Hello Beach! It's Been Awhile

Usually breakfast is a hectic time.

Make the boys juice, put them in their boosters, make them breakfast, feed the cat, clean up, make the coffee, try to eat something, clean the litter box, answer the question "Can we go out now?" over and over and over with, "In a few minutes. We just woke up!"

To be honest, I kind of dread breakfast. But today it was great!

We got up at 6:30 and dealt with the carpet cleaners (and a giant lizard they let in), the leaking kitchen sink fixer (who is very hard to understand, because he lacks teeth), and the roofers (who will be back Wednesday at 7:30 am) all by 9:00!

Then, bags packed, we were out the door and off to IHOP for a late breakfast.

Jude insisted on using a big boy fork and he did pretty well. 

After gaining a pound (or two), we hit the soundside beach for the first time this year.

We met up with our good friends Erika and little Ava. The kids played in the sand and water and we could actually talk (much unlike last summer when our infants kept eating the sand and whining).

It was a good Friday. And I'm really happy the weekend is here. It was one of those weeks where every little thing went wrong until I thought, "I can't take any more! I really can't!" 

And then...Friday rolled around and all is well (for now).

Bippy's = A Yummy Mess

Bippy's is one of the best places in the world. Really. I'm talking cake batter frozen yogurt mixed with chocolate chip cookie dough, brownie bites and caramel. Or how about Maddox's concoction of cheesecake yogurt and gummy bears? There is something for every taste bud and wild craving. We sure do love it!

Funny faces

Drip, drip, drip

This weekend we had planned our debut beach trip, but instead we sat inside (with the exception of some antiquing with Yani, Cupcakes by the Beach, and a Target run) watching the monsoon outside. And then, the monsoon came INSIDE. I walked into the closet off the laundry room to discover a mini lake and water pouring out from under the molding. Oh, yes, I about panicked. How much can a girl take? Rats to flooding?

Thankfully, the rain stopped Sunday and we are waiting for a contractor to come fix the leak in the roof. But what about the water damage inside the house (ahem, I poked the soft-looking ceiling and my finger went right through! Hello rotten wood)? We are still waiting to see what they plan to do about that. I'm just glad the problem isn't in the main part of the house! But still. And on top of that, we have developed a leak under our kitchen sink and are (yes, you guessed it!) waiting for someone to come fix it. Now whoever said base housing wasn't glorious? Ha. Maybe we have learned our lesson about base housing. Even still, we do love our house and I'm hoping the troubles end when these water problems are fixed!

And maybe, just maybe, we will make it to the beach next weekend. In the meantime, we wait....

The National Anthem was playing and Maddox said, "Mom, I'm showin' respect."

We are Target buddies. ♥

Hello, giant cupcake. 

My kids don't play with toys very long. Instead, they like to play with my things. 

Boy Toys

The boys love to be outside. And they love tools. We went to the mall today and Andrew came out looking like Santa Claus, carrying a giant bag of toys. Chainsaw, leaf blower, toolbox. The boys are in heaven (and so am I). It isn't too often I can sit in a chair outside and watch them play. Usually I am chasing you-know-who out of the road, out of the woods, away from the water spigot, or away from the dogs next door. But...not today. 

Happy Friday everyone! 

Summer in April

We skipped spring this year and hit summer head on.

I broke down today and let the boys take their first dip in their little pool. The slide was a hit and they kept taking turns, but if Jude wasn't quick enough....

...Maddox gave him a shove.

The biggest problem I see in the future is that they are ALWAYS going to want to be in the pool. Or else, shooting the water hose up into the air.

I need to buy sunscreen in bulk.

Oh! Oh! After days and days of cleaning the old house (aka rat house) top to bottom, (and I mean EVERYTHING, from scrubbing out the trash cans to making the appliances look brand new to washing every window, window track and door track, every vent) we (mostly Andrew...I was the kid-watcher and new-house-unpacker) passed final inspection. Eglin has a reputation for ridiculously nitpicky inspections and it's 100% true. The inspector made Andrew even remove flower hooks that were already there when we moved in! But, enough of that. 

That house was a huge burden and now we are rid of it!!

Freedom (from rats) feels pretty darn good.

Good Golly Miss Molly

Today the boys made a new friend. We found her (it could be a he, but don't tell Maddox that) hiding in a hole beneath an extra piece of cement edging. She was the biggest frog I've ever seen. And her name? Maddox first suggested "Frog," but after a few seconds of pondering, he decided on "Good Golly Miss Molly." It's a perfect fit. Tomorrow we will have to check on her (I can sense this will be the new outside morning ritual) and I'll try (again) to keep Jude from smooshing her.

Jude and Maddox have this system going... When Maddox spots a bug (fly, ant, unidentified creepy crawly) he alerts Jude, who immediately attempts to kill it. That's why I have to look out for Good Golly Miss Molly.

House Hunters Beware: Stop, Look, and Smell

We've moved five times in the last two years. And no, we don't have a house-hopping addiction! We just chose some bad houses and have learned (the HARD way) how to spot the red flags. 

 I mean, it's a lot to take in. You get the keys to an empty house and you have one chance to look the house over and decide: do we call this place home or do we run far, far away?

Here are the big, blinking (yet sometimes subtle) caution signs that we've missed:

1) Always check the sex offender registry before choosing a home. Or else...your neighbor might just BE a registered sex offender. Or maybe a sex offender last lived in the home you're scoping, which...is still just plain creepy and gives the home a bad vibe. 

2) If you choose a home within 30 feet of water in Florida, be prepared to see lots of snakes and just maybe an alligator.

3) Pay attention to ANY smell when you walk through that front door. And then, walk away. Don't be fooled by new paint, either. The owner might be trying to cover up another smell, whether it's mold, cigarettes or animal pee. If you don't pay attention, you might end up being really sick or dealing with a sick child (trust me). 

4) Sniff that carpet! That's right. Get on your hands and knees and get to smelling! You might detect something, especially water damage (hello mildew smell!) or animal pee.

5) Beware if a home has been totally renovated. Find out the reason. We thought a total renovation was a wonderful thing until we realized it was to cover up major cigarette damage and meth stains. But not even a total renovation can hide all the home's dirty secrets. Check in weird places for weird stains. We found bizarre thick stains inside all our window frames and under unrenovated places that were identical to METH stains. 

6) Look inside every cabinet, behind the stove, under the fridge, etc. Look for dead roaches, roach poop or EVEN rodent poop. Look for any gnaw marks, too. You don't want to miss this red flag. Rats might already call your future home THEIR home.

7) If you have babies that like to sleep at night and you notice your future neighbor has a doghouse in the yard, just be cautious. Most likely it will be a normal dog, but there is a small chance it could be a yapper. 

8) If there are lots of kids in the neighborhood, that could be a great thing. Or it could be a terrible thing. You might just become their new 24/7 babysitter and the recipient of 25 doorbell rings per day. 

9) And finally, talk to neighbors. We love our current house (lucky #5), but it is always a good idea to get a feel for the neighborhood and the people living in it. 

Or else...you could be living next to a teenage boy named Julia who sports hot pink lipstick and 5-inch heels while riding his/her bike. Just saying. 

Beware...and happy house hunting!

My little house hunters♥

Settling In

Every time we move (I swear), we get sick. This time the sinus infection that ends in bronchitis has hit Birch House. Even Piper has the sniffles. Andrew and Maddox took her to the vet today and she got some meds. Lovely. Now I get to bribe not only two toddlers to swallow their medicine twice a day, but a cat too! (And still remember to take mine.)

All kidding aside though, we love this house. I mean, there are some things we might change, like the skirt-wearing boy neighbor or the 24/7 barking dogs next door, but what fun would life be without a little challenge or a little "something to talk about?"

The boys roam the big yard all day. They love it. We found a wild berry patch behind the house and they think that is just the coolest thing. We still haven't seen a bear (and hopefully won't) but there are locks on the trash can so that means they are closeby. 

Rats to bears...hmm...

I'll take the bears.

Birch House (aka House #5)

I spy...Maddox. Can you?

Welcome to our new backyard. 

That's right.

We moved...again.

But it was kinda necessary. You see, we had this little problem with some big rats, had to evacuate our house,  fight a month-long battle with housing, and finally...we have a new (bigger and better) house.

Details to follow. Right now I am trying to get out of boxes, then it's onto making this house a home.