Ass Tuesday

It was around late February or early March in 2019
I picked C2 up from preschool.  He was in the 4's class at St Thomas ELC.
On the drive home he told me a story that went like this...
"I got ass on my hand today and when I pulled my hand in my coat it was gone."

Me: GRASS???  Are you talking about grass?
C2: No. Not grass.
Me: Did you find "ICE" on the play ground baby???
C2: NO! I DIDN'T SAY ICE!!!

I could tell that he was getting frustrated and that I wasn't going to figure it out so I left it alone for the remainder of our drive home.  When we got home I immediately asked him to tell Daddy the story about the "stuff on his hand".  Then I nudged Brad and asked him to listen extremely carefully because I can't figure it out (and might I add, it doesn't sound good!).

C2: Daddy! I got *ass* on my hand today and then it disappeared.

I am in tears at this point.  My wheels are turning, trying to make sense of it all.  Brad is asking questions. C2 is getting more frustrated at why we can't understand what he is talking about. 

And then, he FINALLY says, "Pastor Angela put black *ass* on my hand today!"

OHHHH!!!!
Pastor Angela!!!
Chapel Time!!!
Of COURSE!  It's technically Mardi Gras, but you won't be at school tomorrow, Wednesday, so I bet y'all had an ASH Wednesday service today.  Case solved!  ;)

I hope that I remember this story EVERY Ash Wednesday! 

If you Give a Mouse a Cookie - The Parental Version

If you give a Mouse a Cookie.... The Parental Version

** This is a throw-back to last May, when we still had a baby in diapers. BOO-HOO-HOO, I think I have finally hit a point where that makes me sad. **

If you call the boys into the bedroom to get them ready for nap.  You will want to change the little one's diaper.  And while changing his diaper you will realize it is dirty.  After changing the dirty diaper you will have to throw it outside and then wash your hands.  While you are in the garage you will remember that you need to water the bushes that are dying and every second counts even though you were supposed to water them 5 hours earlier at 7 in the morning.  AND, since your hands are currently dirty, no better time than the present.  So, you will go outside to water the bushes. Watering the bushes will make you realize that the replacement patches of grass need watering too.  And sure, the garden too, why not.  After watering the entire yard, you will head back into the house to finally get to washing those hands.  While you are washing you hands, and now feet because they have become disgusting from all the watering in flip-flops, you will call the boys back to the bedroom for nap.  When the boys get back to the bedroom, the youngest will inform you that he is dirty -  again.

And that is why I feel like this at the end of each day.

We're Back!

I left you all on June 30th as we started our potty training adventure with our 2 year and 10 month old. I knew it was going to be more challenging than the other two, because we were pushing C3 a little early.  And this time I had 3 kids vying for my attention.

Here's how it went down:
To start, Brad went to the store on Sunday morning, stocked our fridge and pantry for the upcoming battle ahead.  Purchasing the most important GIANT bag of Starburst as rewards and a 3 pack of Lysol Wipes. Then proceeded to leave for the week.  That's right!  You heard it here first.... he fled. LOL!  It was just me, 3 boys, a week long potty training session and a huge need to prepare our house for visitors that were arriving in 5 days!

The entire week I set timers, reminding me and C3 to stay on top of his bladder.  (I think we are all suffering a little PTSD from the sound of a timer going off.)  If we were to go outside, I would take his little potty in case he needed it.  I was a slave to the timer, the potty and C3.  Those poor 2 other boys were pretty neglected. I remember trying to keep life as normal as possible, minus not doing anything that involved getting in a car and going further than the 20 yard driveway.

Day 5, of one of the most trying weeks of my life was when Brad came back and we had out of town guests show up.
I. Was. Spent.

However, 2 great stories came out of this potty training session:

1. One day I was out in the back, getting the pool ready to swim in. It was probably only a 5 minute process. I had taken C3's potty out back and had it all ready to go in case he needed it. I stuck my head in the door to let the 3 boys know that I was ready for them to come out back.  C1 and C2 came running, but I didn't see C3 anywhere.  I called his name again. And he came running from across the house, naked, carrying a bathroom trashcan.  "Me go poop Mommy!"
Wait... what?!?!
He must have needed to go in those 5 minutes that I was outside and couldn't find his potty anywhere, so he used the next best option, the trashcan... next to the actual potty!
Lord. Have. Mercy.
He sloshed that trashcan nearly through the whole house. I am VERY luck that it was tall.

2. The next great story from potty training 3.0 came from a day when we were playing outside.  C3 came waddling up from the wooded side of the yard with his shorts and undies around his ankles to inform me that he had gone poop and needed a Starburst.
Again.  Wait... What?!?!
"No poop in undies. Me poop in treehouse, me get Starburst?!"

Uh. No!!!

I proceeded to climb into the treehouse to find the present he had left behind. True. He did a GREAT job of going outside of his clothing.  BUT, the treehouse is NOT an acceptable pooping place.
Once again... Lord. Have. Mercy.

And on Day 18 of potty training we boarded a plane and headed for a week in the Midwest.  That's a story all in itself!  WHAT WERE WE THINKING WHEN WE PLANNED THAT?!?!