This weekend was the last of our family time, probably for a long while, and we wasted it on the couch. Or at least, I feel like we wasted it, since I wanted to get out and Do Things. Make Memories. Have Experiences. Enrich The Children’s Lives. Instead we watched Disney movies and played “Runaway Evan” (in which Evan runs away and we chase him) and tossed ALL the toys on the floor and read lots of books and threw some tantrums (mostly the children) and wore comfortable pants.

I felt sort of bad about it but I’ve decided to not feel bad about it. Sometimes wearing comfortable pants is good for the soul. Dragging E out to Do Things with his kids when he will barely even see them for the next few weeks could end in a toddler meltdown that ruins everyone’s day and leaves us all disappointed. I’m not saying my children are terrible monsters or anything, but they are 2 and 3 so…sometimes they’re terrible monsters. And honestly I don’t mind using my solo-parenting days for outings, since staying home means the only adult I talk to is when I shout at the incredibly fit jerk-faces in my workout video. I’m going to forgive the lazy end of our lazy vacation and call it “recharging with my family” instead of “not wearing a bra again”.

Staying home doesn’t mean doing nothing. Family isn’t nothing – it’s everything.

And I can wear my comfortable pants.

My house is sort of a disaster right now. There’s a two foot tall turkey made from a paper bag left over from Thanksgiving that I can’t throw away because Caroline is in love with it. There’s a bright orange toddler slide the kids keep dragging in from the porch. There’s a broken camera in five pieces on the kitchen island. And the dining room (a.k.a. Party Central) looks like a winter candy cane forest wonderland threw up on it.

But Mandy posted some adorable pictures of her adorable home decorated for Christmas and I wanted to play along. I love seeing people’s decorations in real life versus the ones in the Pottery Barn catalog, which basically just makes me want to give up on life.  My decor this year is a mix of stuff I put up every Christmas and stuff that’s already up for Caroline’s birthday. The party stuff will probably be up until February because I hate putting so much effort into decorating for just ONE DAY. I realize the solution to that problem is to just not put so much effort into decorating, but I am not entirely rational when it comes to holidays/birthdays.

This is Mr. Bear. I won him one year when I worked at Target for getting the most customer compliment cards. I used to think he was hideous and tacky but I sort of love him now.

What do you think? Are my halls thoroughly decked?

Our house is what you might call light green. Actually, our house is literally a light mossy green color but what I meant is we are light green when it comes to being ecofriendly, reducing our impact on the planet and staying away from harsh chemicals. It’s important to me to make responsible decisions about what we put in and on our bodies, but as a busy mom with a limited budget some things get ranked higher than others. On one hand, it’s easy to choose household cleaning products that are all-natural and eco-conscious, especially because I know someone is going to put their mouth on every single surface in my house at some point. On the other hand, if my kids want to eat their weight in clementines and I can’t find organically grown clementines, that’s not a fight I’m willing to have. I recycle every recyclable that passes through my door but I’m not willing to totally give up paper towels. Light green.

(more…)

Life continues to be good in our house, unless you are almost 2 year old, in which case you life is TERRIBLE.

Sunday:

The laptop doctor is in.

Sorry Mommy, you’re not as interesting as your iPad.

Obsessed.

 Monday:

Lemon poppy seed muffins. They’re the paleo version, so don’t be jealous.

Making rainbows at the post office.

This game is called “Help I’m trapped in the door!” and we play every time we come home.

Tuesday:

New favorite thing. It was broken by dinner time.

He voted. But he wasn’t happy about it.

Past my bedtime, but I had to see how it ended.

Wednesday:

“Naptime Mommy! Night night”. (No, actually, we’re at gymnastics.)

Eggplant and fennel salad. I wish it was a cheeseburger.

Life is SO HARD when you are almost two.

Thursday:

Stroller Strides is an adventure with this child.

I started painting the dining room. It’s not going quickly.

I don’t know what they were playing, but they were having a great time.

Friday:

I want to throat-punch whoever put the candy machines RIGHT next to the toddler play area.

Elevator rides are an effective bribery tool.

Respect the delicious smells of Christmas.

Saturday:

Lazy pants destroyed her room and then slept in.

Helpful little car pusher.

My perfect lunch: a Greek salad and a Diet Coke with NO OTHER PEOPLE. Plus also shopping.

We’re battening down the hatches for the tropical storm/hurricane/once in a lifetime Frankenstorm disaster that’s headed our way, but right now I’m too hopped up on the Halloween candy I broke into early to feel too worried. That’s probably a mistake, but let’s just enjoy some pictures.

Sunday:

Birthday party sugar hangovers makes for grumpy children.

Last time we visited, Caroline HATED this dog. Now? BFFs.

My children are attractive.

Monday:

The dog is judging me. Dogs don’t understand Mondays.

That’s what you get for judging me, DOG.

Mad sewing skillz.

Tuesday:

Shopping with Caroline has become…challenging.

Someone talk me out of buying this.

Out of control baby mullet

Wednesday:

Chillaxin’ – she’s an expert

That doesn’t look like gymnastics.

Puppy love

Thursday:

Working out is WAY easier when this is your view

Sliiiiiiiiiiiide!

NO YOU CANNOT EAT MY PHONE

Friday:

If I wear a backpack I get to go to school too, right Mom?

Trying to figure out how to change NPR to The Fresh Beat Band.

Wild Things at Mystic Seaport

Saturday:

Caroline has recently become obsessed with Brutus’s…uh…undercarriage.

Thousands of books inside the library…and they’re staring at the empty train tracks that run behind it.

Emergency storm rations

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