Dancing Through Life

St. Francis of Assisi

2012-01-27T13:21:00.000-06:00

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

Snow day

2012-01-20T15:32:00.001-06:00

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!

To the mother with only one child

2012-01-19T23:23:00.000-06:00

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

by Simcha Fisher 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.

Ouch.

2012-01-17T23:08:00.000-06:00

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!

Balding help

2012-01-16T21:49:00.001-06:00

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?

Do you know

2012-01-10T22:52:00.000-06:00

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.

No-uh

2012-01-08T20:50:00.002-06:00

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.

11 step program for those thinking of having kids

2012-01-05T23:33:00.000-06:00

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!

Happy New Year

2012-01-01T21:47:00.001-06:00

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!

16 months

2011-12-30T21:44:00.000-06:00

16 months already. Happy day to our little love bug.

He is SUCH a mama's boy right now. Some days I love it, some days it proves to be a bit overwhelming! Owen is turning into quite the chatterbox, always jabbering on and really becoming quite clear in his speech {mommy, car, ge-ge (Chinese for older brother), daddy, treat, tree, cookie, cracker, gung (part of Taiwanese for grandpa), ah-ma (Taiwanese for grandma), pea, moo, baa, moon and more that I probably can't think off!}, loves reading, stepping up and down on things, playing with his trains/cars, eating {he is a total grazer, eating all day long. Already out-eats his brother}. His thing lately is that he runs and runs, but often trips and falls. Most of the time, he does NOT put his hands out to break his fall, so we've had quite a number of fat, bloody lips and noses!

Holiday Ham

2011-12-26T11:25:00.000-06:00

You HAVE to try this ham. Super moist, delicious, and ridiculously easy! I cut the recipe in half, and made an 8lb ham for our Christmas dinner with family. Even the my brother-in-law, who generally doesn't say much, commented on how good it was! :)

15 lbs whole bone-in ham (I prefer Cooks SuperTrim brand)
1 lb brown sugar
1/2 cup yellow mustard
aluminum foil

In a medium size mixing bowl, mix yellow mustard and brown sugar until you have a thick"paste.:
Take all wrappers off of ham and trim away excess fat.
Line baking pan with Aluminum foil. Place an EXTRA lining underneath the foil that you will place the ham on, because the paste/juices WILL leak out. Clean up is a breeze! :)
Place ham on foil and spread brown sugar/mustard paste on top.
Fold and seal foil.
Do not open again until ham is done.
Bake at 350° for 4 hours.
Let set for about 1 hr then carve.
One of the best tasting hams you will ever have!

Blessed Christmas

2011-12-25T21:24:00.000-06:00

Hope you all had a safe, peaceful {if you don't have kids running around!}, and enjoyable holiday surrounded by those you love. I wouldn't have it any other way.

Thanks to Pinterest for the Christmas card idea! :)

Another milestone

2011-12-19T22:18:00.001-06:00

With every little milestone, it's so obvious that Owen is growing up, and not my little baby anymore! Today was his first hair cut! He's had trims before, but this was his first official cut. He did so well. Sat in the chair, and just absorbed it, until his hair stylist went to answer the phone. How DARE we make him wait! :) I'm sure going to miss his full head of little curls in the back, though. Boo hoo......at least HE was happy about the cut.....

Thursday Deals 12/15/11

2011-12-15T23:09:00.000-06:00

1. Get a USB Sync and Charging cable (for iPhone users only) for only $0.65 SHIPPED on Amazon right now. List price is $12.60, so go QUICK!

2. Ladies, get a FREE sample of Poise Hourglass Shape here.

3. Use this coupon for $1.00 off Duck Brand tape, then head to Wal-mart where they sell Duck brand packing tape for around $1.00. You could get a FREE roll of packing tape!

4. Tomorrow, Dec. 16, is FREE SHIPPING DAY. Go here to see a list of participating merchants.

5. FREE Fries at Burger King tomorrow. Details here.

6. FREE sample of Lanacane Anti-Chaffing Gel here.

Window paint

2011-12-08T22:05:00.001-06:00

What a great way to occupy my boys....it bought me enough time to do a quick clean up without them following close behind and un-doing all of it. :) Put some finger paint in a ziploc bag, tape it a window, Voila! Not messy either! :) {Thanks to Pinterest for the idea!}

Concussion

2011-12-06T21:02:00.000-06:00

A week ago, I got my first ever concussion.....From a 15 month old!! I was laying on the floor playing with the boys as usual. Owen sat on my back, and then leaned down to hug me, but banged his head into mine. He was fine. I was concussed. Glad Blake was home when it happened, but since he had to go back to work, I ended up calling my mom over and canceling all of my piano lessons for the afternoon. Crazy!

Homemade Microwave Popcorn

2011-12-03T10:44:00.000-06:00

Seriously, you all have to jump on this band wagon. Save your health AND your pocket book. Blake even says it's pretty good {and he is a true junk food lover!}!

Plain old brown paper lunch bag {I actually asked for them at our local grocery store, and they didn't have any to SELL me, so they just gave me a bunch at the counter! Score!}

1/2 c. popcorn kernels

Place popcorn kernels in brown paper bag. Fold top of bag over twice to seal. Place bag UPRIGHT in microwave. Microwave on high about 3 minutes. Stop the microwave when popping slows to 1-2 pops per second. I melted a tablespoon of butter and poured it over top. Shake it up, add some salt. Voila! Delicious!

15 Months

2011-12-01T22:43:00.001-06:00

Owen turned 15 months old yesterday. 15 months! Before I know it, he'll be 15 YEARS. Much will change by then, I'm sure. He won't want to hug me every second of the day {and he's the best hugger!} and I'm sure he'll have a much larger vocabulary. He loves to jibber jabber now, but is really starting to put together a lot of words! In the past couple of days, he has been using MILK a lot. I think that's his new one. He'll often mock us when we speak, so we're getting closer! I imagine Owen will be bigger than his brother some day, so Isaac takes advantage of that by just pushing and shoving him around right now. Owen is tough though. It rarely phases him! He is up to 9 teeth now {Maybe 10, he does NOT let me put my fingers in his mouth to feel his gums!), one of his canines poked through on Nov. 22ish. Almost half way to a full mouth of baby teeth! I hope Owen never loses his love for making things go. He is so content to push around his tractors, or "drive" his cars. When he's driving on a learner's permit at 15....I'll probably wish he didn't want to go! I wish for him to always remain inquisitive. He likes to figure things out. Puzzles, magnets on the Thomas the Tank Engine Trains, fitting one block inside another, playing with his ball popper/ball and hammer/ball and boat toys. I hope he keeps that up!

One thing I do hope he loses....his fascination with the television. This kid will turn the TV ON...and so, I politely ask for him to turn it OFF, which he does very happily for now. Someday, that won't be the case!

He's our short-tempered, happy-go-lucky, love bug. He's our world {Isaac's too!}. Happy 15 months big-guy.

Thursday Deals - 12/1/11

2011-12-01T22:27:00.000-06:00

1. Use this Kohl's coupon for an extra 20% off your purchase! Expires 12/5.

2. FREE sample of Breathe Right Extra here, plus you get a coupon! :)

3. FREE 2012 Tribute to America Calendar. Get yours here.

4. FREE sample of John Frieda Full Body Shampoo and Conditioner here.

5. FREE Fries at Burger King on Dec. 16. Details here.

6. Grab this coupon for Sears photo studio. Good for a FREE photo shoot and custom wall portrait, plus 20% off the rest of your order. Perfect for holiday photos!

7. FREE printable holiday and gift tags here.

8. Get a FREE CD of Sesame Street Songs and Stories here.

I just want to remember

2011-11-27T23:28:00.000-06:00

Isaac's little voice today.

We were driving home from a Thanksgiving gathering {I had to work with my cousin on some wedding music, so we pawned little Owen off on Grandma and Grandpa when they were left.}, Blake, Isaac, and me.

Out of the blue, Isaac asks, "Where's Owen?"

And here is the ensuing conversation:

Dad: We left him there
Isaac: Why?
Mom: We just forgot him, so we left him there.
**Isaac has a serious concerned look on his face**
Dad: Should we turn around and go get him?
Isaac: Yes. We need to go get him! We can't leave him there!
A few moments of silence
Isaac: Are we going to go get him? We have to go get Owen!
Laughter
Mom: It's ok, Isaac. Owen is with Grandma and Grandpa.

Phew! :) I guess I never have to worry about forgetting Owen anywhere for long as long as Isaac is around!

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T22:25:00.001-06:00

So much to be thankful for today and every day. Happy Thanksgiving to all of you!

Here our my two little blessings with their turkeys from earlier this week:

Turkey crafts

2011-11-22T21:00:00.001-06:00

Hand and feet turkey crafts with a 3 year old and a 14 month old, both boys, should be considered a strenuous work out! They turned out cute, though. More pictures of the little monsters with their respective turkeys to come. :)

Hamburger Thyroid

2011-11-21T21:36:00.000-06:00

Well, my thyroid is still normal, but is measuring about 4.5" long and has a peculiar "hamburger-y"-looking texture. So, the plan for the future is just to "keep an eye on it." Yep, I'm ok with that! Thank you, Jesus!

I like this

2011-11-18T20:05:00.001-06:00

I like this because this is just about sums me up lately! Here's to the power of simple prayers! :)

Thursday Deals 11/17/11

2011-11-17T22:40:00.000-06:00

Sorry for the lack of posts this week. Apart from being busy, I kind of have a lot on my mind...hopefully I'll feel better tomorrow!

1. FREE sample of Barista Prima Coffeehouse K cups here. You will need to enter campaign code: pywjrsmw

2. FREE sample of Kleenex Cool Touch here. It's a Sam's Club sample, so just put in any nine digit number for your membership ID.

3. Starbucks is offering up BOGO holiday drinks Nov. 17 - Nov 20. Stop in between the hours of 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. and take advantage of this! :) Details here.

4. FREE sample of White's Premium dog food here.

5. FREE Martha Stewart Thanksgiving Recipes e-book download here, or you can get Mr. Food's version here.

6. FREE sample of Simply Right baby formula here.

Thursday Deals - 11/10/11

2011-11-10T22:05:00.000-06:00

Tomorrow is 11/11/11. Woot!

1. Are you in need of a Texas-shaped jar opener, FREE? Get yours here.

2. Get a FREE sample of Calvin Klein's Beauty perfume here.

3. More Huggies diapers. Get your FREE sample 2-pack here. If you signed up for this already, you can still get another sample by using a different e-mail address. Who doesn't have more than one these days? :)

4. FREE Roast Beef Sandwich from Arby's on Veteran's day to all Vets and Active Duty Military!

5. FREE entree at Olive Garden to all Vets and Active Duty Military on Veteran's day!

6. FREE "Navigating your Health Benefits for Dummies" book here.

7. Like Lacoste Perfumes? Get another FREE sample here.

8. Sign up to win 1 of 95 sets of Lincoln Logs that K'nex is giving away! Love those things!

9. Get 100 FREE standard size postcards at Staples with this coupon. Expires 11/12.

10. FREE Joyce Meyer Ministries 2012 Calendar here.

Thyroid

2011-11-10T14:09:00.000-06:00

Do you remember my hypothyroid problem when I was pregnant with Owen? I stopped taking any medication at all for it the day I delivered. I still get blood tests every 6 months to keep an eye on it, and by all accounts everything is normal. Yay! My thyroid was not broken, just a little overworked with the pregnancy!

Then, I saw the endocrinologist today for my 1 year check up. My thyroid is enlarged, again {I had also been told it was enlarged when I was 40 weeks pregnant with ISAAC}. It shrunk down when I was pg with Owen, and now it's enlarged again. All this to say, my endocrinologist recommended an ultrasound done on it as soon as possible. He is suspicious of a nodule. If it's large enough, I will need to have a biopsy done to be sure it's not cancerous. The likelihood of it being cancerous is only 5%, so that's thankful news, but SHIT. Really? I'm 29. I have a huge, huge, huge chance that it's nothing at all, just a nodule. But that 5% chance has my own mortality slapping me in the face. That "C" word is everywhere, among all ages. It's a sad reality folks. I'm very hopeful, but can't help wondering about that little "what if?"

TP

2011-11-06T22:50:00.002-06:00

Do you have your toilet paper going over or under? As a general rule, I prefer over. But, I swear I'm the last mom on the planet to figure out that if you put it under, it takes MUCH longer for babies and toddlers to make a mess with it! So, I am temporarily converting to under - I'm tired to re-rolling my TP! :)

Thursday Deals - 11/3/11

2011-11-03T21:41:00.000-06:00

1. FREE 62-page book, "Adventures in Parenting" here. Check it out!

2. Print this coupon, and head on over to your local Aveda for a FREE sample of Aveda's Damage Therapy line. Valid until June 30, 2012.

3. Ink Garden is offering 100 FREE double sided business cards right now with code 100FREE (one-sided cards) or 100FREE2 (double-sided cards). You will have to pay about $4 in shipping, but still a fantastic deal!

4. College students, head on over and check out AMAZON STUDENT today! All the benefits of Amazon Prime {which I LOOOOOOVE}, but FREE for 6 months, and a reduced cost if you want to keep on. If you're not an Amazon regular, it's probably not for you, but you can read more about it here.

5. Add 10 points to your Gifts to Grow account with code CABRANDSVRNOV11.

6. 30% off at Coach Factory Outlet with this coupon. Expires 11/13.

7. FREE copy of the book, "Take Back America" here. You will need to click an e-mail confirmation link.

Try this

2011-11-01T22:19:00.001-06:00

I'm really into drinking hot water lately. I love my chai tea/chai latte on cold fall days, but most of the time I don't have the time to make my own, and I don't want to spend the money on it (and I don't have the time to stop to pay for one!). I find that drinking hot water is equally as comforting, and much better for me. I have taken to having it as a late night treat, or as an after dinner refreshment, or a morning pick-me up. It's so easy to just turn on the tea pot while I'm getting ready and have a mug or two of hot water.

I've been warding off a sore throat for the past couple of days, the hot water goes a long way in making it feel better! Try it!

PS: Happy All Saints Day!

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T22:38:00.001-06:00

Trick-or-Treat from our little guys. We had a blast, even though Isaac was suuuuuuuper slow and petered out after a couple of blocks! Guess that's pretty exhausting for those little legs. They both have plenty of candy to show for it though. :) Isaac even surprised us all by being brave and sitting with some of the skeletons along the way. It took him awhile to take his eyes off of the guy behind him though! :)

PS - Do you recognize Owen's costume? Sure you do! Isaac wore it in 2009 {see here}. Should we play a little game of who wore it better?

14 Months

2011-10-30T12:33:00.000-06:00

A couple of weeks ago, Owen *finally* had his one year appointment! Stats:
22 lb. 10 oz.
37.5" long

He's seriously such a little man!! Lately, he's fussy whenever I'm around because he only wants me. Some days I feel like I have so many things to get done that I actually get semi-annoyed with his clingy-ness. But then, he'll lay his head down on my shoulder and give me the biggest hug and all is forgiven! :)

He loves his brother, and fights back whenever he's getting picked on. He has a serious biting problem that we're working on! I used to think it was just because he was teething {still is!}, he's popped two new bottom teeth in the last 10 days {for a grand total of 8 chompers!}, but I don't think that's it anymore. He will run at Isaac with his mouth open, for the sole purpose of biting him. A few days ago, he drew blood.......ugh! He's still our litter eater. Most days, he puts away more food than Isaac! He must always carry around either a fork or a spoon {He calls both a spoon, but he actually prefers the fork!}. He's really into his books lately {Especially his Thomas the Tank Engine books, Little Blue Truck, or any other alphabet-based, track-based, and any peek-a-boo/flap books}. His new favorite word is "baby." It's kind of ironic that he started saying "baby" all the time, because it was just earlier this month that I was a little sad about how quickly he grew up. He's not a baby anymore! I try to treasure all of these moments because they don't stay this little forever. We love you Owen-bubba!

Vampire.....eek

2011-10-29T13:12:00.002-05:00

If you know me, you know I really don't like vampires! It all started, believe it or not, with the old Buffy the Vampire Slayer movie. I was totally freaked out by her friend floating outside of her window! But, I think Isaac is helping me get over it. He sure is a cute little vampire!

Thursday Deals - 10/27/11

2011-10-27T22:35:00.000-05:00

1. FREE sample of Chinese Tea here.

2. FREE sample of Simply Right Baby Care Infant Formula here.

3. FREE sample of Boss Orange Fragrance here. 3 scents to choose from!

4. We LOVE BioFreeze. Blake sells it (and offers samples of it) and his office. Go here and find out where you can get your FREE sample. It's awesome!

5. Eat at TGIFridays, bring in this coupon, and get one entree free when you purchase an entree at regular price and two drinks. Or, get $5 off your order of $15 or more with this coupon.

Tuna Casserole

2011-10-26T22:40:00.000-05:00

I haven't put up a recipe in awhile. Here's one we tried out a few weeks ago. Blake gave it an A- and he doesn't even like tuna! Our boys devoured it, and our friend, Dawn, gave it the thumbs up as well. I'm posting it with the edits I made, but you can find the original recipe here.

1 (12 oz) pkg egg noodles
1/4 c. chopped onion
2 c. shredded Cheddar cheese
1 c. frozen green peas
2 (6 oz) cans tuna, drained
2 (10.75 oz) cans condensed cream of mushroom soup
1/2 can of milk (use the cans from the soup)
5 oz sliced fresh mushrooms (I sliced up about 8 mushrooms)
1 cup crushed Ritz or Town House crackers
2 T melter butter

Preheat oven to 425 F. Cook pasta in boiling water for 8-10 minutes or until al dente. Drain.

In a large bowl, thoroughly mix noodles, onion, ONE (1) cup of cheese, peas, tuna, soup, milk and mushrooms. Transfer to a 9x13 in ch baking dish. Put remaining 1 c. of cheese on top.

Melt butter in microwave and pour over crushed crackers and mix until coated. Spread over top of casserole. Bake for 15-20 minutes at 425F until cheese is bubbly, and cracker crust is lightly browned. Enjoy!

Music geek part 2

2011-10-22T22:50:00.003-05:00

Other musicians, you will appreciate this. :) I couldn't help myself when I saw this cartoon. I knew immediately that it was blog worthy!

Thursday Deals - 10/20/11

2011-10-20T22:42:00.000-05:00

Owen grew his #7 tooth today!

1. Get a FREE Cheese Quesadilla at Denny's with this coupon.

2. FREE sample of Aveeno Living Color Shampoo and Conditioner here.

3. Try out InkGarden for free, using code ForFree on select products. Shipping and handling not included. Details here.

4. In honor of the International Day of Prayer, you can get 2 FREE "One with them" wristbands. More here.

5. Bring your kids to your local CVS this Sunday, October 23 for their Halloween Party and Costume Event. All kids in costume will receive a FREE $5 gift pack! Details here.

6. 40% off one regular priced item at Hobby Lobby with this coupon. Expires 10/22.

7. Ladies, FREE sample of Carefree liners here.

8. FREE sample of Hugo Boss perfume here.

Music geek

2011-10-18T22:55:00.001-05:00

One of my piano students brought me an entire bag of "The Etude" magazine. The published dates for the magazines in my possession range anywhere from 1903 to 1951. They have a church musician section that I'm pretty fascinated with reading, as well as checking out some of the actual compositions they have printed directly in the magazine, the advertisements, and all of the music schools they have listed. Just amazing! My favorite cover, so far, is the one from 1918, during WWI. We totally need a call back to the arts. Somewhere along the line, we lost the importance of the arts in our lives. I'm totally geeking out over this stuff, but I love it!

"Music will help us win the war. Music in our homes keeps courage in our hearts." -September 1918

Fight club

2011-10-18T11:30:00.000-05:00

Well, not really......but my boys sure know how to make my hair turn gray. I love them, I truly do, but there are days where they do nothing but this, all.day.long. Fun, right?

Someday, I hope they see this video and laugh at themselves!

What is a globe?

2011-10-16T23:25:00.000-05:00

Don't know? Isaac can tell you. And, a good friend of mine tells me that this is all you have to know to pass Kindergarten in the state of Nebraska. Nice!

Thursday Deals - 10/13/2011

2011-10-14T22:51:00.000-05:00

1. Free sample of pack of Breath Right Strips here.

2. Bath and Body Works is getting a free Be Enchanted lotion this weekend, Oct. 14-16, in-stores and online. Details here.

3. FREE sample of Mary Kay Timewise Microdermabrasion set here.

4. Get your FREE debt-free holiday handbook here. Love this one! :)

5. FREE sample of Lacoste Perfume for Men, here.

6. Ladies, choose your FREE Playtex sample, here.

In living color

2011-10-10T23:12:00.001-05:00

This picture does not do the tree in our backyard justice. It is an awful lot of leaves to rake up though. Good thing you are just gorgeous, tree!

Punctuation saves lives

2011-10-08T08:54:00.000-05:00

I'm generally a fan of good grammar. This just cracks me up!

Isaac is 3!

2011-10-07T09:27:00.002-05:00

It's hard to believe that 3 years has passed so quickly. Rest assured, being his parents has been the best adventure yet.

Isaac, I hope you never lose your sense of creativity. Explore. Create. Line things up. Always hold on to your passion for reading, it will take you places unimaginable! Seek out adventures, but be safe - tractors and four-wheelers are only the beginning. Keep dancing like no one is watching and continue to sing at the top of your lungs. Such joy! Goofy is good. Keep hugging your brother {and any future siblings}, because they will be your best friends for life. Always pick flowers {weeds/grass} for Mom. I love it! When you're older, don't be afraid to come home because, forever and always, we will love you to the moon and back.

Happy Birthday to our Biggie-Bigs!

Thursday Deals - 10/6/2011

2011-10-06T21:21:00.000-05:00

1. FREE sample of Fabreezy Laundry Detergent here. It is made with less chemicals, so it's supposedly better for your clothes, without sacrificing the clean factor. We shall see.

2. The FREE Huggies Snug & Dry diaper samples are available again. It's from Sam's Club, but you don't need the member number to request it. If you've already registered for this sample through them, you are not eligible. But, you can mail a pack to grandma and grandpa just in case you run out of dipes at their house! ;-) Guess who just did that? :) By the way, this sample is my 5th FREE pack of Huggies, for a total of TEN dipes!

3. Christie Brinkley is launching a skincare line. You can get some FREE pre-launch samples here.

4. If you want to send a Halloween card, head on over to Tinyprints, create your own, and enter code TREAT11 to make it free.

5. Print this coupon for a FREE Hot 'n' Juicy single from Wendy's.

6. Get a FREE sample of Gas-X Thin Strips here.

7. Sign up for FREE sample of Arm & Hammer toothpaste here.

Buddy

2011-10-05T14:44:00.001-05:00

Farm work with my buddy in his buddy seat, makes driving the tractor so much more fun.

Isaac's 3rd birthday party

2011-10-04T22:36:00.000-05:00

Isaac doesn't turn three until Friday, but we had a little party for him last weekend. It was a beautiful day, and I think everyone had a wonderful time. We chased stomp rockets, played with play-doh, ate lots of food, sang "Happy Birthday" and just enjoyed our day. Isaac was very impressed with his cake {thank goodness because I was also pretty pleased with how it turned out!}. Here are some pics from the his big day!

Halloween prep

2011-10-01T22:22:00.002-05:00

Well honestly, I hope Isaac wants to be something cuter than these for Halloween this year!

13 months

2011-09-30T21:59:00.001-05:00

Good Morning Sunshine! Happy 13 months to our little Owen!

He's growing up so fast, and becoming more and more independent every day, especially with eating. He manages to be independent yet a complete mama's boy at the same time. I **love** his hugs. He's the cuddliest boy. His 6th tooth arrived on 9.10.11, and he's still holding steady at 6. He's practically running already. He is also continuing on his very naughty biting streak (only now, I think he's biting just to bite...not because of teething issues). Every time we say, "Owen, no biting." He will slap himself on the head. I'm not sure what that's about, but it sure makes it hard for us to keep a straight face. Tormenting his brother is a must - I swear he knows that Isaac will freak out if he even gets close something that Isaac has labeled as HIS. Kind of funny sometimes, other times I just want to pull my hair out because it usually starts with Isaac freaking out, then Owen screaming at Isaac, then both of them CRYING. Someday, they'll be buddies. I know it!

Owen's favorite word right now: Ball
His newest favorite food: Apple Slices (not pieces...it has to be the slice that he can bite himself).
Favorite things: Putting on his shoes, hats, turning lights on/off, opening and closing doors, biting, tractors/cars/anything with wheels, and getting into pretty much anything that he can.

They grow up too fast.....don't forget to wait for me Bubba. We love you sooooo much!

Thursday Deals - 9/29/2011

2011-09-29T23:36:00.000-05:00

1. FREE sample of Tom's of Maine children's toothpaste here. It is made of all-natural ingredients, and is strawberry flavor. I'm excited to let Isaac try it out!

2. Buy two large jar candles or tumblers at Yankee Candle, and get TWO FREE with this coupon. Hurry, expires 10/2.

3. FREE sample of Dial Nutriskin lotion here.

4. Use this coupon to get a FREE coffee at Waffle House.

5. Take this coupon into your local Wal-mart vision center, and get a FREE lens cloth and cleaner.

6. Get $10 worth of coupons from Downy here, $10 more from the Febreze companies here, $10 more from Bounce here, and some more laundry coupons here from Tide.

7. Sign up for a FREE 2012 Women's Health Calendar here.

8. FREE "Save Our Species" endangered animals coloring book here. You can choose to print it at home, or you can have one mailed to you by clicking on the "get a copy" button, then selecting United States Postal Service, then "select all" and finally, click on "Show Order Form." Fill it out, and wait for your copy! :)

9. More for the kids, get some FREE fall printable activities here.

10. Try the Lysol dual action wipes FREE after rebate. Make sure to check the details!

More order

2011-09-27T22:17:00.002-05:00

Just a few pictures of some of the things Isaac lined up around our house this morning. He is definitely obsessed with order and is going to be a perfectionist. If owen gets even a little close to anything Isaac has lined up, drama ensues. Major drama. Oy vey.

Blake's favorite

2011-09-26T23:10:00.001-05:00

Every time we visit Nebraska, we HAVE to eat at Runza ASAP. Last time we visited, a few weeks ago, we bought 6 extra runzas, packed them on ice, and brought them home to our freezer. I'm surprised that they are all still in there!

I had ever had a Runza until I met Blake, but I must admit, they are pretty tasty!

Owen's Adjustment

2011-09-24T09:03:00.002-05:00

Owen has been getting his adjustments since he was less than a day old. He's an old pro. :)

There are two ways to watch this video:

1. Watch the actual process of Owen's adjustment (and observe how much he loves his mommy at the end!)

2. Watch the kid in the background, eating his distraction snack. Oh, Isaac. :)

Thursday Deals - 9/22/2011

2011-09-23T13:19:00.000-05:00

Sorry they're late folks! :)

1. $5 off $25 at Family Dollar with this coupon from 9/23-9/25.

2. FREE sample of Good Nites Underwear for kids here. Just type in any 9 digit number for the member number and you're good to go.

3. 30% off any one item in-store at Old Navy with this coupon. Also, through Sunday, 9/25, they are offering a buy one, get one 75% off deal. In stores only. Check it out!

4. Buy one entree, get one 50% off at TGIFridays with this coupon.

5. FREE sample of Dove Nourishing Oil Care Leave in Smoothing Cream here.

6. Burger King now has soft serve ice cream. Through October 9, you can get a FREE soft serve cone with the purchase of a value meal (excludes breakfast). Details here.

7. Did you know that September 19 is national talk like a pirate day? I can't make this stuff up!

8. Save 80% at Restaurant.com. Get $25 gift certificates for $2 with promo code FALL at checkout. Woohoo!

9. If you have a Krispy Kreme near you, stop in on Sept. 29 and get a free 12 oz. cup of coffee in honor of national coffee day. Details here.

10. FREE sample of Disney Gummies chewable vitamins here.

Amazon Prime

2011-09-21T22:50:00.002-05:00

Have any of you tried this?

I signed up for the free trial awhile ago, and then got busy with life, and didn't have the chance to cancel my free trial before I started in with the real subscription. At which point, I figured, "What the heck, I might as well give it a try." I have not been disappointed.

I.LOVE.AMAZON.PRIME.

Free 2 day shipping on qualifying purchases, $3.99 next day shipping with no minimum purchase, 5GB of cloud storage, free streaming videos.....all for $79/year. The best part? You can share one subscription with FOUR additional people. I'm going to see how one year with Prime goes, but I'm loving it so far. I don't really NEED everything within 2 days, but it's nice to get it that quickly. Many times, I would find extra things to buy just to get free super saver shipping at $25. In those cases, the cost of shipping would have been more than that extra thing I had to buy. With prime, I might be saving myself money by not trying to get to $25 all the time.

If you don't shop a lot on Amazon, it's probably not for you. Since having kids, working four jobs, and barely finding time just to get groceries and the basics, I've been relying on Amazon a whole lot more. And, if you're a regular reader of this blog, you know I only plug stuff I really like. So, if you haven't tried it out already, it's worth, at least, the free trial!

Husband 2.0

2011-09-19T19:48:00.000-05:00

Blake is filling this role beautifully. Not only does he fall asleep in front of the TV almost as soon as he sits down, but he added a new dimension to this traditional husband move by adding the laptop in his lap....a sad attempt at keeping himself occupied enough to stay awake. Ha. Love you. :)

Owen's Alphabet Book - Z

2011-09-17T10:33:00.001-05:00

Hooray! One goal finished this week! In the back of the alphabet books that I make, I include an index of the age of the child, and the date the picture was taken. I like it. :) Now, on to catching up with my posting. I'm so behind on blogging, it's almost stressful to think about all of the posts I need to get up here!

Owen's Alphabet Book - W, X, Y

2011-09-16T08:31:00.000-05:00

Owen's Alphabet Book - S,T,U,V

2011-09-14T21:25:00.000-05:00

Owen's Alphabet Book - O,P,Q,R

2011-09-13T19:18:00.001-05:00

Owen's Alphabet Book - K,L,M,N

2011-09-12T22:18:00.000-05:00

Hide n Squeak Eggs

2011-09-11T22:31:00.000-05:00

We gave these to Owen for his birthday, and they've been a HUGE hit in our house ever since. Between our two boys, those eggs are played with almost nonstop. The chicks squeak, the eggs are also shape-sorters, and the faces on the eggs match the faces on the chicks. Owen loves just clicking the top of the egg onto the bottom of the egg. A great go-to present for any young toddler. :)

I love this

2011-09-06T11:46:00.000-05:00

We don't watch a whole lot of television in this house, but when we do, this is a really familiar scene. It's soooo cute that sometimes I feel bad when I turn the TV off!

Owen's first birthday party

2011-09-05T21:22:00.002-05:00

Yesterday afternoon, we gathered with our family, our furry friends, and a few local friends to help Owen celebrate his first year. We had a beautiful day for it (sunny and upper 60's) and I hope it was a wonderful time for all. I never like to have crazy parties for the first-birthdays because if you continue to have birthday parties for your kids, each bigger than the last, then you're going to be in a whole lot of trouble by the time your kid reaches 5. I also try to steer clear of any definitive kiddie theme (Elmo, Cars (the movie), Thomas the Tank Engine). For Isaac, we did "dots" because that's how we decorated his nursery. For Owen, I was going between "wheels" or "food." In the end, food won out because I think a "wheels" theme will be more fun for him if it's something he's still into in a year. So, we had a little foodie party for Owen. The entire guest's menu (except the drinks) consisted of foods that Owen loves. It was just perfect. :) I love small, low-key, low stress parties.

Menu:
Chicken on a stick
Down-home Mac and Cheese (recipe here)
Fresh Fruit (bananas, strawberries, grapes, cherries)
Carrots (raw, but we usually cook Owen's!)
Cupcakes (vanilla or chocolate)
Spaghetti (in cupcake/cake form!)

I also brought in three different flavors of Juicy Juice boxes for the older kids - to keep some color in the palette. :) We also served coffee, soda, water, and milk.

Thanks to everyone who made the trip out. Here are some pics of the food and the fun. :)

Summer harvests

2011-09-03T23:36:00.000-05:00

I love home grown produce. Lots of zucchini bread, stir fried zucchini, other zucchini recipes and Apple crisp in our future. Yum. Thanks for the produce mom and dad!

Thursday Deals - 9/1/2011

2011-09-01T21:56:00.001-05:00

Happy September! I'm back in the saddle again.

1. FREE sample of Dove body mist here.

2. Visit your local L'Occitane boutique and get a FREE hand massage with a dab of their new Lavendar relaxing roll-on and a FREE sample of their lavendar hand cream. Sept. 2-5 only. Details here.

3. Know someone with a hearing aid? Get a FREE 4-pack of hearing aid batteries here.

4. Buy one cone, get one FREE at Baskin Robbins with this coupon. Mmmm!

5. FREE sample of Huggies Snug & Dry from Sam's Club. Available in sizes 3-5. You don't have to be a member to request this one!

6. If you've got little ones, you might want to download this FREE Wiggles 2011 Sampler. Nothing like some toddler tunes to get your head bopping. :)

7. For our furry friends, get a FREE sample of Rachel Ray Nutrish, Just 6, dog food here.

8. Add 10 points to your Gifts to Grow account with code 2beginearning10.

Owen is 1

2011-08-30T22:39:00.000-05:00

When did that happen? All of a sudden he's a little man. He's walking everywhere, grew his fifth tooth a few days ago, and almost always eats more than his brother. He loves his mommy, adores grandpa and grandma, thinks Dad is the most fun, and aspires to be just like his big brother {which means trouble for us in a couple of years!}. He loves dancing and singing. I'm pretty sure he's going to be my little musician. Lately, he's been trying to verbalize a lot more, sometimes he gets his words pretty spot on. His usual go-to words are mama, dada, this, done, eat. He's had the tendency to say difficult words like, "virtue" when we start with the old adage, "Patience is a....." but it's still kind of hit and miss there. We had two of his fave meals today {mac and cheese for lunch, Spaghetti for dinner}, gave him a chocolate cupcake to smash/eat, and a box of Hot Wheels cars to celebrate. He looooves his cars, tractors, or really anything that he can make a "bbbb" motor sound for. Another reason for loving the cars, he can just hold them in his hand. All day. Seriously, he's gone hours just holding a car (or a small ball, or circle puzzle piece, or other small object) in his hand. never letting it go. Fascinating. I don't understand the psychology behind that one yet, but it sure is cute! Happy first birthday to our little cuddle-bug, chub-a-lubs. We couldn't be happier to have you as a part of our family. Thank you for being a part of our lives!

And, here's a video of Owen playing with his cars. He makes the cutest face when he makes his "bbbb" sound. Please excuse my terrible grammar, "What do you got Owen?" I'm so embarrassed!

Fantasy football time

2011-08-28T21:07:00.001-05:00

This time of year brings fantasy football to our household. Blake does 2+ different leagues every year, and takes each one very seriously. He has a whole set up. A blank roster sheet so he can fill in his draft picks, a top 200 hundred player ranking sheet with his ideal choices highlighted and color coded by field positions and defenses, some other stats jotted down in pen, his laptop, a beer, and a day-long, "you better not make me late for my draft" attitude. Yep. Watch out world. This stuff is serious around here!

Groceries

2011-08-27T20:58:00.000-05:00

Grocery shopping with my boys can sometimes take forever. Owen likes to push the cart, Isaac likes to ride in the basket, and Blake is usually eyeing some goodies.

I promise

2011-08-25T22:13:00.002-05:00

To resume Thursday deals next week! :)

I also want to finish Owen's alphabet book posts for you - I've already ordered the book, and it is awesome!

But, here's a sweet picture from my visit to Taiwan. Love those people!

Every once in awhile

2011-08-22T21:54:00.000-05:00

Every once in awhile, you meet people who can bring sunshine into the rain, smiles out of sadness, and laughter from tears. And, in one giant bear hug, all that matters is that this person genuinely loves life and the people in their life. Any moment with that person is the best moment of that person's day. Tomorrow, my family will bid farewell to one of those people. Rest in peace, Patrick. May the angels speed you to paradise. Watch over us always. I'll always wish for one more of your hugs, one more of your smiles, and one more smart comment to make Susan snort. :)

Forgetful

2011-08-21T23:45:00.000-05:00

Everyone tells me that you get more forgetful as you get older. I'm in so much trouble. I forget my keys frequently, I often lose/forget where I put my camera transfer cord, and I have even managed to forget to show up to play for a couple of masses in the past! Tonight, on yet another search for my camera cord, I discovered that my CAMERA itself is MIA. Well, I was at a wedding on Saturday. I took pictures at the church and none afterward. I can picture the last moment I saw my camera (sitting on the organ bench at this church), so I'm hoping it is still there. Looks like I'm making some phone calls in the morning. Ugh...so frustrating!

In peace

2011-08-18T21:34:00.000-05:00

After my last post, we were able to work it out so that I did end up going to Taiwan to offer my mom her support and pay my respects to my grandmother. I returned state-side today, and learned of my young uncle's passing. Just a reminder that you never know what can happen. I hugged my family extra close when I was re-united with them this evening.

More thoughts on everything later.

She'll be missed

2011-08-09T09:53:00.000-05:00

My grandmother passed away Sunday night (Monday morning Taiwan time). Various members of my family are headed over to Taiwan now. I am so sad, and wish I could be there to honor my grandmother and offer support to my mom. She's going to need it.

Thursday Deals - 8/4/2011

2011-08-04T20:42:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday to my big sis!

1. FREE sample of Purina Beneful Wagpack, plus they'll send you a FREE copy of their magazine, Wagworld.

2. Ruby Tuesday is offering 2 FREE mini burgers with fries when you purchase two nonalcoholic beverages. You have to like them on Facebook to claim the coupon, and there limited amounts. Details here.

3. FREE Post-It products sample here. You need to sign up for Post-It perks, but still a good deal!

4. FREE Sun-maid recipe booklet here.

5. Snag 5 Gifts to Grow points with code BABYISDUEANYDAY

6. $10 off $25 at JCPenney with this coupon through August 6!

7. Get FREE fries and a drink at Arby's with this coupon when you purchase an Angus Cool Deli sandwich or wrap.

8. Request your FREE sample of Huggies Snug & Dry diapers here.

Owen's Alphabet Book - I, J

2011-08-01T10:59:00.002-05:00

11 months

2011-07-31T22:58:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, Owen turned 11 months old. Can you believe our dear, sweet Owen is nearly one year old? Even Isaac {as unsure as he was in the beginning} would agree that Owen has been a wonderful addition to our family. He fits just perfectly, and he gives the BEST hugs. :)

He still has four teeth {two up, two down}, his molars are flaring up in the back though. He stands unsupported for short periods of time, has attempted taking a step or two, but usually will just fall down and resort to his speed crawl. He loves riding the four-wheeler with Grandpa {he can even point to where it is while making a bbbbb sound}, loves almost all food {he's still crazy for bananas!}, supported walking {holding someone's hands or following his walker}, matchbox cars or anything with wheels, circles {oddly enough, he ALWAYS wants to hold the circle pieces from Isaac's puzzles}, puffs, musical instruments, wrestling with his brother, peek-a-boo, some books {he doesn't love every book like his brother did. He's kind of a book snob, he'll eat just about anything {paper clips, stickers, price tags...}, and he loves the night light {LOVES. He plays with it. Unplugs it. Then proceeds to stick his fingers in the outlet!}. Lately, he's become more dramatic: If I put a spoon of food in his mouth that he doesn't want, he just sits there with his mouth open and then will stick his tongue out. He arches his back when he's had enough of anything. And by arches, I mean, he does a complete back bend and will hold it for quite a long time. Ever since my trip to Louisville, he has been stuck to me like glue. He doesn't let me out of his sight for very long.

But, we LOVE him to pieces and we could not imagine our lives without him. Happy 11 months O-dubs!

Drama King

2011-07-30T13:03:00.000-05:00

Isaac has become our incessant whiner. Often times, he'll just start whining without any reason at all {except to try to attract attention to himself}. It gets worse every day that he creeps closer to age 3, continuing on his tradition of being ever-so-dramatic {we called him a divo when he was younger!}. Everyone tells me this is normal, but it sure does get on my nerves some days. And others, like today, it's hilarious because of conversations like this:

Isaac {on the couch}: "WAAAAAAAAAAAAAH, waaaaaaaaaaah, waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah"

Blake {in passing, from the kitchen}: "Oh stop. Are you trying to be a drama king?"

Isaac: "Waaa ---- NO, I'M NOT! WAaaaaaaaaaAaaaAaaaahh!"

You know you wish you could live with this too. ;-)

Thursday Deals 7/28/2011

2011-07-28T23:55:00.000-05:00

1. Head on over to Einstein brothers and get a their new triple decker club bagel. Print this coupon, and you can buy one get one FREE! It includes a side {it even says so on the coupon!}.

2. Sign up here to get a coupon for $1 off any white milk purchase. Thank you whymilk campaign!

3. Are you into canning fruits? If so, head over here to request a FREE canning sample of pectin from Ball.

4. Get a FREE sample of Depend here. If you think it's appropriate, you could sign up for one for someone you know. ;-)

5. Enjoy an additional 30% off at Coach outlet with this coupon.

6. FREE sample of Exederm baby care products here.

7. If you like Sun Drop soda, you can print a buy one get one FREE coupon here.

8. Like Mary Kay perfumes? Get a FREE sample of four of them here!

9. $5 off $25 at Staples with this coupon. Expires 7/30/11.

Owen's Alphabet Book - H

2011-07-27T17:21:00.000-05:00

You've already seen this one, but here it is with the words. :)

Owen's Alphabet Book - G

2011-07-26T23:00:00.001-05:00

Dear Blogger,
Why do my upright pictures rarely load correctly? I've tried everything!

Owen's Alphabet Book - F

2011-07-25T23:44:00.000-05:00

As our families grow, it's so hard to get everyone together for one shot! This was the best I had. :)

Renewed

2011-07-24T21:43:00.000-05:00

I suppose you're all probably wondering where I went? I spent almost all of last week in Louisville, KY at the NPM Convention. It was a wonderfully enriching experience. Great speakers, great music, great camaraderie between Pastoral leaders worldwide. I learned a lot and found a lot of healing as well. Nothing like a renewed spirit! While you wait for my own pictures and recaps, here's a little taste of what we experienced:

PS - My voice is in that large crowd singing somewhere! :)

Thursday Deals - 7/14/2011

2011-07-14T21:52:00.000-05:00

1. FREE sample of Nivea Touch of Cashmere Cream Oil body wash here.

2. $10 a $25 purchase at Yankee Candle with this coupon. Expires Aug. 7, 2011.

3. FREE sample of Garnier Fructis Anti-Dandruff shampoo here.

4. Print this coupon for $1 off Kashi Pita Crisps. Yum!

5. FREE sample of Garnier Moisture Rescue here.

Owen's Alphabet Book - E

2011-07-11T10:08:00.003-05:00

Mark this down as one of my favorite photos in this book!

Owen's Alphabet Book - D

2011-07-09T09:07:00.001-05:00

We love...

2011-07-08T20:47:00.000-05:00

Julbo.

We have a 2.5 year old who wants to do everything himself, but is easily frustrated when he can't get it just right. Case in point: sunglasses. He wants to put them on himself, but often can't loop them over his ears - and that's on the odd chance that he actually puts them on the right way.

Enter Julbo sunglasses. They have created peace in our household when it comes to sunglasses. I'll recommend them to anyone. They're hardy {they bend}, they can go on ANY direction, and there are no ear loops, just a slight tension so that they hold themselves on his head. He's worn them for a loooong time and never complained of them squeezing his head too much, so I know they aren't too tight. They also come with an attachable cord for looping around his neck. We like to use that only when he's on the tractor or someplace where they could potentially fall off and get lost or run over. It's hard to find "cool" kid sunglasses, and I think we have a winner here!

Julbo, we love you.

Explorers

2011-07-07T21:34:00.000-05:00

In an effort to get away from life and just focus on our boys and our family, we're trying something new. Every week, we're going to pack a picnic lunch, find a local park in some town, and just discover what we can find on foot - shops, trails, churches, rivers, critters, you name it! It's fun and educational for the boys, it's only 2-3 hours at a time {not counting driving - read: napping - time}, and it's SO worth it.

Here are some cute pictures from our second exploration this morning/afternoon.

Thursday Deals - 7/7/2011

2011-07-07T19:56:00.000-05:00

1. Get a FREE $10 Gift Certificate for Dakota Beef, just answer a short survey. To find a store near you that carries it, check here. Among the stores, H-E-B, Shaw's, and Whole Foods carries them!

2. Get a FREE sample of Tub-O-Towels here.

3. COOL FREEBIE FOR KIDS! You can get a FREE autographed poster of your child's favorite Disney character. Here's how it works: The kids write a letter to their favorite character telling them why they love them so much. Mail the letter to the address below and they should receive an autographed photo in a few weeks! Teach your children how to write a good, old-fashioned letter!

Walt Disney Company
Attn: Fan Mail Department
500 South Buena Vista Street
Burbank, Ca 91521

4. Get a BOGO Smoothie at Jamba Juice with this coupon!

5. Tomorrow is Cow Appreciation Day at Chick-Fil-A. Show up in a cow costume, and you could be eating FREE!

6. Two FREE samples of Quest Protein bars here.

7. Are you a teacher? Sign up here at New York and Company, and you'll get 15% EVERY DAY. Bonus, you'll get 20% off the first time. Amazing!

8. Extra 15% off shopping pass at Kohl's through July 10. Print off this coupon to use in-store, or use code EXTRA15FB online.

9. Bath and Body Works is offering a FREE travel size Signature item with any purchase. Use this coupon, valid through July 13.

Fun little game

2011-07-05T14:43:00.002-05:00

Ready?

Try to find the six animals:

camelephantelopelicanary

10 months

2011-06-30T21:38:00.000-05:00

Owen is 10 months old already. Can you believe it? He spent his 10 month old birthday by "helping" Grandpa bale hay. His first experience! It was 90 with a breeze, and it was great. :)

While he still enjoys having some sort of structure to his day {naps around 9:30 and 1:30, bedtime between 7:30 and 8}, he is, for the most part, SO adaptable to whatever we're doing, and I really appreciate that he never gets overly fussy, until we get home. :) He crawls like a maniac {speed crawls whenever he sees mommy}, pulls up on things like crazy, recently started cruising the couches, and just yesterday started letting go and balancing for a couple of seconds at a time. He'll be walking soon. :( He says, "bbbbbb" for the motor sounds of tractors and four--wheelers, often babbles "dada, mama," and accurately says "moo" whenever he sees a cow. He enjoys "singing" {a prolonged aaaaahhhh} when we play the piano or sing with him. He has four teeth. The front-top right tooth JUST broke through a couple of days ago. His weight has dropped off a bit {20 lbs, 2 oz, 35% a couple of weeks ago, so he's not REALLY a chub-a-lubs, but we still affectionately refer to him as such!}, but that is expected at this age. He has really started to fight his brother. Whenever Isaac tries to do anything he doesn't want to do, or takes one of his toys. He'll push at him, or just scream. Today, Owen even slapped Isaac....boy oh boy, I can already tell it's going to get MUCH more fun. Ha!

Owen, you are the BEST. We love you to the moon and back.

PS - That bruise on his forehead? That's because Daddy took him into the bathroom, and Owen clocked his head on the toilet!

Thursday Deals - 6/30/2011

2011-06-30T21:14:00.000-05:00

1. Get your FREE $10 Game Play to Dave and Busters here.

2. 30% off at Coach Factory Outlet with this coupon. Expires July 10, 2011.

3. If you're headed to IKEA July 1 - July 4, kids under the age of 12 eat FREE. Limit one combo meal per child, and NO adult purchase is necessary, but the child must be present for the offer to be valid.

4. $10 off $30 or more purchase at Bath and Body Works with this coupon.

5. This Saturday only, get $5 off a $25 or more purchase at Dollar General with this coupon.

6. Get 15% off any one item at Staples with this coupon.

7. Ten Gifts to Grow points with code WELLCABABYEMAIL.

8. FREE sample of Dove Daily Treatment Conditioner here.

9. FREE sample of Honey Nut Cheerios here.

10.Buy one get one FREE smoothie at McDonald's with this coupon.

Musician :)

2011-06-29T23:08:00.000-05:00

I think Isaac will be into music, but Owen is already turning out to be such a musician. And I'm SO proud. This video is from before he was crawling -- I've got a lot of old photos/videos I meant to blog about but never actually did, so I'm playing catch up. :)

Owen's Alphabet Book - C

2011-06-24T11:11:00.001-05:00

C is for Cuddle {I love this one, because this really captures Owen}.

Thursday Deals - 6/23/2011

2011-06-23T11:01:00.000-05:00

1. Add 10 more Gifts to Grow points to your account with code FXFHMWY4WKHU47JD and 5 more points with code TWITTERCNGCLOTH

2. FREE sample of Jif To Go Peanut Butter from Target! You'll have to enter a short survey to snag this one.

3. FREE Summer Crafts for Kids download-able book here.

4. Head on over to Old Navy Friday, June 24, and Saturday, June 25 to stock up on tank tops. They hit 2 million facebook fans, so they are having a $2 Tankathon. In Store Only!

5. Now through Friday, get 30% off your order at Gap.com when you use coupon code GPSURPRISE.

6. FREE 12 oz Tropicana OJ at Kum and Go gas/convenience stores with this coupon. Hurry, expires Sunday, June 26!

7. Download many, many, many FREE kindergarten worksheets here. I'm all over this for Isaac! :)

8. Request a FREE copy of the book No Longer a Slumdog by K.P. Yohannon, here.

9. Dress up like a cow on Cow Appreciation Day, July 8th, and head over to Chik-Fil-A to score a free entree {partial costume} or a free meal {head to toe costume}. They're even making it easy by providing a printable cow costume kit here.

10. Stop into any The Limited stores, and you'll get $10 in Fashion Cash. Not valid on Sale items, but you could probably still land a pretty good deal!

11. Get 50 4x6 prints from Snapfish for just $5 shipped with code DADDYPICS. Code good through 7/27/11.

Owen's Alphabet Book - B

2011-06-22T23:00:00.000-05:00

You did such a wonderful job with letter A {It was so close!}, that I'm going to enlist your help with B as well. :) Vote over there ---->

I actually had three versions, initially, but I have successfully ruled this photo out.

Mom-ism

2011-06-21T13:35:00.001-05:00

I've posted before on funny things my mom says. It has been awhile, but here's a new one.

We often call Owen, chub-chub, because he's chubby, and oh SO cute.

My mom picked him up today, and said, "Hi chump chump."

:)

Birthdays

2011-06-20T22:43:00.000-05:00

Isaac LOVES birthdays {for the obvious reasons - cake, ice cream, candles...wow!}. June is a busy month in our family for birthdays. In true Isaac fashion, he's already helping each birthday person celebrate by taking over.

Birthday person one: Grandpa!

Really?

2011-06-17T21:08:00.000-05:00

Buy yourself a half gallon of soda at KFC, and they will donate $1 to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation!

Yep, you read that right!

My favorite part is the "Help Us Find A Cure!" line on the bottom. Um...duh. For starters, let's not encourage our patrons to purchase Mega Jugs of soda!

Zoo videos

2011-06-14T08:54:00.000-05:00

Just in case you want proof of the roaring lion or pacing tiger, right here. We only caught the ends of both of them, but still. :) :) So cool!

And, just for fun. The kids on the carousel. :)