A House of Sheets Brings Rest

I honestly can't remember the last time my 4 1/2 year old took a nap. At least a non-carseat induced nap. Let's just say it was many, many moons ago.

So, as usual it was just Jade and I going up the stairs for nap time. I got Jade, Pooh and Tigger tucked in for a rest and paused to make a couple of phone calls before heading back down to play some games with Lily. As I went back down the stairs I was secretly hoping that just 1 or 2 rounds of The Ladybug Game would suit her fancy when I heard a strange sound.

A snoring sort of sound.

It was coming from a sheet tent the girls had made just before lunch. The first one they've made together as sisters.

I peeked in and there was Lily. All curled up against the couch with a pillow and blanket, just sawing away. On the cold hard floor.


Had I tried to entice her to her soft mattress, or even a carpeted floor for that matter, an afternoon nap would not have ensued.

But lo and behold in the tent house on the cold floor of the den my little girl slept. For two and a half hours I could have heard a pin drop. And for that time she seemed little again...in need of midday rest. And I enjoyed the quiet and the peeking at her and listening to the hum of her breath.

And thought of how I see the making of many, let me repeat...many, sheet houses in our future. May they all bring rest.

Whether springing forward or falling back, they've got your back!

Ah...spring forward time. The time of much groaning, complaining and gnashing of teeth.

Actually since having children, I've found that falling backwards is just as confusing to their little internal clocks as springing forward is. They are either getting to bed too late or rising too early...mainly due to sunlight issues.

Meet one of my sincerest friends...the room darkening shade.


These are seriously the best things known to mankind...at least if you take your sleep or that of your children seriously.

They are cheap and discreet...you can hide them behind a curtain or even use them in front of blinds with a valance and just pull them down when you need them.

My girls don't realize that even when it is technically only 6:30 PM (though the clock says 7:30 PM) that it is completely daylight outside. We just pull the shades down and nighty-night folks. They also work great for keeping them asleep when we "fall back" and it is light so stinkin' early in the morning. And of course they are a hit for nap time on a daily basis.

So, like my title says...whether we are springing forward or falling back, these shades have got your back.

For more Works For Me Wednesday tips, head over to We Are THAT Family.

Dear Mr. Asplundh Operator,

Dear Mr. Asplundh Operator,
Your tree shredding machine, although parked a good two blocks away from my house, produces noises that can pretty much only be described as deafening. I am sure that is why all of your guys wear industrial strength ear plugs. Had I only known of this loud interruption, maybe I would have borrowed some for my daughters' ears. I'd like to suggest that you move your lunch break to 1:00 PM...and then extend it all the way until 3 or 4 PM. That way, maybe my children could actually take a nap...an uninterrupted, non-interval sort of nap. The kind of nap that lasts all afternoon.

That goes for you too, Mr. Delivery Truck Driver, City Utility Repair Man, Neighbor Lawn Service Guy, Garbage Man (with your squeaky truck), and Recycled Materials Collector(who likes to throw our bins around on the pavement). We like to shut things down around here from 1-4 PM daily. So please abstain from making such frightening loud noises during these hours.

Sincerely,
Cranky Mama

I'm 29 today!

29 again! Who cares if it is for the 3rd time?

It's been a great birthday so far.

It began by Jerry getting up with Jade when her monitor started going off at 6:45 this morning. Lily went off just a few minutes later. I didn't know that though because both monitors were off and I was closed in a quiet, dark room. I love that man.

When I did fumble down the stairs way after 8 o'clock, I was greeted by my hubby and two chipper girls. It was apparent that they had been talking full speed the entire time I had been snoozing. There were cards with beautiful touches of marker and a box full of Dunkin Donuts. And a candle in one for me, followed by a sweet serenade by my three favorite people. I will never forget the sight of Jade with one donut hole in each of her fists. She is definitely a double fisted eater. Her expression was somewhere between..."sugar, oh the sugar!" and "donuts, where have you been the last 13 months, 10 days and 9 hours of my life?"...it was priceless.

And Lily...she just ate the frosting off of two of them...a girl after my own heart. Who needs the extra bread carbs from the donut!?! Frosting only please.

Then we met my dad, NeNe, my sis and niece for a late morning meeting of Papa's Pack. If you have no idea what Papa's Pack is, you can click here and here.

My mom offered several weeks ago to babysit for us tonight. Her e-mail said she would babysit from 4PM til whenever. Jerry took the "whenever" literally and quickly emailed back that we would be checking on how far our frequent flyer miles could get us. She replied inquiring for our regular sitter's phone number.

Anyway, she got here about 3:30 and we spent the first hour of her visit taking a nap. I know. We are such exciting people.

I'm trying to decide if we should spend the evening at a romantic non-child-friendly restaurant and then a movie, or at a my favorite greasy mexican joint and then Six Flags over Texas. I haven't been there in ages and it just sounds fun. One of my best buds mentioned there'd be lots of screaming kids there. As long as they aren't mine, I don't care. But with my "ankle splints", I don't know if trekking all over an amusement park would be a good idea.

Then again I have a long list of errands and shopping I'd love to run around and do with Jerry tonight. Doesn't that sound like birthday bliss? Again. Yes, I am certified crazy. It is tax-free weekend here in Texas though, and you wouldn't believe how saving that 8.25% brings people out. In droves.

We're heading out though...and the possibilities...are endless.

I think we'll head downstairs with some suitcases and hand my mom a flight itinerary. That might give her a heart attack though. And then we wouldn't have a babysitter for tonight.

Enough about my weekend plans, what do you have going on?

I'll be back tomorrow with more birthday celebratory news and maybe even pics. Because I know the only reason you read this blog is for things of this nature.

I just know it.

Waterpark Backfired

Pardon me while this sunburned and waterlogged momma whines.

Jerry is working at an event that has taken him away from home for 14 hours today. So, I thought I'd be smart and take the girls to the waterpark for a few hours this morning. That was the surest way to produce good long naps this afternoon...so I thought.

I forgot that I was mother to miss wide awake, only will nap occasionally, not affected by sun and water...child.

Problem is that said mother is so tired, could nap forever and totally affected by sun and water.

Top that all off with the fact that miss wide awake...was wide awake...at 6:43 this fine Saturday morning...7PM bedtimes are in order for everyone...me included.

In the meantime, Starbucks will be collecting some of my money.

The Most Expensive Nap. Ever.

My gas light came on the other day. Not a huge surprise. Jerry and I routinely fill up when, and only when, the gas light comes on.

I know some of you are cringing. My father-in-law is probably not only cringing, but about to pick up the phone to call me. I will hear a list of scenarios about why I should fill up way before the light comes on...like he does. I'm pretty sure he fills up when it gets down to 1/2 a tank. That should pretty much cover EVERY scenario...except the issue of driving to the gas station way too often.

So, back to my gas light. It came on a little too soon. Hadn't I just filled up? I can usually make it a full week before having to stuff 4 twenties into the minivan's tank. But it had only been a couple of days...where had all the gas gone?

Then I remembered. The most expensive nap. Ever.

You see, my Lily used to be such a good napper...until about three months ago. She currently only naps once or twice...each MONTH. She is actually handling it pretty well. Me? Not so well. I say she is handling it pretty well...that is until around 5PM. That's when our princess transforms from Cinderella into one of the step-sisters, or even worse, the wicked step-mother.

On those days, about 29 of them each month, she goes down around 7:30 without a fight and wakes up 12 hours later with her crown on again.

On many of those days, I will purposefully run errands late in the afternoon and hope she catches a little rest in the car.

I didn't drain the tank running errands in this instance though.

We had some special visitors coming in town and I knew it was going to be a late night. I hoped, crossed fingers, said a prayer and did a dance thinking that Lily would nap that afternoon. Going to bed at dusk wasn't going to be an option this evening and I surely didn't want do be dealing with Anastasia all night.

I put her down for "rest/quiet/nap" time as usual, but when her "talking" got so loud that it might wake Jade, I decided to get her up.

I had a trip planned to Wal-Mart, so I loaded her in the minivan and off we went. She was snoozing before I even reached the end of our street. I was elated. I must have forgotten that gas was $4.00/gal and that driving in the heat of the day with the A/C on full blast really drains the tank.

I decided to go out to the highway and drive back and forth, back and forth, back and forth...carefully planning for the exits that had "texas turn-arounds" (does everyone call them that?) where I wouldn't get stopped at any lights.

It worked. She had a glorious 40-45 minute nap. Good thing too, because she played in the fountains with her cousin until 10:30 that night. And Drizella didn't even make an appearance.

Not so good on the gas bill, but money well spent as far as I'm concerned.

It wouldn't have been a big deal back in 2006, when the gas price was almost 1/2 as much. I just found this old receipt when thumbing through a book I had sold on Amazon.

Back then I would have had to name this post The Longest Car Ride to Wal-Mart. Ever.