Carrot Top Mom » Tutorials, Mom Tips, Humor, and more!

 

It has been a while. Over a year and a half, in fact, since I have posted on here. A lot happened between then and now, and I will not begin to try and catch you up. Long story short, in 2011 I had three young kids, owned my own children’s hair accessory company, held a part-time nursing job, and tried to fulfill many other demands of life. I found myself feeling spread thin, spending too much time behind a computer, and something had to give. Hence, the blog was put on hold. I was not sure if or when I would pick it back up again, but I left it active in case I found time to bring it back. Fast forward a year and a half, and I am hesitant to say, but I think I *may* occasionally have the time to now share on here again. Thank you to all the kind people who have let me know my blog was missed. Sometimes I don’t really know how many people are reading. : )

Much has happened since the last time I posted. I will fill you in on a few of the highlights and favorite pictures from the past two years. I copied and pasted many of these quotes from my scrapbook. They got a little out of order, but I am too lazy to try and figure it out. Thus, they are out of order! Hopefully they will still give you a little chuckle. So, grab a cup of coffee, and enjoy a few of the more humorous moments of the past 18+ months in our family!

(In preparation for an upcoming wedding) Lucy asked Carter, “Are you excited to be a ring BARREL?”. He corrected her, “NO Lucy, I’m going to be a ring BEAR!”

Found the start of a note from Caroline, titled, “The List of Noddy Things Lucy Has Done.” Sometimes she is so sweet, and other times she is ruthless!

Overheard Carter say to himself, “I love, love LOVE cupcakes. Love cupcakes.” Maybe he is my child afterall.

The mystery of the repeatedly clogged toilet has been solved. Carter struck again, this time with a banana peel.

I should have known the kids could not be trusted with chapstick. Lucy signed her name, in cherry chapstick, on our couch. Carter ate the remainder of the tube. Why oh why did I think we were past this?!

Leave it to Carter to 1) figure out how to remove a computer “shift” key, and 2) figure out how to reattach it, upside down, in a way that it will no longer work.

While checking on the kids before bed, Carter was nowhere to be found. We checked his room, closet, floors, the girls beds…Finally found a little foot sticking from under Caroline’s bed. There we found him, totally UNDER Caroline’s bed, sound asleep. I would love to know what was going through his mind when he crawled under there to go to sleep!

Caroline’s note last night to the tooth fairy, on behalf of Lucy. “Dear Tooth Fairy. I know this is roud (rude), but could you please not bring Lucy Polar Ice gum. Can you please bring her mint chocolate chip. Can you also please bring her $3, instead of $1. Love, Caroline, Lucy’s sister.”

A few minutes after putting him down, Carter began yelling for me. I went into his room, where he informed me, “Mommy, I love, LOVE taking a nap.” ?!?!?!?!?! This is concerning, because the only logical explanation is that he has a sneaky scheme in mind, that I have yet to discover. Afterall, his top 5 most memorable troubles occurred during naptime.

Maybe he is my child afterall. Shawn went in to wake Carter up this morning, and he said, “Close the door. I am not done sleeping!” It was probably a late night sneaking into the girls’ room to do mischief that I have yet to discover.

We have allowed Carter to pee on the trees outside in our backyard, but when he very proudly left a #2 pile in our backyard, I had to draw the line. That boy…

Took the kids to see Ramona and Beezus yesterday. I am convinced spunky Ramona gave me a glimpse of how our “spirited” Lucy will be as a 9 year old. I felt like I was watching a 9 year old Lucy the entire movie!

I couldn’t help but laugh last night when Carter prayed, “Thank you God for cheeseburgers. Thank you for chocolate chips. White chocolate chips and brown chocolate chips. Thank you God for marshmallows. Thank you for little marshmallows, and really big ones. (He then repeated his thankfulness for chocolate chips and marshmallows). Amen.”

Carter strikes his sisters again. The boy has a fascination with their shoes. He snuck into their bedroom while they were already asleep, and took all their shoes out of their closet. Even better, he piled every shoe ON TOP of the girls. They were sleeping, under piles of shoes. This boy is insane! Wish I had a picture. : (

A drizzle of Hershey’s syrup, and a cherry, on top of plain yogurt= my kids think I am the coolest, and they don’t even know it is mostly healthy.

The girls get excited about the smallest things. I told them they could finish off the grapes. There were probably 20 in the bowl. They squealed, and Caroline said, “This is soooo exciting.” Lucy was in total agreement. Makes me wonder if I deprive my kids, that they get so excited about a few extra grapes!

As we passed Starbucks this morning, Carter pointed it out, “look Mommy, there is the Coffee Maker! Want some Mommy?” What he was really hoping for is a warm vanilla milk.

Carter just told me that “next week” he is going to start pooping on the potty. If he is old enough to articulate that, and to hide in the closet each and every time he does his business, he is old enough to be out of diapers!

Lucy was picking out her outfit, and she showed me some shoes she was considering. I said, “Yes Lucy, those are perfect with your dress.” She replied, “Mommmmm, you CAN’T say perfect. Only God is perfect!”

We have a little work to do with Lucy before she starts school next year. Caroline came home from the bus with a red mark on her forehead, from a bully that hit her. As I was asking her about it, Lucy said, “I know what I would have done.” “What Lucy?”, I asked. “I would have hit him right back!” At least she is honest!

Some little neighborhood friends were at our house playing, and Caroline mentioned that she got a toy from a yard sale. The friend threw it down, and replied, “That means it is dirty, and gross, and covered in germs!” My thoughts were, “you might want to leave now, as half of our house came from yard sale finds!”

For the first time in 10 years, I did not get a flu shot. I am being punished! Carter very politely asked me, “Mommy, I pee pee. Change my diaper please.” Sorry little guy, it is going to have to wait until Daddy gets home. It isn’t bulging yet, your pajamas are still dry (yes, he is still in his pjs at 6:30pm) and I am not moving from the couch unless the house is on fire. Hoping that this illness is gone tomorrow!

My naptime conversation with Carter. He said, “I don’t like to take a nap”. I replied, “Oh, but you feel so good after you sleep.” His reply, “I don’t LIKE to take a nap. I like COFFEE!” Someone has been taking notes!

Just found Carter in the craft room rubbing white stuff all over his face. “Face is dry, lotion. Feels better now,” he said. Oops, the “lotion” was actually Elmer’s glue!

Enjoyed hearing the conversation among the kids. Lucy said, “I really NEED an American Girl doll.” Caroline, (hands on her hips, getting sassy with Lucy), “Lucy, you don’t need an American Girl Doll, you NEED Jesus.” Of course Carter had to chime in, “I NEED a Puppy!”

Caroline heard that Shawn’s cousin (who she adores) was in town and available to babysit this week. She said, word for word “Oh Mommy, can we please have Mallory over? I can pay her with my money. I have THOUSANDS in my piggy bank!”

For those that need another laugh, Carter strikes again…Last night we found him chewing gum in bed. Shawn and I were puzzled about where he got the gum. It finally made sense a few minutes ago, when I found him digging in the bathroom trash, saying “Where gum go?” One of the girls threw their gum away in their bathroom trash, and he later found it. Moms of boys, how do they survive???

Carter and I were going to feed the ducks, but the ducks were gone. As we drove to the park, we saw a dozen vultures feasting on the side of the road. Carter excitedly exclaimed, “There they are Mommy, let’s feed the ducks!” Sorry Carter, we don’t have the right kind of food for them!

I overheard a conversation among the kids recently. Caroline, who has been begging for a puppy for several months now, said, “Lucy, we just need to ask Nana for a puppy. She will get us one!” Lucy chimed in, “Yeah, Nana gives us anything we want. If we ask for dessert, she gives us dessert. If we ask for more dessert, she gives us more dessert.” Caroline thinking, “Yeahhhh, let’s ask Nana for a puppy”…

Why, oh why did I agree to a puppy? He has a current fascination with swimming in toilets, then running all over the house. I had just finished cleaning the floors, when he did it again, this time in a toilet that a certain little boy had forgotten to flush. : (

Lucy just told me, “I’m pretty much tired of Mother’s Day. I’m tired of having to do everything for you.” Geee, thanks Lulu!

The dog ate Lucy’s homework. Really.

While waiting at swim practice, Carter asked why I didn’t bring him a snack. I told him I didn’t think about it, to which he replied, “but Mommy, I LOVE you!” I guess the way to his heart is through his stomach, even as young as he is.

Carter, caught while riding his bike without shoes or a helmet, remorsefully apologized with a hug. “I’m so sorry daddy. I STILL love you!

Caroline just told me, “Mommy, when Willy gives us kisses, he licks us. He doesn’t understand our kisses, and I want him to know that I love him, so I just licked him back.” For some odd reason, she adores this dog.

Just in case she didn’t hear him the first time, Carter asked a sales associate “are you pregnant?”…twice. She was not.

Last night, when Shawn and I returned home from our trip to Cabo, we told the kids we had some small presents for them. Carter was bouncing around, ”

Presents, presents!!” Lucy said, “I’m more excited about having you home than I am about opening presents.” Every now and then, our little Spitfire Lucy has a moment of genuine sweetness. I missed the sound of the crashing waves last night, but is great to be home!

While I was driving, Carter says, “Mommy, when I grow up I want to be a policeman with a hooker.” Thinking I misunderstood him, I ask him to repeat himself. He reiterates that he wants to be a policeman with a hooker! At the stoplight, I turn around to see him playing with a metal lanyard/hook…his “hooker”.

While shopping, Carter found a toy he really wanted. When I did not give in to his unending pestering, he came up with a serious threat. “FINE

THEN! I am not going to talk to you until you get me the toy!” I enjoyed a quiet remainder of the shopping trip!

Carter’s life clearly revolves around food. At preschool, he smashed his finger. He cried, inconsolable, for a few minutes. His teacher asked, “Will an M&M help it feel better?” He replied no, and continued to cry. She asked, “Will two M&Ms make it feel better?” He shut it off, said yes, and smiled. Then, at bedtime, he said, “Mommy, your earrings are BEAUTIFUL.” He continued to stare at the pearls while I tucked him in, until he asked, “Are they little gumballs?” Apparently the boy is always looking for something to eat!”

Caroline saw a ziploc bag full of ibuprofen that Shawn was taking to work for his injured back, and she became very concerned with his stash of “drugs”. Worriedly, she said, “Oh Daddy, I hope you don’t end up like Michael Jackson!

Carter, don’t you need to go potty before you go to bed?” His response: “Nope, I peed in the bath!” At least he is honest!

At the park this evening, Caroline excitedly brought me her newest treasure, “Look, Mommy, a pretty shell!” She was quite disappointed when I informed her that it was actually a hardened glob of bird poop!

Driving down the road, Carter said, “Mommy, I like this car”. I responded, “Really Carter? What do you like about it?” He replied, “The driver.” Ahhhhh, melt my heart!

 

Now, if you know me well, you know that pictures are very important to me. I can’t catch you up without sharing a few pictures from the past 18 months!

Lucy’s first day of kindergarten, riding the bus with her neighborhood friends. Ohhhhh, how I miss the school bus that magically appeared each morning and afternoon.

Christmas 2012. Lucy was missing her four front teeth. Loved it! Somebody has Mommy’s sweet tooth!

In fall of 2011, Shawn and I took a trip to visit family and friends back in California. Little did we know, that trip spurred our decision to move back a few months later. Introducing Willy, our spunky Springer Spaniel. Carter shows us some pretty crazy dance moves. This was the highlight of July for the kids. We climbed on a neighbor’s roof to watch fireworks. Carter is still talking about it! Our 10 year anniversary trip to Cabo. Ahhhhh how I miss falling asleep and waking up to the sound of those waves… Another picture from Cabo. We stayed at Zoetry, a boutique style all-inclusive resort. It was AMAZING. I highly recommend it! With our move back to California, the girls had to start a new school twice. They were such little troopers, and adjusted very well. We are so happy with the school they are now in! As an added bonus, uniforms have simplified our mornings immensely! One of my favorite recent pictures of our three kids. Caroline had her Nutcracker debut as an angel. Christmas 2012 We took our first family trip to Tahoe this winter. Shawn and I had not been skiing in nearly 15 years. We put the kids in ski school, and by the end of the trip we were all having a great time in the snow! There were no broken bones, so I say the trip was a fantastic success!

Here is Carter, learning how to ski. When they reference food, “make a pizza slice with your feet”, the boy is certain to listen!

This is the look on a little boy’s face when you tell him you are moving into a house with a pool and a hot tub. Do you think he was a little excited? We love having our family come out to visit us! My sister and I take every opportunity to bring our mom out to visit! Carter got dressed up for the Easter Bunny. Ahhhh yes, he has found his boy parts.

That is about as much “catching up” I have time for in a single post. I am excited to be back into the world of blogging, and will try to post again soon as time allows.

We had a wonderful opportunity earlier this month to go on a family vacation. Four generations of my family, staying in one big house, in Hilton Head. After living in Northern California for 3 years, our kids were familiar with the beach. BUT, they had not experienced the warmth of the Atlantic in the summer. For months, they were eagerly and anxiously anticipating “hot beach”. With the exception of the traveling, I am not sure who had more fun, the kids or the adults!

Warning: I am getting ready to overload you with dozens of pictures of several of the most important people in my life. You likely will not find them nearly as amusing as I do, but I will make it up to you with a good new recipe soon. : )

My beautiful mom and stepdad.

My sweet niece took a lick of the leaf, and I happened to press the shutter at exactly the right moment, to show exactly how yummy that leaf was not.

The boy LOVED the waves. The bigger the better. He was FEARLESS! You can’t tell from the picture, but he was wearing a life jacket because Mommy is not so fearless. As one friend noticed, even at the beach my girls had their Bitty Bows no-slip hair clips in place. They do protest, but it bugs me when their hair is covering their face while they are playing. As many of you know, I have been known to have dessert for breakfast with sad regularity. I now know that it is not my fault, but it is genetic. The proof is in this picture of my mom and grandmother eating key lime pie with their morning coffee!

Lucy will hate me one day for saving and posting this picture. I just had to, as it was a good picture of me one of the only pictures that shows I was actually on vacation too. (I am always the one behind the camera, and have to purposefully request my picture taken so that there is some documentation that I was actually there!)

This is my amazing little sister, also known as “Fun Aunt Kathy”. My older sister and I joked that we were going to post this as a profile picture for her on Match.com . I loved watching their faces and imagination as they went on an alligator hunt. Poolside lunches made my day. No clean-up, and we just threw them in to wash them off! This was seriously the part I had been most looking forward to. Due to a series of bad luck, my kids had never seen fireworks prior to this year. As you can tell, they were mesmerized by the display. My sisters and me. Two of my very best friends. I got a little lucky with my camera set up on a stool and my remote control. Most surprisingly, none of the kids are picking their noses or pulling another’s hair. Many of you probably already heard about the sunscreen incident. If not, you need to scroll back one post, for a good laugh. Face washing from Bambi, and Carter didn’t mind a bit. I hope deer mouths are clean! This picture was requested by my sister, to place in my (almost 5-year old) niece’s bedroom as a reminder of what could happen to her teeth if she continues to suck her fingers at night. It gives me a chuckle every time I see it. Just in case he didn’t already have sand everywhere, his is going to try to rub a little more in his head.

My niece Ella was teaching my girls about gymnastics. They were practicing tirelessly, between the pool and beach. Caroline has these long legs that make her super-tall for her tender age of six. Unfortunately, she is about as coordinated as a giraffe. I am proud to say she is practicing really hard, and making awesome improvements in her cartwheel.

Well, that is all for now. I hope you enjoyed a little glimpse into our

I never knew I could enjoy being a mom to a boy so much. After two girls in frilly dresses and a healthy obsession with hair bows, when I was told I was having a boy I was a little concerned. Surely it couldn’t be as much fun as girls, I thought. I came from a family of sisters, and I knew nothing of raising a boy. Well, Carter entered our lives 3 years ago today, and he has been out to prove me wrong.Wow, being a mom to a boy is AWESOME!

After months of contractions, I had to be induced 3 weeks early. 3 week early delivery=small baby, right? Well, Carter surprised us all when he popped out at a full 8 pounds. The first words out of the OB’s mouth were, “Boy, you weren’t supposed to be this big!” Carter was playing tricks on Mommy from the very beginning. We quickly learned that “his plumbing” worked, when he peed all over me after they laid him on my belly. I heard that in some countries, that is considered a blessing. I would agree. We have been greatly blessed!

Wow, was he ever cute! He was the fattest of my babies, and continued to maintain that status. Look at this head full of hair! Here are a *few* of my favorite pictures over the past 3 years.

I just loved all of his many chins!

He pretty much slept through his first 8 months of life. As a baby, he was so mellow and easy going! I think it was the calm before the storm. : )

Devastated that I didn’t appreciate his artwork.

He climbed out of his crib and explored the Desitin. Have you ever tried to wash that stuff off? It is nearly impossible!

I didn’t feed him a snack quick enough, so he took matters into his own hands.

All boy. LOVES dirt. He goes out of his way to find mud puddles. We were at the park recently, and he wasn’t playing, but looking around. I asked him what he was doing, and he replied, “Mommy, I JUST looking for some water…or some mud!”

Look at him now. 3 years old, as full of spunk as ever. Last night he was begging me to help him find his Superman cape. I was in the middle of fixing dinner, and didn’t want to stop what I was doing. He insisted, and insisted. He clung to my legs, begging “Mommy, help me find my Superman Cape!” Excited that he is finally finding some interest in boy dress-up instead of princess dress-up, I finally dropped what I was doing and helped him look. When we found it, you would have thought I just gave him a puppy, based on his excitement! I asked him if he wanted to go outside, and I am so glad I brought my camera along. Here are his superhero poses. : )

This was his attempt at flying. I asked him what a superhero does, and he said, “Fight and fly.” He tried really hard, made multiple attempts, then concluded, “I can’t fly Mommy.” : (

Happy birthday our little Charmer! I can’t believe how much you have grown in 3 years. We are looking forward to celebrating our own Mr. Incredible.