How do you solve a problem like Maria?

Ok so change the words of the song to How do you solve a problem like CLAIRE!!??!!!???!!! I have to say that Claire is cute, funny, busy and everything that a new toddler is supposed to be - BUT....no one could have prepared me for this little monster - because that is what she truely is - a monster!!
Let me tell you a little bit about Claire...sure she's cute and snuggly and adorable -WHEN SHE IS SLEEPING!!!!! This little terror bites, hits, climbs, pulls hair, screams, spits, scratches, pinches, and destroys anything and anyone in her path!
She will be playing with you one minute - you know the adorable backing up the rump to sit in your lap to have a story read to her? Well that doesn't last long because then the next minute she's half way up your back digging her knees into your side and using your hair as rope to get to the top and when she does, it's SMACK SMACK SMACK on the head because you aren't moving and giving her a ride!! What happened to the peacefull story time we were just having??
And please don't get me started on why every second of every day I am moving chairs around and turning them upside down or lifting them off the ground so that the beast can't climb to the top of the table and pretend that she is King Kong or push the chairs over to the sink and let the water run constantly making a splattering mess or push a chair over to the fridge where the water dispenser is and pushing the buttons on the dishwashers or pushing over the trash -no no no, don't get me started there!!!
Today, I decided to just follow her around it was exhausting and funny and frustrating and funny and annoying and funny...! You get the idea!
How do I tame the wild thing? She is quite the adventure every day! I need to start wearing a helmet and cover my body in padding because she is beating me up!!! I have the bite marks and scratches to prove it!!
I love her, but MAN she is a handfull!!

me with Claire after a LONG and EXHAUSTING day!!

(excuse the no make-up and no shower look!!)

Hair Cut

Whenever I would hear about someone's child cutting their own hair or the hair of a sibling or pet, I would always think "Well, just don't put scissors in places where your kids can reach them! DUH!" I mean how hard can it be to keep those things out of their reach? I would mock them so, well, the tables have turned! Mock away!

At the end of the school year, each kid was sent home with their belongings from preschool in their back packs. Evelyn got into her bag and found her preschool scissors. The rest is history and so are her bangs!!!

BEFORE -

bangs are beautiful and growing out into the length of her hair!!

AFTER -

no bangs, but also notice she only cut half of one side and up the center!

Crafty Project

This is past due, but that seems to be a theme with my blog!! I LIKE to craft, but I don't think of these things on my own to do. Thankfully, I have friends to do that for me! They come up with the idea, plan the night and get the stuff and I go, have a good time making something and then I get to come home with something new and cute that I made all by my lonesome (well, with a little help!).

Here's a recent project we did with $1.00 frames at Michaels and scrapbook paper. I think they turned out pretty cute!! I hung them in my entry way so they are the first things you see when you walk in. I liked the project so much I made some bigger ones for the girls rooms. They turned out WAY cute! I just need the ribbon to hang them up.

Cruise to the Bahamas!