Laurie and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

Carson and Emmett. Emmett and Carson.
Those two are trouble.

Bear with me on this post, it really needs to be read the whole way through.

Today those two started with an animal cracker explosion all over the kitchen floor.

Then they got into the Wii stuff.

Then they got into one of Daddy's dental presentation videos he put together for when he's talking to kids - the case is broken and the disc is all finger printed and likely scratched.

Then the two of them climbed behind the TV and were pressing the on/off switch on the power strip over and over and who knows what else.

Then I found them like this (and no, I don't know why Carson was naked):


I don't know what kind of smile that was, but I wiped it off his face pretty quick.

What is that stuff, you ask? Can you see what Carson is holding?


Diaper rash cream. Seriously, it was all over him; arms, knees, between his toes. Ugh.


Oh, and don't forget the hair:


And it was all over the floor and table. At least they did it in the kitchen. That stuff does not come out of carpet. But what did my black cloth basket ever do to them?


I was so focused on the cream that I didn't at first see that my green pepper, just bought last night, had been smashed on the floor. Really? What did it ever do to them either?!


So, naturally, I strapped Emmett in his highchair, since I knew he wouldn't stay still like Carson would, while I cleaned up. Then I bathed Carson and let Emmett stay strapped up and wait. Yes, I was feeling a little vindictive. Then I bathed Emmett.

Then I had Emmett dressed and Carson was sitting on the toilet (no, potty training is not going well) and I looked out the bathroom door long enough to give Avery some instructions and when I turn around Emmett has pumped a bunch of baby soap on his hands. I clean that up and then that literally repeated. I look out, give instructions, look in and find more soapy hands. SERIOUSLY? Soap now removed from reach.

At that point it was about nap time for Emmett so I went downstairs to grab a cheese stick for him because, frankly, I'm not in the mood to do anything else for him and he already had plenty of animal crackers. While I'm downstairs Avery comes running and yelling that Emmett was getting toilet water all over. AAAGGGHHH! Can I just leave the house now? Just walk out and not look back?

So I cleaned Emmett up again, changed his clothes again, administered cheese sticks all around, got Emmett down for a nap, worked on this blog post while waiting to make sure Emmett was really down, then I could at least escape to the shower.

Amazingly, Emmett went to bed fabulously and my shower was whiny Carson free, a miracle I have not seen in weeks.

Now, I know "Laurie and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day" makes this sound like a day apart from others, but really this is nothing new. Okay, the diaper rash cream made it particularly blog worthy (it's been a long time since the last Desitin incident), but everything else here really represents a theme, not just a single day. EVERY day is like this with them! And that wasn't the first incidence of produce violence either. I think that happened two days ago when I found them on the counter throwing apples on the floor (presumable to see if they would bounce?) I didn't tell Travis about that but I guess now he'll know why his apples were all bruised.

Carson is really a follower, not a leader, but Carson is the real catalyst in blowing anything up. Why? Because he follows the bad example of either his older brother, or his insanely mischievous younger brother, thereby egging them on and making all these things into bigger, better, more fun games. Mischief is always more fun with an accomplice, right? Well, Carson is the ultimate accomplice.

Mother's Day

On Mother's Day I woke to my boys plopping a plate of sliced apples on my chest so I couldn't get up. After I was allowed to sit up I was given a bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios, the apples and a card. And Travis keeps reminding me, "don't forget the glass of milk I poured for you too!"
The card read:


(Wait, cold cereal is a queenly breakfast?)



Oh, of course. Actually I thought it was hilarious. As it turns out, in keeping with the lazy theme, that card happened to be the first one Travis picked up but it was too perfect to bother with any more!

Avery couldn't wait for me to finish eating so I could see my present on the table downstairs. I got this hanging basket which that long hook (and me) has been begging for.


For church, Travis got to stand in for the blessing of his cousin Josh's new baby girl. Pictures of them are over on Laurie Marie Photography. What a great event to have on Mother's Day!

Okay, but the REAL present came in the mail yesterday. I'm very excited, it's loads of fun and it means on it's extreme end I can take pictures like this of an entire room!


Oh, how I love me a new camera lens!

Dance Dance Avery

Back in mid-April one weekend saw Avery very busy dancing. I know these pictures don't give the best view, but when I asked him if he could dance on the ground he said, "The ground?! No, Mom, I have to be on the stage!" Oh, of course. Excuse me. Oh, and if you ask him, he's a hip hop dancer. Or a robot or a popper or a break dancer. Usually it's one of those.


Then he abruptly stopped and took a break just like this:


And then it was back to dancing.

Spring Teas

Today was Avery's preschool class "Spring Teas." It's a little program of songs, a gift and card to the Moms for Mother's Day, showing off their artwork that decorates the school and then a little lunch of tea sandwiches, fruit and the like.

Avery loves school but didn't want to go today because of the singing. He hates singing. We bribed him with a promise of a treat afterward if he had a good attitude and at least tried. He did just fine and wasn't cranky but you could tell it wasn't his "thing" like it was for some of the other kids.




Avery and Avalyn again, always together. They're both looking forward to Kindergarten together next year at this school they go to, but Avery's already sad thinking about 1st grade at separate grade schools.

Avalyn's Birthday

Avalyn is Avery's best friend from preschool and the two are practically inseparable. Avalyn turned 5 April 22 and had a party the next day right after preschool with many of the kids in their class. When we got there immediately Avalyn took Avery's hand and they were off together. After pizza, presents and ice cream cake all at each others' side all the other kids left the table to play while these two stayed and sat together.


Avery keeps Avalyn's school picture propped up in the playroom "so (Avery) can see her" and lately he's been telling me after school he liked what Avalyn wore that day. I ask him if he ever tells her but he always says shyly "no, I want to keep it a secret." The first Valentine thing they made at school Avery wanted to give to Avalyn, but I was feeling jealous at that and drug my feet leaving that day so we wouldn't catch up to them in the parking lot. At the Valentine's party Avalyn's mom said she found the two of them in their own little world sitting alone together at a table looking at their Valentine's. At Easter Avery was supposed to come home with two plastic eggs with candy (and several colored ones) and when I noticed he only had one and asked about it he said, "Oh, Avalyn lost one of hers so I gave her one of mine." Shh, I didn't tell you this, but he's also come to me quietly to express concern about what to do about marriage in the future. I asked him if he was thinking of Avalyn and he said very bashfully, "Yeah." It's all just too adorable.

Dry Erase Marker On The Walls

Emmett thinks he's an artist.

Rubbing alcohol takes dry erase marker off of walls with no effort, although supposedly the paint may be damaged if it's low quality paint.

Emmett also got some on the carpet. I tried my rag that was damp with the alcohol, without adding any more so it wasn't too wet, and that took most of it out. I looked online and found baby wipes are supposed to work and it did take out what little was left after the rag of rubbing alcohol.

Again, I Promise We're Caring Parents

This is Travis laughing at Avery who is trying not to laugh while crying.


This is why Travis is laughing at Avery. Can you guess what happened?


Yes, Avery chose this tiny bucket to try and sled down the stairs with last week. You can see how far he got before being launched head first into the hardwood floor below. Travis saw him land and said he smashed his knees and forehead both. Actually, I'd bet he only made it one stair down and the second stair is just where the bucket landed.
I don't think he'll try stair sledding again any time soon.

Head Bobbing Carson

This is from last night. It was going on a few minutes before I took this too.
To see this in all it's gritty 720p detail, press play then mouse over and click on the "HD is off" button to follow the link to vimeo. Once there click the button in the lower right of the video to view full screen and make sure scaling is off (upper right).


And this was tonight:



April 8 I thought I had a picture of Carson having woken up to tuck his legs in sideways that I referred to at the end of the last sleepy post.


April 9


Between the last sleep post and this one, look at how often he's falling asleep lately! He must seriously be going through a growth spurt!

Not Ready To Get Up

I guess he wasn't really ready to get up. It's not my fault though, he gets himself out of his crib.




I'm not in the mood, Mom.

Ancestor Abraham Hunsaker On TV Show

We are distantly related to the woman in this episode of The Generations Project. Shortly after minute 30 is a section about our common ancestor (and pretty much all Hunsaker's common ancestor!)


[Edit: They've changed the website and the episode doesn't appear to be embeddable any more. Go to The Generations Project Episodes and click on the Katie episode]

I knew about Honeyville, but I didn't know about the railroad part, so that was cool.

Post about Hunsaker Cemetery.

Thanks Mindy for pointing this out to me!

Sleepy Boys

Just another post of my boys randomly falling asleep in the last 2 months.

March 10


March 11 This was Emmett's first time falling asleep in his chair.


March 30 Doesn't this look comfortable?


April 16 Particularly considering the subjects on his shirt this makes me think of:
"Hey, yo, DJ."
"What up?"
"We got ourselves a nodder." (Cars movie)


April 17


Also April 17 The rocking chair is popular.

Somewhere in that time was a funny one of Carson asleep in his new Lightning McQueen camp chair but I guess I didn't get a picture. He fell asleep sitting normally with his head back, but later I checked on him and he had woken enough to get his legs through the arm rest hole so he could sit sideways for a more comfortable head position. Silly boy.

Mr. Shadow

Hello Mr. Shadow


Stop copying me


I SAID STOP!


Now you listen here...


I'm leaving


You think you're gonna follow me? Ha, I'll catch you!


Forget it, I'm done.


I think Avery was enjoying preforming a silly show for me.

4, 6 & 8 Leggers

This weekend was full of bugs. I was going to title this blog Creepy Crawlies, or Bugs or something along that ling, but then I thought I'd throw Mandie in here too and then the title wouldn't fit.
So, meet Mandie, the friendliest neighborhood cat.


She and Avery are good buddies.


Then we watched a bee collecting pollen.


Then we found a ladybug.


Saturday Avery had fun with an ant.


He had lots of fun...


...letting it climb (and tickle) all over him.






Today there was a big hairy spider outside the playroom window. Apparently there was a wasp near it too, but I didn't get there in time.


Need a closer view? Those are some of its eyes that go back along the side of its head!


For whatever reason, the long legged spiders are WAY less scary to me then guys like this. When I first got up to it, it twitched sideways and I groaned. Ugh, a twitchy fast stubby hairy thing. I'm going to be sick. Based on the black and white striped legs I looked it up. It's a Black and White Jumping Spider. When I read that really did just about get sick even though it was long gone by then. A jumping spider? That's the worst! Oh, I just have the willies all over. Seriously, it puts my gut in a knot.