and then there were 7...

So this past week we have been watching some friends kids while the are on a cruise!! It has been really crazy and hectic pretty much every moment of the day... until bedtime. But the tradeoff will be good when we swap and we do our vacation and leave the kids. So this is a typical day. Heidi and Jadyn wake up around 6 -6:30 (stinkin time change!) come downstairs and get breakfast ready while the rest trickle down and each gets fed and changed and dressed and beds made and it is all very crazy and everyone needs help because they are 1,2,3,3 and 6 and still very needy!! And then the 6 years old goes to school and I am left all day, alone, with 4 kids under 4. Yikes!!! That is when the fun begins, usually one starts whining promptly followed by another and then I have to figure out what is wrong with both at the same time and only really able to help one at a time because they each want my undivided attention, so while I am helping one the other is left screaming in the background. Then we move on to play time, the 2 year old likes to beat up on Heidi. His favorite tricks are hair pulling, pushing to the ground, chasing around the kitchen while she runs away screaming, and if he looks at her the wrong way, it will definately put her in tears! So then it is time to take the 3 year olds to preschool or the YMCA class or whatever is on the agenda, and in the car we have 2 year old with a Rubbermaid lid acting as a "shield" as him mom calls it, protecting the person beside him (Jadyn) from the aggressive impulses (namely grabbing, hair pulling, toy stealing, you name it!) It is all very fun and exciting to drive with. And then when we arrive home everyone seems to be tired at the exact same time, so I need to prepare bottles, find stuffed animals, remove coats, boots, toques (because it has snowed this week), find blankets, and one at a time put down for naps whist taming the others and bribing with movies or teats or anything to keep them quiet and me sane. Then later in the day 6 year old arrives home and all is calm for a short time because she is a new playmate for everyone, however 2 year old has been locked up in a play pen for much of the day (for protection for the others) so he wants out to play and then the fun begins, he chases heidi, heidi is in tears, I have to hold Heidi while 2 year old grabs heidi's feet (because that is the dangling part he can reach) and tries to pull her down for some more attacking, and then it all starts again with everyone melting down at precisely the same time, and the bedtime routine of getting teeth brushed, jammies on, cups of water filled, and bottles warmed begins. this is no small feat! It has been a crazy fun time!!! (I am really worn out!)

BUT amidst all the chaos I am able to find special moments and funny moments that need to be remembered. For example some conversations between three year old that goes something like this:

(while driving in the car)
Me: "Jace your mom emailed me and she said to tell you that she loves you and misses you"
Jace: "Oh....I don't miss them"
Me: "Oh really? Why not?"
Jace: "because I just don't"
Jadyn: "You don't like your mommy and daddy?"
Jace: (thinking) "Well... I like them, but I just don't miss them"
Jadyn: Oh, I like my mommy and daddy, and I like your mommy and daddy too"
Me: (Great, I am glad we got that settled!)

Jace: "Hey look what I made"
Me: Oh... wow... what is it?
Jace: "It's a wedding cake!"
Me: "a wedding cake? For who?"
Jace: "For us!"
Me: (still curious) who is "us"?
Jace: "me and Jadyn, we are going to get married"
Me: (Looking surprised while frantically thinking about how I am going to explain our three year old wedded daughter to josh when he gets home)
Jace: "Oh but don't worry, it's just for pretend!"
Me: (releived!)

This is the said wedding cake, notice the candles?


The other thing that is keeping me sane is my adorable and wonderful husband who is keeping me fed! Last week he made these amazing cinnamon buns for all the kids (ok mostly me because that is who "mostly" ate them all)


and then tonight I was looking for something heavy on the veggies side and fresh tasting and he made me this:


Ladies and gentlemen this tastes like it is straight from a really expensive restaurant (I can't name one since I don't frequent expensive restaurants regularly) but I would pay a lot of money for this dish!!! It is mainly peas and asparagus and the "sauce" is ginger, mint, lemon zest, sea salt, and a bit of oil. DIVINE!!!!!