I always wish I had something clever to say and fun to read, which I realize would be a break from the norm. I again have been slowing down on the frequency of blogging due to lack of material or creativity. Even though nearly everyday Benjamin does something new and entertaining or Ashlyn says something funny/memorable, I never can seem to make it to the computer in time to document it. I have been letting many memories go unwritten, and I am afraid I will forget some of this stuff so I wanted to make sure to write about our day today. This might be a long one.
Our normal routine is for me to sleep in as late as I possibly can. Ashlyn is a light sleeper and so Paul tends to wake her as he makes his coffee every morning and she just gets in my bed and goes back to sleep. I don't get out of bed until I hear Benjamin wake up over the monitor. I must have been very tired this morning b/c somehow I missed hearing Benjamin wake up earlier than normal. Paul tried to give him the opportunity to go back to sleep in his own bed, but eventually got him out of his crib and put him in our bed as finished getting ready for work. Sometimes Benjamin will do like Ashlyn does and fall back asleep for awhile, but he must have woken well rested this morning. When Paul left for work Benjamin had apparently turned on the tv, and seemed to be content watching Mickey Mouse, so I was left to my slumber. I guess Ben got bored or couldn't wake me, whatever he was thinking he climbed out of my bed and made it into Ashlyn's room and woke her up by banging her door open and running over to her bed and getting in her face. (She told me tonight that I need to make sure he doesn't come in her room and wake her up ever again!) Back to this morning- Ashlyn reports that they played for a little while, but then she came to wake me to tell that Benjamin had been hitting her with a horse. I feel a little guilty for sleeping through all of this, that is not like me! During our late breakfast Ashlyn asked if Daddy had already left for work (see, she slept through it too!) and wanted to call him on my cell phone. I overhear her asking Paul with some agitation"why did you already leave without a kiss on my face?!" and then repeated herself several times as Paul tried to understand what she was saying. The more she said it the cuter it sounded.
Later this same day, we ventured into uncharted territory... and now we can never go back to the way it used to be...
Problem #1: the HEB here has smaller grocery carts than I am used to. In San Antonio the carts were large enough to fit 2 kids in the front and I could fit a whole 2 weeks worth of groceries inside if I had to.
Problem#2: I do actually try to take as few kids to the grocery store as possible but today
need ruled out over
convenience. We were out of everything!
Problem #3: Ashlyn is more eager to be a grown-up than the average three-year-old. She also has a memory better than anyone I can think of.
I knew there was a problem when we hadn't even made it 1/2 way through the store (or my list) when the cart was filled to capacity. As I pulled an item off the shelf and could find no place to put it, I noticed an abandoned & empty smaller cart. I really did debate for awhile over what to do, knowing that if I allowed Ashlyn to push a cart that I may never be able to take her to HEB again. Obviously I did involve the over-eager preschooler who did much better than I expected- she didn't hit one person if you don't count me and the backs of my ankles. At one point I almost panicked when I turned back from making sure Ashlyn was being a safe driver to find that Benjamin was missing- he was actually sitting down on his bottom in the back of the cart! I had forgotten that I had rearranged him and some of the delicate groceries, and I am definitely not accustomed to him sitting still instead of trying to escape. As we maneuvered the isles Ashlyn wanted to see my list and would ask "which isle is next" and "what else do we need?" as I allowed her to put the items in her cart and even remove them from the shelves if they were low enough. Every grandparent looking person in the store thought she was so cute pushing a cart full of groceries and told her so. As we headed to the check-out line Ashlyn said "I'm a good shopper, huh Mommy?!!" Oh boy, what have I started! Then to end our trip Ashlyn and I proceeded to argue over how to load the items on the conveyer belt while I repetitively had to wrestle Ben back into his seat. It was a memorable trip but I think next time I am going alone!
Ashlyn made these beauties and the one she let me eat was delicious!
Payton is so sweet to Ashlyn- that gamecube actually belongs to him and he is helping her learn to play it. You have never seen two 3 yr olds get along as well as these two do!
Here are all the grandkids in their cute matchy outfits Grandma got for them... 
Paul's parents have recently moved from San Antonio, and we are at their new home spending the week leading up to Thanksgiving. It is wonderful to have in-laws who are so fun to spend time with! The kids are getting some good quality time with their cousins. (Yes the boys' favorite toy is the dollhouse.) 
Not too easy to get all 5 kids to cooperate at once
My kids
it was SO sunny!
a Texas Longhorn Cheerleader and a Texas Football Player 
Roxy and Tigger with Ashlyn
Ben and his trusty drill
I forgot to mention that Paul and Ashlyn went to the Father-Daughter banquet put on by the church at the same place where we had our rehearsal dinner way back when. They had so much fun on their "date," there was a horse-drawn carriage, dinner, and dancing! Ashlyn's favorite was the chicken dance. Could not have been sweeter!
