I’m having one of those days/weeks where my children are making me crazy because no matter what I do or they do NOTHING IS GOOD ENOUGH.

Or they are just mad at the world for reasons I’ll never understand.

Like, for example, this morning they cried/yelled/screamed for 15 minutes because they kept standing on legos and OH GUESS WHAT IT FREAKING HURTS. But alas, they must try yet again to stand on the legos.

I’m praying common sense comes with age.

Rory is once again refusing to poop in the potty.

Which isn’t making me crazy AT ALL.

Also, the flu outbreak of 2012 is insane. Schools in TN are shutting down for a week and now I’m scared out of my mind that the girls will get it. Ryder’s school has had like 15 or more cases of the flu. So far, I haven’t heard of any for Rory’s school.

So since next week we leave for vacation, I’ve decided to keep Ryder home. I’m not gonna lie, it totally makes me crazy that I don’t get my day and yet I’m still paying for it. BUT turns out, it was a DELIGHTFUL day. Seriously. Having just one was so easy. And Ryder is one of those children who just plays so well by themselves. She played with her baby dolls the entire day and I barely heard a single peep from her.

And then we went to get Rory.

Apparently Ryder realized what she was missing not being a single child.

She has fussed NON STOP at Rory since. Its been… not so delightful.

Despite all the non-delightfulness, I did manage to get a really cute video of the girls. I realized the other day that I haven’t done as well of a job videoing Ryder talking like I did Rory every few months. So I got some video of the girls talking about Santa and what they want for Christmas and some of Ryder talking. And there is a bonus hilarious (albeit gross) ending.

Okay and let’s talk about this whole Santa business.

Yes, we do Santa. We both grew up with Santa and it’s fun.

So here’s a brilliant idea for everyone- the Santa people and non-Santa people:

How about we all do what we want to do AND STOP CARING ABOUT WHO IS DOING SANTA AND WHO ISN’T!!!!! Why does it bother people that I DO Santa and why does it bother people when others DON’T do Santa?! WHO CARES!

Ok. Sorry. I’ve just heard so much judgmental crap about this whole ordeal from both sides and PS PEOPLE- BEING JUDGMENTAL IS WAY MORE ANTI-CHRISTMAS/CHRIST THAN SANTA IS!

Anyways.

Maybe I’m just in a mood too. I blame the moody children, not being able to send them to MDO that I’m still paying for, and no sleep.

Aren’t you glad you decided to read this amazing blog today???

You’re welcome.

Let’s end on a happy note.

Today should mark the end of Andy’s crazy work schedule for now. Please, Lord, let it be so because we are both so exhausted.

Also, Rory and Ryder have learned to be animals. Like they pretend the are cats or dogs. Rory licked Ryder ONE time and they both laughed so hard.

Problem is, this gave Ryder an idea, and she is now licking Rory ALL THE TIME just to make her mad. She will run up to Rory, lick her across the face/head/arm/foot/wherever and then run away as fast as she possibly can. It is hysterical. Rory doesn’t always think so, and it is a little gross, but I can’t help but crack up every time.

These two girls. They love to love each other and they love to annoy each other all at the same time. Isn’t that the definition of sisters?!

Well, folks, it was bound to happen sometime. I officially have my first bout with the “Tennessee Crud” since being back in Tennessee. I used to get it every year and haven’t had it in a while so I knew it’d happen sometime. Just would prefer it not be before Thanksgiving!

Not a whole lot has been going on in the last week, just a whole lot of being at home.

Although, with my two stinkers, being at home is never dull.

On Friday I was feeling the first wave of crud and decided to take some sinus medicine. You may not know this about me, but I’m not a good medicine taker. Even Tylenol makes me tired at times.

So I decided since the girls were playing so well together, I’d rest on the couch and take a little cat nap.

All of a sudden Rory runs in saying, “Mommy! Ryder got a shooooo weeeeee diaper! I change her diaper! See!”, and hands me a dirty diaper. I fly up off the couch in full panic mode and am looking for total disaster. But, I found nothing. Ryder had a clean diaper on, pretty much perfectly put on, and there was no evidence of the deed anywhere.

Call me crazy, but Rory is little miss genius! She changed Ryder’s diaper, using about 1000 wipes, without a trace of evidence anything ever happened.

Maybe this should be her new chore???

I never ever get on my computer during the day while the girls are awake because well, hello they get into enough trouble when I’m paying attention, but yesterday I decided to work on a project while they played together in their playroom.

We put up a “tent” in their playroom this weekend- it’s basically a huge blanket draped across part of the room and hangs down to the ground.

Well, Rory has decided it is a shower curtain. Apparently, when she stayed with my parents she went into my moms’ bathroom when she was in the shower and my mom would say, “AHHH! I’m in the shower!”, or something like that.

So, I hear Rory in there shrieking, “AHHH! RYDER! I’m in the shower! Get out!”. And then they would giggle, giggle, giggle. I would laugh every time I heard them because she sounded just like my mom and it was hilarious.

So I’m working and all of a sudden in prances little miss Ryder naked as a jay bird.

NAKED.

Not a stitch of clothing on.

Actually, she did have a purse.

So I’m panicking thinking there is probably a puddle of pee somewhere, when Rory runs in naked as a jaybird as well. I, naturally, say, “WHAT IN THE WORLD?!!! WHERE ARE YOU CLOTHES?!”, and Rory calmly explains, “Well, mom, we were in the shower! You can’t have clothes on in the shower!”. Or in other words, “DUH MOM!”.

Fortunately, there were no puddles. But oh the weeping and gnashing of teeth when Ryder had to put her clothes back on. She hadn’t experienced such freedom so she wasn’t about to give it up without a fight.

These are the days of my life.

I thought I’d share some things the girls are saying and doing so I could remember.

Ryder is 16 months old now, the same exact age Rory was when she was born which blows my mind. Ryder is so smart, like her sister, and is really starting to pick up on talking and doing everything 16 month olds do.

She is seriously the sweetest, most precious little mess ever. She’s quieter than Rory ever was, mainly because Rory has such a huge vocabulary that blows your mind, but she is still just a spunky and stinkerish. When SHE wants to, she gives THE BEST hugs in the entire world. She will just about strangle you when she’s hugging. It is the sweetest thing.

She is THE BEST sleeper. She sleeps 8-7 pretty consistently. Some days she wakes up earlier, but she almost always sleeps all night without a peep.

But let me tell you, if girlfriend is hungry, it doesn’t matter what time it is, she is getting up and eating. Somehow she became obsessed with pop tarts and since she has eating issues I just gave them to her. We have heard numerous times, “MOMMA! DADDYYY! POP PART!”, coming from her room more times than we’d like to count. Its pretty hilarious though!

And if you can’t tell, Ryder is quite the demanding child. She walks and talks with purpose. There is no half way with this girl. If she is walking somewhere, she is going with purpose, or if she says something, she means it. She’s just so funny and such a joy.

And then there is Rory.

The most fun-loving, joyful, imaginative, and intelligent 2 year old ever.

She is really at such a fun age. Yes, she’s still doing the “terrible 2″ thing a lot, but she’s starting to really grow out of that lately. She’s all of a sudden completely attached to her momma and she barely leaves my side.

She still loves to sing and dance. We have concerts and dance parties all day long.

To Rory, everything has an explanation. When you ask her a question, it is rare that you get just a simple answer. Usually, she will say to ANY question, “Wellllll you see…”, and then go into a long explanation or story, when really she just needed to say yes or no. We get so tickled about this.

Another thing she does so much is make up huge stories. This weekend she went fishing at Andy’s parents’ house and, according to her, she caught a HUGE FISH but had to throw him back. And then an alligator came and chomped that fish away!

And let me tell you, if you didn’t know it, you’d believe her because her stories are elaborate and she never strays from them. Ha!

Anytime I fix her hair she says, “Oh! Thank you, Mom! I ‘punzel now!”. She still LOVES the movie Tangled and always pretends she is Rapunzel. She loves Cinderella too.

This week she said to me, “Mommy, what’s your name? Your name Tiff-my, Mom, and Babe, right?”, and I just laughed and laughed. She still calls me “babe”, especially when she is in trouble. HA!

Rory is THE BEST big sister. She is so protective and mostly sweet to Ryder. She is always looking out for her and “helping” her do things. Ryder is so extremely independent so it makes her crazy, but Rory really has taken such a sweet big sister role. The wrestle and love on each other and HATE to be apart. I knew they’d be close, but never imagined they’d already be so inseparable and close. It is the most amazing thing to watch and see develop. Oh, how it blesses me to know they will ALWAYS have a very best friend right here at home.

Hope you all have a very wonderful Thanksgiving week!

It is hard to believe that this time last year we were still in SUCH hard spot. Ryder was coming off of heart surgery, and was having so many stomach issues and we had no idea what was going on. She cried ALL THE TIME and Rory fed off of that and cried all the time too. It was so stressful and hard and in the midst, I didn’t know how I’d make it through.

And then here I am, a year later, having a hard time believing how far we have come. God has been so good to us. He carried us through the toughest year. He didn’t just carry us through, He blessed us with children who are just delights. Sure, they are kids who are strong willed and can make me crazy, but you’d never know the troubles we had now. They are growing and flourishing into the sweetest, most loving children.

I am so blessed and so thankful. Thankful that we went through those hard times and that now we are in a time of fun.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

This morning I took the kids to school (hallelujah!), came home and immediately put my most comfy pj’s back on, and settled in on the couch for some mega relaxation for a little bit before I had to actually do some housework.

I had no idea my life was about to change forever.

(ENTER SACASM HERE)

You see, I check facebook and someone had left me a message saying they had just seen my kids on LIVE! with Kelly and Michael.

Now, we all know how much I LOOOOVE this show. I remember watching when I was a little girl every chance I could when it was Regis and Kathie Lee. When Regis left, I didn’t know if I could continue to watch it because he’s pretty much my most favorite person ever. (No, I’ve never met him, but I still feel this way.) But, alas, I continued to watch and was pleasantly surprised when Kelly chose Michael. I think they are great together!

Anyways! Back to the point!

Yesterday I posted a picture on Instagram and shared it on Twitter of Rory and Ryder watching Live’s Halloween show. It is always a highlight of my year, so I was simply sharing the pleasure with my children.

And they were MESMERIZED. Rory laughed, Ryder stared in wonder (and a little bit of horror? All I gotta say is Art in a dress. HA!).

I anxiously awaited to see them on TV and starting FREAKING OUT because I remembered that the picture shows the girls’ with bed heads and a messy house. I totally would have deep cleaned hid the mess out of camera shot and brushed their hair had I of known they’d be on TV today!

So here’s the famous clip! Enjoy all 2 seconds of it! HA!

I mean, the power of social media is amazing!

Anyways.

I shall live in the light of my famous children all day.

Think that excuses me from cleaning, cooking, and all other responsibilities today?

I mean! My kids are famous! Surely that means I don’t have to do anything? The mess in the picture can wait until tomorrow, right???

Happy Election Day! Get out and VOTE!