A Typical Day at the Brown Residence

Well, my cute sister, Molly blogged the other week about a typical day in a house with twin 18 month old girls and a 4 month old baby boy, and it got me thinking...what do WE do here all day? So, I decided to take a day (today) to figure out what a typical day at our house--one with, as most of you know consist of 5 kids, ages 5 and under (and a mom and a dad, of course :) ).
So, here goes....

At about 6-6:30-ish, I wake up and get myself ready. Shortly after, or often during this, the kids start to wake up. So, at about 7 am, we eat breakfast.

Good morning!!

Shortly thereafter, they take their baths/ showers...(Aspen took one, too but refused to be photographed in a towel.)


I get them dressed, and we are all dressed and ready by about 8:00 (8:17 this morning, to be exact ;)).

While the kids play and watch their favorite show (and mine), Sesame Street, I clean up the kitchen....

I do this...
.(Broom not pictured here, but I do a lot of sweeping!)

By 8:45 we need to be out the door to get Anderson to school. When the weather is nice, we walk, and this is how it goes, Azure and Aussie in the stroller (Aspen wanted a ride today), and Ace and Anderson on their scooters. And we're off!


We make it back just in time (9:15-ish) for preschool to start!
Here is the before photo--I always have to begin the day clean)...

If you want to see what goes on here, feel free to go to www.kinderstartin.blogspot.com

Following preschool, I load the kids up, and go pick up Anderson---Same routine as the morning ;)..Just forgot the camera...

We then have lunch at about 12:30 (yes, we had a cardboard pizza today, but it was "Digourno!")


Then Aussie takes a nap...


That's when I do this...


And this...

And today, I did this, only because Adam won't be home until late, otherwise I would rather be outside...


And they do this..

(Anderson had free reign of the camera).

We also do this...

And a lot if this..


Oh, and I nurse a baby every 3 hours...sorry, no photo for that, either ;).


Adam (Daddy) gets home usually between 5:30 and 6:30, and then the REAL fun begins...!

2010 Resolutions

2009 was a great year filled with busy, busy and even more busy. Overall, though it was a really great year. Hopefully 2010will be just as good, if not better...

So, on with the resolutions....
(This is the most current picture I have of him, and it is what he spends most of his time doing....studying and preparing...argggghh!)

(Adam didn't want to play along, so I will write some for him): To win a soccer game, finish the basement, and to hug my wife more :p.

Arianne: Spend more time with my kids (on an individual basis), budget for a babysitter so that Adam and I can date more, tell my kids I love them more, and not stress out about things I can't control. I would also like to cut 15 minutes off my marathon time this year...

Anderson: Get all the guys on Lego Star Wars. Read 2 books every day. Turn 6, and go to 1st grade!

Aspen: For Azure to get big enough to play with. Write my name where my "s" isn't a "2!" Learn to ride a bike with no training wheels. And turn 5 and go to kindergarten!

Ace: Do everything that Anderson does (including turning 6!) I also want to learn how to do front flips on the trampoline.

Aussie: Wake up without crying! Get potty trained! (He didn't say anything, so these were my goals for him ;).

Azure: Keep being the cute, lovable little baby that will always let her mom cuddle her. (One of my favorite things to do!)

We look forward to all the wonderful things that 2010 will bring...

Yes, they are Sisters

I was looking at some of my pictures, and noticed that Azure bares a striking resemblance to another little girl...Aspen! So, I thought it might be fun to look at a couple of them side-by side...








Cute Sisters!

Gingerbread (Gram Cracker) Houses

For the past couple of years we have made gingerbread houses on Christmas Eve. I guess you would say it has become a tradition. I learned how to make them when I taught kindergarten. I "glue" the gram crackers together with sugar that I have melted over the stove. I then use the same melted sugar to "glue" the houses to the plate. This way they are completely sturdy, and don't move around the plate...not to mention, COMPLETELY EDIBLE!

I then give everyone a Dixie cup with frosting, and a Popsicle stick---then let the fun begin!...

Here they are, frosting and decorating their houses....





A lot of frosting didn't quite make it on the houses...



Here are the finished products.....After looking at them, I really thought that each one really showed their personality, and thought that those of you who know our kids (and even those who don't) if you could guess who made which one?
If you want to play along, look through the five houses (I even made one!), and when you scroll down to the end, you can see if you were right...no cheating...

A

B

C

D

E

The answers (after a much needed bath)...
Aussie: D--most of the frosting and candy ended up on the floor or in his mouth.

Ace: A (I laughed so hard at this picture!...)

...This one was pretty funny, too! You can tell by his house that, yes he is 3, but that he is very methodical in where he places things. He really takes his time on things like this.

Anderson: B He also takes his time, and is very careful about where he places things.

Aspen: E This one really screamed Aspen to me. She ate most of the frosting and just grabbed handfuls of whatever, and just threw it on top. Very much an Aspen house.


Oh, and mine was "c" if you hadn't guessed. I really had fun making mine, too! It is quite therapeutic! Maybe next year I can get Adam to make one...

This was a lot of fun, and I can't wait to do it again next year!