February blues

Dear Diary,

I've neglected you. I don't seem to ever have time for you anymore. Its Facebook. Its addicting. And I can easily remember how to sign on whereas I keep forgetting my username on blogger. I'm not blaming you, well, actually I am.

I just keep clicking my heels, saying to myself, "there's no place like summer, there's no place like summer..." But actually we could compromise and just have Spring.

I took the kids outside today and while it took 15 minutes to go to the bathroom, get snowpants, snowboots, hats, mittens and coats on, it took only five minutes of Brooke getting a facewash to end her day. Then Matthew kept wandering in the house looking for constuction toys to bring outside. And I kept yelling at him because I didn't want snow and dirty snow all over the house. But the boys did have a blast outside, although I thought they'd go go bed without a fight. But they didn't.

Speaking of that, bedtime is a nightmare. I've never had a problem with the kids going to bed. Sure, there are a couple of days in a row that they mess around and don't fall asleep. But then they go back to going to bed and falling asleep soon after.

For the past three to four weeks, Matthew and John have resisted bedtime. I could put them to bed later, but I think they really need the rest. O.K. I really need the rest from them. But at 7 p.m. or 7:30 p.m. without naps, its time for bed. Matthew and John want to sleep in the bottom bunk bed. For a few nights I've allowed them to sleep together, but they disturb each others sleep.
Tonight I took away Johns blankets after he threw them and he got a few spankings because he'd be running around the room, upstairs, bugging matthew, turning lights on and off and just being loud. Matthew is a follower, so he just get riled up then. I finally scared Matthew enough that he'd stay in bed and luckily Scott came home to yell at John, or he probably would have been tied to a chair.