settling in...

slowly, but surely, we are trying to regain our footing and settle back in to our "normal" pattern of life...whatever that is! you know you have reached a new level in motherhood when the best you have to offer your children for a snack is garlic and butter croutons...and i am not even exaggerating!!!!!!! since we were going out of town for so long, we coasted through the last week or so of our time here back in august, eating what was in the pantry and fridge. what that left us with was ABSOLUTELY NOTHING! and then i got home and our microwave is broken...meaning we really have nothing!!!!!! somehow, we survived and we are now stocked once again! all the berries, cheese, yogurt, cheerios, goldfish, beans any little girl could want!!!!!

however, as i stated above...our "normal" may not be the average american's "normal". as i was preparing supper tonight, i sent ella to wash her hands. well, maddie decided that she would wash her hands as well...IN THE TOILET! yes, that's what i said...can i get a GROSS! so, this is where she spent the remainder of the moments before we ate...

you got it...washing with SOAP in the sink! (we'll leave out the part where she was drinking from the drain stopper) with all that madeline gets away with in this family...i can't imagine what baby #3 is going to get by with...i shudder to think! no, baby #3 is NOT on the way...yet!

we meet ella's new teacher tomorrow...and she has the "scared happies"! that is ella's way of describing excitement! i have a feeling that her biggest fan (aka maddie) is going to be awfully lonely while big sis is away...mommy may be kinda lonely too! we look forward to all that miss ella will learn this year and all the friends that she will make! takes me back a few years to new shoes and fresh school supplies...my how time flies!