Loved By Three

SAY CHEESE... Right Now!

2010-11-05T16:54:00.002-05:00

My son, the camera hog.

Andrew has a new found ~~way to annoy me~~ passion. Photography. Behind or in front of the camera, it doesn't matter as long as he is "with camera" or iPhone as the case may be since I won't let him so much as lay a finger on my camera! He takes pictures of everything and everyone. He's not biased. He doesn't play favorites. Heck, his favorite person to photograph is himself, hundreds and hundreds of times!

He has started "posing" random objects around the house and photographing them.

But one of his favorite things to do is to sit me on the couch with him and have me take the pictures while he instructs me on what kind of face to make! This could go on for a couple of minutes or nearly an HOUR like it did yesterday morning, depending on if I do a "great job" or not!

This was the first picture of this "series" yesterday morning. He looked at it and said, "you did a great job but I need a shirt." NO LIE! The kids ran and got a shirt and on it went.... for over 30 more minutes!

Pretty much had enough.

By this point I couldn't see a darn thing!

Last night:

"Mommy, be happy." (he had to sneeze so he wasn't satisfied with this one)

"Now, be angry."

"Now be excited!"

He managed to snap 349 pics yesterday!

Future Paparazzi?

Weary Wednesday

2010-11-03T12:20:00.000-05:00

This is what the last 3 days have looked like at our house. Both of the boys' asthma is flared up so there has been a line at the nebulizer! Ethan missed school yesterday and Andrew has missed all week so far. I love Fall but I hate the sudden weather changes it brings, it does the boys in every time. When they have a flare up it can turn ugly quick so I typically set my alarm to go off every 90 minutes to 2 hours during the night so I can stay on top of the breathing treatments to hopefully avoid a trip into the ER. I am completely exhausted but it works.... usually! Hopefully they are better by the weekend and we can all get some rest!

Tricks and treats!

2010-11-01T16:46:00.003-05:00

Well, Halloween has come and gone and I think it's safe to say we're all pooped! I hate when it falls on a school night. I feel like I am not able to fully be "in the moment" because I am constantly watching the clock, worrying about baths, bedtimes and morning alarms that will come much too early for my liking! But, nevertheless, we made the best of it. We got a pretty early start and set out before the sun set in effort to keep it an early night. I LOVED the costumes each of the kids picked out this year because they fit their personalities just perfectly.

Hannah chose to be Dorothy this year and I was thrilled. I think I have secretly hoped she'd choose Dorothy every year since she was 3 years old! I LOVE the blue checkered dress and the red sparkly shoes! This was my the year! She has fallen in love with musicals and singing, even more than before, since she has started voice lessons, so when she saw that Dorothy costume that was it! I had to laugh though because she wasn't thrilled with the typical Dorothy shoes. She wanted something a little more "her" so this is what she came up with:

An old pair of Converse and some red glitter and there you have 'em! She made a beautiful Dorothy just like I always knew she would!

Ethan wanted to be a Rock Star, which is certainly ironic if you know Ethan. When you think "rock star" one might think of someone really outgoing and social, sometimes loud and boisertous and maybe a little self centered.....

I know what you're thinking. That doesn't sound like Ethan. Ethan is quiet, likes to keep to himself, hates conflict and would do anything to please the ones he loves! Yes, that is all true but this kid LOVES music and can play a mean air guitar. And of all three of my kids, Ethan is the most likely to have a full sleeve of tattoos when he gets older. This kid is so used to getting poked with needles it's nothing to him anymore! So, when he saw this costume I knew it was so "him", tattoos, piercings and all! Once he put it on his little personality just lit up and this confident kid came out and I loved it.

Then there is Andrew. Was there any doubt that he would be anything other than "Super Duper Mario Kart?" Umm, I think not! If you know Andrew, you know he eats, breathes and sleeps Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach and Koopa Troopa, so he didn't have to tell us twice. This kid goes through life just like Mario, with reckless abandon. Without fear and full speed ahead is just his nature and I wouldn't have it any other way!

In the grand scheme of things we had a great time, aside from the little cold Andrew woke up with. That was certainly no treat! He made the best of it though and was the last one of the little ones to want to come in from trick-or-treating, as usual, although he did request to be carried back because he was "too tired".

Andrew with his cousins Emma and Izzie.

The big boys had a great time coordinating their costumes this year. Since Ethan decided to be a Rock Star his cousin Jacob decided to follow suit and be a Rapper! These two were hilarious and it was a riot watching people's reactions as they opened their doors to this motley crew!

This was the first year that Hannah went out with a big group of friends rather than us. She has a fantastic group of friends who are all very kind, respectful and responsible so I wasn't at all apprehensive about letting them trying it out without an adult this year.

Once we got the boys home and showered they just had to go through their bags to see what needed to be eaten immediately, what could wait until tomorrow and what had nuts and needed to be traded with Hannah when she got home!

Everyone must have had a great time because all 3 of them were asleep within 5 minutes of being tucked into bed!

Happy Halloween!

2010-10-31T12:08:00.006-05:00

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

Scary Good!

2010-10-27T08:24:00.006-05:00

Okay, I'll be the first to admit, I don't really enjoy cooking with my kids. There, I said it. It's not that I don't enjoy spending time with them, because I do. I can just think of 1000 other ways that I would rather do it! It's not the kids that make it unenjoyable, it's the actual cooking itself. Heck, I don't really even like cooking without my kids! I hate the preparation but even more than that, I hate cleaning up my mess! I'm not a "cooker", never have been. I do enjoy baking, but even that manages to stress me out if done in large doses!

But, I thought in honor of Halloween I'd suck it up, put on my Perfect Mom costume and do a few fun and easy Halloween cooking projects with them! We found a couple of recipes online and got cookin'!

Hot Dog Mummies

(Makes 10)

These were so stinkin' easy! The kids literally did everything themselves. All they really needed me for was to get them in and out of the oven and Hannah probably could've handled that if I had let her.

Ingredients

1 can of refrigerated breadstick dough

10 Hot Dogs

Mustard (optional)

Directions

*Separate the dough into individual pieces.

*Use scissors or a knife to cut each raw breadstick into 2 strips

*Wrap the strips around each hot dog, starting at the bottom, to cover the hot dog like a wrapped bandage.

*Leave a small area unwrapped at the top (this will be the “face”).

*Wrap a final piece of dough around the end of the mummy in a turban fashion.

*Place the wrapped mummies on a cookie sheet and bake at 350° for 15 to 18 minutes until the dough is golden brown.

*Let cool for 3 or 4 minutes, then use the mustard to draw a face on the exposed area of the hot dog.

Mummy in your tummy!

Tombstone Cupcakes

Makes 20 - 24

These were more work than the Mummies but the kids had so much fun making these!

Ingredients

*1 box cake mix

*16 ounces chocolate frosting

*3/4 cup chocolate cookie crumbs (we used oreo’s)

*Milano Cookies (or any oblong shaped cookies. We used some vanilla sandwich cookies and pulled them apart. We scraped the frosting out of the center and we got 2 “headstones" out of each cookie.)

*Black piping gel (you can find this at almost any grocery store. Wilton and Betty Crocker both make it)

Directions

*Prepare and bake cake mix according to package directions for cupcakes.

*Frost the cooled cupcakes, then, cover generously with the cookie crumbs.

*Use the piping gel to write "RIP" (or Mom, and the names of every person in your family, like my kids did!) on each cookie.

*Stand each cookie up and push down into the top of the cupcake to create a headstone.

Enjoy your Graveyard!

Eosino.........what?

2010-10-21T10:00:00.000-05:00

In case you were wondering about this picture from yesterday's Wordless Wednesday post.........

It is Ethan in my bed with his "barf bowl" on his head. It was taken on Tuesday evening after a long day spent in the hospital getting blood work and IV fluids to get him rehydrated after a week long bout of nausea and vomiting, likely due to an ugly beast............

Eosinophilic Esophagitis

It's a mouthful, but this is the disease that Ethan lives with every single day. Thankfully, right now his E.E. is pretty well maintained but for a couple of years he was a very sick little boy. Ethan was finally diagnosed almost 2 years ago after suffering for far too long. Throughout everything, he always seems to have a smile on his face and a positive attitude. There is no cure, only strategies to deal with the symptoms. Luckily, Ethan doesn't have many flare ups but when he does they are doozies and they are heartbreaking for me to watch as there is virtually nothing I can do other than comfort him. He is fully aware of the foods he can and can't have and although I know he feels isolated when he can't have the ice cream, cheese pizza and peanut butter sandwiches that his friends are having you will rarely hear this kid complain.

Wordless Wednesday!

2010-10-20T15:25:00.001-05:00

Monday Moans...........

2010-10-18T09:00:00.004-05:00

What better way to start the week than having my car and my hair begging for attention!

Yes, those are gray hairs poking up off the top of my head. No, I'm not happy about it.

It's Monday, enough said!

What's your Monday Moan??

When life gives you lemons..........

2010-10-15T12:18:00.002-05:00

Make Lemonade!

That's exactly what Hannah and some of her friends did this past Monday. They decided to make the most of their day off of school and learn the value of hard work by setting up a lemonade and cookie stand!

I have to say I wasn't too optimistic. Truthfully, I wasn't sure they'd even break even. Well, I was proven wrong pretty quickly when barely and hour after they opened I got a phone call that they were out of cookies! So, I spent the next 4 hours running back and forth from the grocery store to the oven to the Lemonade stand keeping them stocked! Those girls gave me a run for my money I tell ya!

They had to be convinced to shut down for the night at around 6pm. They had a taste of success and they didn't want to quit!

The girls had such a great time and more than tripled their investment! Several of their friends came by and hung out and they even put some to work! They already have plans to do it again in a few weeks.

Tricks or Treats?

2010-10-11T09:46:00.001-05:00

Ahh, Halloween is upon us. I have to say, I have a love/hate relationship with Halloween since I became a parent. I LOVE seeing the kids in their costumes and running door to door filling their bags with goodies. I LOVE watching them get so excited to get to stay up past their bedtimes so they can dump their loot all over the floor as they marvel at what they have collected!

What, I HATE is all of the hooplah that occurs in preparation for the big day! I always find myself stressing about costumes, accessories, etc and end up putting it off until the last minute. And the fact that they charge $30 for a costume that looks like it was made out of crepe paper and hot glue just adds insult to injury!

This year I had the kids start looking early. I was determined not to do my usual procrastination dance. We made several trips to the local Halloween store so the kids could get an idea of what they wanted. Once they made their decisions I got busy looking online for a better deal! I gotta say, I'm pretty darn proud of myself this year! I not only got their costumes early but I saved nearly HALF of what I would have paid at the local Halloween store! Plus, all three kids costumes fit, which is always a concern when ordering online.

It feels so good to have it done and just be able to look forward to trick-or-treating!

Now, lets see if it carries over to Christmas shopping! I'm not counting on it!

Friday Favorite!

2010-10-08T09:00:00.003-05:00

Spring used to be my favorite season, even back when I was a little girl. I used to love sitting out on the porch on warm spring afternoons collecting roly poly bugs in an old butter dish! I still love Springtime but as I grow older I have really fallen for Fall. One of my favorite things in the world is to open up all of the windows in the house and to let Autumn in. I love seeing the curtains flutter around as the cool breeze floats through the house. And I really love flipping that switch on the A/C to OFF!

Another one of my favorite thing about Fall is CANDLES. These candles to be exact. Now, don't get me wrong I love candles in Winter, Spring and Summer too but there is just something different about candles in the Fall. The scents are so warm and welcoming and often times nostalgic. I love that my Pumpkin Patch candle sends me right back to my Mamaw's kitchen when I was no more than 5 years old.

I just love the way a burning candle can change the atmosphere of my house. Sometimes a comforting scent is all it takes to calm me down! I don't know if any of you are like this but I don't like to burn a candle in a room that is messy. I feel like I am "wasting" the candle when I do that. I guess because I can't fully enjoy the candle because I'm to busy stressing over the messy room! I know.... weird. But I have been known to quickly pick up the living room or the kitchen just so I can light my favorite candle ;)

What is your Friday Favorite?

Full Swing

2010-10-06T12:02:00.006-05:00

Well, the new school year has been in full swing for a little over a month now and we have finally all settled in. It has been a year of change for all three of them.

Hannah turned 11 on August 10th, just days before starting Middle School. She is officially a Briarhill Bulldog! Her nerves about starting a new, much bigger school, quickly subsided once she had the first day under her belt. She has completely immersed herself in "middle school life" and is loving it! She is full of school spirit and is enjoying her newfound independence. She is riding the bus to and from school and has begun taking voice lessons. She has been a little shocked by all of the homework she has now but she is acclimating well. It is really bittersweet watching her start this new journey. It's sometimes hard to accept that she is growing up so fast but being her mom is so much fun right now.

First day. About to head to the bus stop....

Hannah and her BFF Kaitlyn showing off their new backpacks!

One last goodbye.

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Ethan tuned 9 on his second day of 3rd Grade. This is the first year he hasn't been in the same school with Hannah. I was a little worried at first about him not having her there but he has done great. If we're being honest here, I think having her there with him was more reassuring to me than it was to him... I think he likes just being "Ethan" and not "Hannah's little brother"! He adored his 2nd Grade teacher and asked her numerous times last year if she would go to 3rd Grade with him. Each time, she hugged him tight and told him that she couldn't go, but would come check on him in his new class. Imagine his surprise when just 3 weeks before school started this year a sweet little note came in the mail from Ms. Hamm letting him know that she WAS moving to 3rd Grade and had already made sure he was in her class! He is already having a great year!

He was rather annoyed that I was trying to take his picture so this is all I got!

Ethan and Ms. Hamm

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Andrew has had the least amount of change but has had the hardest time. He returned to his preschool in September and is doing great now but we had a few stumbles along the way. Aside from going from a 2 day a week class to 3-days, he has a new teacher. I never anticipated that this would even phase my little ball of fire but he was very resistant. He wanted his old class and his old teachers! Drop-off was hard on both of us for a couple of weeks but has since become a breeze. He still plays with a lot of his "old" friends on the playground but all in all he is happy, so Momma is happy!

................Until next time...............

Blog FAILURE?

2010-10-05T22:44:00.001-05:00

I prefer to think of it as a hiatus. A time-out. A leave of absence.

Thank you all for sticking around. I am still alive. Life happened. Things got a little crazy here for a while and I just couldn't muster up the energy or the brainpower the blog deserved!!!!

Well, here it is, over a year since my last post. I don't even know where to start, actually. I could go back a year and try to update you on all of the milestones that occurred but that seems really daunting and quite frankly I have a hard time remembering 12 minutes ago, let alone 12 months ago! So, I'll tell y'all like I tell my kids.... You get what you get and you don't throw a fit! I'll try t throw in some "flashbacks" here and there though. ;)

I'll end this post with some recent pics of the kids 'cause I know that's the reason you are really here!

Until next time............

Wordless Wednesday!

2009-06-24T12:26:00.007-05:00

Happy Hump Day Everyone!!!

Hannah's Day

2009-06-20T10:29:00.002-05:00

Well, today's the big day everyone. The day I trade my sanity for a seat on the crazy train headed straight for boy-crazed little girl central, all for the sake of my sweet Hannah. At 3pm today we head out to see The Jonas Brother's in concert. Not only will it be Hannah's first concert but it is also the kickoff of the JoBro's World Tour and I'm quite certain that we are in for an entertaining show as this is their hometown. Hannah has had her outfit picked out for weeks and everytime she hears a JB song or someone talking about them the smile that overcomes her face is priceless. Although she is super excited, she has NO IDEA what she is in for! I can't wait to see her reaction when we get there. I will take as many pictures as my little memory card can hold!!! So, say a little prayer for me this evening as I watch my ~~not so~~ little girl have the time of her life!!

TGIF!

2009-06-19T15:41:00.008-05:00

In effort to ~~keep me from going crazy~~ get out of the house and enjoy the summer day we decided to head over to a local outdoor mall. Hannah is toying with the idea of getting her ears double pierced and they have a Claire's there so that was the first stop. She wasn't impressed with the sales girl and promptly announced her discomfort in allowing her to pierce her precious lobes. So it was decided that the piercing be put on hold. After a bit of window shopping we ended up at the little water feature turned splash pad for all of the local children. I had a feeling that's where we would end up so I did come prepared with changes of clothes and a towel but didn't let the kids know that! When Andrew said "wet, wawa" and I told him to go ahead and get wet. The older two looked at me like I was crazy. When they got the same confirmation as their brother they too took off to cool off without looking back! They had a great time and I sat in the sun and fried! The things us mom's do to make our kids happy.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Show Us Where You Live Friday.

2009-06-19T00:10:00.001-05:00

It's Friday again already. The weeks are flying by since school is out. This week's Show Us Where You Live Friday is highlighting Laundry Rooms/ Playrooms/ Bonus rooms. Since I don't have a bonus/playroom it looks like you'll be seeing my Laundry Room. I'm sorry :) It's pretty boring. You know, a washer. And a dryer. Well, anyhow here it is.

Looking in from the garage. Yes, it's the same color as the walls in this post! What can I say, I'm cheap. The room needed painting. That was the can with the most paint in it.

The rug at the garage door

My washer and dryer running...... as usual.

Door to the garage

My fun ironing board cover I found on ebay.

The cross Hannah made when she was in kindergarten.

The view from the kitchen.

Some artwork the kids have done at school.

My cabinets, my hanging bar thing and my laundry supplies.

'Cause I thought you'd want to see the inside of the cabinets.

Well, that's about it I guess. Have a fabulous weekend everyone!!!

Not Me! Monday

2009-06-15T10:05:00.013-05:00

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

It is now less than a week until Hannah and I go to the Jonas Brother's Concert. I am not in the least bit excited about it either!! Not at all!! Also, I am thrilled to have to pay $35.00 to park (I got off cheap and pre-ordered a pass so we could park close. The poor schmucks that wait until they get there will pay upwards of $60 and have to walk at least a mile I've heard!) and $7 for a bottle of water. They'll have that new stadium paid off in no time!!

I absolutely, positively did not pour bubble bath into Andrew's play pool while he was swimming earlier this week and call that a bath!

Now that Summer is in full swing and Hannah and Ethan have taken to staying up later at night and sleeping in in the mornings I have not been trying to keep Andrew up later at night in hopes that he will take a hint and sleep in like his brother and sister. How's that workin' out, you ask? Not so much......

I did not encourage Hannah to play with her food at the dinner table. This would just be poor parenting and I am definitely perfectly appropriate all of the time as far as my parenting is concerned...... what???

I did not take the easy way out and just grab a box of powdered donut holes while at WalMart to feed the kids for breakfast this morning rather than preparing them a nutritious meal to start the day. Of course Andrew was eating them rather than crumbling them all over the floor. If he had been smooshing them then it would have been ridiculous for me to continue to give him another one just to hear him say "ball white"! Andrew is not my own personal entertainment!!

Have a great week everyone!!

Show Us Where You Live Friday.

2009-06-12T12:36:00.008-05:00

It's Friday! Woohoooo! Not only is it Friday, it's Kelly's Show us where you live Friday (if you have no idea what I am talking about just click here), and today she has chosen the oh, so glamorous BATHROOM! For those of you that know me, know that I RARELY pay full price for anything. Almost everything that is in my bathrooms I got dirt cheap, either on sale or at discount stores.

So here they are in all of their glory....

We have two. The first one I'll show you is the "guest bathroom", i.e. - the bathroom the kids use!

It's not kid themed because after all it is a Guest bathroom ;)

Here is the view looking in from the hallway.

I got this metal wall hanging at Kirkland's on clearance for $7.99 (regularly $24.99).

I got this plant/candle holder years ago at the Bombay Co. Outlet before they went out of business and the cross was a birthday gift I do believe.

The opposite wall - through the mirror.

I got the set of two 18x24 framed pictures at Big Lots for $9.99 each.

The view from the shower looking out to the hall.

The next stop is the "Master Bathroom". I put it in quotes because although it is technically a bathroom...... in the master bedroom that is all it is and in my opinion doesn't deserve the title of "Master Bathroom"! It is so small, does not have a big bathtub that beckons to me to forget the stresses of my day and come take a long hot bubble bath, nor does it have double sinks. Okay, okay, it serves its purpose. It does indeed have a toilet....... and a shower with a regular tub......and one sink. Well, see for yourself.

Looking in from the bedroom

I got this framed print as a set of 3 on ebay and kept "Paris" and gave "Italy" and "Rome" to a friend. The cute little beaded tea light holder came from Big Lots for $1.00 a piece.

This little hook came from Hobby Lobby. I got it for $4.99 (50% off).

I got the giant clock on ebay for $14.99.

The shower curtain is from Kohl's.

I got this fun towel rack at Hobby Lobby for 50% off. (I think I paid $12.99)

This hole in the wall was absolutely free courtesy of Andrew!

Have a great weekend everyone!!

Home Sweet Home

2009-06-12T06:30:00.002-05:00

Warning: the following post contains a ridiculous amount of pictures. Please view (and enjoy) this blog at your own risk!

Well, we are back from Grandpa's house. We were so sad to have to leave so soon but glad to be back home with Kris and Andrew. It was a short but jam-packed-full-of-fun weekend! After finally getting packed and hitting the road on Friday we arrived at around 5:30, having only forgotten my swimsuit (I told you all I always forget something). No worries, I ended up not needing it anyway!

After visiting at the house for a while we headed off (with gameboys in tow) to the graduation at Ryan's high school football field. The graduates entered the stadium to their senior class song and sat mid-field.

We heard the class president and the valedictorian give motivating speeches to their peers before they all leave the safety of Mt. Pleasant High School and set forth into the "real world". Sitting there in the bleachers we watched the baby of our family cross the ~~50 yard line~~ stage into adulthood.

To say that we are all proud is an understatement. Way to go Ryan!!!

Ryan and Daddy

The four of us "kids". Me, Leslie, Robert and Ryan

On Saturday we all went to lunch at a little Italian restaurant called Luigi's. Now, I am not a huge fan of Italian food but this place is wonderful. At Leslie's recommendation I had the cannelloni with beef and spinach and it was to die for. As I was looking over the menu before ordering I noticed my weakness on the dessert menu. Cheesecake, key lime cheesecake to be exact! So after a delicious lunch we ordered some cheesecake and the tiramisu, which I think Hannah had more of than anyone else did!

Once our bellies were full we headed back to grandpa's house. Aunt Leslie headed to Longview to spend the rest of the weekend with a friend and the rest of us headed to the backyard for a good ole' water balloon fight! Uncle Ryan, Uncle Robert, Aunt Honey, Hannah and Ethan had fun getting soaked while Grandpa and I had the task of filling the balloons.

What a fun day!!

On Sunday before we headed home Grandpa, Uncle Robert and I got up early and took the kids fishing at a lake in the backyard of a friend of my dad's. It was absolutely beautiful out there. I could have sat on that deck with my feet in the water all day long!

It was Hannah and Ethan's first time fishing and you could definitely tell! We weren't able to find many worms to use as bait so we ended up using some fajita meat that we had at the house, which worked out great. The kids wouldn't help bait the hook so I certainly don't need to tell you that they refused to take the fish off of the hook! They did however each reluctantly hold a fish, pose for a picture and toss it back into the water! It was so much fun and Ethan especially enjoyed it.

This is Hannah with Gracie and Blue, the "owners" of the lake. They swam while we fished!

What a great morning!

Before I wrap it up I have to share some pictures of my dad's garden. I was shocked at how much he has growing out there. I hope everyone in town likes tomatoes! Aside from all of the tomatoes, he has cucumbers, corn, watermelon and...... I know I am forgetting something. Oh, and he has a cute little fig tree!

This is one of those hangy-upside-down-tomato-grower-things. They really work, see!!

Here is that cute little fig tree!

Oh, and here's something else that's growing at my Dad's house

These 5 little bundles of furry goodness are about a week old and Mama cat has decided that the barbeque grill makes a good and safe nursery!

Whew, I think that's about it. The ride home was uneventful and we actually all made it to bed early for once!

If you are still with me after this massive post, have a great weekend!!

The Suitcase

2009-06-10T14:05:00.005-05:00

Who would have ever thought that kids could get such enjoyment from an empty suitcase? Upon returning from a super fun weekend trip to my dad's (more on that later) I plopped my suitcase onto the kitchen floor and began unpacking. Dirty clothes into the washer? Check. Shoes back into the closet? Check. Shampoo and hair straightener back in the bathroom cabinet? Check. Andrew buckled into his new "ride"???? Check!

And this has been the scene for the last 3 days at our house. He was having so much fun riding as I was unpacking that after I had finished I moved the empty suitcase into the living room where Andrew has enjoyed hours of fun. I was especially grateful for his new "toy" yesterday as I had a stomach virus and was pretty much out of commission for the entire day. All three kids played for hours taking turns buckling each other into the suitcase and letting their imaginations take them somewhere far far away!

Although the suitcase really doesn't

go with the decor in our living room I'm thinking I'll leave it out for a while. After all, everyone needs to go for a ride sometimes.

What I should be doing...

2009-06-04T13:41:00.007-05:00

So, I am sitting here blogging when I should be packing. I just can't get motivated. I would much rather watch my naked baby play in the sandbox. Is that so wrong? The weather is absolutely beautiful outside and I can't pull myself into the house to get my chores done.

The big kids and I are leaving tomorrow after school to head to Grandpa's house (or Daddy as I prefer to call him, thankyouverymuch. Yes, I am 32 years old and still call my dad Daddy.... AND?) for uncle Ryan's high school graduation and I have a ton of things to get done before we hit the road. I haven't even begun to think about packing. Partly because I really can't pack until I get this mountain of laundry finished and because I tend to be a bit of a procrastinator. So, the washer and dryer are going now, and I have managed to put my travel toothpaste and deodorant into a ziplock and that's about it. It's pretty evident that the kids won't be of any help packing since I have been waiting for 3 days for them to bring me their Gameboys and chargers so I can pack them. Oh well. I'll some how get it all done. I always do. And sometimes without forgetting something, although not very often.

My Dad, along with much of my family, live in Winfield, a very small town in east Texas. Some of my most favorite memories as a child have to do with this place, whether it be at my grandparents farm for holidays or walking along the railroad tracks with my cousins. I love being there, I always have. It's not exciting there. There's really nothing to do there. You have to drive a good distance to even get to a grocery store. There are no traffic lights and only a handful of stop signs. But it is home. This is probably the only place that I feel like I can relax. There is no traffic and no one rushes around, you just get there when you get there. I love the change of pace. It is so nice to slow down and just ..... enjoy.

All of this talk of home has made me want to get my rear in gear. I need to go pack people! Have a great weekend everyone.

Not Me! Monday

2009-06-01T10:12:00.007-05:00

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

I am not looking for a new paint color for our living room. This would be absurd seeing as how I just got the living room "finished" about 6 months ago and it's completely unnecessary.

I did not spend $42.00 on a skirt on Saturday and have buyers remorse almost immediately afterwards and vow to return it when the store opens today. I do not have a problem spending that much for a single article of clothing for myself when I know I could get several things for the kids for $42.00! I will not be going to Target to look for a less expensive skirt later!

I have not gotten hooked on McDonalds Iced Coffee. I did not resort to this less expensive form of caffeine crack after my Starbucks gift card ran out and I needed a "fix" but wasn't willing to shell out the $4.00 that Starbucks makes me pay when I don't have a gift card!

I did not go against my better judgement and allow Hannah to have cable in her room. I said that I would never allow and we all no I'm no softy and would never give in!

This might also be a good time to mention that I am not taking my sweet Hannah to the Jonas Brother's concert in a couple of weeks! But IF I were taking her I definitely wouldn't be excited about it and just glad that she is OVER Miley Cyrus/Hannah Montana!.

I did not think it was beyond sweet (and funny) that my wonderful sister in law GOT INTO the ride-on Ice Cream truck with Andrew the other day at the mall!

(is there really any need to wonder why my kids like her so much?)

Have a great week everyone!

Turn me loose, set me free!

2009-05-31T10:47:00.001-05:00

I have never denied that my Andrew is a handful, but I am beginning to wonder if he is more than even I can handle. It appears that the little Houdini has finally figured out how to unbuckle his 5-point harness carseat! I say finally because I kind of knew it was coming, although I had hoped it wouldn't be until he didn't actually need to use a carseat anymore.

No. Such. Luck.

For several months he has been able to loosen his straps by pulling the strap adjuster lever, which is no easy task for someone actually buckled into the seat. After he mastered this he got to work on the chest clip, which I knew wouldn't take him long to figure out because he had already figured out how to unbuckle the straps of the grocery cart and it's basically the same concept. Well, about a day and a half later he had the chest clip mastered. Well, friday. Friday he did it. He was able to actually UNBUCKLE the carseat. You know the big red button? Yeah, well he can now press it hard enough to release the buckle!

Lord. Help. Me.

So what's a mom to do, aside from duct taping him to his seat (which I'm fairly certain he could wriggle out of anyway)? I am at a loss. I'm not sure my sanity can handle being stuck at home during the day because Andrew can't be trusted in the carseat! But I'm also not sure my nerves can handle anymore glances into my rearview mirror only to discover my little monkey halfway out of his seat either!

A lot of times I will drive with one hand and hold on to the strap adjuster with the other to keep him from loosening it but this really isn't practical if I have to do anything other than drive in a straight line! I have had to pull over numerous times to re-strap, re-tighten, and re-DIRECT Andrew's attention from his straps. But now that he can do a full on un-buckle you may not be seeing Andrew and me out in public until he is 4 ft. tall and 80 lbs.

Lord. Help. Me.

Show Us Where You Live Friday.

2009-05-29T09:41:00.018-05:00

I have been reading Kelly's blog for some time now and have enjoyed "Show us where you live Friday" since she started it several weeks ago. She chooses a different room of the house each week and everyone shares (if they would like too) their room of that week. Up until now I have just been a lurker, having fun peeking at everyone elses great rooms, but thought I'd participate this week (at least partially).

The theme this week is Children's Rooms. I have three children but I have decided to share my Hannah's (9) room this week, mostly because she is my only daughter, her room is so cheerful and because she is home sick today and wants me too! Maybe the rotation will make it to kids rooms again and I'll show the boy's rooms!

So without further ado....

Hannah's Room

The letters she and I worked on together.

Hannah is an avid reader and loves listening to music.

Her fish "Fred the Red Fish" sits on top of her bookshelf.

Hannah's nightstand, complete with some treasured pictures, a lamp and her latest read!

These canvases (that she made with little help) hang on either side of her window

Hannah painted this when she was 5 and it has hung somewhere in her room ever since!

Thanks for visiting!

Yummy Goodness!

2009-05-29T08:04:00.001-05:00

Is there anything yummier than home grown veggies? Well, I can think of a couple of things, but that's beside the point. Anyhow, over the weekend we went to my mom's house for a barbeque. When we pulled up my stepdad, Al, was showing off his garden to his nephew. Row after row of healthy, lush, colorful vegetables. Admittedly, I have never had much of an interest in the actual planting and growing part of gardening but I certainly enjoy the fruit (or veggies in this case :)) of Al's labor. This year he scaled back a little on his planting as it getting more difficult for him to keep up, but nonetheless, everything he did plant is wonderful. He has cucumbers, green beans, onions, tomatoes, squash and some other stuff I didn't recognize!

One of my favorite things each summer is homemade pickles and fresh homemade salsa, yum.

This was my dinner last night. Fresh steamed green beans...... along with some brown rice. That's it. No more. No less.

Yummy Goodness!

Back to the grind

2009-05-26T17:37:00.016-05:00

Back to work. Back to school. Back to the same old same old. Normally, I would be thanking my lucky stars that the kids are back to school after a long weekend off so I can get back to my "routine". However, on the way home from a great Memorial Day celebration at my mom's I realized I am definitely looking forward to getting out of my routine! Gasp! Did I just type that I wanted out of my routine? Oh, the horror! Yes, even I, who thrives on schedules needs a change, pronto. In the last couple of months (probably closer to a year if I am going to be completely honest here) I have been feeling really down and out of sorts. More so than any other time in my life (and there have been some hellacious one's). I love and adore my kids more than I ever thought imaginable. I also love and appreciate that I have the privilege and opportunity to be a stay at home mom. I am so grateful that Kris works hard so I am able to stay home with the kids but with his job in Sales comes odd hours and a 6 day work week. So, most of the time it is just me and the kids. I am so worn out. Physically, emotionally and mentally. I feel like I have nothing left in me most of the time. Certainly nothing positive to offer my children. I feel like a zombie just trying to get through the day. I find myself wanting to fall asleep while I play with Andrew and losing my patience at ridiculous things then feeling like a horrible mother afterwards. I have taken to counting down the hours to bedtime rather than just enjoying my babies. I am so overwhelmed and I hate this. I love being a Mom so why don't I love it right now? This is not me. I don't feel like me. What is "me" anyway? I'm not sure anymore, really. Everything in my life revolves around my children, and I am alright with this for the most part. And, while yes, this is the life I chose, I miss "me". Being a stay at home mom is my "job". The most important job I will ever have. This job has immeasurable perks and rewards. This job has better benefits than any company out there. This job, unlike any other, gives you more in return than you ever put in. This job pays more than any other, just in a different currency. Hugs and kisses are worth more than any amount of money there is. But, with all of these perks there is a negative. The hours. While most jobs out there offer sick time, days off, and 8 hour shifts, this job doesn't. This job is a 24 hour a day/7 day a week job. I don't get a day off, or to stay in bed if I don't feel well. While I haven't for a second regretted my decision to take on this job, I do miss having a day (or even a few hours) off. I miss going places alone. I miss my friends and Girl's Night Out. I miss my family and just packing up the car to spend the weekend with my Dad. I just miss life. Mom's Night Out is coming up. I probably won't make it..... again. My precious curly haired niece is having her first dance recital. I will probably miss it. My youngest brother is graduating from high school. I really want to be there. I am just sad. There's got to be a balance. I need balance. So, as summer approaches I am hopeful that I will find some sort of balance and once again be able to love being a Mom.

I will leave you with some photos from our Memorial Day at my mom's.

Have a great week everyone!

We go together

2009-05-15T16:29:00.025-05:00

Some things just seem to fit together perfectly. Just take for example, peanut butter & jelly, bread & butter, bacon & eggs, peas & carrots, Ben & Jerry, and my personal favorites:

boy & dog

girls & chocolate

boys & the outdoors

me & babies

peace & quiet

However, there are also things that don't go well together. In fact, no matter how hard you try it is just physically impossible for them to ever live in harmony. Some examples; water & oil, fire & water, pickles & ice cream, cats & baths and my personal favorites:

Andrew's face & the fireplace

Andrew's mouth & the floor

Hannah & makeup

Andrew & the potty

Andrew & clothes

Have a great weekend everyone!

Not Me! Monday ....... returns!

2009-05-04T07:00:00.014-05:00

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

I did not vow to stop doing Not Me! Monday until Stellan (and MckMama of course) returned home safe and sound. Okay, well, yes I did. It just wouldn't be the same without them! Welcome home!!!!

I did not have to clean up a fragrant mixture of garlic powder, cinnamon and baking soda out of the toaster and off of the counter tops, not once but twice after Andrew found the spice cabinet. He is not discovering the the spice cabinet as a result of me taping the water faucet down so he can't turn it on. He did not climb up onto the counter yet again to play in the sink, find it taped and scoot to the other end of the counter to find a cabinet full of fun!

I am not reevaluating my decision in taping that faucet, trying to decide what drives me the least insane, a countertop full of seasonings or a clothed toddler in the kitchen sink.

We did not have our house SEARCHED by the Lewisville Police Department! There would have been no reason for this. I mean, our house wasn't broken into. We aren't harboring a fugitive. I didn't cause a kitchen fire.... really. Andrew certainly DID NOT PRESS THE PANIC BUTTON on our alarm keypad!!!!!!!! If this had happened I would have to tell you that Lewisville PD's response time leaves much to be desired when they show up 30 minutes after a panic alarm. Not that I would know or anything!

I did not record Yo Gabba Gabba the other day just because Jack Black was on it. I am not slightly obsessed with him, nor do I think he is hilarious and has mad skills when it comes to dancing!

The faucet of our kitchen sink did not break completely off while I was using the sink giving me a shower and completely soaking me and most of the kitchen! I most certainly did not forget that it was broken and proceed to turn it on again! A change of clothes was not required nor was a wipe down of the kitchen table, walls and floor!!

Since I was not just a little glad that faucet in the kitchen broke beyond repair, I certainly wasn't happy that I had to go to Lowe's and pick out a shiny new one. Oh, and I did not get a whole new kitchen sink while we were there - I love my mustard yellow, porcelain sink too much to ever part with it!

Before (ignore my sink full of "dishes"!)

After

I was not more than a little perturbed on Friday when I went to pick up the big kids from school and discovered that our district did, in fact, decide to close ALL schools until May 11th thanks to the Swine Flu "outbreak". Although, I'm still not quite sure how 700 cases worldwide is considered an outbreak when thousands more than that the die every year from the regular Flu and it's not considered a "pandemic. Whatever!

Have a wonderful week everyone!! I certainly will ;)

Let's hear it for the Boy!!

2009-04-27T12:35:00.016-05:00

Before

So, it's official. Andrew has given up his pacifier..... with some gentle pushing. I have to admit that he used it much longer than the other two and I had NO desire to take it away. I knew it was going to be hard. I knew he would fuss and whine and cry and I honestly wasn't sure I could handle it. I have felt more than a little overwhelmed lately so thrusting myself into the pit of paci withdrawal was not on my top 10 list of things to try that week!

Hannah only took hers until she was about 5 months old and gave it up on her own after a cold prevented her from being able to suck and breathe at the same time!! She never wanted it back. Okay, that was EASY.

Ethan was much more attached to his "pootie" (don't ask..... his dad called it that once and it stuck) and he could usually be found with one in his mouth and one in each hand. But he, like his sister, decided on his own at around 18 months that he was done. And so he was. EASY

Andrew, oh Andrew. So far, in my experience with Andrew I have come to realize that he doesn't do "easy". He is extremely stubborn, persistent, and doesn't take "no" for an answer. So why should I assume this would be any different?

A couple of months age he began chewing holes in the pacifiers and Kris told him that after all of the paci's in the house were gone we were not buying anymore. Andrew didn't really react to this declaration, as I'm quite sure he had no idea what his Dad was telling him. But I, on the other hand, was fuh-reakin' out on the inside. I had already tried asking Andrew if we could throw his paci's away or give them to a baby that needed them and he was NOT down with that. If he didn't know where one was at all times he would whimper like a little puppy so I had a pretty good idea what I was in for when that last paci got lost, chewed up or left somewhere. NO. THANK. YOU.

But, last week my little boy did something that I have been waiting for him to do for well over a year. He talked. I mean more than his usual 10 word vacabulary. He was repeating every word he heard and was asking for things by name. It was music to my ears and it was then that I realized that it was time. I wanted us to be able to go somewhere without having to hunt for a paci before we could leave the house. I was sick of having to pick paci's up off of the floor at the grocery store and out from under the table at restaurants. I was tired of being a slave to a pacifier!

So, last Thursday morning I pumped myself up for what ~~torture~~ was to come. I had it all planned out in my head. Every time he put one down I would secretly come right behind him and pick it up and put it in a ~~secret location~~ the cabinet. Eventually, putting away the last pacifier. So, I set my plan into motion. By noon I had put away 7, yes SEVEN, pacifiers. By 1:oo the last paci had been put away ..... and he definitely noticed. He was looking under things, in things and around thing in hopes of finding a straggler. I was scared because it was nearing time to go pick up Hannah and Ethan and car rides equalled paci time for Andrew. I was dreading 3:00! But it came anyway and to my surprise he was fine. He took his juice with him and eventually fell asleep!! Afternoon came and went with only a couple of whimpers and a brief rummage through the trashcan in a desperate search for a paci. He kept coming to me pointing at his mouth (his way of asking for one) and I told him that I didn't know where any were and he would walk off. At bedtime he looked a little anxious so I layed on the floor next to his bed and he was out within 2 minutes. Every day since has been a breeze. He has completely stopped asking and looking for one. It has been wonderful and feels so feeing to be able to go places without "it" I love seeing Andrew's whole face and seeing his little mouth move when he says all of his new words! And I have to admit, it was EASY!!!

After

¿Usted habla español?

2009-04-21T19:28:00.014-05:00

Do you all remember my post back in January about Andrew's speech.... or lack there of? Well, as it turns out he can speak..... SPANISH!! I know, I know, the kid won't even speak English so who on earth would believe that he could speak Spanish? I know I certainly couldn't... until I had him repeat it several times. See, we have this rather obnoxious maraca that sings numbers and colors in either English or Spanish to some really great mariachi sounding music. It got flipped to "spanish" a couple of weeks ago and after hearing it so often I had the song in my head. You know the one, "uno", bum badumpump, "dos" ,bum badumpump, "tres", bum badumpump, "quatro"......and so on, and on.....and on. So, it's in my head and unconciously I sang "uno", to which Andrew responded "dos". Huh? So I said "dos" and he responded "tres" (although a little harder to understand that "dos") He did this all the way to "quatro". We repeated this sequence several times and he responded the same each time so I determined that it wasn't a coincidence. Okay, what's going on?

I have been working my tail off to teach this kid how to count in English (heck, I have been working my tail off to get him to say anything) and he learns to count in SPANISH from a flippin' MARACA! After feeling a little inadequate I decided that I was just ecstatic that he is, indeed, talking. In the last week he has said so many new words and is repeating EVERYTHING! This is a huge accomplishment. It had been over 18 months since we had heard Andrew utter a new word so this week it has been sort of like hearing his first words all over again. It is wonderful! Especially after the news we received a couple of weeks ago. The Speech Therapist that evaluated Andrew let us know that our insurance had denied therapy for him because his delay is not due to injury or illness. To say that I was devastated is an understatement. After the shock and helplessness wore off I immediately began looking at other options for him, but it appears that there is not a lot that can be done for him elsewhere until he is 3 (although I am still holding out hope as I wait to hear back from the school district). So we have been waiting. In the meantime he has had a language explosion! Praise the Lord. I am so thrilled to talk with my little man, even if it is in Spanish!!

Swing me, Daddy!!!

2009-04-08T08:00:00.001-05:00

So, after a lot of nagging, Kris finally put Andrew's swing up in the front yard. I had a feeling that Andrew would like it but I had no idea it would be this much!

Andrew and Kris have developed a cute little routine. Everyday when Kris gets home from work he asks Andrew if he wants to go check the mail. Andrew stops whatever he is doing and runs to the front door. It has now become so routine that Kris doesn't even have to ask him to go anymore. In fact, the other day I had Andrew in the bathtub when Kris came home. Well, faster than I could realize what was happening, Andrew was out of the tub running naked and dripping wet to the front door to check the mail! So back to the story; after they check the mail Andrew runs up to the flower bed near the front door and sits on the pavers and taps on the spot next to him so Kris will sit beside him. They sit for a couple of minutes then come in the house...... sometimes willingly, sometimes not.

Well, since the swings arrival the trips to the mailbox have taken a detour to the swing. As soon as the door is opened rather than heading to get the mail, Andrew makes a b-line for the swing. So they swing. I can usually hear Andrew laughing all the way in the house. In true Andrew fashion he prefers to go high and fast, all the while squealing in enjoyment! If the swing slows too much he will instruct Kris "more, more". After a while in the swing they get the mail. Then, Andrew runs to the flower bed and has Kris sit next to him. They sit for a couple of minutes then come in the house...... sometimes willingly, sometimes not.

Swing Install:

Kris fulfilling one of his fatherly duties - risking his life in attempts to make a certain toddler happy!

Andrew's first time in the swing.

Wordless Wednesday!

2009-04-01T10:00:00.000-05:00

Kinda gives "riding Bareback" a whole new meaning don't you think??

I'm back!!

2009-03-30T15:40:00.011-05:00

Hey everyone. Sorry for the lack of posts lately. The kids had Spring Break last week (now 2 weeks ago) so I was a little more occupied than normal and this week I have been...... well, lazy. It's not that I didn't have anything to say it's just that I have so many pictures of last week that I wanted to post it just seemed to daunting a task so I keep putting it off!

Here it goes. So Spring Break. Was FABULOUS! For the first time in several years the weather here was amazingly perfect every single day! I think we spent every minute of daylight outside! We went to the park more than a few times, flew kites, blew bubbles, went on LONG walks, and drew with sidewalk chalk.

On Monday we went to a local park with a giant wooden playground and a duck pond with a walking trail around it. Hannah and Ethan had a great time playing on the wood playground but it was a little to big for Andrew so I took him over to the smaller playground a few feet away. He went on the slide a few times and then decided to move on to bigger things... like scaring the living daylights outta me! There was this arched ladder thing that was about 5ft. tall that he insisted on climbing. Ok, fine I can help him. NOPE! He would not let me touch him. He had to do it himself. He did pretty well although there were a couple of times that I had to quickly grab him before he fell through the bars to the ground. Andrew (and my heart) survived! After playing on the playground for a while we went to the duck pond to take a walk around the path. As we came upon a duck family I thought this would be a great learning opportunity for Andrew as he had never really seen duck up this close before. They are very conditioned to people so you can just walk right up to them so off we went...... or started to. As it turns out my little dare devil who is not scared of anything is scared of DUCKS! Yep, scared of ducks! We kept walking...........

On Tuesday, we had plans to go to an indoor play area but got there to realize that it was no longer in business! The kids were super bummed. We had been there before and they couldn't wait to get back so we were all disappointed to find it closed. So we created a plan B. I let the kids plan the day and I have to say they did a fantastic job. Not only did they decide on something that they would have fun doing but something fun for Andrew as well. First we went to McDonalds for lunch. They didn't even want to play in the playland because they were so excited to put their plan into action.

They had me take them to WalMart where they picked out kites, bubbles and balls for everyone. We then went up to their school and took advantage of the playground and giant open field. We flew kites, blew bubbles and played, played, played..... for HOURS!! The kids played so hard and got so hot and sweaty that when we got home they were all begging to take a bath. I'm sure that'll never happen again!

On Wednesday we all went to the Ft. Worth Zoo. We were there when they opened so we beat the massive crowds for the most part, although by early afternoon it was getting hard to push the stroller through the crowd. We were able too all of the animals that the kids wanted to see except for "woofs". That is a "dog" for those of you that don't speak Andrew. No dogs at the Zoo....... who knew?!? Any how, the favorite find of the day (for the kids) would have to be the penguins. They have a really great penguin habitat set up with icebergs and water and all. It really was neat to see these guy so close up and watch them dive into the water and pop back up onto the ice!

On the way home from the Zoo!

On Thursday we had to kind of take it easy. Ethan had Allergy shots that morning and he isn't supposed to be very active for about 24 hours afterwards. After Ethan's shots we took April for a much needed visit to the groomer. I am embarrassed to say she hadn't been since August and was looking pretty rough! The man at the desk when I dropped her off even accused me of taking her somewhere else in between visits there because it had been so long! When the kids and I went back to pick her up it was pretty funny because Andrew kept staring at her like he had never seen her before and Ethan said "mommy, are you sure that's our dog?". I must admit, she looked COMPLETELY different! On the way home from picking up the pooch we stopped at Sonic for some milkshakes and slushes! It was a nice relaxing day!

On Friday Ethan was still coming off his Allergy shots but was allowed light activity so we stayed around the house and played outside. We laid a blanket out in the backyard and the kids read, snacked, played in the sandbox, rode their bikes and and drew with chalk.

Even though we had a "staycation" rather than a vacation it was still a blast and we couldn't have asked for more beautiful weather! Hope everyone else had a great Spring Break!

Not Me! Monday

2009-03-16T10:06:00.000-05:00

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

I have not been taking a shower in the kids bathroom because their shower head is SO much better than mine. Even if theirs was better than mine I would just go buy a new one for my bathroom rather than lugging all of my shower garb into their bathroom each day. Ridiculous! Glad I don't do that.

I am not more excited than the kids are about our Zoo Trip this Wednesday. It will not be Andrew's first time at the Zoo and I will not take way too many pictures!

Andrew did not quickly find his favorite place to play at Dana's house. Can you guess where it was? It was not Derek's room. It (surprisingly) wasn't the bathroom. It was...............................the DOG CRATE!

I did not run out of gas in the middle of a busy intersection. Of course not. After 16 years of driving I am certainly aware of these things and I would NEVER run out of gas for the FIRST TIME EVER with two of my three kids in the car!

Two super nice men wearing ties did not push my car out of the intersection into a safe parking lot while I was talking to OnStar . Hannah and Ethan did not think that this was the coolest thing ever and did not keep asking if we could call a tow truck to drive us home.

OnStar did not send Auto Rescue to bring me gas. OnStar is not the best thing EVER invented!

Oh yeah, Kris did not laugh at me all night after I finally made it home!

What a week it was! Next week should be a doozie............ the kids are on Spring Break!!!

Have a great week!!

Not Me! Monday

2009-03-09T10:45:00.013-05:00

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

I did not get into bed earlier in the week, very ready to go to sleep, and realize it was full of smooshed up Goldfish crackers and a plastic screwdriver. This is impossible because I never let any of the kid eat in my bed, especially when they don't feel well!

Andrew did not spend the entire day on Thursday naked because he decided he wanted to use the "big boy"potty all day. He did not only have one accident and it was not in MY BED!

On Thursday evening when Andrew spilled his juice in MY BED I certainly did not just cover it with a towel and proceed to go to bed as if nothing had happened because I had not JUST put clean sheets on my bed not even an hour before (see above Not Me! moment)!

I did not go to WalMart nearly everyday this week because I can't ever manage to get everything I need all at once.

I did not tell Hannah that I couldn't help her with her math homework because I simply didn't "get it". That's silly. Of course I know 4th Grade math; it hasn't been that long!

I did not get all bent out of shape when Hannah told me that the substitute teacher she had made her sit out at recess because she made a bookmark out of a piece of notebook paper! I mean really..... I paid for the darn paper and if the child needs a bookmark then kudos to her for making her own. Plus, not allowing a 4th grader to blow off steam and burn all of that pent up energy before returning to the classroom............. who is this really punishing?

Have a great week everyone!

Boys will (not always) be boys!

2009-03-05T12:51:00.003-06:00

Have any of you with children, particularly boys, ever wondered why they seem to love all things GROSS? I never really thought about it...... until Andrew. Yes, he is my second boy but he is my first BOY! What I mean by that is that Ethan, although a boy, was and still is, fairly mild tempered, quiet and generally easy to please. He likes to play quietly, doesn't really care to get dirty and hates to be "in trouble". I never quite "got it" when people would talk about how hard it is to have a little boy. When they would speak of rowdy, rambunctious, accident prone, dirt eating, little monsters I nodded in agreement, all the while wondering what in the heck all the fuss was about. Boys are easy! Well,...... I GET IT NOW!! I GET IT!! I SOOO GET IT!! Boys aren't easy, Ethan was easy. I was deceived, tricked even! LOL!

I have to say Andrew seriously gives me a run for my money and makes me feel every bit of 31; sometimes older! I never knew such a little person could wear me out so quickly. He challenges me everyday to remain patient and remember that this too shall pass! Unlike his older brother he thoroughly enjoys getting dirty, in fact he seeks it out. Hopping in the sandbox that is full of more water than sand while fully clothed, shoes and all makes him deliriously happy. Splashing in the toilet tickles him to the core and spitting milk by the mouthfuls onto any surface that should NOT get wet is quite amusing to him! To say that my little man is high maintenance is a GROSS understatement!!

These are a few of Andrew's favorite things to do on a an average day:

climb onto any counter top/ dresser he has time to get on
place handfuls of toys into the fish tank
strip naked 10-20 times
pee on whatever he has time to before I am able to catch him and dress him again
put all of the dog's food into her water dish then play in it
take the lid off of the trash can then proceed to rummage through it
place misc. items in the toilet, splash it around.... FLUSH!... repeat if necessary.
open the refrigerator and DUMP whatever doesn't have a lid and whatever he can get the lid off of.
scale the gate leading in to Hannah's room and go knock all of her c.d's, dvd's, and books off of the shelf and dump her fish food all over the carpet.

It's true what they say....

"No one can resist a "Bad Boy"!

Although completely different, Andrew and Ethan seem to be becoming the best of friends! Whoever said that being a mom to boys is hard was right. But not any harder than being a mom to a girl, just a different kind of hard, as I am finding out as Hannah becomes older and nears those dreadful teenage years. Being a Mom is hard. The hardest thing that I have ever done. The best thing I have ever done. I am so blessed to be the Mom to these amazing kids! Luckily for Hannah and Ethan they were born first..... I'm KIDDING people!!!