Vacation

Last week Jeff and the kids and me escaped for a couple of days to Gatlinburg. I was figuring the boys have been there at least four times. I think that is pretty crazy considering they just turned four the first of this month. But we love it. We can not get enough of Dollywood. Christmas time at Dollywood is one of my favorite places. It reminds me so much of Metamora at Christmas time. They decorate nearly the whole park with Christmas lights. We spent the entire day there. Around 4p I was going crazy. The kids were insane. Jeff and Mike zip lined so they were off busy. That was the longest amount of time ever. Looking back the kids were not horrible at all. But I thought I was about to lose it. Jonah kept chewing his shirt. I wanted so badly to strip the kid naked. He had on a brand new shirt. Why this got under my skin so badly? I nearly couldn't look at him. I said to him at least hundred times, "Jonah, stop chewing on your shirt!!!" Even thinking about it now I can feel my blood pressure rising. But when those Christmas lights came on and the sun went down to show all their glory I was a new person. I felt like I was filled with sugar and the whole world was a perfect place. Christmas lights just do something special to me. I was giddy with excitement in a matter of moments. It is one of my happy places.
Jeff and I took turns on the ride home declaring our favorite things and least favorite things about vacation. My favorite things included getting to spend time with kids, having Jeff's never ending help, this super cool mirror maze we went through, experiencing 5 Guys cheeseburgers for the first time and getting up early. Yes, I woke up early everyday. It was the best gift I have ever given myself. I would get cleaned up, go downstairs, make coffee, take all my vitamins, do my Bible study, pray, enjoy the morning sun on the balcony and sometimes even exercise before anyone else was awake. Seriously, I was popping out of bed around 5 or 6a. Now that I am back home I can not get up early to save my life. The really cool mirror maze was so much fun. I have lots of pics. I will upload later. My least favorite things about vacation included not having time to relax (I don't think vacations will include time to relax until the kids are much older), not having any one on one time with Jeff, the drive home (for the second year in a row Jonah vomited in the car) and how fast vacation zipped by. By the way, Jonah does not get car sick. Rather, when he is bored or mad he gags himself until he gets sick. Last year he was mad, this year he was simply bored. Overall, I am really glad we decided to make the trip. I know I say this every time we get home from Gatlinburg, but I think it will be awhile before we go back. We have big dreams of hopefully going to Disney next.

More funny things

This morning I was putting my makeup on and Jonah was watching me. He said, "Mom, what are all those cracks around your eyes?" I said those are called wrinkles. Jonah replied with, "Why do you have so many wrinkles?"
Jacob came up to me this morning with his magna doodle. He had drawn two circles side by side on it with a line coming straight down from each circle. He said so proudly, "look Mom, I drew boobs with legs!" And so it begins.

I am upstairs reading over some of my older post when I hear Jacob say, "Oh man! This toilet seat has pee all over it!" Really?! The joys of having three little boys. I keep telling myself I am going to document all the things the boys say. At this age there are some pretty funny things they say. However, yesterday Jackson told me get out of his business. I thought, 'wow, that sounded like he told me to get out of his business. But I really don't think he knows that word.' I asked him to repeat it. And sure enough very clearly the second time, 'Mom, get out of my business!' I told him to go to the bathroom and wash his hands with soap. I knew he wasn't going to use soap. I followed him into to the bathroom to make sure. I guess washing your hands is his business. I definitely informed him that he has no business that is not my business. I was not amused.
This morning the boys were getting ready for school. Jacob got dressed and went into the bathroom and was checking himself out. Then he informed me that he didn't want to go to school. Yesterday he was trying to walk from the top of the rocking chair to the top of their little tool table. He was not successful. He has a little gash on his nose and he was bleeding. So, this morning he tells me that he doesn't want to go school because he didn't want the other kids to see his nose. I was so blown away. I thought scabs and scars were cool for boys. And I couldn't believe that my four year old was so worried about his appearance. There have been a lot of other things lately. I will try to update more later. Right now the boys are singing the songs they learned at school while laying in bed. These are the moments I truly treasure.