Mullen: Family of Five

Why is this Fun?

2012-01-15T19:05:00.000-06:00

I can't explain it. I won't even try. But I LOVE getting a nice big box dropped on my door step. Not only do I get the surprise inside, but my kids are entertained for hours. Bonus.

Rapunzel

2012-01-13T01:01:00.002-06:00

We've been seeing lots of Rapunzel in our neck of the woods lately.

Funny though, whenever she shows up, we can't find Jenna.

Nobody Leaves this Place without Singin' the Blues

2011-12-31T00:01:00.000-06:00

WARNING: This post will be humorous only to parents.

Today we are on day three of attempt number two to potty train Jenna. I know you don't want the gritty details, but you can catch my sentiment by the blues riff I composed while the kids were in the tub tonight. My blog (and pride) won't allow me to perform my piece, but go ahead and take your own artistic license with lots of soul and 'duh nu na nu na's. Hey, we've all been there.

Potty Trainin' Blues

My baby's potty training, and though she's over two

This game has got me loopy,
I don't know what to do.

We've been sitting by the potty with book and games and songs,
Waiting, watching, waiting
For my girl to get it on.

I got the (baby, baby) Potty Trainin' Blues (baby, baby)
My baby loves her diapers,
But this crutch she's got to lose.

Her dad and me are cleanin' her pants and legs and floor
The dirty towels are mounting,
Too bad they'll soon be more.
I've been trailing behind my tot watching every shift and fidgit,
But I turned my back; The flood came down
And Rex just now fell in it.

I got the (baby, baby) Potty Trainin' Blues (baby, baby)
My baby loves her diapers,
But this crutch she's got to lose.

P.S. If you caught my reference to Adventures in Babysitting in my post title, you can quench your hankering for the original Babysitting Blues here. Man, I loved that movie.

Dream Birthday Party

2011-12-13T17:42:00.000-06:00

Marielle and I found a fun website from Scholastic that combines silly ideas into unusual story starters. She dictates, I type, and then laugh together at the funny story we created. I really quite liked today's result. Our prompt was, "Write a birthday party invitation for an awkward game show host who has to save the world." Here's what Marielle came up with:

Want to come? Given the early hour, we don't mind bed head, but don't come unless you're brave enough to face "Steals Printers Man!"

As you can see from this gem, I'm delegating all future party planning to Marielle.

Rock Around the Clock

2011-11-14T23:47:00.001-06:00

You know how some parents like to pose their kids in the same place every year to show how they've grown? Well, I've got a great idea. I think I'll call it "the hands of time."

Each year I'll bring Marielle to Chuck-e-Cheese to pose on the clock ride and we can watch as her face gets more bored, annoyed, and generally "over it" as she gradually inches her way towards adulthood. Engagement pictures? The wedding announcement could read, "It's almost TIME to get married!"

But before I get too ahead of myself, let's just pause time to look at these two cuties: one past, one present, and both growing up way too fast.

Terrible Twos?

2011-11-09T18:27:00.002-06:00

So far there has been nothing terrible about Jenna as a two year-old. As her dad, I love hearing her garbled commentary on our life.

Skeeball anyone?

For instance, the other night I was tucking Jenna in when she tapped my wedding ring, "What dis?"

"Mom gave me that ring."

"Oh," Jenna concluded. "Top top."

She seemed genuinely confused when I told her my ring came from a store. I'm sure she was thinking, "Does Mom ever bring home anything not from the swap shop?"

Cany?

Another morning, Jenna ran into the kitchen for breakfast. She watched MK place Jenna's highly prized Tinker Bell spoon on the counter and exclaimed, "My soon is kean? Das amazing!"

Arggg! I'm even cute as a pirate!

And for those of you who take Jenna at her word, let me assure you, we do buy things from stores outside the Swap Shop and we wash Jenna's spoon regularly. (But let's not linger too long on exact definitions of regularly...)

Cake Walk

2011-11-04T07:00:00.000-05:00

I love the internet. I love that every birthday cake I have ever made came directly from someone else's brain to me via google images. And yet, I still feel the need to share. To publish to the world that I have fulfilled my motherly duty of pulling off the themed birthday cake. And to be honest, I've had a pretty good time doing it. So please tweet, pin, stumble, like, plus one, or whatever else you can do to prolong their glory past what appreciation my kids gave them (licking off the frosting and then asking for more ice cream).

Marielle's 5 yrs -- "Mouse Party"

Marielle 3rd "Under the Sea"

Marielle age two

Jenna's 2yr party -- "Pupcakes"

Marielle 4yr -- Fairy Party