Happy New Year!

The new year came and went as fast as Christmas did!  My mom and Allan came up to stay 3 days with us and celebrate the new year.  We ate too much good food, played lots of games, and did a little crafting!

Amongst the conversation was the topic of life in 5 years.  That really astonished me.  My life in 5 years will be so completely different!!  With my 4 oldest being 17, 15, 14, and 11 and Landon 8 and Audrey, the youngest, will be 6.5 years old.  Having practically 4 teenage girls and not having littles will definitely be a different stage of life.  Not to mention, Scott will be DONE with school and working a normal job!  Having your 1st child is life changing of course, and then I think the 1st entering the school world is revolutionary.  We passed those events long ago and life certainly hasn't been sedimentary or dull, quite the other way, but we have still been in the same "phase" of parenthood.  What is so astonishing to me is that not in 5 years we will be begin the next phase, it's that in 5 years we will be smack in the middle of it.  That means the beginning is just around the corner!!!!  Accchhhhh!!!!!!  Where's the life brakes!  I'm not so sure I ready to have 4 teenage girls, but on the other hand, I'm ready to have Audrey at least a little older.  I know I'll miss these days like crazy.  I wish I could have each of my children back to this age for a day :)  But.....  really, Audrey is a one-of-a kind child that tries me daily!   Example #1: Audrey sneeks the peanut butter jar

Audrey use a spoon! (inside joke for Kristey)  

Just in case you didn't notice, the peanut butter is smeared on up to her shoulders!

Example #2:  Audrey with a peanut butter sandwich
Audrey opened her peanut butter sandwich and rubbed it all over her.  Really, I was in the kitchen, just right there, but she still managed.  We needed to be out the door for music lessons and I have this sticky messy child.

Example #3:  Audrey sneaks the butter off the counter behind her high chair at lunch and rubs it all over her.  Yes, I was right there, I sit next to her at the table, but I just got up to get something in the kitchen and she NEVER misses a chance to make a mess!

Example #4:  Audrey repaints my wall and herself.  Scott and I were on a date.  I got a call from Alyse saying Audrey got in the paint.  Sigh.  Luckily we were close to home and the girls had Audrey in the tub and a wet towel on the paint on the carpet and I took it from there.  I was so excited to get home and take off all the tape and admire the wall, but... sigh.  I did get get the paint off the carpet before I took the picture.  Note how she got the tan on the white and the white on the tan, EVERY time!!  The girls had Audrey pretty cleaned in the tub; see how white the water is!.  She had it in her hair, all over her arms and legs, and clothes and under clothes on her belly!  And Lexi, who had captured and undressed Audrey, had it on her clothes.  Sigh.  (*seriously, who would leave paint supplies unattended! :)

Example 1-4 all took place within 5 days by the way!  This is life in one week with Audrey!   Not shown is the million and one times I got her off the table and the kitchen counter, her throwing her plate and cup and fork at the dinner table, nearly every meal, the screams, etc.  Sigh!
Yes, peanut butter, butter, and paint may be much easier than teenage problems and I'm sure there will be the day when I miss these days.  Yes, peanut butter and paint problems are better than driving and dating daughters!  But I'll wait one year before I apply the brakes!