Wintery sunshine and awkward red gnomes

This week was a little busy. Justin is away in Syracuse again, so I had to adjust to being on my own again. Adjustment is not my favorite thing ever. We had meeting here last night too, so there was a little, teensy bit of cleaning required. Not much though, since my house is pretty much always company ready. (Don't laugh! I like to maintain my illusions.) After the scurry of yesterday, my house is sparkling clean this morning. With wintery sunshine streaming in the windows and a little girl, cozy in her backwards nightgown, cuddled up with some audiobooks (Miss Rhumpius and Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse) and her little red gnome-y guy.

I made the red gnome-y thing by the way, a year or two ago. But I think his face is a bit silly. And the stuffing isn't adequately contained and tries to poke out the corners. So I keep it mostly out of sight. But Elsie enjoys it from time to time when it surfaces.  

Trying to get a picture of the silly face

It just didn't look like I wanted it to look. Which was more like this.....

This is probably the reason people pay to have professionals make things for them. As Owen is fond of saying, "Factory's know what they are doing. They have scientists studying this kind of thing.You should just leave it to them." He generally makes this comment when eating some particularly lovely piece of processed food. But the sentiment carries over into things like this too.

Despite the sunshine, sweet girls, and weird little gnomes, I am exhausted this morning for some reason. I think I may be fighting something. Maybe strep.... the girls were positive again this week. ergh.

I fully intend on getting back in bed and snuggling in for a nap. Hopefully to hop up and feel energetic again.

All of this is to say that I boringly haven't taken many blogging pictures this week. Somehow a messy house and a slightly overwhelmed and impatient mother doesn't work out to happy pictures for my blog. Moments like Elsie and Gilbert washing the toilet with toothpaste and a toilet brush before flushing are funny in retrospect, but in the moment, I want to tear my hair out, stomp on the floor, and go to bed. So I forget to take pictures.

But there are a few happy, little kids pictures. I really love these kids.

These buckets of winter accessories by the door are looked upon as dress up boxes by Elsie and Hoyt. 

Abilene tries to get in on the action, but is left behind as they gallop off on their hobby horse. But she does get into some sunshine, so life is still good. 

Hoyt's hat makes him look like a puppy dog. Elsie's hair makes her look like a puppy dog too.

Elsie is a big fan of pajama shorts and this t-shirt. Her eat, sleep, farm, repeat shirt. I am a bad mother who lets her wear them all day in the middle of winter.

Double decker cowboy waiting for his horse to come around the circle. 

And here's his horse. with a gnome at the reigns.

This picture makes me laugh.

And now, I have a good book to read and a bed to snuggle up in. So I will go pretend I am not grown up and responsible. Actually, I am not sure I am grown up and responsible, so it won't take a lot of pretending.