here, there, and everywhere

there's one word that can describe what life has been like, around here, lately-

exhausting!!

The twinnies are crazy and wild. They're hopping. They're fighting. They're playing. They're climbing. They're jumping (yes, Maelle tried to jump off the coffee table this afternoon). They're digging in the garbage. They're putting their little fingers and arms in the cupboards and pulling stuff out. They're finding trouble anywhere and everywhere. They're wearing me out. It's not the same exhausting as the first few months of their life, but it's the kind of exhausting where I fall into bed, put my head on the pillow and immediately fall asleep each and every night. I spend so much of my day running after these two- trying to keep them out of trouble, that I'm finding it hard, again, to keep up with the rest of "life". 

Since the girls have been mobile we haven't gone anywhere, either. Korey even remarked today that the car always seemed to have the same amount of gas in it every time he got in and I had to laugh, because it's 100% true- not his imagination- I've just stayed home a lot, lately! It seems like we're in a little bit of an overwhelming stage, right now, and the mere thought of going anywhere with these two climbers and runners seems a little bit more than I can handle! 

Good thing they're still cute :) here are some pictures that I've managed to snag from the last few days...

Maysen and Maelle fighting over Hailey's chair- Maelle wins!

 Maelle, Maelle, Maelle...she's into everything. She's such a little bugger these days. 

 2 little girls...such big trouble!

good thing all this activity wears them out, too!! They've gone back to taking two long naps every day :) 

Did you ever hear what happened the last time I took all 4 of my kids anywhere, by myself??

Well...let's just say I had this great idea to go to Barnes and Noble to play with the train set. Korey told me I was crazy and I shouldn't do it and I almost immediately agreed with him...it was harder than I had thought to carry the over 20lb twins, one in each arm, and keep track of both Hailey and Jackson in the parking lot. I got more odd looks than I was prepared for (and more negative and not very nice comments than I would have liked). It was more work than I was prepared for keeping Maysen and Maelle off of the train table and from completely rearranging each and every toy and book on the shelves in the play area. But, the clincher came when I lost my son.  I turned my back for a minute and was helping Hailey put some books back on the right shelves (she had been picking books that I should buy for her, maybe thinking we were at the library- or that I was made of $, but either way, they all had to go back) and when I looked back on the kiddos Jackson was nowhere to be seen. I tried not to panic. The twins were still climbing all over the train table and working their hardest at clearing the shelves, so I allowed them to continue on as I scanned the place looking for my little boy. I've had that moment of panic when I loose a child in my own home (and let me tell you- that's still scary) but it was NOTHING compared to what I felt when I couldn't find him. Hailey ended her time and started helping me look for him, both of us were starting to border on panic- when an incredibly crabby and irritated clerk came up, holding his hand. It was hard to justify how I managed to loose him when she was looking down her nose at me with raised eyebrows and it was all I could do to hold back tears of thankfulness that my son was found- unharmed. I know I'm not the only mom that's happened to and I guess I should be thankful that I didn't have my name called over the loud speaker. But, it was the clincher for me...I quickly packed my brood up, headed for the door and have barely ventured out of the house since.