We went over to my parents for dinner and my dad took the kids outside to build a snowman. I looked outside after 20 minutes and he was building them a fort---the exact 5 gallon bucket forts he used to build for me as a kid. Cue memory tears!!

George (top right) and eve (bottom right) clearly inherited Andy's anal/OCD tendencies. Sam's all me baby!

Eve asked me if she could draw on her hands during car ride to grocery store. Sure, who cares. We get there and she has drawn all over face. I was secretly pretty impressed with the no mirror eye brows.

We had our neighborhood Christmas party last night. Consequently, we were the absolute worst parents today. They watched Tw0 movies. First time for everything.

5 years.

I was newly laid off and 5 months pregnant. I spent every moment of today 5 years ago sobbing and watching CNN.

I can not fathom that we did absolutely nothing as a country to respond to the horrific deaths of all of those poor, innocent children and the adults who tried to save them.

These guys come from school and immediately get on their snow clothes and play until dinner. It's in the teens...children are resilient. And I'm totally the stereotypical mom who stays inside and makes dad go outside. I'll play with best of them, but under 20 degrees is where I draw the line. Hell, in the 20's would be pushing it.

I can't stop laughing. It's like a beach scene in a romance comedy except they are toddlers.....and related

We took the kids to Zoo lights and it was an epic waste of money. I don't think I can ever take my kids to Disney...if they complained how even one second, I would lose my shit. In other news, I'm very proud of Eve's braid. At least she looked cute while asking for got chocolate from the moment we entered the zoo.

File under books you should buy your mom friends for Christmas.

Situations guys never find themselves in

On my flight home today, I sat in the very last row. In the middle. Next to a 300lb, 6ft 55ish year old man. I began reading my book but he started chatting. I'm a friendly person and I don't mind a few exchanges. But he kept talking, mainly about how wonderful and talented and successful he was. So I started to get that feeling like, crap, this dude is gross and he's gonna be inappropriate. He asks what I want to drink. On a plane. At 10am on Sunday. Then he takes out his phone so he can show me pictures of his celebrity friends. You know what he shows me when he's scrolling through? Pictures of naked girls. Did I know he was married at one point to Ms. Arkansas? Or his girlfriend now is 26? And I'm 36 though I look much younger and geez my husband is s lucky man.

Now I could have told him to stop talking to me, but I was stuck on a plane. I didn't want to make a scene and also, this was the way older men have behaved around me many times. I'm sure it's a situation we've all found ourselves in at one time or another.

It must be nice to be a man and never have to worry that the person next you on a plane is going to "mistakenly" show you nude photos of while telling you how great you look for your age.

Show me a mother who cares more about their children's appearance...and I will show you 100 million mothers. Last years hat, eves old gloves, rain boots since I haven't bought winter boots...I'm hitting it out of the park tonight.

This is for you @hershyscorner  :)  

You have to watch the video!!

Eve hasn't napped in probably a year, which means since I've started working part time, we get two afternoons a week to hang out solo while the boys nap. Sometimes I work or clean, but I always make sure we get some qt in. Today was tea and old maid. She is a legit competitor. I like this new era of playing games though--lots of learning opps about being a good sport and letting your mom win.

Last week a glass lid exploded, basically in Andy's face. Shocked he didn't get cut. But also wondering what deal with the devil the kids made to get out of eating green beans?

I'll get right to it. This is life--Eve with a flair for dressing herself in colorful outfits bright enough to match her personality and George seemingly about to kill himself. And Sam? He's often just a few steps out of the frame--grabbing a forgotten train, closing the door, or staying out of the way of the chaos until he's ready to join in. They all love each other fiercely. This was the year that I became one of those "twins are so much fun" people. I do not for one second forget the hell of the first 18 months, but the payoff has been spectacular. I won't recap it all, but I think it will become evident that life is still hard, but 900 times more fun. And maybe that's why I'm blogging again. I think for two years, I just complained and vented and survived by blogging. And then the election happened and it was all I could do to not cry every day. Now, I still want to scream, but I need a place to focus on the positives and record the everyday stuff that happens. Not that I won't be complaining and bitching, because, I'm me.

Long time no write

It's been a year-ish since I stopped blogging and I miss it. Mainly because it was the absolute best diary of my life with my kids. I've written down a few things this past year, but nothing like I did when I was using this site. So now that I've given it time and I'm sure no one checks this anymore, I'm back in! Is this thing on? (Lame blog joke)

My brother is a huge Bernie lover. Tonight he said that the only reason Hillary won the nomination is because she was a woman. And that was the moment I checked out of 2016. Because when you can't even agree with people in your own party, hope fades.