Save your Sanity...Try a Fort!

She said the sparkles were tinkerbell dust.

I'm desperate. Absolutely desperate. I need something. I mean anything that would make my little one happy. She has been hacky coughing so much that she can't sleep. Do you know what happens when a three year old can't sleep? I am praying for patience and creativity.

The prayers must have work because I have not heard any whining, crying, or squawking in minutes. Actually, I think the coughing has even subsided to a minimum.

On that note, I put a call into the doctor this morning. She finally called back and because of LaLa's fever (which has broke), complaining about hurting when she goes potty (has a history of kidney reflux) and this hacky cough that is causing her to throw up and be miserable...we have to go back to the doctor's office this afternoon. I'm normally a very conservative mommy on medication. BUT not this time. I want drugs. Give her something to make her feel better. WE were just there forty eight hours ago and left with a chest xray and diagnosis of a viral infection and maybe something starting up. That's an expensive appointment for nothing to be specifically wrong with her...just my thoughts. Don't you hate that?!

Before...

Okay...back to answered prayers. Creativity struck...I'm giving God credit because I actually had just desperately prayed for inspiration and patience! I was moving the chairs to vacuum under the table (umm...still haven't done it after Sunday's company...) and eyed the clean, folded blankets on the stairs (you know from all the LAUNDRY from the three year old throwing up after coughing until she's blue).

After...

Ah-ha! I told LaLa to stay on the couch for a big surprise (not that she was really moving and groovin' anywhere anyway besides being attached to me). I used the blankets to put over the table, grabbed a disco ball and light (I think this stuff was from when I was in college...a LONG time ago! See, hubby, labeling the boxes in the garage did help.), made yummy snacks (oreos, grapes, carrots, and strawberries--desperate attempts to get the sick one to eat anything), lots of pillows and blankets, a mommy note, and hauled down LaLa's little tv. I wanted Christmas lights, but I couldn't reach that box! We turned on Cinderella and climbed in. The note was a big hit because she couldn't figure out how to "get" it because it was on top of the glass table facing down at her. Hee-hee to think like a three year old! As Little Bit says, "TA-DA!" A good old fashioned fort with a few surprises.

Mommy Note that I placed face down on the glass table before throwing blankits on it. It was hilarious listening to her tell me that I was magic because she can't figure out how it's stuck there and she can't touch it.

Let me just tell you...this simple idea saved my sanity...at least for now...We both actually fell asleep under the table for a little while. Can you imagine if someone stopped by? "Oh, just come on in. We were just napping under the dining room table." 8) Little Bit was sleeping in her crib. She may be the Godzilla of a fort when she discovers it!

No pictures, please. Is that actually a small smile from the sick one?

As for when the fun wears off, who knows?!

It seems a lot of us are (or will) be covered in snow. You may not have sick ones to entertain, but you may enjoy a good fort if you have bored little ones! Let us know if you try it out!

Off we go, off we go...to doctors office we go...again! Yep, it's our new theme song!

Where Has The Drama Gone?

Oh, don't worry! This mama's drama is still here...just slacking on the blogging scene! It's drama filled and simply wonderful! That is the unexplainable thing about being a mama...the good, the bad, and the ugly is still fantastic because it's with your family!

I am simply blogging today to share updates from our crazy world!

1. We have decided...as of this moment (you know how my brain works) to homeschool the girls next year. I have made a list (actually multiple lists) of ideas and pros and cons. I'm very intimidated and excited. As I was making my lists, the pros and cons were usually the same items! I'll share my crazy, conjured fears and anxieties on another day!

2. We are beating the colds and runny noses going around in our house. I think everyone is feeling better! Let me just say that I am so tired of runny noses! I have figured out a couple of things...Butt Paste or A&D Ointment is perfect to put on sore noses. I also discovered that Highland's products are great. They are homeopathic and have no side effects. Also, cloth diapers are great to wipe noses...my children call them snotty rags, which makes me laugh. Baby wipes are not good to wipe noses. They burn.

3. Crayons and markers should be put up and out of little hands reach. The dogs and children in my life are determined to put the markers in their mouth, write on non-paper items, and/or eat them. Yes, I buy only non toxic everything for this reason. Previously, I thought it would hamper their creativity to put such things out of their reach. Now, I may throw them out the windows...so I opted on just trying to put them out of their reach for now!

4. My husband and I have fun, exciting news that is very rare in our world. First, we are going out on a date...like a real date where you leave your house and without children...this weekend. I am leaving my children with my husband and going to a friend's house to scrapbook this weekend. My scrapbooks have been neglected for several years so I am thrilled...and I hope my house and children survive without me here! The best is still coming. You will never, ever believe it. You will be so jealous. You might hunt me down just to bop me on the head. We are going on a cruise. We are validating it by saying it's for my 30th birthday, his birthday, our Valentines day, and our anniversary present. (I'm thinking maybe he'll forget about it by my birthday and still get me something wonderful! ha-ha) My mom will be watching our girls, and we are going away. My husband is eagerly researching excursions and events on the cruise. I plan to sleep, eat, read, and write...in that order! I will even be able to go potty and shower without little heads peeking in to ask what I am doing! You can only understand the great appreciation of that if you have small children!

5. Last but not least, I have made it a goal of mine to work more consistently on writing. A friend of mine is a great writer. She writes primarily about marriage, couples, and love, which we all need guidance in! She has become a great source of information and encouragement in my quest to be a writer. I have several submissions that I will be working on over the next few months. I am hoping just one gets accepted! I think a lot of times we never try things because we just don't want to fail. However, if we don't try, we will never know! I'm trying to throw out the excuses and FOCUS (oooh...there's my word for 2010 again!). Feel free to keep me accountable! Just drive me crazy until I can finally say that I have done it!

Now, after all of those updates and ramblings, you can probably understand why our mama drama is in high intensity! Since I did not leave you with much inspiration, I will share this link. Click on the different links on the bottom of the post. Be prepared to waste lots of time, make lists of projects you want to try, and be inspired! Good luck!

Having Children Made Me Hear Voices in My Head

My girls on New Year's Eve helping make our special treats. LaLa is wearing her glasses that she made out of pipe cleaners...just be careful that you twist the ends so they won't poke anyone in the eye! I am going to try this idea of molding pipe cleaners into shapes with some letters later on! I think it would be great for fine motor skills and will be a fun way to reinforce letter formations!

Have you ever felt like your eyes needed to literally be held open to stay awake?! I feel like a cartoon where I need to place toothpicks to hold my eyelids from closing shut...and to keep me from snoring in point two seconds! Little Bit woke up a couple nights ago all stuffy. She seems to feel worse at night and is having trouble sleeping. We were up last night from one to six in the morning. We watched Elmo, Barney and Dragontales....a lot...well, let's just say I quit counting after the seventh one! Watching tv and cuddling on the couch all night was what made her happy...when your little one is sick, that is all you worry about!

Now, we are in the phase of being stuffy and runny nose at the same time! She is playing and active as usual, but you can just tell that she doesn't feel well. Then, I begin that mama conversation in my head. You know the one where you are wondering if you should take her into the doctor...but you are analyzing...she has no symptoms other than cold-like, no fever, still active, still eating...if I take her she will be exposed to all kinds of stuff. So,  I decide I won't take her, but then I worry...what if she gets worse later or if it's her ears? All of a sudden, you become a mama and you have random conversations in your head...little voices debating what's best for your child. I think you can be committed for hearing voices?!:) The voices...I mean I voted on lots of TLC and staying warm and inside on this cold day rather than making our trip to the doctor. We'll re-evaluate the symptoms tomorrow and probably have the same conversation in my head! In the meantime, I am going to find some caffeine!

We are hoping for snow in Georgia! At least enough to shut everything down and enjoy a couple "snow days"! In Georgia, we really only need a fourth of an inch for our state to shut down...or maybe even the threat of snow works in some areas! Hopefully, our night will be better tonight....and I will make sense in my next post....me and my voices in my head!