(Tap, tap, tap) Is this thing on?

I've been meaning to sit down and compose some sort of cohesive blog post for a few days, and every time I sit down at the computer my fingers type "etsy" instead.

Argh. That place will be the end of me and my budget. But whenever I decide to get Emerson a personalized Elmo pillowcase dress for her Elmo-themed fourth birthday party (her birthday is right around the corner! In June!) I'll know exactly where to go.

So here's a smorgasbord of goings-on that you will wish you had never read about five minutes from now:

The kids and I went up to the DFW area last weekend for my sister-in-law's baby shower. I drove, by myself, with all four kids in the van for four hours. Wore that after-market DVD player out, I did. Then I left three of the four kids in the care of their capable Pappy while my mom, Emerson and I went to the shower Saturday morning. Everyone survived the experience, Emerson "helped" by opening her fair share of gifts, and Adrienne scored some serious baby loot at the shower.

I plugged my camera in to the computer to transfer the two pictures I took the entire weekend, to find this gem of a picture that has been hiding on my camera for the last month or so. I have no words. It appears that my daughter is climbing OUT OF the chimnea in my backyard.

Aces.

I missed the day in Mom School where they talked about not letting your kids play in ashes.

I also found this picture of Aidan, which I took before he headed off to preschool a couple of weeks ago.

Spiked hair? Check. Ugly high top tennis shoes? Check. With rolled up sweatpants? Check. ("Because my legs get hot with my new shoes, Mommy.") I don't even want to talk about Aidan's clothes. If you know Aidan, you would know that this battle is just not worth it. Even when rolled up sweatpants are involved.

I discovered the "stats" button on my blog, and I'm only slightly obsessed with checking it. Someone googled "bedazzler ripoff" in the last month and ended up here instead. Awesome. Also, someone has accessed my blog from the Isle of Man in the last week. Welcome, Isle of Man resident, to Outnumbered. It appears you have stumbled on this little corner of the internet on accident, and I extend to you my deepest apologies, especially if you read about that day my kids ate a bulk package of M&Ms for breakfast before church. I hope you find what you're really looking for. If your clicking was not accidental, then speak up! I'm morbidly curious to know who actually reads this other than my parents. Especially if you happen to be British. Or Mannish. Is that what "Isle of Man" residents are referred to as? Please advise.

Emerson got ear tubes the first week of January, and I can't remember if I mentioned it on here or not. We haven't had her hearing retested since then, but I have noticed that her speech is much clearer in the last few weeks. I don't know if this is because she is hearing better with the tubes in her ears, or if it's just a result of normal language development. She continues to be her usual spunky self, and has developed quite a love of Toy Story movies and carrying around objects in a recycled Bath & Body Works shopping bag. I don't know why we even buy toys, when she's perfectly happy to play with household items she has put in her shopping bag.

Dane got his report card today, and his lowest grade in any subject for the last 9 weeks was a 98. In a couple of years he'll be doing our taxes.

Deepest apologies to all of my Mannish readers for the previous paragraphs. That's 5 minutes you will never. get. back.