Photo Every Hour: November 21st

7:00 Trying to get myself ready for what will almost certainly be a crazy busy day and desperately pretending like I can't hear Connor awake over the monitor

8:00 Well, I'm dressed. And reading stories to two boys still in their jammies #babysteps

9:00 At the salon to get this cute little man a haircut!

10:00 It's the day before Thanksgiving and we're at the grocery store. Along with half the town. Go figure

11:00 This "game" might very well be called "make as big of a mess as possible", but I'm still allowing it to happen because they are (relatively) quiet, content, and allowing me to get stuff done

12:00 This is what happens when we have the brilliant idea to celebrate Thanksgiving at the lake cabin: I end up needing to pack half my kitchen before we leave

1:00 It may not be evident in this picture, but Garrett is actually wide awake and playing games with his animals. Despite telling me at just after noon that he was tired and ready for his nap #liarliarpantsonfire

2:00 Perfect. Because the day when I am super busy getting everything ready for Thanksgiving is exactly the day that I want everyone to take short naps and be up before two

3:00 Clothes are packed. Getting closer to being ready to leave! (And yes--we'll be at the lake for less than 48 hours and need a suitcase of that size. Deal with it #partyoffive)



4:00 The good news is that I have two kids who are playing nicely so I can finish getting things packed up. The bad news is that the kid who isn't playing nicely also happens to be the same kid who is insisting on being held and thereby making it nearly impossible for me to finish getting packed #teethingbites--literally

5:00 On the road! A little later than planned, but not too bad all things considered

6:00 Getting set up for dinner at the lake (which was actually cooked at the house so that it would be ready to eat when we got to the lake #details)

7:00 Goofing around while Skyping with Grandmom and Granddad

8:00 Bedtime for the boys! #differentbedroomsamesuitcase

9:00 Thanksgiving tip: Prep as much as possible the night before to make the day of less chaotic

10:00 Seriously. It's an hour later and I'm still prepping. One bowl for the breakfast biscuits, one bowl for the dinner rolls, one bowl for the sweet potatoes, one bowl for the sweet potato topping, and one bowl for the pie topping.

11:00 Because when tomorrow is Thanksgiving and you've been prepping food for almost two hours it's totally acceptable to be having a drink after 11:00 PM

Bedtime. Happy (almost!) Thanksgiving!

Photo Every Hour: October 21st

Apparently when I don't have a monthly update to write, I forget about blogging my photo an hour posts! Whoops!

Someone has developed a not-so-enjoyable habit of waking up between four and five every day and not wanting to go back to sleep. I'm pretty sure it's teething related, but I'm done with it nonetheless

This probably isn't sleeping in by most people's standards, but I'll gladly take it!

8:00 Getting prepped for a busy day of being out of the house

9:00 Quick stop at Hy-Vee on the way to church so Darrell can pick up some doughnuts for New Member Orientation

10:00 Picking up the boys from Sunday School. They aren't normally in the same class, but their teachers had meetings this morning so they combined the classes (which the boys thought was super cool)

11:00 The church wasn't actually this empty during the service, but I snagged this picture ahead of time so I didn't have to pull my phone out during church

12:00 To Grandmother's house we go!

1:00 Watching the game with the whole fan damily!

2:00 Still watching the game... And still in the same spot of the couch. This pretty much never happens for me because I'm usually up moving around helping my mom wrangle the boys, but William wasn't feeling very good so I was gladly giving him extra cuddles

3:00 It isn't quite time for victory formation yet--but SKOL Vikings!

4:00 Well. Not exactly where I had planned for us to be this afternoon, but with William running a fever we aren't about to keep our plans of going to the bike trails and a playground (even if it is insanely gorgeous outside)

5:00 Spending some time outside with the only kid who isn't running a fever (we're pretty sure Connor's is strictly teething related, but still enough to be a nuisance)

6:00 Post-dinner (for four at least; William hung out on the couch during dinner)

7:00 Teething pain and a short nap at Grandma's makes for an early bedtime for this boy!

8:00 When one kid is sick, one is teething, and the other skipped a nap during the football game, everyone is asleep by eight. So I guess I clean our room?!?

9:00 Getting some reading done for our new book club at church while keeping an eye on William (sleeping on the couch)

Whelp, I guess if everyone else is going to bed early then I might as well follow suit! Probably the earliest I've been to bed in months, if not years

Photo Every Hour: September 24th

As fun as my photo every hour in Chicago was, I didn't want to miss documenting what every hour of our life looked like the first month William was in school(!!) and the month Connor turned one(!!!!). So here's a special double-feature for September!

Happy morning! Rising and shining happens a little earlier these days now that I have to get William to school on time

7:00 At least one kid is happy that Mommy is home from vacation!

8:00 And just like that, William is off to school for the day

9:00 Unpacking is probably the worst part of vacation

10:00 Play time at open gym (because after four days of being out and about in Chicago staying home all day seemed a little bit like torture)

11:00 Heading home with some not-so-happy boys

12:00 Nap time! (PS Someone--or maybe two someones--missed this while Mommy was in Chicago)

1:00 Trying (mostly unsuccessfully) to get caught up on budgeting and other household stuff

2:00 Hitting the ground running trying to prepare for family pictures tomorrow

3:00 Look who's home!

4:00 Checking out a few last minute options for family picture options (I won't admit to how many times I changed my mind or how many different shirts I bought and returned)

5:00 Turns out the laundry doesn't do itself while I'm on vacation. Go figure

6:00 Yay for family dinners (or at least the aftermath thereof)

7:00 Snack time!

8:00 I spy two little cuties brushing their teeth!

9:00 Trying (very belatedly) to get Connor's one-year blog post written

11:00 (and 10:00) I forgot to take the picture at 10:00, but just imagine this bed almost completely covered with laundry that needed to be put away

Yay bedtime! (Not nearly early enough, but that's life)