A bribery, a Sunday miracle, and popcorn tossin'

Anyone seen this show called LIFE, it's been on the Discovery channel, on Sunday nights?? It's like another version of Planet Earth.

Well, we are all about (okay maybe me not so much, cause animals get killed, which makes me all nervous and sad) but I like all the education, and it's beautifully done. The kids, especially Pierce, really love it. So, after it aired last Sunday, Paul made a bribe with Pierce, "if you are good all week, we will let you stay up late Sunday night and watch it"

Wouldn't you know I used that bribe all week. It was my friend. "You'd better straighten up, or you don't get to stay up late Sunday night" Kind of like a Santa in the middle of Spring, "be good, or you get nothing" tee hee....

So, this has bribe thing has worked to our advantage all week long, then on Sunday we said "hey, we're staying up late tonight, better take a nap"




Yep, this was our Sunday miracle. Little man does not nap anymore. Amazing what an animal show will do to this boy.

"Pierce you've been good all week, you get to stay up late buddy"

His moment arrived....

I think he thought it was worth all that extra being good stuff ;)

Then the popcorn tossin' started.....daddy started us off....


Little man was pretty good...

Hope was really good, but then again she would just toss back her head, and place it in her mouth.




Oh yeah, call the fashion police, and the psych ward, I look like a loony, and I also was no good at popcorn tossin', hmpf.

A fun night for the Bush family. Life lasts for 6 weeks, so, we will be a bribin' our way through the next few weeks, yeah cause, we're not above that ;)

Yes, I compare my kids...

Have you ever noticed that many times parents say "Oh, I never compare my kids"???

Well I do.

Hear me out......I compare where each of their strengths are, and who develops which strength when. I do not compare in the fact, that either one is better than the other. They each will excel in their own areas at different rates. So, with that said, my little girl has taken to writing much sooner than her brother did, not because she is smarter or better, it's just an area she's takin' a shinin' to....


So, before the age of 3, Hope can write her name :)

Rather Be Shopping, right?!?!?

So, what were some of the posts I promised you????

1) I had BIG plans to tell you all about our Easter shopping adventures. BIG plans to go with my mom and my nephews, and well, what is the name of my blog??? "RATHER BE SHOPPING" So shopping is near and dear to me, anything that revolves around shopping, makes my heart beat a little faster, makes me sweat in places that I normally don't.....

The plan was to head out on Tuesday morning....Monday night, I hear those screams that a mom knows all too well. "MOMMY I'M SICK" Hope started to throw up early Tuesday morning, so our plans to go shopping were all but a dream. Both the kids knew that we were going to have fun on Tuesday with their favorite cousins, so breaking this to them would be hard....After some thought and discussion with my mom, I decided to let Pierce go and, and the most important thing??? I told my mom "You pick out the Easter clothes for the kids, I trust you" I do trust my mom, but this is like handing over my right to breathe. I would have no say in the Easter outfits....

I had a HEARTBROKEN little girl on my hands as they all drove away to shop and have fun. "Mommy I want to go, why can't I go" I kind of felt like crying the same thing, but I had to be the adult and keep this ship a float.....



So, what's a mommy to do???



First, let her baby girl sleep in her bed. For some reason it makes a child happy to sleep in mommy and daddy's bed. So POOF, I let it be. Then when I saw her looking out and the window, and crying for her brother, I said "what do you want to do, your wish is my command"

So, she was Cinderella...

And I was a mean stepsister....


Then we attempted a puzzle. I am HORRIBLE at puzzles, but good thing is she is 2 and I could fool her into thinking it was done.

Eventually I worked up some smiles.

Mom, returned with clothes (adorable, and will save the reveal for the Easter pics) and my boy. All was well in the world, or so we thought.....The throwing up had stopped, but the fevers got worse and then a rash. Weird stuff. So, I called the doc and we went in......"Hope has step throat and Scarlet fever"....."WHAT, SCARLET FEVER??" I immediately had thoughts of Little House on the Prairie and covered wagons!! I mean who gets Scarlet Fever these days?? Doc says, "if she was my daughter I'd give her a penicillin shot now, we need to treat this aggressively. This is painful, she'll never forget it or forgive me" Well, what does any good mom do?? She gets on the horn and calls daddy-o to come save the day. Cause this mommy hates to see her babies get shots, or have to hold them down. I get an F in that department. Daddy came, and after lots and lots of tears, the trauma was over...So, now we wait. Will is spread like "wildfire" as predicted or will this be the end??



My babes right before the big-bad shot....

So, hopefully, and prayerfully, we will all stay sane and healthy.....Life with children may never go as planned, but they are worth every detour in the plans. Yes, even the detours in shopping plans.

Forgive me bloggers....

I know, I know. I have been a BAD, BAD blogger.

In my defense, we've been having some computer issues, and then on top of that, well I just have been at a loss. Dry your tears, and pick yourself up by the britches, I shall be back.

And just to tide you over, here's a preview of what's to come....

**Going shopping for Easter clothes for the kids

**Taking the kids to the dentist

**Hope writing her name

I KNOW, it's so EXCITING that you won't be able to sleep tonight. Try and contain your excitement and pray that these stories find you soon, because they will rock your world ;)

I went on a date with a farmer.

I am a blog stalker. Unashamedly so. I find people that I don't know and I become a loyal follower. I try and learn their stories, and then when I become brave enough I will de-lurke myself and admit that I have been in the shadows reading their every word.

So, after following Jaime Mac for a while "The Farming McAfee's" I finally outed myself. I've been reading her blog for a long time, and she cracks.me.up. I think it's always a little nerve wracking to admit your a follower, you never know if the other person will be receptive to you. Well, Jaime welcomed me with open arms, and the next thing I know we are going on a date.

So, on Saturday, Jami Leigh Lee, myself, and Jamie Mac met up at Puerto for some lunch and of course good covo. It's strange to meet someone you don't know at all, yet you know so much about. Jaime was easy breezy to talk to, and quite a doll!! What a fun gal!!! Jaime thank you for being so open to meet some of your loyal stalkers, and giving us a fun blog to read.

I always knew that having kids would pay off one day.

All the hard work of being pregnant, sleepless nights, time interrupted, and just general giving up of self, is starting to pay off....



Look who I've got doing the laundry.
Yep, our stuff doesn't match, I know, kind of ghetto.

In all seriousness, Pierce is very eager to help me these days and I love it. I'm not sure when the shift happens and it becomes a fight, but for now I am enjoying having a helper ;)

So look who finally asked me some questions..

I was thinking my BFF was just gonna ignore this whole "watcha wanna know" thang, but alas she pulled a couple out.

1) If you had to choose between mascara or lipstick, which would it be?

Really Tracey?? Why don't you ask me to choose between my children. You have no idea how long I have stewed about this. Tossing between them, back and forth, thinking I had my decision only to second guess myself. So, with serious thought, I say I would choose MASCARA. I'm sure I would be allowed chap stick, right?? Maybe slightly tinted chap stick?? The world would never be the same without lipstick, but alas my mascara can never leave me.

2) If you were to have another kid, would you want a boy or a girl?

I'd have to say a girl. Maybe because I have a sister, and I know how wonderful that is, or maybe because a girl is just so much fun to dress. I've always heard that "girls are easier when they are young, and boys are easier when they are older" So, maybe having two teenage girls would be a mom's worst nightmare?!?! I don't know....but I'll think about adding a third, when you add yours, does that sound like a deal???