Even though I technically went back to work on Thursday (but then had to take Friday off), today it finally feels like life is getting back to normal. School started again today! Hooray! Back to a normal schedule! I just had two weeks of intense, um, quality time with my children and I think we’re all just a little sick of each other. The eight hours of separation each day will do us all good, I think.

The weather was pretty yucky on Saturday and Sunday, so things were pretty quiet. We did, however, go to a birthday party on Saturday. It was for my sweet birthday buddy, Ann Frances, and her cousin (whose birthday was on Saturday). I took some photos of them beforehand. Such sweet babies and pretty mamas!

The party was at Mardi Gras World, which made for some fun photo ops, but the ceiling inside was black, which meant my flash got completely absorbed by it, and it was impossible to take decent photos inside. Sad.

The kids decorated masks:

There was this awesome mural of the city made of Mardi Gras beads.

Me and my birthday buddy:

So that was fun. The boys were being pretty crabby, and Oliver was in desperate need of some one-on-one time, so after the party I took him to the grocery store. I can’t explain how wonderful it is to spend time with them alone. I really wish I could do it more.

A few other shots from the weekend:

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So I feel kind of weird, not having to take a picture every day to post. So I need to figure out new things to post about. Like, maybe some goals I might have for the new year? (Not resolutions. Those are just one-way tickets to disappointment.)  I need to get into the habit of posting the little funny things the boys do here, not on Facebook, where I feel like they vanish into the ether (though of course, as we’re frequently reminded, everything online is permanent. Whatever.)

For instance, the boys are now into Transformers in a big way. Linus calls his favorite “Awesomest Prime”. I don’t have the heart to correct him.

And I want to take pictures because I want to, not because I feel compelled to. You can tell there were some days when I was truly desperate. (I’m still going to continue with the monthly photos of the boys, though, which reminds me, tomorrow is the fourth. Mustn’t forget!)

I kind of, on a whim, set a goal of running 500 miles this year. Well, that’s running/walking because I don’t know how to just count the miles I run, since I do both, you know? So I’m not counting if I only walk, but if I run most of it, I’ll count it. I do most of my running on a treadmill – does anyone know of a good app (for the iPhone) that will help me keep track of my progress? I use MapMyRun now, but that’s more for outside running than treadmill running.

I also could use the blog to hold myself more accountable with eating. I used to blog a lot about weight loss, and I think it helped a lot. Could get somewhat boring, though. Anyway, I’m still attempting to eat low-carb, since that works for me. I hit my lowest weight in July, and since then have gained back about nine of the 40 pounds I lost. So I need to get that off and more. At least by May, when I have my twentieth high school reunion.

Gaah! Am I getting old? I’ll be 38 next week. It’s all relative. Let’s say no. I’ll always be younger than my siblings, at least. Ha!

Okay, well, this post was kind of all over the place. Any suggestions for blog topics are always welcome.

(Cannot post with out a photo. Just can’t do it.)

I wrote a post over on the New Orleans Moms Blog today, about raising multiples in NOLA.

The boys are outgrowing their toddler beds, so we’re moving on to bigger and better things. Our friend Chris is building their bunk beds (3 up!) and they should be ready soon. In the meantime, he and George lined the walls with plywood to strengthen them, since the beds will be built in.

I will be painting that wood, and the rest of the bunk beds, a dark glossy gray.

So for now, the boys will be sleeping in the playroom, which is their old nursery. It all comes full circle.