We had to get out of the house on Saturday so we went to the Velvet Mill, where Stonington has their farmer’s market in the winter. I had to wear the baby on my back to keep him from a) running away and b) freezing to death between the car and the door (also the mill is huge and drafty and most people didn’t even take off their hats and scarves inside). When I have a baby on my back my photography really suffers – he’s wiggly and throws himself back if he can’t see what I’m looking at, it’s hard to carry my camera strap on my shoulder when the carrier strap is in the way, and crouching down/bending over is hard when your balance is being thrown off by 28 lbs. But I still managed to take a few pictures at the mill (plus a few after).

All that delicious farmer’s market food and my kids begged for cheeseburgers for lunch.

I’ve been using my phone to keep children quiet, so it’s often a) dead b) busy or c) so filthy I can’t use the camera. It reminded me that when I started this project three hundred and sixty weeks ago it was funny more than serious. They weren’t supposed to be GOOD pictures. So right now, bad is mostly what I have.

Sunday:

Not a black eye, a mosquito bite.

Rewatching all of Game of Thrones, because why not

Monday:

The days are long

Sweetness

Good kitty. I swear the older she gets the smaller she gets.

Tuesday:

THE INFAMOUS BUNCHEMS INCIDENT

Couch climber

Back naps!

Wednesday:

Faaaaaaaaaaall

Tiny pumpkins for a tiny boy

Thursday:

Ready for picture day! Except we were a week early.

They both love this game

Our town hall is cool

Friday:

My baby is cooler than me

He literally carries her around half the day but she still loves him

Saturday:

I really wish I could have gotten the geese flying OVER the moon

Ordering groceries and watching Outlander

My life is very exciting, if by exciting you mean incredibly mundane, normal, average and boring. It’s busy, for sure, but I’m starting to feel like my poor kids barely leave the state and I should really try to travel more. But then I remember traveling with kids is terrible so it’s back to the couch I go.

I think a month is the longest I’ve ever abandoned this blog since I started it 9ish years ago. I didn’t do it on purpose. I actually wrote a bunch of things that totally would have been blog posts in 2009 but ended up as Facebook posts because it’s 2017. We’re not even close to halfway through with this deployment and although we’ve found rhythm and a schedule that works, it’s exhausting being the only adult in charge of 4 small humans. Even when they have playdates or activities – and I am SO grateful for everyone who has helped – I play chauffer and social planner.

But it would be unfair to quit trying to document everything now, when I know E is looking forward to catching up on everything he missed as soon as he can. So onward and upward, once again.

Sunday:

All three, living their best lives

Mystic Seaport is our happy place

My eight year old beat me at bumper bowling

Monday:

We made slime every day for a week, then I got tired of scraping it off the floor

When both kids are awake and insist of being held at the bus stop

The CUTEST little soaps from The Rubber Ducky Soap Co

Tuesday:

Checking out the candy deals

Pretending he’s a big kid

Watching sissy do cheer

Wednesday:

I WON THE BUS WAR THEY MOVED IT HALF AN HOUR EARLIER

Trashing the car while waiting for Caroline outside ballet

Thursday:

I have a peach vampire in the house

OK, bye, just go be a big kid

Trampoline heaven

Friday:

The first of many, many vet appointments

HAPPY to go to school! YAY!

We put all those rocks in the kindness garden

Saturday:

Who can resist a selfie with a cow?

My little lambs

Another year at The Big E with friends

After a whoooole bunch of stress with our afternoon bus schedule, we’ve finally worked everything out and we’re just plain busy instead of super stressful busy. It’s good. We’re better at holding things together when we don’t have too much time to sit on the couch.

Sunday:

I love this umbrella

Living his best life

It’s important to practice before Halloween

Tuesday:

Everyone is at school or asleep and I am RELAXING

The cat is obsessed with our heated floors

Wednesday:

Enormous baby measured as enormous at his check up

Thursday:

We got the last one of these stupid things

This outfit makes me happy

It makes Finn happy too

Friday:

Cookie time

I hope this are the memories they have of their childhoods

Saturday:

Very fancy facepaint

Pizza is his favorite

That’s her “I GOT A NEW BOW” face

I bought Wonder Woman yesterday, so we can watch it at home and in the car and alllll the time, because I would much rather memorize Wonder Woman than all the episodes of Paw Patrol on this stupid pirate adventure DVD. Once you can name all the dogs on Paw Patrol you lose part of your soul forever.

This was not my favorite week.

Sunday:

All my guys

Future so bright, you better wear shades

When Linc says pants are a shirt, he refuses to back down

Monday:

NOT HELPING

That’s the eclipse, I swear

Doesn’t know how to cart correctly

Tuesday:

I don’t know what this show is but I never want to see it again

I miss lake life already

Progress!

Wednesday:

Rocking the Seaport

Getting in some daddy cuddles

Such a big kid

Thursday:

Stupid submarine

Eating our feelings. They taste like frosting.

Goofball

Friday:

Bunny Caroline

Alien attack

Evan on the grown up rides

Saturday:

Before the mud at the Mud Run

NEW BATHROOM

More new bathroom! I love my new bathroom!

I’ve been having a bit of a battle with the school slash school bus company and today I won. I’m so relieved. As much as we really like being busy and on the go, I don’t like being late, breaking rules, or writing bitchy emails. Ok, I SORT of like writing bitchy emails, but not over and over. But starting next week we should just go back to regular busy – now with 100% more karate for Evan!