Payback for lack of blogging

I know I just haven't kept this updated lately, but it seems like I am inline with the other bloggers out there. When school starts, life gets busy!

This is the kids' house! My mom brought this ginormous box over from work one day for the kids to play in. Another friend got a new big tv and gave us their box. While Emily and I were away this weekend, Daddy created a masterpiece with Ben and Annie. Andy's favorite part is the "working" fireplace. Ben and his little friends enjoyed this amenity during playgroup yesterday when they stuffed the chimney full of 'treasures' that came out the bottom - until it got so stuffed nothing more came out... I'm super impressed with the box that held up for 4 4-year-olds and 2 2-year-old climbing and jumping on it!
This is my sweet Emily watching us unpack Halloween decorations. I LOVE THE FALL
Ben loves to pull out decorations for each new season. He and Annie's favorite part was the gorilla mask from Dad's costume... We also decided that Ben would be a cowboy for Halloween - instead of him being a knight, Annie a princess, and Emily a dragon (because we have a pink dragon that would fit Em - oh well...) He's so in love with cowboys and horses that this is only fitting. Maybe next year the knight will still work. We got it last year after Halloween for under 2 dollars, so if it's only for dressups, I'm okay with that!

These two are from my older sister's surprise 30th birthday party! We had fun and she played directly into our plans. We love you Aunt Jamie!

My dear Annie. I found her sitting on the sink washing her hands Tuesday morning. Ben was at school and I was putting in a load of laundry - guess I need to have her 'help' me instead! :) The funny thing is that Wednesday morning she did the same thing but was completely naked. She told me she needed to wash her feet. Another morning bath... Today, I was all prepared. Ben and Annie finished off the soap last night in the tub, so I knew she wouldn't be covered in suds again. Nope - this little one can find other treasures to play in. I was feeding Emily in the living room and Annie ran to get me a diaper. After about 30 seconds of silence in Emily's room, I asked if she was okay, "Yes." Are you playing with the wipes? "No." Annie, what are you doing? "Getting diaper." I of course knew this was probably not the case but was hoping that maybe she was empting out the diapers or playing with a quiet toy or something of the sort. I finished feeding Emily about 2 minutes later and went to check on Annie. Butt Paste - all over. Again - a naked body. This girl and clothes - or lack thereof! If you've never used Butt Paste - it's like grease. The whole point is to protect little bums from pee in their diapers. So, for the third morning in a row, my naked waterlover got to take another bath!
Andy has been working crazy hours for the last few weeks - shocker! So he's been staying home a little bit in the mornings to get kid time. They love to hang out with Daddy! Last night when the kids called to tell him good night, Annie asked if he would come home and pick her up. (That's her line each time we leave - kind of a cute little routine) He said he would. So he and I were in the kitchen having chips and salsa at 12:30 - guess it was this morning - and he says, "Guess what I still get to do?" I had no idea, so he leaned forward and whispered, "I get to go pick up Annie and hold her in the chair!" I put the dishes away while I thought he was changing out of his workclothes only to find he and Annie cuddled in our special blue chair...