about yourself
Scott and I dated less than a year before getting engaged, and we were married a year and a few weeks after we got engaged.
When the right sippy cup top isn't on the right sippy cup it throws my whole day off, I have to fix it. Some may call this OCD, I call it normal.
I could watch any and all episodes of Friends a million times and never get sick of them. Love that show!
I own the Lizzie McGuire Movie and think it's awesome. Don't judge, it's cute.
I never get my hair colored the same way, I always change something about it,
I will always stop channel surfing on the radio if I hear: "Don't Stop Believing", "Bohemian Rhapsody", "Layla", any Beatles song and "Gimme that Girl" by Joe Nichols.
I love to bake and hate to eat it. I think I ate enough sweets in my childhood.
I don't like beef, but always make an exception for the braised short ribs in France during Food and Wine. I literally want to die afterward, but it's so worth it. They are delicious!
I watch General Hospital, everyday. I've watched it since I was a kid.
The most romantic thing Scott has ever done for me is he had our wedding centerpieces recreated for our first anniversary. It was like recapturing a moment in time.
I very seldom do these questions, but Lani had a great one this week (and I always feel weird answering my own questions). There are multiple questions, so hang on!
What is your schedule like? Do you work outside the home or stay home with the kids?
I stay home with the kids and have since before they were born (long story). Here's what a typical, non-outing day is like:
6:15-6:30am: Jill usually comes in to wake me up, and when I say wake me up I mean scare the every living out of me. If it's just her (or if it's just Aaron) I let her lay in bed with me for about 15 minutes and then we go to the playroom.
6:30-7: The kids watch Ni-Hao Kai Lan while I make them breakfast, empty/reload dishwasher and make my coffee and breakfast.
7-11: There really isn't a set schedule here. The kids eat breakfast, I drink my coffee/eat breakfast and check emails. When they are done eating we either color, build with blocks, read, play games, whatever the kids feel like doing really. We got these really great books from Southwestern that break down colors, shapes and words for them and we usually spend a good 30 minutes-hour looking at those. The books also came with posters that we have on the walls that we go over as well. I have to mention that during all of this time I'm usually doing a few loads of laundry, vacuuming, sweeping or doing some form of cleaning as well.
11-12: The kids have lunch and start settling down for lunch. Before they eat I usually put in a DVD for them so I can make their lunch. After they eat I get them dressed (yes, we wear pjs until almost noon over here) and settled in for naps. They get 1-2 stories at naptime.
12-3: This is "me" time. This is when I workout, shower, eat lunch and relax. I also do a lot of my writing during this time, while simultaneously catching up on Real Housewives or General Hospital. If I'm super motivated I'll do some cooking in the kitchen (pre-make lunches, bake or make homemade granola).
3-4: The kids usually wake up around 3ish, some days earlier, just depends. After they wake up they get a snack and some water or juice. Since it's been so hot, we usually go hang out in the pool, if it's raining though we do an arts and crafts project of some kind or work on signing with the Signing Time DVDs.
4-8: We hang out with Scott, have dinner (5-5:30ish) and wear these little kiddies out. Depending on the day we may go out at this point, or take the kids swimming by Mimi and Paw Paw's. This can also be the time I go grocery shopping.
7pm: The kids get baths and put in their jammies. Bath time is pretty fun nowadays. The kids pretend to be fish and swim in the tub.
7:30-8pm: The kids watch Diego and start settling down. If they really didn't eat much of their dinner I let them have a snack.
8pm: The kids get settled into bed and get 2-4 stories (depending on length of the story). Our current favorites included: I saw it all on Mulberry Street, The Very Hungry Catepillar, Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus (thanks to the Pierces!), Fancy Nancy or Knuffle Bunny (so cute!).
8pm-10/11pm: Scott and I have dinner and relax. Before we go to bed we pick up the playroom, run the dishwasher and Scott makes my coffee for the next day (isn't he the best???).
Do you follow it very closely?
For the most part I try to. I like to keep meals and naptime at the same time everyday. Granted, if we are out and about, that will change it, but I like for that to be a constant.
How much (or how little?) "help" do you have?
It's Scott and I, and really with Scott it's after he gets home or if he's off. We also have help from Mimi and Paw Paw, and my friend Jenn, if we need to go out without the kids. But a normal day, it's just me.
What chores do you do on a daily basis?
I usually do 1-2 loads of laundry a day, some days more (depends on my motivation, lol), sweep the kitchen, dishwasher (obviously) and vacuum if I remember.
Do you get any "me" time on an average day? What do you do then?
I make it a priority to have "me" time everyday. I think it's the only way you can keep from going totally crazy. Even if it's just me having a hot cup of tea in the afternoon, it's "me" time.
What is your favorite part of each day?
I love the one on one time I get with the kids, whether it's the snuggle time first thing in the morning, or the time alone when one is still napping and the other is up. It's great to just have those moments with them, alone, where they are not fighting for the attention.
What is your least favorite part of each day?
Depends on the day, lol. I'm not a fan of cleaning up the playroom. The entire time I'm doing it I just think, "it's going to look like this again in 15 minutes, why bother?". But I know it needs to get done.
Are you able to make time for all the things that you want/need to fit in? If you could fit it all in, what else would you do?
I try to get everything done when it needs to get done, but if it doesn't I don't stress out about it. I mean really, is it that big of a deal if my kitchen floor didn't get swept up today? No, in the grand scheme of things it's not that big of a deal. I'd rather have that time with the kids.
This weeks question at Multiples and More is what are you favorite holiday movies. I've included a few of my favorites with clips, I hope you play along!
Christmas Vacation: This scene makes me feel like I'm back home in Chicago at family Christmas
Elf: I heart this scene
A Christmas Story: You've got to love that they play this on a loop Christmas Eve
Donovan's Reef: Now this is not a Christmas movie, but it has hands down one of the funniest Christmas scenes EVER (this one is pretty long, but well worth it, I think) If you want start around the 4 minute mark:
Love Actually: All I could get for a clip was the trailer, but hands down my favorite scene is when Hugh Grant dances to Jump. I heart Hugh Grant for reals....
And you can't have Christmas without It's a Wonderful Life:
It's hard to come up with just a few things that I love about the holidays, but here it goes:
Putting up the nativity scene. It was a much bigger deal growing up than it is now, maybe because my parents have a much nicer nativity set. My Dad was usually in charge of it and it had to be set up just so.
Putting up the tree and decorating it. A lot of the ornaments Scott and I have we have gotten from the places we have been. It's something special we started when we got engaged and I am so glad we did it.
Baking cookies, for days it seems! Every cookie you can think of usually makes the spread on Christmas.
Having Dad's homemade Polish sausage for dinner. That's something I think everyone in my family looks forward to.
Scott and I are trying to start some of our own traditions and keep a lot of the old ones, I want the kids to have the same kinds of memories I have from being a kid.
Before I get into this weeks question I want to thank Lani for taking over for me while I dealt with the plague that took over my house. You're the best partner a gal can ask for!
Now onto the question...
Name 5 small successes in your life from the past week. (and yes, laundry counts!)
I Lysoled all the toys, tables and anything the kiddos touch.
I got all the kids clothes/sheets/towels etc that they used/wore while they were sick and washed them twice. Yes, they may still be sitting in the basket in the laundry room, but they are at least clean!
I managed to keep my sanity, granted just barely, but it's still there and I am not committing myself to a "hotel" with padded rooms. Really this should be #1...hmmm
I have to fever free babies and finally figured out what the problem was, yahoo!
The house doesn't look like a total war zone, only like a minor bomb went off, not like an atom bomb
What is your policy on giving kids candy? What age do you think it is appropriate? And.. be honest.. do you eat your kids Halloween candy?:)
I, personally, have not given my kids candy yet. I still think they are a little young, but that is just me. I just have the mentality that I want my kids to eat better than Scott and I did as kids, so I want to prolong the junk as long as possible. I'm not sure what age I think is appropriate for candy, I think it's your own personal choice and what you feel comfortable with.
And do I eat their candy??? You betcha! Those M&M's they got will be topping some ice cream tonight!!!
I'm going to stick with my original answer on this, it's the candy. Nothing preps you better for the gluttony that is the holiday season than Halloween. Halloween is like the appetizer course at a restaurant, it just gets you started. Thanksgiving, naturally, is the main course. After Thanksgiving you feel like you're going to explode and then BAM Christmas and all those delicious cookies and deserts. New Years is like the car ride home from the restaurant where you're cursing yourself for eating so much and that you'll never do it again. But back to the question....
I love the assortment of Halloween candy and the fact that you can buy a 5lb bag for next to nothing, I mean that's why we all have a Sam's Club/Costco/BJ's membership, right? Normally I have a Stitch candy jar filled with either Reese's Pieces or Halloween M&M's, but I didn't put it out this year, bummer.
I'm also a firm believer in the fistful of candy when you trick or treat, not the lame here's two-pieces-move-along-kid. I know when I was a kid those were the coolest houses, especially if they had Snickers, Butterfingers or any of the other really good candies. As a side note to people who give out the orange circus peanuts, keep 'em, kids don't want them, I promise.
So what's your favorite thing about Halloween? Head over to Multiples and More and let us know!
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