Friday, December 14, 2012

Advent Calendar

Hey Catholic moms!  If you are looking for a fabulous little Advent Calendar, I highly recommend Tony Wolf's Advent Calendar.  Instead of little treats for each day, your "treat" is a mini board book with a Bible story, prayer, or Christmas song.  Our boys are loving picking their book each day.  And, when you are finished with it, the mini board books are also ornaments to hang on your tree each day.  We are having so much fun with it, and I love knowing that I can just put it away at the end of the season and use it again next year.  Fabulous!

Friday, November 30, 2012

The joy in a cardboard box

Since I have been doing most of my Christmas shopping via the internet, we have been receiving our fair share of cardboard boxes.  So, we've been having a little fun with them (when I'm not recycling them as gift boxes!!).

Check out our cardboard box car (a Pinterest inspired idea).  Super easy, and the boys love it - cut cardboard box, also cut out cardboard headlights, paint, add paper plate tires (attach wheels and lights using hot glue gun) and paper plate steering wheel (I added a cardboard horn to ours, and attached to box via a flat bottom screw with a nut so that they can actually turn it) Our cardboard box car has been driven all over our house in the past two days, and it's still holding up!  It was, however, turned into a padiddle late this afternoon..  Looks like it's time to get my hot glue gun out again before we get a ticket!








Monday, November 19, 2012

Happy feet

Get these cute little slippers for your little tikes.  Our 2-year-old refuses to take them off of his feet!

They are well-constructed, and include actual rubber sole patches on the bottom to keep the kiddos from slipping.


God told me so

Ever since day 1, Isaac has insisted he is having a sister.  He even refers to the baby as "she" regularly.  I have been telling him that Bugaboo could be a boy!  I don't want to the poor kid to suffer from gender disappointment!

Tonight, I asked him why he thought Bug was a girl so much.  His response was, "God told me so."

Thursday, November 15, 2012

Homeschool

Tomorrow morning, Isaac, Owen, and I get the opportunity to spend some time in the morning with three different home-schooling families.  After much research, thought, and prayer, I really feel like God is tugging my heart in the direction of home school for our kiddos, and that I would be foolish to ignore it completely. 

My biggest worry is that I won't have enough patience to do it.  I love my two little guys more than words can express, but on more occasions than one, their behavior/attitudes have often left me wanting to just be by myself for rest of the day! Most of the moms I know with kids in school get *so much* done throughout the day, because it's less kids to worry about at home.  I'll miss out on that..... I'm not even worried about them "not being around other kids."  That is the FIRST thing people say to me when I mention that I have thought of home school.  My children are already well acquainted with other kids by the nature of my job.  But, outside of that, I plan on giving them plenty of opportunities outside of our home to interact with, and learn to work with, other children, in both individual and team/group settings.  I know that is important!

My biggest reason for feeling tugged in this direction?  I was blessed with my children.  I know that.  No matter how much I may feel like losing my mind one day, my love for them is just unending.  I can be so upset with them at the end of a day, and then be picking up and see a random little set-up they did of their toys....and then I'll remember how excited they were to tell me the "story" of that setup.  These are the moments you can't get back.  Every day, every memory made with them, is a moment that I am shaping their lives in subtle, yet dramatic ways.  I am their *best* teacher.  Look at how far they've come already.  I can only imagine how much more I can teach them, what WE will learn together, and how much more enriched their lives will be to have the freedom to learn on their own terms, at their own pace, and with hands on experiences available to them constantly.  If they get tired of a subject, they don't need to space out until "class" is over...we can take a break.  Our school system has changed dramatically, and I don't want one of my kids to just be swept along by the good fortune of having smart group-mates.  I have teacher friends who worry about some of their students (but can't do much about it, because, after all, the group earned that grade!), and I have had other teacher friends (of the older variety), who have highly encouraged me to home school.  They have seen the dramatic shift, first-hand.

So....with Isaac already eligible for 3 year old preschool, now is the time to get started.  If I decide to send him to school next year, I want to know that sending him to the 4 year old preschool was the right decision because home school just wasn't going to be the perfect fit.  Something I can't shake though, and something that sticks out to me whenever I'm praying about this decision.....there is just something about HOME that doesn't leave my heart.  I guess home really is where the heart is!

Auntie x 4

Congrats to my brother, Brian, and his wife, on the wonderful birth of their little guy, Braden.  What a sweetie!  I love being an Auntie!  I can't wait to give this kid a whole bunch of candy right before nap time. ;-)


Saturday, November 10, 2012

One Fine Day

 We took advantage of the small amount of free time we had today to let the boys run some bases.  The weather today was unseasonably warm, and an extra day outside is just what they needed to help us through the winter.  I love days like these with my boys - all three of them!

Friday, November 2, 2012

New Addition

We took the plunge and bought a van.  I shed a tear over the loss of my Honda Accord {sad, I know, but to me, it really was a sign of letting go of my youth and a car that was nothing but GOOD to me!}, but we had a good run, and were together for over 150,000 miles {I almost got to celebrate the 200,000 miles, milestone with it!}  My husband has been man-i-fying the mom vehicle by referring to it as the Big Gray Beast.  I know I'm going to love the van when I get used to it, but it's just the idea of getting there.


Why the van?  Not only was it time, but my car {in a short time} wasn't going to fit all of us!


Wednesday, October 31, 2012

October 2012

Thank you to anonymous for commenting!  You actually inspired me to post today, and I shall try to keep up with it as much as possible again.

Happy Halloween from us to you!  Can't believe our boys are already 4 and 2.  They truly are the light of our lives - but they are BUSY!  O speaks so well, trying to keep with his brother!  I'll try to catch you up in pictures.

Here are the boys before trick-or-treating tonight.  It was impossible to get them both to look at the camera.  Check out I's awesome sheet ghost.  His request - but it was impossible to get right because he was so squirmy!  O got to choose between the "old" costumes that his brother wore for previous Halloween's.  Since the ghost was kind of a bust, he'll probably actually get his own choice next year!

I did take 22, 23 month pictures of O, but unfortunately have not uploaded them to my computer yet.  So, here is O at 2:

And Mr. I at 4:

And that, is a quick update!  Thanks for the encouragement!

Friday, June 1, 2012

Gardening

I am so anxious to grow my own garden for our family.  Kids can learn so much from growing their own food!  Like, how to shuck peas!  I picked a bag up at the farmers market today and put the boys to work.  I haven't had garden fresh peas in what feels like a million years, but all of us ate them up!


Thursday, May 31, 2012

21 Months

Today, it hit me, that our family's littlest member is going to be 2 soon!  On May 30th, Owen turned 21 months old.

He loves talking about and enjoying tractors, farms, fields, wheels, ice cream, cows, pigs, his brother {in Chinese - ge ge}, grandma and grandpa, parks, swings, babies, hugs, kisses, cats, Sophie, blocks, Thomas the train, trains in general, Bob the Builder, scoops {which can be the skidloader or backhoe loaders or tractors with scoops}, blocks, and just about a million other things.  Despite his short temper, he is just so fun to watch right now!  He and Isaac actually have conversations, and Isaac will cater to Owen.  Other times, they're just yelling at each other, while Owen, in his only defense, will usually sit on, or push up against Isaac and try to bite him.  We're still trying to nip that one....

I can't believe how quickly both of my babies have grown up.  Watching them grow every single day is such a blessing and a reminder of how miraculous and beautiful life really is....even if I want to give them away sometimes. :-)  I love both of them more than they'll ever know.  Thanks for adding some more spice to our lives O's! :) We love you!

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

20 Months

A couple of weeks ago, Owen turned 20 months.  I'm really trying to enjoy him at this age, because our children really do grow up so incredibly quickly!

This age can be so fun, but also incredibly trying on my patience.  It seems to be the beginning of tantrums!  He is constructing simple sentences, "Let me out; set me down; I love you," and is completely into attempting to copy everything we say.  But I know many of his tantrums are still out of frustration - being unable to verbalize what exactly it is that he needs or wants at any given moment.   At times, he is so frustrated, that he'll resort to biting, rather than throwing a tantrum.  I'm not sure which is worse at this point....the crying on the floor, or Isaac crying because, "OWEN IS TRYING TO BITE ME!" 

It always amazes me to see how much he copies his big brother.  When Isaac was this age, it was rare that we would find him playing by himself.  Owen, on the other hand, will sit and play with his tractors "in the field" (read: carpet), he'll push a truck around, and he'll patiently hook up the trains from their Thomas the Tank Engine sets.  He's incredibly into books now, and adores his stuffed animals.  The stuffed animals are something Isaac was never really into, but Owen loves them.  Especially his cat and his pig!  We actually thought briefly about adding a cat to the family because Owen loves them soooo much.  He is from the Chinese Zodiac year of the Tiger, so maybe he feels like they are kindred spirits to him. ;)

He's growing up so fast, and many times, I find myself wishing that I could just push "pause" on my life, and his.  His chubby cheeks, his "chub chub" when he gets out of the tub, his laugh, his smile, his "mommy,.....ye-ove you,"  his requests for a kiss and a laugh, watching him laugh at the silliness of his brother, his big hugs (he'll run up and say, "HUG"), or his manners, "sank you."  Oh, and most recently, I discovered that he knows The Lord's Prayer.  He'll fill in the blanks when we stop.  I'm  amazed at how quickly the littlest among us grow and learn.  He brings so much joy and love to our household, we're so happy he's ours.  Love you O's!

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

19 months

On March 30, our little love bug turned 19 months old!   He is just becoming such a little man, and he sure is stubborn with little patience.  He likes to get mad and hit, or throw himself on the ground.  He is Isaac's little shadow, and the two of them are so incredibly sweet together.  He picks up on new words every day.  We are able to understand him most of the time, which certainly helps ease his frustrations.  He has nearly all of his teeth.  His canines have finally poked through, so he's back to sleeping pretty solidly at night, which is good news for us!  Lately, he is completely obsessed with reading books.  His current favorite is "Freight Train" by Donald Crews {He will say the title and the author.  super cute!}.  He's just so much fun and I'm already so proud of the little man he is becoming.  Love you, O's!


Music is life

Don't believe me?  Check this out. :)  I'll be catching up on missed blog posts soon!

Monday, March 26, 2012

Typical

This is my view of Owen most days.  Poor guy.  Between growing some new teeth and just feeling like he never gets any attention {which, he DOES!}, I just feel so bad......bad enough to take a picture.

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Thursday Deals - 3/22/2012

1.  Try Lysol Dual Action Wipes for FREE after Rebate here.

2.  Add 10 FREE Gifts to Grow points to your account with code FB1DSPKKGA4PD12.  Expires 3/23.

3.  If you need new pots and pans, Amazon has a great deal on a Cuisinart stainless steel cookware set.  $400 value for only $118.88 and FREE Shipping!

4.  FREE sample of Shout Color Catcher here.

5. FREE sample of RevitaLens Multipurpose Lens Cleaning solution here.

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

It's Show Week!

I'm playing for the musical, "Annie, Get Your Gun" and it is finally show week.  After a few months of being gone nearly every night at home, I'm exhausted, but really looking forward to seeing this all come together.  It is really going to be great.  I've been singing the songs so much around here, that even Owen knows them!

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

What did the buffalo say

I probably think this is funnier than most.  I laugh every time I read it.

Thursday, March 8, 2012

Thursday Deals - 3/8/2012

Phew, it has been an incredibly busy week!  Actually, this month will be pretty busy.  I'm accompanying for a musical again, show time is in a couple of weeks, and then life should be normal again. :)

1.  Today only, get a FREE Redbox 1 day rental movie with code THANKS2U

2.  FREE sample of Poise for the Ladies, here.

3. FREE Beneful Baked Delights dog treat sample, here.

4. Try the new Tide Pods for your laundry by signing up for a FREE sample, here.

5. Try Splenda FREE.  Sign up for your samples, here.

6. Get a FREE Lorax Activity Book, here.  Just click quantity 1, and add to cart.  Follow directions from there. :)

7.  EXPIRES TODAY {3/8}, enter code TWITM7TWRFGTH12 for 5 Pampers Gifts to Grow Points!

Thursday, March 1, 2012

Thursday Deals - 3/1/2012

1. Moms, you can save $5 off of Enfamil formula with this coupon.  Bonus, take that coupon to your local Wal-Mart, where they sell 8 oz. cans of Enfamil for lass than $5.  Use the coupon, and you'll get the overage applied to the rest of your cart.  Coupon expires 3/24/12.

2. Valid MARCH 3RD only, get a FREE quart of Clark and Kensington Paint at Ace Hardware.  Coupon here.

3.  FREE Police Week wrist band.  Show your support for our National Law Enforcement.  Get yours here.

4. $10 off $50 purchase at Aeropostale. Coupon here.  Expires 3/11.

5.  MARCH 3 only, Auntie Anne's is giving everyone who stops at their counter a FREE Original or Cinnamon Sugar pretzel from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.  Read about it here.

6. iPhone compatible syncing and charging cable on Amazon for $0.95 with FREE Shipping!

7. FREE sample of Rachel Ray Nutrish Just 6 Dog Food here.

8.  Have you seen those 5 hour energy commercials?  Now, get your FREE sample of 5 Hour Energy, here.

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

18 months

And still cute as a button! :)  Our little snuggle bug is growing up so quickly.  He spends most of his days being a complete chatterbox.  I'm amazed at how many words he knows!  I can't even give you a list because he really knows so many.  Recently, he has started constructing two-word phrases.  Before long, he's going to be having full conversations with his big brother.  Although, I might prefer the full-fledged conversation to what seems like never-ending arguing.  They are constantly picking on each other.  But then, in the blink of an eye, they are hugging, and laughing, and it just melts my heart!

Owen also has a little temper.  Easily frustrated, you'll often see him throwing things, stomping his feet, or just laying on the ground crying.  These little tantrums last only seconds, but he sure does them often.  I know he's frustrated trying to communicate, but a small part of me thinks these little tantrums are cute. :)

Still a mama's boy, he is starting to enjoy the luxury of daddy {in part because I'm never home lately}, and he is completely enamored with Grandpa.  If you even say his name, Owen goes nuts.

Happy 18 months to our growing little man.  We are so proud of all that you have done so far.  We are looking forward to all that's still in store.  Thank you for coming into our lives!  We love you.






Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Order {again}

Well, it's no secret that Isaac likes order {lining things up, organizing by color, shape, and whatever else he comes up with}.  This is his most recent addition to the collection or all things orderly.

Saturday, February 25, 2012

Milk Jug Butterflies Mobile

Isaac and I did this craft together a little while ago.  Since we completed it, these butterflies "fly" from the light in the boys' room.  They love them, and they're actually very pretty when the light hits them.  Super easy craft for the little ones!

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Thursday Deals 2/23/12

They're baaaaack. {Hi, Julie!}

1. Get 10 FREE Pampers Gift to Grow Points with codes FBPRE9BD99DAY12 {expires 2/26} and FBFAMDBD99KAY12, for a total of 20 points!

2.  Get one FREE Benjamin Moore paint 2 oz. color sample with this coupon.

3. Ladies, get a FREE sample of Poise Hourglass here or a FREE sample of Carefree Liners here.

4. FREE samples White's Dog Food here.  If you are a Petco Pals Member, you can get a FREE 130z can of Purina ProPlan food and $5 off Purina Pro Plan Dry Food.  Coupons here.

5. Get a FREE sample of Purex Triple Action Laundry detergent here.  Watch the video first, click "sign up" and then fill out the forms.

6. This Saturday, Feb. 25 from 9-11 a.m., is Dr. Seuss Story time at Target Stores!  You get a free goody bag too.  Pack  up your kids and head on out.

7. Get a FREE copy of the U.S. Constitution, the Bill of Rights, the Declaration of Independence, and the Gettysburg Address here.

8.  Get a FREE sample of life choice bars here.  Choose from Meal, Energy, Wellness or Protein.

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Baby Models

A few weeks ago, I received some catalogs in the mail from a photo shoot that we had the boys do in early December 2010.  They look so great.  Isaac even made the front cover. :)  Woot!


Monday, February 20, 2012

Entertaining a 17 month old

Let them pour!  It's great for building some fine motor skills too.  I just gave Owen two cups, a bowl of water, and put it all over a beat up pan so that he wouldn't make a giant mess.  He did this for over 30 minutes.  I have also put Cheerios in an empty ice cream bucket, gave him a measuring cup and an empty bucket, and he scoops the cheerios from one bucket to the other.  He'll easily do that for 30+ minutes too.  Bonus, Isaac likes to do that too, so it keeps BOTH of my boys busy! :)

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Organized Snacking

I often get tired of trying to appease the taste buds of both of my boys for their afternoon snack.  I did a muffin tin snack tray with Isaac awhile ago that worked pretty well, but this one works the best for BOTH of them.  I take some cupcake liners (and re-use them a lot when I only have dry items in them), place them in an empty round cake pan, and fill them with various snack items.  They are both happy with the variety and it actually keeps them occupied for awhile.  It's cute to hear the two of them sharing their food too.  :)

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Cara and Jason

Last weekend, we celebrated the marriage of one of my cousins.  It is just so heartwarming to see your family members so sublimely happy.  What a beautiful wedding.  What a beautiful couple.  Congrats to both of you!  Many of our uncles joined in singing a tribute song.  Pretty good, I think!


Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Valentine

Happy Valentine's Day!  Isaac and I worked on a project over the weekend for my choir and piano kids.  These were a big hit and are SUPER cute. 



PS.  I'm going to get back to blogging now. :)  You can thank Pinterest for the slow month!

Sunday, February 5, 2012

Alopecia Areata

Just as I suspected.  Confirmed Tuesday, January 31, 2012.  I have Alopecia Areata. We discovered a week ago that my one curious spot had become THREE curious spots (one of them about the size of a quarter) in less than two weeks. In my case, it is most likely aggravated by stress.  I've been pretty significantly stressed out since August 28, 2010.  If you know me, you know why that day is infamous.  If you know me and don't know but want to know, then shoot me an e-mail.

Either way, it's good to have an answer.  They injected cortisone under my scalp to kill off the white blood cells that are attacking my hair follicles.  I've got some new sprouts poking through, so now I'm just working on managing the stress....as if losing your hair doesn't add to it!

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

17 months

Our baby is growing up....fast!  He had a rough month with another tooth poking through, and a fractured clavicle.  That didn't slow him down any, though.  He's talking up a storm!  He has two complete phrases down, "Mommy's here" {I Love that one} and, "I pooped" {Most of the time, he's telling the truth!}.  His vocabulary is now more words than I can count.  Such a little smartipants.  Owen is so fond of his older brother. He seems lost when he's not around {or even when he's awake and Isaac is napping!}.  It's amazing how much they love each other when I see how much they argue and fight!  Boys will be boys I suppose. :)


We just love him soooo much!

Friday, January 27, 2012

St. Francis of Assisi

I don't remember who sent me this picture but I still think it is hilarious. :)

Friday, January 20, 2012

Snow day

We are having the best snow day.  Besides the usual fun, we painted (I saved Owen from a taste of his fingerpaint while Isaac made a beautiful water color portrait), made a puffer fish craft using construction paper and an egg carton, and now we are on to our afternoon activity: reindeer cookies.  Apparently we're also pretending it is Christmas time once more.  Hope those of you around here enjoyed your snow day as well!

Thursday, January 19, 2012

To the mother with only one child

Have you seen this article?  It's fantastic!  I've copy-pasted and bolded my favorite line in the whole article below, just in case the link doesn't work or someday gets broken.

***************************

To the Mother With Only One Child

Thursday, January 19, 2012 7:00 AM 

Dear Mother of Only One Child,

Don’t say it.  Before the words can even pass your lips, let me beg you:  don’t say, “Wow, you have nine kids?  I thought it was hard with just my one!”

My dear, it is hard.  You’re not being a wuss or a whiner when you feel like your life is hard.  I know, because I remember having “only one child.”  You may not even believe how many times I stop and reflect on how much easier my life is, now that I have nine children.

All right, so there is a lot more laundry.  Keeping up with each child’s needs, and making sure they all get enough attention, is a constant worry.  And a stomach bug is pretty much the end of the world, when nine digestive tracts are afflicted.

But I remember having only one child, and it was hard—so very hard.  Some of the difficulties were just practical:  I didn’t know what I was doing, had to learn everything.  People pushed me around because I was young and inexperienced.  But even worse were the emotional struggles of learning to be a mother.

When I had only one child, I truly suffered during those long, long, long days in our little apartment, no one but the two of us, baby and me, dealing with each other all day long.  I invented errands and dawdled and took the long way home, but still had hours and hours to fill before I would hear my husband’s key in the door.

I cared so much what other people thought about her—they had to notice how beautiful she was, they had to be impressed at my natural mothering skills.  I obsessed over childhood development charts, tense with fear that my mothering was lacking—that I hadn’t stimulated her enough,  or maybe had just passed on the wrong kind of genes.  I cringe when I remember how I pushed her—a little baby!—to achieve milestones she wasn’t ready for.

I lived in terror for her physical safety (I once brought her to Urgent Care, where the doctor somewhat irritably diagnosed a case of moderate sniffles) fearing every imaginable disease and injury.  In my sleep-deprived state, I would have sudden insane hallucinations that her head had fallen off, her knees had suddenly broken themselves in the night, and so on.

My husband didn’t know how to help me.  I didn’t know how to ask for help.  My husband had become a father, and I adored him for it.  My husband got to leave the house every day, and sleep every night.  He got to go to the bathroom alone.  I hated him for it.

When I had only one child, I told myself over and over that motherhood was fulfilling and sanctifying and was filling my heart to the brim with peace and satisfaction.  And so I felt horribly guilty for being so bored, so resentful, so exhausted.  This is a joyful time, dammit!  I should enjoy being suddenly transformed into the Doyenne of Anything that Smells Bad.

I loved my baby, I loved pushing her on the swing, watching squirrels at the park together, introducing her to apple sauce, and watching her lips move in joyful dreams of milk.  But it was hard, hard, hard.  All this work:  is this who I am now?  I remember!

So now?  Yes, the practical parts are a thousand times easier:  I’m a virtuoso.  I worry, but then I move along.  Nobody pushes me around, and I have helpers galore.  Someone fetches clean diapers and gets rid of the dirty ones.  When the baby wakes up in the middle of the night for the ten thousandth time, I sigh and roll my eyes, maybe even cry a little bit for sheer tiredness—but I know it will pass, it will pass. 

It’s becoming easier, and it will be easier still.  They are passing me by.

I’m broken in.  There’s no collision of worlds.  We’re so darn busy that it’s a sheer delight to take some time to wash some small child’s small limbs in a quiet bath, or to read The Story of Ferdinand one more time.  Taking care of them is easy.  It’s tiring, it’s frustrating, but when I stop and take a breath, I see that it’s almost like a charade of work.  All these things, the dishes, the diapers, the spills—they must be taken care of, but they don’t matter. They aren’t who I am.

To become a mother, I had to learn how to care about someone more than I did about myself, and that was terrible.  But who I am now is something more terrible:  the protector who can’t always protect; the one with arms that are designed to hold, always having to let go.

Dear mother of only one child, don’t blame yourself for thinking that your life is hard.  You’re suffering now because you’re turning into a new woman, a woman who is never allowed to be alone.  For what?  Only so that you can become strong enough to be a woman who will be left.

When I had only one child, she was so heavy.  Now I can see that children are as light as air.  They float past you, nudging against you like balloons as they ascend.

Dear mother, don’t worry about enjoying your life.  Your life is hard; your life will be hard.  That doesn’t mean you’re doing something wrong—it means you’re doing it right.

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Ouch.

Well, it has been quite the week.

Confirmed this morning.  Owen has a fractured clavicle (broken collarbone). 

We're not sure when or how it happened.  The only recent big thing happened a week ago.  The boys and I were headed into the basement, they were fighting over something (as usual), and Isaac shoved Owen down the stairs.  He did not exhibit any signs of pain until Thursday night before bed.  We examined him for swelling, bruises, etc.  but found nothing except a little discomfort when we applied pressure.  We babied him all weekend, checked and re-checked him multiple times and he seemed ok.  Then yesterday, one of my piano students picked him up under the arms (I forgot to forewarn her because I was in the middle of a lesson) and he screamed for a looong time.  Last night, it was red, swelled up, and this morning, a nice bruise with some swelling.  So, we went off to the Dr.  They ordered up x-rays  and it was confirmed: fractured clavicle.  Right now, Owen's right arm is basically useless.  He won't lift it much, and only uses it very minimally.  He is already on the mend.  The fracture actually already has scar tissue all around it (you can see it in the x-ray).  So, he should be as good as new in about 4-5 weeks.


16 months and his first broken bone......we're off to a great start!


Monday, January 16, 2012

Balding help

Well, folks.  I'm balding. I'm also posting this against Blake's better judgement. But, I have a small bald spot on my head and I don't know what to do about it.  Maybe some of you have some insight. It's oval-shaped.  Alopecia Areata?  Getting too old? Kids driving me crazy? Thoughts? 

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Do you know

The story of Ben Breedlove?  These are videos he posted a week before his untimely death on Christmas night, 2011.  Such a wonderful story.  They are worth watching every.single.minute.  His final thoughts are so powerful.  May he sleep peacefully.



Sunday, January 8, 2012

No-uh

Yep, Isaac officially just said, "No-uh."  That really grates at my nerves.  He's such a sass.  I swear the day he turned three he developed the worst attitude.  He also stopped listening, and forgot about all of his manners.  Ok, it's not every day, but when it's bad, it's reeaaaallllly bad! :)  Tough love is hard.

Thursday, January 5, 2012

11 step program for those thinking of having kids

Saw this posted on Facebook and had to share.

Lesson 1

1. Go to the grocery store.
2. Arrange to have your salary paid directly to their head office.
3. Go home.
4. Pick up the paper.
5. Read it for the last time.

Lesson 2

Before you finally go ahead and have children, find a couple who already are parents and berate them about their...
1. Methods of discipline.
2. Lack of patience.
3. Appallingly low tolerance levels.
4. Allowing their children to run wild.
5. Suggest ways in which they might improve their child's breastfeeding, sleep habits, toilet training, table manners, and overall behavior.
Enjoy it because it will be the last time in your life you will have all the answers.

Lesson 3

A really good way to discover how the nights might feel...
1. Get home from work and immediately begin walking around the living room from 5PM to 10PM carrying a wet bag weighing approximately 8-12 pounds, with a radio turned to static (or some other obnoxious sound) playing loudly. (Eat cold food with one hand for dinner)
2. At 10PM, put the bag gently down, set the alarm for midnight, and go to sleep.
3. Get up at 12 and walk around the living room again, with the bag, until 1AM.
4. Set the alarm for 3AM.
5. As you can't get back to sleep, get up at 2AM and make a drink and watch an infomercial.
6. Go to bed at 2:45AM.
7. Get up at 3AM when the alarm goes off.
8. Sing songs quietly in the dark until 4AM.
9. Get up. Make breakfast. Get ready for work and go to work (work hard and be productive)

Repeat steps 1-9 each night. Keep this up for 3-5 years. Look cheerful and together.

Lesson 4

Can you stand the mess children make? T o find out...
1. Smear peanut butter onto the sofa and jam onto the curtains.
2. Hide a piece of raw chicken behind the stereo and leave it there all summer.
3. Stick your fingers in the flower bed.
4. Then rub them on the clean walls.
5. Take your favorite book, photo album, etc. Wreck it.
6. Spill milk on your new pillows. Cover the stains with crayons. How does that look?

Lesson 5

Dressing small children is not as easy as it seems.
1. Buy an octopus and a small bag made out of loose mesh.
2. Attempt to put the octopus into the bag so that none of the arms hang out.

Time allowed for this - all morning.

Lesson 6

Forget the BMW and buy a mini-van. And don't think that you can leave it out in the driveway spotless and shining. Family cars don't look like that.
1. Buy a chocolate ice cream cone and put it in the glove compartment.
Leave it there.
2. Get a dime. Stick it in the CD player.
3. Take a family size package of chocolate cookies. Mash them into the back seat. Sprinkle cheerios all over the floor, then smash them with your foot.
4. Run a garden rake along both sides of the car.

Lesson 7

Go to the local grocery store. Take with you the closest thing you can find to a pre-school child. (A full-grown goat is an excellent choice). If you intend to have more than one child, then definitely take more than one goat. Buy your week's groceries without letting the goats out of your sight. Pay for everything the goat eats or destroys. Until you can easily accomplish this, do not even contemplate having children.

Lesson 8

1. Hollow out a melon.
2. Make a small hole in the side.
3. Suspend it from the ceiling and swing it from side to side.
4. Now get a bowl of soggy Cheerios and attempt to spoon them into the swaying melon by pretending to be an airplane.
5. Continue until half the Cheerios are gone.
6. Tip half into your lap. The other half, just throw up in the air.

You are now ready to feed a nine- month-old baby.

Lesson 9

Learn the names of every character from Sesame Street , Barney, Disney, the Teletubbies, and Pokemon. Watch nothing else on TV but PBS, the Disney channel or Noggin for at least five years. (I know, you're thinking What's 'Noggin'?) Exactly the point.

Lesson 10

Make a recording of Fran Drescher saying 'mommy' repeatedly. (Important: no more than a four second delay between each 'mommy'; occasional crescendo to the level of a supersonic jet is required). Play this tape in your car everywhere you go for the next four years. You are now ready to take a long trip with a toddler.

Lesson 11

Start talking to an adult of your choice. Have someone else continually tug on your skirt hem, shirt- sleeve, or elbow while playing the 'mommy' tape made from Lesson 10 above. You are now ready to have a conversation with an adult while there is a child in the room.

This is all very tongue in cheek; anyone who is parent will say 'it's all worth it!' Share it with your friends, both those who do and don't have kids. I guarantee they'll get a chuckle out of it. Remember, a sense of humor is one of the most important things you'll need when you become a parent!

Sunday, January 1, 2012

Happy New Year

Wishing you a wonderful 2012.


We had a wonderful holiday season filled with family and friends.  What a great way to celebrate Jesus' birthday.  It even ended with Blake and I both battling colds!  Hope yours was just as special, minus sneezing, runny noses, coughing, and sore throat!