It's Good To Be Duncan

Oh!

Just a snippet from our vay-cay. Possibly my favorite pic evah of Iain with one of the kids. She made that face every time she heard the elephant trumpet on the iPad (totally cool new toy, btw.) So glad my sister got it on film. Well, not on film, but on digital thingy.

God Knows If You're Lying

The day started out innocently enough...everyone slept until 7:30, and we were all in our pajamas...dining room table fort still in place, with every pillow and most blankets. First cup of coffee consumed but no diapers changed and certainly no breakfast made. Then, at about 8:30 the phone rang...it was the showing service asking to show the house between 10 and 10:30. I was kind of excited! There was alot to do but if Duncan was cooperative, and I moved fast I could get the house picked up, get the babies changed and fly out the door in time.

I was in the kitchen, about to refill my Keurig coffee maker when I heard Finn...in our bedroom...from behind the door. He had locked himself in. I didn't immediately panic because I had seen Iain pick the lock not too long ago. But, luck was not on my side and I simply could not get him out. His pudgy little fingers poking out from underneath the door, I tried to call Iain but it was just after 6:00 a.m. in SoCal. So, I called my mother...because...um...when all else fails call your 84 year-old mother who is twenty miles away. She told me to call 911, which I did and was transferred to the fire department who said they would immediately come to our rescue.

When the fire engine came down the street, sirens and lights blazing, Duncan was on the verge of bursting. Claire was clinging to me. And Finn..well, still crying in our bedroom. Five fire fighters...one toddler. They freed him and left, with a few neighbors looking on wondering what in the world was going on.

We (read: me) grabbed any remaining Hot Wheels, dirty laundry, mail and miscellaneous, threw it in the laundry basket a-go-go and got in the van and fled. We drove around, looked at horses at a nearby horse barn, trains, tractors, houses for sale and finally came home and went across the street to a sweet neighbors house until I was sure they had come and gone.

Later on in the day, as the afternoon creeped up on us, they all got pretty ramped up. At one point, Duncan was flying through the living room pushing a little car of Finn's and the next thing I knew he was right next to Claire and she was crying on the tile. When I asked him what happened, he replied, "she just fell". I asked him if he was telling me the truth then actually hear "God knows if you're lying" come out of my mouth. Who AM I? Oh dear.

There was then a naked in front yard episode and I knew bedtime was drawing very near. By 7:00 he was in bed and by 7:30 was asleep.

It was a rough day.

Priest Lake

Whew. Won't do that again. And by "that" I mean flying half way across country with two toddlers. It is mostly a blur at this point. I do recall Claire throwing raisins about the cabin and screaming "I stuck!" while I was trying to confine her to my lap. And on the way home our plane out of Spokane being delayed and Iain having to run up and down the airport (and I mean at a clip...not just jogging) with the twins in their stroller to keep them from completely coming unglued. And waking up at 4:00 a.m. to get there, and getting home at 1:00 a.m. coming back.

But oh, the best part? The very best part? Is when we all started puking. At our peak, there were 15 adults at the lake with us. And most of us fell like little soldiers. Duncan was the first...with his blue bubble gum ice cream...on the beach. I was sure he had just had too much junk food and too little sleep. Kids puke alot, right? So I got him inside, and put him in one of the beds to sleep it off. Meanwhile, my sister in law fell victim upstairs. I still did not put two and two together. All of the rest of us felt fine! It was so weird how Duncan and Frankie both go sick! Then...in the middle of the night...I heard my sister. And I knew. I will not get sick, I will not get sick, I will not get sick. I kept praying it over and over and over again. Oh and Iain? Was downstairs in the bed with Duncan. The next morning came, and I slowly felt it coming on until it hit me, then quickly my mom. Then Iain. As we all lay flat on our backs in misery, I passed off all our children to my 19 year-old niece, and my thirty-something niece and her husband. My oldest brother also got sick at some point.

By the end of the day, I was feeling like I could function. My sister in law was as well, but not my mom, my sister or Iain. Is this TMI? Long story short(er) we all recovered but man...it sucked. There is no other way to put it.

Other thoughts about our vacation?

• The Michies will no longer fly for vacation. Until our children are old enough to go to the bathroom on their own, and be trusted to sit in a seat and entertain themselves.
• I was smart and insightful enough not to bring any reading materials on this trip.
• Cool, dark, basement storage rooms make better rooms for babies to sleep in that light, airy beach house bedrooms.
• 5 year old boys can probably get by for at least 10 days with one pair of underwear.
• I had no idea my 84 year old mother watched The Bachelorette.
• Self-important business man in coach, giving me the hairy eyeball because of my kids? You aren't that important.
• I need good coffee. Every day.
• Campfires on the beach, in a sweatshirt and shorts, in the summertime, are one of life's greatest pleasures. Even more so with your kids.
• Coming home is always the best part.

~Christie

So, it's Saturday morning. Iain had to go to work and I'm home with Claire and Finn. I can only assume Duncan is having the time of his life at the lake. He is surrounded by fun family and a beach, and my brother's boat, and clear, freezing cold water of Priest Lake. And I do mean freezing. Glacier lake freezing. But, unlike our Texas "lakes" the water is crystal clear and the bottom is pebbles or sand..not the disgusting muck of Texas "lakes" that I can no longer tolerate nor even think about. I have this weird thing about my feet. But I digress.

So, our flight leaves Monday morning at 6:30 a.m. Which means we have to be at the airport at 5:30 a.m. Which means we need to leave home at 4:30 a.m. Which means I have to get everything done today and tomorrow and go to bed tomorrow afternoon.

Oh, and did I mention we are having an open house tomorrow? Yes, that makes it more interesting doesn't it? Actually, I worked this week on keeping the house clean and tidy so I think with minimal effort we will be ready for the house part. It's the packing part that I need to focus on. I am seriously considering sleeping in my clothes. And bringing the babies on the plane in their pajamas. I almost always get some kind of anxiety about airline travel and all that can go wrong...even when it's just me.

Preparedness is key, gentle readers.

10:09 p.m. Got more done today that I thought I would. Am feeling ready. Drinking a gin and tonic so will turn in soon. More tomorrow.

Got my Shred DVD today!

Y'all might get bored with me

Breakfast: Raisin Bran. Nectarine was too "mealy" but Finn and Claire loved it.

I still do not have my Shred DVD but am also planning to hit a Zumba class at the Y on Saturday morning. Am sure spouse will be fully supportive of me doing this, even if it means it's "Special Daddy Time" on Saturday mornings. I could take the babies with me, but they don't change diapers at this particular Y, which really irks me. The "workers", on the few times I've taken my kids, sit in big rockers and just sit back and watch. It is my only complaint about that particular branch, but it's a big one. The Y that is closer to us has a far superior child care set up and the staff are first class. They interact with the kids and babies, change diapers whether or not they really need to be changed, take them to a bounce house or outside, etc...But I digress.

Does lifting two almost 30 pound babies all day count for anything?

For my mid-morning snack (because breakfast around here is at 6:30 ish y'all...my kids are roosters) was a Feel Full Smoothie. 1 serving sugar-free instant breakfast, 1 cup skim milk, 1 small banana and 1 tbsp. peanut butter. I added ice and blended. Yummy and yes, feeling very full.

It seems like Iain and I have so much going on right now, but life also feels good. There is movement but none of it feels gloom and doom. Selling the house, remodeling the kitchen, vacation, kindergarten. See? None of it terrible. Just alot. Okay, for me, the kindergarten issue is the most stressful.

I must go now. And look at baby clothes and try to figure out how my baby boy turned five and is old enough to go to kindergarten.

Shred Dread Day 2 and Kitchen Issues

So, I don't have the DVD yet, but I did order it yesterday. I feel like that is a step in the right direction. I also recruited three amigas to do this along with me. I feel like we need a catchy group name. "ShredHeads" has already been taken. The only thing I have come up with is Cole Slaw, and I do not believe that is funny or appropriate so all suggestions are welcome. And even if someone understood it, they still might not think it was funny.

I just had dinner and it was super yummy. Got the idea out of a magazine article on losing weight...so I did not just pull it out of thin air. I took one of those 100 calorie sandwich thins and spread "light" brie on it, sliced green apple and shaved turkey breast. It was delish!

On the kitchen front, we are considering a remodel. While trying to sell our house, the only negative comment we hear (and we hear it over and over again) is that our kitchen is too small. Tell me about it, sister. So, we believe that a remodel is in order. We have two bids and if all goes well, could have it done in a matter of weeks. Kindergarten starts next month and I am not at all prepared to drop him off at the school down the street but am afraid that is what we will end up doing. However, my hope is that if we can get the remodel done quickly, we can sell the house more quickly and then can move. I would love to be all settled by a certain day on which people eat alot of turkey and pie but don't dare breathe that thought out loud.

There is so much to do. Financing, finalize plans, etc...but I think the only thing we can do is just get started. So, I should get thinner and my kitchen should get prettier. We will both undergo huge improvements.

Shred Dread

So, in the interests of keepin' it real, I have decided to combine The Shred with Weight Watchers and see how I do after 30 days. Three full-term pregnancies, three vertical c-sections, one set of twins and a looming 45th birthday make something drastic necessary.

I will take before pics, but will not post them until I also have my after pics. We have vacation next week, but I'm planning on starting as soon as I can find a copy of the DVD, and will do what I can while we are on our trip. Probably wont involve doing The Shred in the living room of the lakehouse with fourteen other members of my family.

I hear that I might feel so crippled I am unable to type, so bear with me.