New Photos.

Here are a few of the many photos that were taken last week by Jon Kampen of Kampen Photography. This is the 3rd time we've taken our kids there and once again, we were not disappointed. I did compress the photos so they would download faster which makes them a little fuzzy but you can see how cute they are. Also notice I changed the photos on the right side of my blog.

Wishing it were summer.

Since we are preparing for another big snow tonight I let the kids try on their new swim suits.Why do they have new swim suits in the middle of winter? Because with multiples you learn to buy things off season because they are cheap. The girls' bikinis were like $3 each and Ryan's was around $2. They have been running around the house half crazy.

Ashlyn and I made sugar cookies a couple weeks ago. It is my Grandma's recipe. She always has the best sugar cookies. They are decorated so perfect that when I was in grade school, some of my teachers saved them instead of eating them. At least that's what they said. If they had actually tasted them they would never have been able to not eat them all. Ashlyn doesn't exactly decorate them the way Grandma does but they look perfect to me.

How to not overeat during Christmas.

Having your gallbladder removed is one way. Probably not the preferred method though. If you're confused, don't worry, it's not you. I'm medicated right now. Just a little bit.

I, unexpectedly, had my gallbladder removed yesterday afternoon. I had an attack on Thursday and went in for an ultrasound on Friday morning. I had lots of stones and one was lodged in the neck of my gallbladder. Hence the pain.

So our incredible surgeon, Dr. Van, was able to squeeze me in for later that day. I was pretty miserable last night but am feeling a little better today.

So now I have to eat low fat for 4 - 6 weeks while my body readjusts. Dry toast and Turkey breast....yum!

The Pee Parade.

Sounds like a good time for the young and the old, doesn't it?

The little ones are still showing interest in potty training. Mostly because its a group effort, I think. Once one does something, the others follow. So for about 45 minutes every morning we've had 3 toddlers peeing a few drops and then picking up their potty and going into the bathroom to dump it. Then they put it back and the cycle starts all over again. Plus they have also wanted to wash their own hands. I'm sure you have all seen how a toddler washes their hands. So yesterday I had had enough and I told them that they can no longer go into the bathroom (their potty chairs are in the kitchen). I want to tackle one messy step at a time. Once they get the peeing down, to where they will actually empty their entire bladder. Then I will let them start washing their hands. Until then, we are using hand sanitizer and I spray their potty chairs with Clorox Anywhere Hard Surface spray every so often throughout the day.

Anyone who has done potty training knows that it can be extremely frustrating and times 3 is a nightmare. I know with Ashlyn it took about 2 months from the very start, to the end when she could be trusted to wear only underpants. So maybe 6 months from now we'll have it down.

Monday we are having the kids pictures taken and since it is so late in December, don't be surprised if they don't get mailed out until after Christmas. So if you usually get a Christmas card from us, don't think we forgot you.

Hey there, its me again.

Some of you may have noticed that I haven't posted in a while. Like over 2 weeks ago. Why? What have I been doing that is so important? Um......being a doting wife(ha ha), mother with the patience of a saint(cough), and an employee that has worn the soles off of her New Balance shoes. Well, not all the way off but the treads are starting to flatten.

When I come home from work, which has been getting later and later, I drop everything and grab a plate of whatever Lance has cooked up for the kids. Which is usually my first square meal of the day. If you can call pizza a square meal, its actually kind of round. One night he made a huge steak and I didn't even know about it. They ate it all before I got home.

The kids love to crawl up onto my lap....all 4 of them...and say "bite...bite". Then I say "no, mommy's food". Now Gaby says "no, mommy's pood". After my lovely meal I usually change into pajamas and park my butt on the couch. I have been soooo tired. I don't want to do anything. I do help put the kids to bed, which has to be some form of aerobic exercise and I'm thinking about making a video and selling it.

I then watch about 1.5 hours of TV and its off to bed. Where I have actually been sleeping lately. Thanks to a little friend called cyclobenzaprine. At least I think I've been sleeping. I used to take Ambien and unbeknowst to me, I was getting up in the night and doing things I did not remember the next day. Scary? Yes it is.

I started the cyclobenzaprine for 2 reasons. One, to help me sleep and two, I have been having some muscle cramping for about a month now and have no idea why. I did go back to the rheumatologist and she is convinced that I have Fibromyalgia. I am still not 100% convinced and will probably keep searching for another, less permanent, condition. Preferably one that is curable with a tiny little pill, that has no side effects. Or maybe not a pill but something like.....I must not, under any circumstances, go anywhere near dirty laundry....or dishes either.

I really hate to talk about my health because I don't want anyone to feel sorry for me. Even the thought makes my skin crawl. I just wanted to let you all know so that you would understand if I don't always have the energy to keep my crazy life under control. I have to let some things slide. What do you think? Should it be keeping my kids bathed and fed and happy, or having a pristine house without dust bunnies in the corners and 3 baskets of folded (but not put away) laundry piled in my bathroom. And that's IF it gets folded. Thanks to my mom and Vicky, it sometimes does. I just can't be Mrs Perfect, even though I'd like to be.

If in the past or future I declined/decline an invitation or say no to something that I really should be doing, I either don't like you (rarely the case) or I just can't do it. So there, that's done. Now, who wants an update on the kids?

Potty training has been hit or miss lately. Mostly miss. We've decided that when we finally reach the end of this journey, we will reward ourselves with new furniture (preferable without urine). The carpet will have to be cleaned also. That's Lance's reward.

Gaby who was the one to start this endeavor and was showing the most promise has completely back pedaled. She either forgot how to pee in the potty or she is being obstinate. She is a German/Irish/Norwegian female, what do you think the answer to that question is?

Ryan is actually still letting us know once in a while that he has to pee and then producing pee in the potty. We thought he would be the last to be trained.

Brooke has had a couple of accidental deposits but mostly she just likes to be naked and strips as often as she can.

So I just go with the flow. At this rate they may be potty trained by 6th grade. Now that would be some BIG diapers.

Wow that was much longer than I planned. I guess its 2 weeks worth.