This is it.

Today I had to go to the grocery store, so after lunch we packed it up. I stopped at the pet store to let the kids look around and while we were there Gabriela started complaining about her mouth hurting and her tummy. I told her to let me go to the grocery store and when we got home, I would give her some medicine and she could take a nap. While at the grocery store, I put her in the cart along with Julianne, so the thing was heavy and then we did our shopping. While navigating the store, she kept moaning and I would give her sympathy while also giving her the "you better start moaning quietly or I'm going to get upset" look. I kept telling her we're almost done and once at the check out she wanted out of the cart. After I swiped my credit card, Gabriela looks at me and says, "Mom I think I'm going to throw up." I shake my head and said we'll be home soon, when all of a sudden I see her body jerk and her cheeks fill. In a panic and not knowing what to do, I stuck my hands out and she vomitted in my hands. Julianne is standing up in the cart and I know she has pooped her diaper, because I could all of a sudden smell it when I was standing there at the check out. The checker says, "here's your receipt," and I'm like, "I can't really take that right now." The bag lady is no help at all. I needed to get to the bathroom to wash my hands but I had a cart full of groceries, a one year old standing up (who was strapped in to my credit) in the cart, and a two year old on the loose. I just told the bagger that I was going to have to leave the cart. I saw a trash can over to the side. I ran, shook my hands out over the trash can, ran back, scooped my arms under Julianne's armpits trying not to touch her, and ran for the bathroom. Once I got my hands washed and Gabriela's I run back to get the cart sitting by the door. Once I get to the car, I decided I'd better change Julianne before I sat her in her car seat. When I pulled down her pants, what do you know, I stuck my hands in poop. She had pooped out and it was all down her leg. I just started laughing in my head, because I couldn't believe this was happening to me. Who has that kind of luck. I stripped her from the waste down and she's shivering because of the cold. Once I got her cleaned and in her carseat, pantless, I then have to unload the grocery cart. Once I got in the car I realized...This is it, this is my life for the next several years. I still can't believe it happened.

Trouble, trouble, trouble!!!

These kids are just so much trouble. Seriously! There are days when I stink as a mom. I love these kids, but I haven't got the energy or ability to keep up apparently. I felt like a loser of a Mom yesterday when we walked into dance class and all the other little girls were dressed up for Halloween in Gabriela's class. Apparently the teacher called and left a message on my phone. I was at a primary meeting all night and didn't get it until I was at the dance school. My heart just broke for her. I felt like I had failed her and here she was the od man out. Luckily the teacher came through and gave her a sleeping beauty costume from the closet.
While Gabriela was in class I had another scare. I thought my two little ones were down the hall watching the movie that was playing, but after a while I went to check on them. They weren't there. I checked in the bathroom...nope. Upstairs? Nope! I looked outside. Nope. Now I'm really panicing. I check downstairs again. Still nothing. I finally run outside and am looking around the parking lot and I still can't see anything. I run to the car and there they are. Locked inside having a fieldday with the c.d.s and papers from the glove department. I wanted to strangle them, but when Sophia opened the door, I just hugged her and told her not to scare Mommy like that again. She said sorry and I was just so glad to have found them. I was not earning my gold star for motherhood that day.Sophia was a munchkin from the Wizard of Oz. I laughed because she looked like the naughty munchkin with her mini skirt of a dress and bare legs. Julianne always runs in and lines up with the girls like she's one of them.

Watch out Sophia, she's easily catching up with you. Once she does, you're in trouble, because she's meaner than both you and Gabriela. She's a lot sturdier and probably weighs more than you do.

So to go along with yesterday's mahem, today hasn't been any better. I've caught Sophia feeding Tum's to Julianne. She came into the kitchen with about six of them in her mouth. Sophia brought me her poopy diaper that descided to take off herself. I can't keep the kids out of the pantry or from crawling up on the bar stools in the kitchen. This is only a problem when Julianne is around trying to do everything the other two do. Julianne drawing all over everything with markers that we had out for preschool. She had to be right in the middle of everything so it makes it very difficult to do anything. Enough complaining I know, but then I was surprised when the doorbell rang and this lovely prize was waiting for us.

My mother always sends us cookies every year and it's turned into a tradition of sorts. I LOVE COOKIES! I thought it had come at the perfect time...right before lunch. Now I had leverage to get them to eat their lunch. In the end, only Gabriela finished her food and earned a cookie. Oh well, more for me.

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You be the Judge.

For FHE, we did what every other family in Utah seemed to be doing...carving pumpkins. We decided to make a little more fun by turning it into a competition. We flipped a coin and I ended up with Sophia and Gabriela was with Miguel.

This is Team Miguel!

And of Course, Team Lindsay!
Julianne wasn't much help and she found her own source of entertainment...drawing all over her face with a marker. Her oldest sister taught her that trick this week. Gabriela kept drawing indian stripes on her face and her sisters' faces after watching Peter Pan. Julianne caught on quick.

Gabriela had a complete meltdown when we told her she HAD to help. It wasn't until we got gloves that she finally participated.

Here are the results:

Sophia chose a scary face. No surprise there.

And Team Miguel, we'll we're not quite sure what they were thinking. Gabriela wanted a girl and it had to have earrings. Miguel didn't want his picture taken, so he went with the headless horseman.

I'm just excited we did this. Miguel and I haven't carved pumpkins since we've been married, but I told him that it was equivalent to not putting up a Christmas tree at Christmas. Luckily he complied and I think I actually saw him enjoying himself.

So you be the judge! Who won? Tell us what you think. The winning team gets a special treat.

We're making progress.

In life it seems that we constantly struggle with the same things. For me one of those is scripture study. I'm hot and cold all the time. It frustrates me more than anything. I feel so good when I do it, but for some reason I always fall off the horse again. Well, last week I decided to get back on the horse Again, so I decided that noone can eat in the morning, before we sit and read a chapter in the scriptures. Believe it or not, IT'S WORKING! It makes it much more of a priority. The girls are great about it too. They sit and listen to me read and then I explain as we go along. I've also done my visiting teaching and have been to the temple this month.

I'm reminded that one of Satan's tools is discouragement. For me...I'm having a great month and doing the things I should, but Satan always seems to make me feel like I'm not doing good enough and that my best is not exceptable. It creates this sense of dissatisfaction in life. I am just looking to feel at peace and satisfaction knowing I'm doing the best I can. Oh well, I guess that's the lesson to be learned.

Pumpkinland

I took Gabriela and Sophia to Pumpkinland last Friday. We went with our ward's mothers group. I lucked up, because Miguel happened to show up and was going to work from home, so I left Julianne with him to take a nap. So much more pleasant not having to worry about her. The girls had fun playing with their friends and running around in the crisp air. We picked out three pumpkins and carving them is on the agenda for tonight's Family Home Evening.

Mushrooms

Gabriela delightedly exclaimed, "hey mom, look, these are mushrooms," as she stuck her raspberries on her fingers. Julianne caught on really fast and then proceeded to have a melt down because she pushed her chubby little fingers right through them. You know you're one when your melt downs are due to broken raspberries. Kids...got a love'em.