Fordy Days and Nights

Time Flies...

2011-03-08T20:09:00.002-05:00

Today I registered Austin for Kindergarten.

I wasn't prepared for how that would feel.

He is my baby.

How could he be 5 already?

I don't think I am going to be able to hold it together well in August.

Time is flying by too quickly!

Favorite February Face

2011-03-07T21:18:00.005-05:00

I haven't done an entry in I Heart Faces for over a year, but I just couldn't resist this week's theme which is "Best Face in February".
My baby turned six months old last month and one day while taking some pictures of him and his new mastery of sitting up like a big boy, he was full of expression and DROOL! This was easily my favorite image from that day and the whole month.

To see more entries in this week's contest go here.

Truly Blessed

2010-08-18T15:54:00.002-04:00

Tomorrow our precious new son will be 3 weeks old. It is truly stunning how fast time goes by.

My induction with him went very smoothly. So smoothly in fact that I was able to catch up on a favorite show of mine that happened to be running a marathon that day, read a couple magazines, keep friends and family updated on Facebook and through texting and even snooze a bit here and there (after the epidural of course).

I have been blessed with quick deliveries in the past and this one was no different. I progressed from 5 to 10 cm in one hour and had him pushed out completely in about 5 pushes. The cord was wrapped around his neck twice, his shoulders were stuck and he was a BIG boy, but I got him out quickly nonetheless. He came out so fast in fact, that his poor face was pretty badly bruised and he had hematoma in both of his eyes. Needless to say, we won't be showing off a vast array of hospital pictures.

So, on July 29th at 4:48pm, weighing 9 pounds and measuring 22 inches, Jaxon Glenn Ford was born.

As I mentioned in my previous post, we choose his name not just because we liked the sound of it, but because of its meaning. Over the last year or so we have gone through some really trying times, the greatest of which was Mark getting unfairly pushed out of the company he envisioned, built and greatly sacrificed for. The greatest sting was that it was at the hands of a friend and a family member. Being unemployed in this economy is tough, but many days that didn't compare to the emotional roller coaster that resulted from the broken relationships. We definitely went through a period of questioning why all of this was happening to us, but then God began to make it clear that He would bring beauty from the ashes and He had a good and perfect purpose in Mark's removal from the company.

When we found out that we were pregnant with our third child we knew that though the timing would present challenges, this baby would be a tremendous blessing in our lives. He was a bright spot in some really dark days and as we began to talk about names, we decided that we wanted to give him a name that would have significance based on what we were going through. Our focus had changed by then and we were constantly looking for all of the good things that our trials were bringing us. It seems odd to say considering the circumstances, but the blessings have far outweighed the difficulties and as I said, we know beyond a doubt that God is doing amazing and beautiful things in our lives through this. We looked at name meanings for days and never really found anything that had the right combination of meaning and a name we could live with. Finally one night I went back to the list of names we had made when we were pregnant with Mia to see if any of those boy names would work. Jaxon had been high on my list of names I liked and we had chosen to spell it that way because Mark wasn't a fan of the nickname Jack, but did like the nickname Jax. Oddly we had never even looked up what that name meant, until we went back to the list this time. I could hardly believe my eyes when the search results came up. I knew immediately that Jaxon would be his name. It was perfect!

Jaxon means, "God has been gracious. He has shown favor."

It so encapsulated how we had begun to feel about our circumstances. God was daily revealing a new plan for our lives and though the difficulties were many, we constantly did and do feel blessed to be right where we are.

As far as his middle name, we chose the name Glenn after Mark's dad. He is a man of great integrity and honoring him gives us tremendous joy.

Jaxon is such a good baby and we are all loving on him on a daily basis. Both Austin and Mia have adjusted better than we even expected. So far there are no signs of jealousy, only love.

And boy do we love our little Jaxon!!!

"For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12: 9-10

To My Third Child

2010-07-28T21:59:00.007-04:00

Well, considering it has been since November that I have posted something on this neglected blog, it won't come as a surprise that I have been working on a "nine month project."

As would be expected, Austin and Mia have grown in leaps and bounds and are very excited to get to meet their baby brother.

These pictures were taken this morning on the eve of my induction. That's right...this baby is coming tomorrow!

We are SO excited to be adding to our family!

To My Third Child,

It is the eve of your birth and there are so many people that are very excited to meet you. However, I, your mommy, have a little more of an urgent need. You see, you are my biggest baby and for at least a couple weeks you have been making things much more difficult and uncomfortable for me. It is certainly all worth it to have you in my arms, but I won't be missing your acrobatics, the intense heartburn, the sweating and the hip pain.

I have known you were a boy since early on in the pregnancy. As soon as my aversion to coffee flared up, I knew. You see with Mia I could smell and drink coffee fine, but with you and Austin it would send me running. Your abuelita was the same way when she had your grandpa and his brothers.

Generally, my pregnancy with you has been good and easy. I believe you have been my most active baby though! It makes me wonder so often what your personality will be like. What kinds of things will you have in common with your siblings? me? Daddy?

I can't wait to see what you look like! Austin and Mia looked very similar as babies and many people think they still do, but you may just be a completely different mix of Mommy and Daddy.

We don't know you yet, but there is one thing we know for sure...you are a blessing! Our family has been through a lot of hardship in the last 10 months, but you will certainly be one of our greatest joys. We have chosen a special name for you and can't wait to share it's meaning with everyone we know.

Austin can't wait to teach you all about cars, trucks and most importantly tractors. Mia can't wait to baby you in all of her motherly ways. Daddy can't wait to show you off. I can't wait to sing to you.

Tomorrow will be your birthday. A day that will forever hold some of the fondest memories of my life. I will try to sleep tonight because you will certainly be keeping me from getting much of that past tomorrow, but it will be a difficult task because I am overflowing with anticipation.

No words can possibly describe the love I feel for you already. I thank God for choosing me to be your Mommy and will certainly do my best to live up to the amazing task of being not only your mommy, but the mommy of 3.

My son...my precious third child...see you tomorrow!

Love,
Mommy

Slacker

2009-11-13T14:57:00.008-05:00

Has it really been two months since my last post?

Ugh! Time flies when you are a full time Mommy and it's Christmas card season in the photography world. My poor children have definitely become photo deprived since I started this business, but they aren't complaining.

My grandma called last week and begged for some pictures...any pictures at all. She checks my blog twice a day. She is committed though I am not. Sorry Grandma! Here are your pictures.

I will try to do better!

On Halloween we went to a local farm for some Fall fun. Unfortunately it was a cold, misty day, but the kids didn't much care about that.

The first thing they wanted to do was ride the bucking cow train.

Well, maybe they liked the idea of it when they saw it, but once inside were not so sure. A "train" of four or five cows was pulled by a small tractor and as it moved the cows bucked up and down.

Austin loved it immediately. Mia waited a bit for her verdict.

But, ultimately she seemed to like the experience. We didn't know how she would do when the train went into the corn field where she couldn't see Mommy and Daddy. We waited for the wails!

But, to our surprise, they never came and when they emerged from the field this was her sweet facial expression. Pure joy! Needless to say, they rode it more than once.

Another highlight was the corn slide.

And the "heavy machinery" for corn play.

Of course, the John Deere inspired pedal carts were also a lot of fun, though Austin was a little frustrated that he was too short to do it himself.

We took a hayride pulled by a tractor out to the pretty much empty pumpkin patch where we weren't even allowed to get off. I imagine the pumpkins that were left out there were rotting anyway, but it was a nice ride. When we got off the kids were thrilled to get to climb on the stationary tractor for some pretend driving.

If you ask Austin what he wants to be when he grows up, he always replies with "A Farmer. So I can drive a tractor every day." He was in his own little world up there that day.

And because Mia has to do everything that Austin does, she drove the tractor too.

Before we left we let each of the kids pick a pumpkin from the selection they had left.

Mia picked the largest one she could manage to carry.

Hours later it was time for trick or treating and Buzz was ready to go. He LOVED the $7 costume I got him from a local consignment shop.

It really was cool with its light up head gear. He was on a mission and ready to go.

After some heckling from his family, Mark decided to dress up as Woody to go along with Austin. Mia who wouldn't be still for a good individual picture, was a fairy.

As you can see from the wet steps, it was a rainy night that didn't allow for much candy collecting. But we had a lot of fun and needed to get back home for a very important World Series game.

S-C-H-O-O-L

2009-09-14T00:36:00.004-04:00

I am still not quite sure how it happened that I turned around and my baby boy became old enough to go to preschool, but alas it has happened.

Friday was his first real day. We had gone in on Wednesday to meet his teachers and I think that settled his nerves quite a bit. I still thought he was going to cry though.

For the last couple months he has cried a lot when I leave and he knew this was something that he was going to have to do without mommy. He asked me very often, "Are you going to stay with me Mommy?" I feared my weepy reaction if he started to cry.

But, you can see from the above photo and the ones to follow, he was ready to go.

It was a VERY rainy and cold day. He was excited to get to wear his raincoat.

He walked right in, hung up his backpack and coat and started playing. He really didn't even look back. We had to call him over to say goodbye to him.

He had a great first day. At least that is my assumption because I got very little out of him when we got home. I do know that they had Cheetos for snack. That may be the only information I am able to get out of him most days. But, as long as he is loving school, I will be a happy momma.

Little Pink Turtle Winner

2009-08-27T00:39:00.003-04:00

Thank you to everyone who entered the giveaway for the Little Pink Turtle. I hope you enjoyed browsing their fantastic merchandise and will consider making them your official bow headquarters.

I had a little meeting with Mr. Random.org and the winner he chose was....

Kim

Congratulations Kim!!! You will be receiving an email from the Little Pink Turtle to claim your prize.

For those of you who didn't win but would still love some free stuff from Little Pink Turtle, you are in luck because they do Mom's Night Out parties where you can earn free bows and other accessories. Contact them today to set up your party, and help your friends and neighbors out by introducing them to their adorable products. It's a win - win!

I Can Take Care of That for You

2009-08-26T00:28:00.003-04:00

** My giveaway ends at midnight tonight, so be sure to enter if you haven't already **

It Wouldn't be Summer Without It

2009-08-24T23:35:00.007-04:00

We just aren't ready for summer to end.

So, we are continuing to enjoy some of our favorite things about it.

One of them is most certainly WATERMELON.

Cool, refreshing, sweet, juicy and fun to eat. What more could you ask for?

This is Mia's first summer as a watermelon indulger. I'd say she is a fan.

It isn't always pretty, but hey who cares if you let a little bit dribble down your mouth and drip from your chin and chubby elbows.

For now, we aren't thinking about all the things we will miss when summer is long gone. We are just enjoying them in the moment.

And I refuse to think about how much bigger these little watermelon tinged toes will be when next summer rolls around.

**My giveaway ends on Wednesday so don't forget to enter**

Fair-ly Nostalgic

2009-08-24T13:01:00.003-04:00

This week's theme on I Heart Faces is Nostalgia.

I chose this picture for this week's Nostalgia theme because it brings back so many childhood memories. The "Swings" were absolutely my favorite ride anytime we would attend the fair or a local carnival when I was a kid. I loved the breeze in my long hair, the feeling of flying and the view from the elevated height. If my family would have tolerated it, I would have used nearly all of my ride tickets to swing.
It is no wonder that my son is exactly the same way. Last year at the fair he rode the swings three times and begged for more. I stood there smiling knowing exactly how he felt.

For more Nostalgia themed shots click here.

**Only two more days to enter my giveaway**

If the Kids Could Decorate the Yard

2009-08-22T11:26:00.007-04:00

There is a store near Nana's house that sells all sorts of indoor and outdoor art. They have common things like bird baths, ornate mirrors, interesting plant holders and taxidermy. But, they also have many uncommon items...like life sized elephants.

...and fierce looking tigers

...and dinosaurs of all kinds

The realism is unbelievable.

It is honestly a little strange that such a shop is located in such a remote area.

Austin and Mia were thoroughly enjoying the visit and wanted to take home many of the pieces.

This was Austin's favorite.

I wasn't sure if the caboose was for sale, but the kids were having a great time on it.

We enjoyed the brief visit, but as we left I had one question lingering in my head.

Who actually buys this stuff for their yard?

**Don't forget to enter my giveaway if you haven't already**

Woo hoo!

2009-08-22T11:18:00.002-04:00

I'm so excited! I just found out that I was a top ten finisher in this week's I Heart Faces "Bubble" themed pictures.

Check out all the winners here.

Gardening with Nana

2009-08-21T14:40:00.005-04:00

This year was the first year my mom stopped talking about wanting to have a garden and actually (with a little help from daughters and friends) made it a reality.

While we were visiting Austin spent a lot of time in the garden with Nana.

They would go out in the morning and afternoon and check on the progress of all the vegetables, pull some weeds and pick the days bounty.

Austin loved it!

He has always been a good eater and he was finding no problem enjoying the fresh veggies right there in the garden. (A little dirt shouldn't hurt right?)

There was always a face of satisfaction and joy as he would bring the baskets full of tomatoes, green beans, peas, radishes, squash and cucumbers into the house.

It was certainly a very special time with Nana and he wanted it to be all his own. He was happy to share the vegetables, but not the garden.

It was such a joy for me to see him doing something I loved to do with my Grandpa when I was little.

He had a big, beautiful garden every year and even some berry bushes. My sisters and I would go out and do the very same things that Austin was doing with his Nana.

They are some of my fondest childhood memories and it warms my heart to know that Austin will have the benefit of the same types of memories.

Thanks Mom for planting seeds in your garden and memories in Austin's life.

** Don't forget to enter my giveaway if you haven't already! **

Mud Bog

2009-08-20T13:16:00.000-04:00

Last week while we were visiting Nana, their county fair was in full swing.

On Monday night after I had a day full of photo shoots in my old stomping grounds, we went to the fair to watch the Mud Bog.

In case you aren't familiar with what that is (because I had never been to one either), it is a section of "race track" filled feet deep with mud.

Trucks attempt to make it all the way through the mud by using a combination of lots of horsepower and fancy maneuvering.

The winner is the truck who either makes it through in the fastest time or if none of them make it through, the truck who goes farthest through the mud without making it to the finish line.

It was a family affair for sure. The four of us, Nana & Pap, Gigi & GP and Aunt Amy.

I don't know if the kids were having more fun being on our shoulders or watching the trucks.

Actually, I think it was pretty clear what Austin liked the best.

The next night we were supposed to go back to ride the rides, but it poured rain and we returned on Wednesday.

As we stood at the ticket counter to buy our wristbands, Austin noticed that the woman helping us had an obvious "flaw."

He promptly and loudly said, "Hey, your teeth fell out!"

When she didn't respond to him he assumed she didn't hear him, so even more loudly and this time with an accompanying pointed finger, he said, "Hey, your teeth are missing!"

I think she quickly realized she better acknowledge him. So, she said with a toothless smile, "Yep."

Needless to say, we were just a tad embarrassed though we realized he is 3 and was just making an observation.

Off to the rides we went.

I was sure Mia would not be a fan of us leaving her on a ride, but she did well on the first one.

"Dumbo" was a hit, but the second ride of little rockets that went up and down was NOT. Mia cried the whole time and they stopped the ride early when she started trying to get off.

Austin was a fan of any ride we put him on, but he needed a little more intensity than most of the kiddie rides offered. You can see his obvious boredom with the pace of these vehicles.

After watching Austin ride the train, twice, she decided she wanted to ride it too. And she loved it!

I thought she would like the carousel, but wrong again. She would have been fine if it has just gone in circles, but the up and down motion was not her thing.

Don't you love Mark's, "annoyed at her drama" face?

Finally, after riding kiddie rides for a while Austin was able to ride the two adult rides that he was allowed on.

First the bumper cars, which we all did.

And, second, the highlight of his night....the Ferris Wheel!

We could see the tractor pull that was ongoing while we were up there and he loved it.

It was a great time at the fair with so many people that we love!

** Don't forget to enter my giveaway if you haven't already! **

This is What Happens After We Come Home From a Trip

2009-08-19T00:08:00.002-04:00

Bubble Beautiful

2009-08-18T21:41:00.005-04:00

Woo hoo! My first top ten finish.

This week the theme on I Heart Faces is bubbles. I took this picture of my friend's daughter last week and I love the simplicity of it.

To see all the other great entries this week, head over by clicking here.

A Girlie Giveaway

2009-08-18T13:36:00.005-04:00

The Little Pink Turtle

I have a great giveaway for all of my readers with little girls, expecting little girls or who ever buy gifts for little girls.

My great friend Stefanie and her neighbor have started a new "bowtique." They have the cutest stuff and I know you will be impressed with the quality and selection of accessories.

They have a huge selection of ribbon colors and will make bows to order at no additional cost.

Here is just a sampling of their beautiful bows.

In addition to bows, they also offer binky clips, diaper cakes and adorable bow holders.

Seriously, how fantastic are these?

So, to help get the word out about their new business, I am hosting a fabulous giveaway.

One lucky reader will WIN one of their fantastic bow holders and TWO beautiful fall bows!

All you have to do to enter is visit The Little Pink Turtle, browse around their selection of bows and other items, and then come back here and leave me a comment telling me what your favorite item was. (Be sure to leave me a valid email address so I have a way to contact you if you are the lucky winner.)

For additional entries: (after the required one above)

1. Post about this giveaway on your blog and leave a comment with the link.

2. Become a Follower of The Little Pink Turtle and leave me a comment telling me you did.

3. Become a Facebook fan of The Little Pink Turtle by clicking here and then leave me a comment telling me you are a fan.

4. Post about this giveaway on Facebook and come back and tell me you did.

5. Purchase something from The Little Pink Turtle before this giveaway ends and leave me a comment telling me what adorable thing is now yours.

This giveaway is open to all US residents and will end at midnight on Wednesday, August 26th.

Good luck!!!

Long awaited Playdate

2009-08-07T00:26:00.003-04:00

When I moved to Florida after college and got my first teaching job, I met Lissette. She and I were embarking on quite an adventure as new teachers in a challenging elementary school. We were friends from the beginning and though we only taught together for two years, we have remained friends.

She and her husband traveled up for my wedding and I traveled down for her bridal shower because her wedding date was too close to my due date when I was pregnant with Austin.

Though she lives within a few miles of many of my family members, we had not, until this trip, had the opportunity to connect and meet each other's children.

Her little girl Leah is absolutely beautiful and it was so much fun to have the kids play while we caught up a little bit.

My kids were so happy to be around toys that they seemed to be all over the place, but it was a fun time.

One of the great things was that Leah only speaks Spanish and my kids mostly speak English, but that didn't phase them one bit.

We tried to get a group picture before we left, but Mia was not cooperating, so this was the best I could get.

It was definitely a nice highlight of our vacation.

My Little Fish

2009-08-06T00:29:00.004-04:00

One of Austin's favorite parts of being in Florida was having access to a pool day....and night.

One night we let him stay up a little later than usual and go for a night swim with Grandpa. He loved it!

He is a little fish and has no fear of the water. We made sure he had a life vest on at all times because of that.

He was learning and practicing the backstroke from the deep end of the pool.

Grandpa was wearing him out (so he would sleep REALLY well) by sending him right back when he made it to the shallow end.

By far his favorite pool activity was jumping in to do "cabinballs." He did them over and over.

And came up smiling every time!

That's my little fish!

Mia - 18 months

2009-08-04T22:20:00.009-04:00

Mia,

I can't believe you are 18 months old today. The time has flown by and I am starting to see the little girl in you coming out. I have a love/hate relationship with that, but regardless of how I feel you are growing and changing.

Since the last update at 15 months, you finally decided to walk. That was a wonderful day for Mommy. I really couldn't take much more of your need to have my finger to get around. You also decided to bless me on Mother's Day weekend with a new word, "Mommy." And boy do you love to use it now!

We are having so much fun with you and your ability to be more interactive and involved with family activities. You love to rough house with Austin and Daddy, pretend to hide and be found, eat dinner at the table and go on walks.

Some of your favorite things right now are snacks (anything in a little prepackaged bag), juice boxes, shoes, reading and looking at books, doggies and kitties, your baby dolls and all their accessories especially the backpack carrier and bottle, taking "bafs" (baths), saying "uh oh", anything pink, swinging, "driving" in your cozy coupe convertible and climbing up on anything you can and then whining when you realize you are scared or can't get down. You also make every chair a rocking chair by climbing on and rocking while you say, "rock-a-baby."

You are SO girlie! Every morning when I come to get you out of your bed, you immediately point to your bow holder and demand a bow for your hair. EVERY morning! You also love wearing headbands, but not on your head. You like to put them around your neck and pretend they are necklaces. Last weekend when our neighborhood had a big yard sale, you managed to put 7 around your neck from a neighbor's sale bin. Anything with a handle becomes a purse and my hairbands and other items become your bracelets. I just bought you a dress for your uncle's wedding and you beamed when you saw it and held it to you as you carried it around.

But, as girlie as you are, there is also a side of you that wants to be exactly like your brother. You play with his cars and trucks and make the appropriate sound effects. When we are in the car you point out tractors and trucks with him, sometimes you even spot them first! If he does something, eats something or tries something, you must too. And, his love of Wall-E has rubbed off on you. Every time we get in the car, you start saying, "Waw-wee, Waw-wee" because you want to listen to the soundtrack.

You are much more coordinated than your brother was at this age. You can already use a fork and spoon to eat, which Austin wasn't able to do well until he was 2. You attempt to run and jump. If something looks bouncy you are sure to get on it and bounce while saying, "uppie, uppie."

You still love saying "hi" to everyone, but act shy most of the time. You love getting lotion put on your legs and feet after your bath. You have a little love affair with "Melmo" (Elmo) and I have read the ONE Elmo book we own about 1000 times. You know each page by heart.

There are a few things that you dislike. You seriously dislike being dirty, and hot is a close second. So, the beach was not something you enjoyed. You still don't like most fruits, but have started eating bananas and strawberries at times. Oddly enough you do like all juices and always ask for grapes though you never eat them. You don't like being told "no" and sometimes pucker your lip and start to cry. But, you DO have a strong will and fiery temper that scares us a little bit.

You have one gross habit. You love to pull dental floss out of the bathroom trash can and pretend to floss. Please stop that soon!

Your vocabulary continues to grow, though you don't talk much at all when we are not at home.

You have a couple of obsessions. Lately your blankie is the biggest one. You want it with you at ALL times and absolutely meltdown when we won't let you have it. And the biggest part of the blankie obsession is the "taggie." One blankie has already lost its taggie which has frustrated you to the point that I have had to "lose" that one. The other blankie's taggie is hanging by a thread so I guess Mommy will be investing in a couple new blankies very soon. Your other maddening obsession is your desire to sing/play Patty Cake and Row, Row Your Boat. Seriously...you could play that all. day. long. But, it is really cute, especially when we won't play with you so you get one of your babies and manipulate their arms to clap or row.

My favorite cute thing you do lately is sing along with your Elmo toy that has a microphone. You know all of the little songs and carry it around like your own personal Karaoke machine. Even Austin thinks it is adorable.

You continue to be a light in our lives and we are so blessed by you and all your little quirks. I am really looking forward to having some girl time with you this fall when Austin starts preschool. Fun times ahead my little love bug!

Mommy will now forget that tomorrow, you are one day closer to 2. That is just too much to handle.

Love you bunches, oodles and beyond my Peach!

Greats are Great

2009-08-04T00:46:00.001-04:00

One of the greatest things we got to do while on vacation in Florida was to spend some time with my grandfather (Papi).

This was the first time we have been down since my abuela died in the fall and I have to admit it was strange. Family functions just aren't the same without her there.

The first weekend we were down, Mark had some time to visit with Papi one on one and he opened up a lot about how much he missed Abuela. My dad had said he really didn't talk about her much, but I guess since Mark would be less likely to get emotional he felt comfortable talking to him about her. I am so glad he did. I can't imagine how difficult it must be to adjust to life alone after spending 58 years with your spouse.

But, he is doing well and thoroughly enjoyed seeing and spending time with the kids. He mentioned several times how much Abuela would have loved to see them and how much they have grown and such, so it was a little bittersweet.

The kids love him and love that Mommy speaks Spanish when she is in Florida. Austin is completely fascinated by it and would repeat nearly everything I would say.

At 85 years old he is still very active and played with the kids.

Here he was playing "cell phone" with Mia. She could play that for hours and he was very patient in continuing to have play conversations with her.

I loved that she could clearly say his name and asked for him when he wasn't around. So cute!

One night we stayed at his house so that we could enjoy some extended time. That also allowed us to spend some time with Tia Gloria and enjoy her scrumptious cooking.

My great aunt (Abuela's sister) lives in the in-law apartment at the back of Papi's house. They have a nice arrangement where she cleans and cooks for him and he drives her to the places she needs to get to. They keep each other company and I know that makes Abuela and my great uncle smile.

Tia has a pet cockatiel named "Tweet." Austin was absolutely, positively fascinated by the bird. He wanted so badly for him to sit on his shoulder or rest in his hand, but Tweet only trusts two people. Papi and Tia. Regardless, he loved watching him and "talking" to him. Of course, the bird speaks Spanish so he couldn't understand.

What a blessing it is to know that my children have the opportunity and pleasure of knowing, loving and enjoying their great grandparents and other greats.

Though we don't get down to Florida very much I know that at least Austin knows he is loved beyond comprehension by Papi and many other family members.

Thank you Papi for who you are, how you love us and for being a ray of sunshine in our vacation.

H - O - T

2009-08-02T23:02:00.006-04:00

We have been home from our vacation in Florida for almost two weeks now. So go ahead and call me a slacker for just now getting some pictures and posts up.

It's okay...I can take it!

While we were in FL it was HOT.

Truly uncomfortable.

Of course, I think the highest temperature we had experienced in PA was about 82 with no humidity, so 97 with a heat index of 106 and high humidity was a huge change.

Thankfully, Grandma and Grandpa's house had a pool, but even more fun was the "Sprinkler Park."

Just minutes away was a cute little county park with this fun water feature.

The kids really enjoyed attempting to beat the heat.

Mia must wear her bow at all times so here she is begging me to put it back in her wet hair. Such a girl!

Mia liked this much more than the pool.

Austin was really enjoying the simple pleasure of it too. He loved that the different features did not all stay on at the same time. It would stop and start in new places and he would guess which one was coming on and be so proud of himself if he was right.

Surprisingly, there was only one other child there the morning we went. Mia was being friendly but secretly I think she was after his bucket.

It was a great time! And though we beat the heat for a brief time we didn't beat the mosquitoes.

So, playground time had to be very brief because though the kids were swinging and safe from bites, Mommy and Daddy were being eaten alive.

More vacation pics and stories to come. Hold me to it...otherwise my slacker tendencies may take over again.

A Wii to Help a Wee One

2009-08-01T23:46:00.002-04:00

A friend of a friend is doing a huge giveaway on her blog and I am here to tell you about it.

The Weldons are raising money to adopt their daughter from China. To aid in this process Angie is doing her first giveaway and it is a big one.

The first 200 entrants will have a chance to win a Wii Entertainment System!!!

All of the details can be found here on their blog.

Good luck!

Beach Baby?

2009-07-28T00:14:00.003-04:00

This week on I <3 Faces the theme is "beach." Since we just got back from a trip to FL to visit my family, I have some recent shots. This was my favorite because it truly conveys how Mia felt about the beach. Hot and dirty are not on her list of things she enjoys, so she was definitely not a fan of her time there. Needless to say, we spent the rest of our days at the pool.

For more beach themed entries click here and give yourself a dose of summer.

Red, White and Blue

2009-07-06T23:33:00.010-04:00

This is the first July 4th in three years that it didn't rain. Not only did it not rain but we had absolutely gorgeous weather.

We spent the night at my in-laws on Friday night along with my nieces, nephew and sisters in law so that we could all go to the parade Saturday morning.

Though the parade was a little long and in need of more bands and general entertainment, we all had a good time seeing the endless firetrucks, politicians throwing loads of candy and kids on decorated bicycles.

It was nice for all the cousins to get to do something fun together. They all looked so cute in their outfits.

I handed Mark the camera so I could finally be in at least one picture. And I think he captured a gem.

After the parade we headed back to Grandma and Grandpa's house for more food and fun.

Patriotic popsicles were a popular choice and Mia was certainly not left out.

She has really started hamming it up for the camera. Hmmmm...I wonder why?

This pictures is for my family because they have been bugging me for a picture of Mia walking. Enjoy!

After some delicious food and homemade ice cream we headed out to get a spot for the fireworks. There was music playing which was nice since we had over an hour to wait for it to get dark.Austin happily danced.

The sunset prior to the fireworks was gorgeous. That alone would have been a terrific ending to a wonderful day. But, there were still fireworks to come.

It was WAY past Mia's bedtime and she was having a really hard time waiting, but she ultimately loved the fireworks and oohed and aahed the whole time.

On the way home I told Mark that I think it was one of the best 4th of Julys I have had. I love this country and celebrating it's "birthday" with my family brought me joy and hope that we will all remember the foundations it was built on and hold true to them.

A Pictureless Post (because I love you like that)

2009-06-29T14:26:00.002-04:00

Life has been very busy lately with my new business, unexpected and unwelcome house repairs and near disasters (post to come) and kid activities.

This past Saturday was the first Saturday in the last few months that I didn't have any shoots to do. We took the kids to the playground and then decided to spend the afternoon and evening getting some work done around the house.

We put the kids down for their naps and got to work.

We assumed they were both sleeping.

And you know what happens sometimes when you assume.

About 3o minutes after we had put them to bed, I thought I heard a creak on the stairs and asked Mark if he heard the same.

He did.

We knew Austin was out of bed and so Mark went to get him re-situated.

A few minutes later I heard Mark say, "Hey honey. Where is the carpet cleaner?"

When I asked why he needed the carpet cleaner he said, "there's poop on the carpet."

What?

Apparently Austin had gotten out of bed, gone to the bathroom, pooped extensively, attempted to wipe himself and when those efforts failed....

He left the bathroom with his pants and underwear still down, walked to the carpeted stairs, sat down and rubbed his hiney until he was satisfied with his cleanliness.

In case you are getting a mental picture right now....yes....he rubbed his butt on the carpet like a dog.

I laughed so hard I cried, but only because Mark discovered the mess and therefore had to clean it up too.

Never a dull moment around here!!!

Wedded Bliss

2009-06-29T14:13:00.003-04:00

This week on I <3 Faces the theme is Wedding Bells. I recently had the pleasure of shooting my cousin Emily's wedding. She and Seth are such a fun and happy couple that it made the job easy. I love the look of pure joy on their faces in this picture.

Head over here and see all the great entries this week.

A Wedding in My Future

2009-06-13T00:46:00.003-04:00

My great friend Leah is getting married! AND, she is marrying my brother-in-law, Ian, so we will now forever be sisters (at least in law). How cool is that?

Here's their engagement story.

One Friday morning in April, Leah woke up on her day off, went downstairs to have breakfast and saw a large bouquet of roses sitting on the counter. The card attached told her to get ready because Ian was coming to pick her up.
He arrived and they took a short drive to a Wendell August, a local forge.

She wasn't sure why they were there and when she asked, he told her that he had arranged for them to go on a tour. It seemed a little odd to her, but she followed him in (albeit with low expectations). Immediately she was impressed with the beautiful work that was displayed in their show room.

They started the tour and the guide showed them how they start with a raw piece of metal, one of their artists creates a design or lettering to be printed/etched in, then it is fired where it becomes soot black and finally it is cleaned and shined. They stopped at one point and the guide showed her a little plaque that had just been fired. Finally, the tour was over and as she began to turn and leave, the guide said, "Wait, let me show you what a finished piece looks like that has just been completed. This is the little soot covered plaque that you saw before."

She grabbed the plaque and this is what she saw.

When she looked over at Ian he was down on one knee.

He proposed and of course, she accepted.

But, that wasn't the end of the story.

Ian had the whole day planned out. Leah initially told him that she needed to call and cancel lunch with a friend and coming over to play with my kids, but those were set up beforehand just to throw her off.

They went to lunch at Simon Pearce on the Brandywine River, then they went to Chadds Ford Winery for a tasting and tour and that was followed by dinner at Harry's Savoy in Wilmington, where they first got together at my wedding.

As if that wasn't enough, when Leah got home there were more roses in her room.

It was a day they will never forget!

For their engagement pictures we returned to Main Street Exton where Wendell-August is located. It was a beautiful day and that location is perfect for an array of great shots.

Congratulations Leah and Ian...can't wait for the big day!

"Take a picture of my mouth Mommy!"

2009-06-10T00:23:00.000-04:00

Adjusting to Life

2009-06-09T00:42:00.004-04:00

Welcome back to my poor neglected blog.

I am sure even some of my family members have by now given up on checking to see if I have posted something new.

However, I am happy to report that my lack of blogging has NOT been a result of illness, tragedy or distress of any kind.

We have been playing with friends, reacquainting ourselves with the joys of warm weather, visiting Nana and other family, working on home projects and I have been taking lots and lots of pictures.

Here is just a glimpse of some of my latest work...if you can call it that. Seriously, how can something that is so much fun be considered work?

I cannot express how much joy I receive from giving others the gift of photography. My heart smiles when I hear them describe what the pictures mean to them.

At some point while we were dating I think Mark asked me the question, "If you couldn't teach what would you do?" I answered, "Photography." At the time I had never owned a really nice camera though I had asked for one for years from my family. But, somewhere in me I knew that though I had never taken a class or been educated in any way, photography was part of who I was creatively.

My wedding gift from Mark was a "really nice" camera.

To date, I can easily say that two of the most wonderfully thoughtful gifts he has given me are my camera and the loving encouragement to pursue photography and start my own business.

I am so blessed!

I am going to try to post a few times this week and also visit a few of my favorite blog friends who are surely feeling like I don't love them anymore.

And to my family members...if you are still reading this blog...I am going to try to post a few of the 1200 pictures I took last weekend for Emily's wedding. Stay tuned.....please!

A Silhouettte of Love

2009-05-26T08:44:00.000-04:00

This week's theme on I <3 Faces is silhouettes. I love this silhouette of my cousin and her fiance. They are such a sweet couple and this really captures them and their love.

For more fun silhouette pictures visit I <3 Faces this week.

A Thousand Times Over

2009-05-21T23:16:00.007-04:00

To My Love... Mark,

Happy 5 year anniversary!

You are truly the love of my life.

These five years of marriage remind me of our first date. We were so wrapped up in the enjoyment of conversation and getting to know one another that four hours flew by and we never once noticed the restaurant closing down around us until our poor waiter brought it to our attention. I feel the same way today. How could five years have passed already? In my mind the answer is simple. Happiness.

You have brought joy to my life that I never thought would exist for me. You are exactly what I need and are one of the greatest gifts God has ever blessed me with.

I never realized until you came into my life, how I longed for humor, lightheartedness and laughter. Even when I want to "be upset" you forge ahead and somehow make me laugh or smile, regardless of how hard I try to remain in a funk.

I am so honored and proud to be your wife. During these years you have worked hard to start, maintain and grow your own business. It has certainly not been easy, but your creativity, innovativeness and long hours have proven your determination to succeed. I have and will continue to support you 100% in your dreams as you have done with mine.

Speaking of that, it brings tear to my eyes to think about how I would have never experienced the joy and fulfillment of starting my own photography business if not for your continued encouragement and support. Thank you for loving me in this way.

You are an amazing father to our fortunate children, a loyal friend to many, a respected businessman, a leader in our family and most importantly a steadfast man of God.

In my opinion, being married to you is easy. Sure, we both know that you aren't perfect and there are certainly things I would love for you to do more or better, but our daily life and how we live and love each other is easy.

You love to joke and say, "I warned you about who you were marrying."

It's true...you warned me... and without a moments hesitation I would do it again a thousand times over.

I love you with every fiber of my being and I look forward to at least 50 more years of blissful, blessed marriage with you.

Forever yours,
Susan

Zing, Zang, Zoom!!!

2009-05-19T23:16:00.006-04:00

Last week we had the pleasure of taking Austin to the circus.

Thanks to a local blog I won 4 tickets to Ringling Brothers Zing Zang Zoom. We decided Mia was a little young and since it was going to start at her bedtime we left her home with a sitter and took Aunt Bridget with us. Mark had to meet us there because he was coming from an out of town meeting, just in time.

I didn't tell Austin what we were doing until about 15 minutes before we left. I have learned the hard way that if I tell him something exciting too early he can't sleep, listen, etc.

We left two hours before the show started, hoping to get there for the hour-long pre-show activities. Unfortunately, since there was a baseball game starting at the same time, in pretty much the same location, we sat in lots of traffic and it took forever to get into the parking lot and park. As we arrived to pick up our will call tickets, I heard the announcement that the show was starting in two minutes. Needless to say, we missed the first few minutes.

I was eager to see what kind of seats I won. They were a little too good.

The were in the front row which had its good and bad points. We were certainly close the action and even had some personal interactions with the ringmaster and clowns. Unfortunately, there was a bar in front of our seats with a banner hanging from it which only allowed Austin to see through about a three inch space. In addition, the ropes which were used to assist and protect the high flying acts were right in front of us. Not only was it hard to see past them at times, but any time there was an act of that kind, there were men standing right in front of us manning the ropes. Fortunately, some of the seats further down in our row opened up shortly before the intermission so we moved down and enjoyed an unobstructed view for the rest of the show. To be fair, I will say that I don't think the ticket/entertainment company that hosted the giveaway could have known those seats would be bad. It was mostly based on the circus set up.

Anyway, on with the show!

Austin loved all the animal acts and there were many to see. Some of the early animal acts were zebras, horses and "clowning" dogs.

Later in the show were the elephants.

And tigers..

The tiger above even hopped across the ring like a bunny...notice the arms.

The clowns were really great and though Austin didn't get much of their goofing, he liked all the silly music.

There were so many great acts.

And the music, dancing and lights were enough to make my three year old sit in awe.

The circus was great and it was a night well spent. Thank you Chester County Moms!

If only it hadn't taken us 2.5 hours to get home due to the baseball game and the circus letting out at the same time onto an expressway that had scheduled construction in two separate places.

A Few Hours to Myself

2009-05-18T23:19:00.002-04:00

Something I have longed dreamed about is what it would be like to be home all by myself with no responsibilities, no one needing me, no one calling me, no meals to cook, etc.

Friday night I found out.

Mark was out of town on business until Sunday morning and since I had three photo shoots to do on Saturday, I took the kids to spend the night at Grandma and Grandpa's house.

When I got home, I seriously didn't know what to do with myself.

I went to turn on the baby monitors and then realized there were no kids.

There was nothing I HAD to do.

My options were endless.

So what did I do?

It likely won't impress you.

I watched a little TV.

I slept..I slept IN!

My morning photo shoot was canceled due to one of the sweet faces having a nasty encounter with the pavement. So...

I had more time to myself.

I cleaned.

I organized.

I had no one at my ankles...whining...needing my attention.

But...

As nice as it was to be able to get a lot accomplished and have a little time to relax and sleep in...

I missed my sweet kids and my wonderful husband.

**However, I am sure that I could be convinced to have a few hours to myself again in the near future**

What a face!

2009-05-18T11:10:00.003-04:00

This week at I <3 Faces they are gathering great faces pictures for a blurb book. It is sure to be an absolutely fantastic collection of shots. This is my submission. This is my friend Melissa's son. His eyes are piercing and that face is....well... irresistible!

Click here and head on over to I Heart Faces and check out all the great entries this week.

I am submitting this photo into the www.iheartfaces.com Blurb Book photo contest. I am granting I ♥ Faces permission to use my photo in a printed version of a book for commercial use and possibly advertising of a photo book on both the Blurb and I ♥ Faces web sites.

Thank You!

2009-05-12T22:27:00.003-04:00

Let's just say that Mother's Day has matured!

Like a fine wine, my Mother's Days have gotten better each year.

This year was no exception.

We had a busy weekend, but Mark made sure that I got to do some things I wanted to do.

One of things I wanted to do the most was sleep in. I rarely get to do that.

And boy did I sleep in. I couldn't believe it when I rolled over and looked at the clock on Saturday morning and saw that it was 10 am!

I seriously can't remember the last time I slept that late. I really didn't think it was even possible anymore.

The rest of our day was filled with work and the graduation party of a great friend. We got home late and Mark still hadn't been able to do his shopping for Mother's Day.

Fortunately, our favorite grocery store that carries just about anything a person could need, is open 24 hours a day.

So, at 11:30 Mark headed out to do his shopping. He returned at 1 am. He didn't go to bed until 4:30 am.

Austin was up at 7 am and Mia was not far behind. I felt really bad for him so I offered to get up and help him while he got breakfast ready.

I asked why he was up so late and he said, "You'll see. I was getting ready for your day."

When I got downstairs there were a dozen beautiful roses on the table, my first card of the day and an assortment of wonderful pastries.

While I played with the kids (and Austin eyed the pastries) he began preparing Cafe con Leche. It was so thoughtful and a welcome change from my daily cup of coffee.

As I drank it I remembered my wonderful and beautiful Abuela that I lost last fall. I know that this Mother's Day was hard for my dad and uncles, but hopefully they will be able to take comfort in the influence that she had on their children and grandchildren.

For breakfast, Mark made me Jumbo Lump Crab Eggs Benedict, a beautiful fruit salad and pastries. It was SO delicious!

Because he had barely slept, I hung out with my sweet children while he took a brief nap.

Then it was back to cooking for him. He was asked to make his fabulous smoked ribs for our family Mother's Day dinner. It is a six or so hour process that requires fairly constant attention, so he was locked into that for majority of the day.

He encouraged me to go and do something I wanted to do and so I did. I went to the gym. I was one of three people there. Talk about ME time.

Even better, my Mother's Day gift was a new pair of sneakers that I picked out myself. I love them!

I came back home to more cards, happy, rested children and the wonderful aroma of smoked meat.

I showered and we headed to our family dinner.

It was a nice way to end a great day and weekend.

But, easily the best part of the weekend was late Saturday when Mia finally began to utter the word, "Mommy." What a gift!

Thank you Honey for loving me so much and making me feel so appreciated!

I am one lucky Mommy!

The Sound That Makes Me Smile

2009-05-12T21:46:00.003-04:00

There is no sound I love more than my childrens' laughter. Even on my toughest days that can instantly make me smile.

This week at I <3 Faces the theme is laughter.

Head on over and see all the great pictures that will most certainly make you smile.

15 months

2009-05-08T10:15:00.001-04:00

Mia turned 15 months old on Wednesday.

It is so hard to believe. Time flies!

She is changing so much and getting to such a fun place in her development.

Her doctor's appointment stats were: 30.5 inches tall and 22 lbs.

Things she is into at this age: her baby dolls and stuffed animals, kitties (though we don't have one and never will be Mark is very allergic), playing in the kitchen (mine and hers), reading and looking at books, her binky, swinging, pushing her walker/stroller, music, clapping, Beau (our dog), dancing and just about anything with Austin or that Austin is doing.

Things she is NOT into: walking without a finger, encouragement or someone ready to catch her if she falls, fruit, getting her diaper changed, being thrown in the air or being flipped upside down, not being able to do exactly what Austin is doing and spending much time away from Mommy.

Things she likes to eat: cheese, yogurt, chicken, bagels, vegetables of almost any kind and ice cream (which she has had a few bites of a couple times).

Words she can say and use: Daddy, Austi (for Austin), Beau, cheese, cracker, chicken, done, ball, kitty, ma spoon (my spoon), please, book, shoes, baby, cookie, choo-choo, quack, moo, doodle-doo (for what a rooster says), hi, bye-bye, Grandpa, Nana, Gigi, doggie, bubble, bath, uh-oh, bottle, happy, play, stinky, peek-boo, eat and boom. (I am sure I am missing a few at least.)

Notice a very obvious word/name missing from the list above?

Cute/funny things she does:

tries to put her own diaper on
climbs onto or into something like a chair or the laundry basket and then claps for herself and giggles with pride
tilts her head to the side and bats her eyelashes
plays mommy with all her "babies"
points at herself and says "baby"
says "hi" to nearly everyone and everything she sees, but then plays shy when attention is paid to her
pulls her barrettes out and then tries to put them back in her hair
pours water on her head in the bathtub
sings little "songs" to herself when she is playing
looks at her books and points to and names all the things she knows the words for

Mia,

You are such a sweet baby and it is amazing how quickly you are becoming a little girl. I love that you still point at yourself and say baby, reminding me that those days aren't completely gone yet.
You bring our family so much joy and we look forward to seeing how you continue to grow and change in the months to come. I have to say that I hope part of those changes include less clingy-ness to me and more independent walking and playing.
The next few months will bring so many new and fun experiences to you as summer is fast approaching and you were really too little to enjoy it last year. I can't wait to see if you like the pool, the ocean, the heat, and so much more.
I love you "bug"!!!

Mommy

Reflection

2009-04-28T01:31:00.002-04:00

I haven't done an I <3 Faces entry in a few weeks so I thought I would jump on board again this week.
The theme for the week is reflection. This picture immediately came to mind. Mia loves this toy and when she got it for Christmas she spent a lot of time in this position.

For more entries and lots of talent, visit I Heart Faces this week.

Our Lucky Day

2009-04-27T00:29:00.001-04:00

A few weeks ago on Classy Mommy's blog I was lucky enough to win tickets to the Thomas the Train Live show on Broadway in New York City. I didn't say anything to Austin because I wanted him to be surprised, but I could hardly contain my excitement.

It was a gorgeous day, one the first truly beautiful days we have had this Spring. The show started at 5 so we headed up after lunch, but stopped on the way to pick up Aunt Lauren to join us in the fun.

I thought for sure Austin would fall asleep on the car ride, but he was too excited. Instead he pointed out nearly everything he saw out the window for almost two hours. The funniest thing was that all of the sudden he said, "Look Mommy, look Aunt Lauren, it's Geico!" We thought we heard him wrong until we looked up and saw a billboard of the latest ad with the stack of bills with eyes.

The trip was fine and we didn't hit much traffic at all until we were about to enter the tunnels. Of course, that is when we heard this from the back seat, "I have to go pee pee!"

It was bumper to bumper through the tunnel and I knew that even when we got through the tunnel we would still have to go find parking near the theater before he would have a chance to go potty. I prayed he would make it. He kept informing me and I kept begging him to please hold it. Finally, as we neared the parking garage, I could tell he was desperate. I told him that if he could keep from having an accident I would buy him something special at the show.

And he made it! Yay for Austin. He is now the proud owner of a light thingy that says Thomas the Train on it.

As you can see he immediately formed a special relationship with it.

Going into the theater was so exciting for him. There was so much to look at and he was eager for the show to start. By the way, our seats were fantastic. We were in the second row of the first balcony which was the perfect vantage point for a little guy.

He passed the time waiting for the show to start by having a snack which he barely shared with us.

Finally, the cast of the show started to come out to introduce themselves and the crowd, including Austin, cheered with glee.

But, that was nothing compared to when the star of the show came on stage.

I was honestly very impressed with the trains and how large and "real" they were. The excitement in the room was deafening.

The play was about the circus coming to Sodor and more specifically the farm. Austin loved the farm scene and all the animals singing.

The sheep were so cute!

There were great lessons tied into the storyline. One was that Thomas was trying to do more than he was capable of and ended up causing a lot of problems because he wouldn't ask for help.

Austin was fascinated. He told me several times that he wanted to be in the show too.

The cast was really terrific. The music and dancing were on par with a Broadway show and Austin was out of his seat joining them every time the music began.

In the end, Thomas learned some valuable lessons and everyone present was happy for him.

The circus was held and because the ring master was held up in another town, Sir Topham Hat stepped in to save the day.

Austin loved EVERY single minute of the show and I loved every single minute of seeing the joy on his face and watching him dance to the music.

I would highly recommend this show to any mommies with a Thomas lover. It far exceeded my expectations in terms of entertainment and quality.

After the show we all went to get some delicious NY pizza and had the added bonus of being near a firehouse that left on two calls.

An afternoon of Thomas, followed by pizza, firetrucks, skyscrapers, a balloon, a new Thomas toy and time with Mommy and Lauren.

In Austin's words, "I had a great day Mommy!!!"

Safety First (Wordless Wednesday)

2009-04-21T23:19:00.000-04:00

My First Video and the Bracelet Winner

2009-04-19T00:04:00.007-04:00

On my husband's side of the family, which is large and growing larger all the time (so fun!) we started doing a birthday Pollyanna this year due to tightening budgets. My wonderful father-in-law received my name and gifted me with the Creative Vado video camera. I love it! It is smaller and lighter than my cell phone and the quality of the videos is great considering the low price tag.

For some reason Mark and I never purchased a video camera because we didn't think we were the video type (strictly photos around here), but boy were we wrong.

There have been so many moments, mostly hilarious Austin episodes, that we wished we could have captured.

And, now we can.

So, prepare yourself for our first family video.

Austin got the movie Madagascar 2 in his Easter basket so we have been doing a lot of dancing around here to the fun music from the soundtrack.

Mia wasn't going to miss out on that action.

Now on to what most of you really want to know.

Oh sure, you will tell me in the comments otherwise, but I know how it goes.

According to Mr. Random.org the winner of the bracelet is:

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

Timestamp: 2009-04-19 04:02:54 UTC

And, lucky number 13 was:

Caitlin Dee said...

And I follow you! I was following you on google reader, but I added you also on my blogger acct.:)

Yay Caitlin!!!

Caitlin just had her first baby a few days ago. Her daughter is absolutely precious, but poor Caitlin (like every new mommy) is not getting much rest.

Hope this makes your day and makes you feel as beautiful and glowing as you are.

Finally!!!

2009-04-17T00:44:00.004-04:00

It's finally here....Spring.

Today we walked out of the house and into the bright sunshine with a bounce in our steps (except Mia who is still refusing to walk). We headed to the playground to meet some friends for a picnic. It was gorgeous, and if the kids would not have eventually melted down due to lack of napping, we would have stayed all day. The next few days are supposed to be even nicer.

We have waited a long time for this.

I was reminded, as both of my kids were enjoying their time on the swings, of the sheer joy of being at the playground as a kid.

I too loved to swing.

I vividly remember the feeling of the wind flowing through my long hair, the sun shining on my face as I would lean back to pump my legs taking me higher and higher, the way my mind would wander as I daydreamed of happy, pretty things and the wonderful feeling of "flying."

I couldn't help but smile as I watched my precious children enjoying this shared simple pleasure.

I love this time of year and all that it brings.

Renewal, blossoming, warmth, color...and swinging.

Today the park was busy and swinging was not something I had the chance to do (unless I would have fought a preschooler for one), but believe me it will happen soon.

My giveaway ends tomorrow at midnight, so don't forget to enter here.

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

Easter 2009 (Part 2)

2009-04-16T00:24:00.000-04:00

We had a great time dyeing Easter eggs with Austin the night before Easter. This was our first effort, since last year we agreed that he was still too young to really appreciate it. Not to mention that he was still attempting to eat all art related supplies back then.

He was so into seeing the eggs change color that he wanted to keep dipping them into color after color.

So...we did end up with one brown egg.

But, we all enjoyed the dyeing fun. Mark made an egg with a face on it and Austin quickly decided to name it Scott after the Imagination Movers guy. I guess I will be having to make egg salad during nap time so he doesn't have a melt down over Scott's demise.

Easter morning was great. We had hidden a few eggs around the living room and Austin got so into looking for them that he walked right past his Easter basket three or four times. Needless to say, when he finally saw it he was VERY excited. He got two DVDs he really wanted, a big bubble wand, Cars stickers and of course candy. Mia was really excited about her basket too. She got the Little People Noah's ark, a kitty puppet and some board books.

After church we headed to Grandma and Grandpa's house for another egg hunt, playing with cousins and Easter dinner. The food as ALWAYS was delicious and we all had a great time together.

It was a great Easter and the best part was reflecting on the amazing gift of a Savior who humbled Himself to come down to our level, sacrifice Himself for our sin and rise again so that we can have a relationship with Him. What a beautiful act of love!

Easter 2009

2009-04-14T23:57:00.005-04:00

Don't forget to enter my giveaway here.

Flower girl

2009-04-14T01:44:00.002-04:00

My submission for this week's Easter themed I <3 Faces contest is a picture of Mia playing with the flower headband that I bought her, mostly for picture taking. Of course she refused to keep it on her head long enough for a picture, but she loved playing with it and trying to get it on herself.

Ultimately, she looked really cute wearing it around her neck, so I shot a bunch of pictures of her that way.

To see more submissions to this week's theme click here.

My Worst Birthday???

2009-04-12T23:02:00.004-04:00

If you read my previous post, then you know that Friday was my 35th birthday.

It now seems ironic that I posted about one of my best birthdays so far, because before the day was over this one would end up being potentially one of the worst.

Most of the day was beautiful. The weather report was for rain and temps in the 50's. What I got was no rain and temps in the mid 60's.

A great friend came over and brought a terrific lunch and helped me get some organizational projects brainstormed for a future organizing marathon we plan to do for the sake of my sanity. (Where does all the stuff/toys come from?)

Both of my kids napped for nearly 3 hours!!!

Later, our friends came over again to watch the kids so that Mark and I could go out.

Our evening out was set to be dinner and a movie, which we never do because we feel compelled to rush home and relieve our babysitters who are often family and friends that have volunteered their time.

I knew what movie we were going to see, but the restaurant was a surprise. I had hinted about wanting to have sushi and really hoped on a certain restaurant. Mark came through and I was thrilled!

Dinner was fantastic. The atmosphere and food was amazing and the only problem was that we finished with nearly an hour until the movie.

We decided to leave anyway and just go sit at the theater for awhile.

The road between the restaurant and the theater was a four lane road with a double yellow line as the divider. About four miles into our 8 mile drive we saw a car about 150 yards away coming straight at us in our lane.

We were in the left lane and there was a car directly to our right. The was no where for us to go as the car continued to threaten us with a head on collision.

Mark began laying on the horn hoping to startle the driver back into the appropriate lane. When it appeared that wasn't working, he slammed on the brakes and we braced ourselves for a terrible impact. My beautiful children flashed before my eyes.

My only explanation for what happened next is angels.

At the very last second the car swerved and instead of a head on collision we were side swiped. The car, we assume with a drunk driver, did NOT stop. What is wrong with people these days?

The jolt was not enough to deploy the air bags and Mark, with adrenaline pumping, made a u-turn and tried to catch up to the car to at least get a description or license plate number.

Unfortunately, we weren't the only cars on the road and by the time we made the turn we had no idea which car it was. Mark sped up and we eyed each car we passed for damage. No luck.

We assume the driver turned or pulled over somewhere.

I had called 911 by then and was giving the dispatcher the details of the accident. He asked if we were headed home and I told him that it was my birthday and we were between dinner and a movie. He apologized for my bad luck and told us an officer would be calling us soon to meet us wherever we decided to stop after giving up on finding the other car.

When we stopped, we got out and evaluated the damage while we waited for the officer to arrive. We were stunned that it was so minor in comparison to what it could have been. Still, there is easily more than $1000 in damage. And, though it is frustrating that we will have to pay the deductible for the damage, we are so grateful to be okay and alive.

After spending a brief amount of time with the officer who reiterated that there was probably nothing they could do because we didn't get a plate or much of a description of the car, we decided that we would go ahead and see the movie.

Needless to say, I don't think either one of us was completely concentrating on the movie, but the few laughs we managed from it were welcome.

On the way home it really started to sink in. We came inches... moments... from major injury or even death. The speed limit on that road was 45 miles per hour and the car was far exceeding that. That kind of impact would have been devastating.

The thought of what could have been brought us to tears.

I came home and spent quite a bit of time in each of the kids' rooms just watching them sleep.

In the morning, I felt like the funk I have been in was totally lifted. The rainy, gray skies and whining didn't bother me as much and the sadness was gone. What remained was gratitude and joy that I was present and surrounded by my wonderful husband and sweet, beautiful children.

At one point Saturday morning Austin was watching TV, and I walked over and gave him a kiss. He asked me if I was leaving. When I responded that I wasn't, he apparently didn't hear me. He asked me again, "Mommy are you leaving? Are you leaving me Mommy?" Those words hit me like a brick and through tears I responded, "No sweetie, Mommy is staying right here with you."

As scary as it was and as shaken as I still am, part of me is grateful for the perspective that has resulted. Maybe one day I will look back and see this not as the worst birthday, but as one of the most positively life altering.

Thank you God for protecting us!

***Don't forget to enter my giveaway here. ***

My Best Birthday Story and A Giveaway

2009-04-10T00:48:00.000-04:00

One of my best birthdays to date happened the first year that Mark and I were dating.

He called and told me to be ready to be picked up at a certain time and even specified what I should wear. The specified outfit was jeans and a black, button-down, 3/4 sleeve shirt that he always complimented me on when I would wear it.

I anticipated a fun night out, considering the outfit, and was wondering what he had planned.

When he showed up and I opened the door, I was shocked. In fact, I am pretty sure I was speechless for a moment. Then I said, "If you are wearing that, then I am changing right now."

You see, he was standing there looking dapper in a navy blue suit.

As I continued to protest, his response was always, "Trust me."

When we got in the car he was tight-lipped and not answering any questions thrown his way about where we were going or why I was going to look so stupid hanging out in my jeans with such a nicely dressed, handsome man.

We pulled into the mall, the largest mall on the East Coast. Now I was really curious.

He laughed maniacally as I continued to bombard him with questions.

We entered the mall and he finally divulged part of the plan. It went something like this:

You have one hour and $$$ budget to buy an outfit, shoes and any accessories you need/want for a nice dinner and another activity following.

What??? It took me a minute or two just to let it all sink in. Seriously... this man, who I love, just deposited me in the largest mall I have ever been to and wants me to play "Pretty Woman" in ONE HOUR!!!

So many stores...so many choices.

He was so patient as I ran in and out of stores that I knew I usually had pretty good luck with.

I pushed the thought of having a bad shopping day out of my mind and rushed on.

I finally decided on a beautiful red, black and white, Asian patterned silk shirt, a warm, well fitting pair of black pants with a scalloped detail on the hem and a fun pair of black heels. (Sorry but I don't have a picture of the actual outfit. The man didn't think of everything, but he was close.)

I had gone a little over my hour time limit, but I was forgiven.

We rushed to the car where I was told to stand with my eyes closed. I heard him open the trunk and I wondered what he was up to. My stomach became a garden of butterflies.

I became even more curious when he told me to stand like a scarecrow with my arms out to my sides. I was beginning to think I was on some kind of reality show or candid camera.

The next thing I knew he was draping something around me and it was rather heavy.

I was told I could open my eyes, and there he stood with a dozen roses. Further evaluation revealed that I was now wearing a fabulous, new brown leather jacket. The dressy kind, not the biker kind if you know what I mean.

We got in the car and headed to dinner at Morton's Steakhouse. It was d-e-l-i-c-i-o-u-s and I enjoyed every moment of the fabulous food, but even more thoroughly enjoyed the company.

Upon our departure it was soon revealed that the after dinner activity was going to see "Chicago." So fun!

I am definitely one of those people who has a love/hate relationship with surprises. But, that night was one of the more memorable of my life. (Of course our engagement blew it away...by far.)

All of my friends were jealous of what a creative and fun guy I was lucky enough to be dating. I knew it was far more than that.

So, here we are years later and the birthday celebrations, though still great, are far more predictable, require a babysitter and end much earlier.

But, I wouldn't trade them for anything because there is nothing better than spending my birthday with a man that I love more than is truly expressible, and my children who have brought more joy to my life than I could have ever imagined.

And, in honor of how blessed I feel on this, my 35th birthday, I have decided to bless one of you with a beautiful bracelet.

I am a Silpada Designs Jewelry representative and if you have never heard of them or seen their stuff, then you are missing out. Truly! All of the jewelry is handcrafted of the finest .925 sterling silver, no plating or painting. Many of the pieces are beautifully accessorized with semi-precious gemstones and other natural materials. Even better, these high quality pieces are guaranteed for life from any defects. I have thoroughly enjoyed working for this great company and selling their beautiful jewelry. Now, one of you will be the recipient of one of these fabulous pieces.

I am giving away the bracelet pictured below. It is a .925 sterling silver, beaded bracelet with a lobster clasp. The beads are approximately 5mm in size, so it is a delicate looking piece that would even be appropriate for young ladies.

All you have to do to enter the giveaway is leave a comment on this post. I am not about making things complicated. Please be sure to leave your email address in your comment if your email is not enabled in your profile.

For an additional entry you can follow me, or if you already follow just let me know in a second comment.

The giveaway winner will be drawn using Random.org on April 19th. Good luck!

**If you are interested in learning more about Silpada jewelry, seeing a catalog or placing an order, please email me and I will get all relevant information to you ASAP.

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

These help you???

2009-04-08T00:56:00.003-04:00

Last week Austin was playing with my glasses and I noticed that he was having a little trouble focusing.

I think he secretly liked how "dizzy" they made him.

Man, I love that kid!

Monday Musings

2009-04-06T00:32:00.005-04:00

I haven't done one of these random posts in a while, so here goes.

**First, thank you to all of you who offered encouragement, support, prayer and hugs after my last post. The last few days have been quite a bit better and I think that has a lot to do with the fact that I know that there are people praying for me and supporting me. The weather has been really sunny and nice too!

**Mia is still refusing to walk and I really want her to be mobile by Easter so she can do the egg hunt with her brother and cousins.

**We managed to get a few projects done around the house today. That always makes me feel better.

**I am looking forward to spending time this week with some teacher friends who are on Spring Break.

**I attended my cousin's bridal shower on Saturday. It was nice to see family. I took Mia with me so she could spend some time with her Gigi (great-grandma) who lives 4 hours away and hasn't seen her in months. I learned first hand why there are so many complaints online about Target's registry service. Emily received 5 crock pots because everyone that purchased gifts from Target, regardless of where they were from or what they bought, found that the items were not removed after being scanned by the cashier. It became a running joke, but I am sure it was frustrating to the people who bought the gift and now for Emily who will have to try to return all the duplicates to Target. I truly hope she doesn't have trouble returning them. I have heard that Target is really bad about registry returns and will only allow 2 per visit. What???

**I learned at the shower, that my cousin has 6 or 7 bridesmaids. Fun, but challenging for me, the photographer,who will have to fit a wedding party of approximately 16 into the pictures.

**After several days of nice weather, we are about to have several days of winter again.

**Friday is my 35th birthday and I have decided to do my first ever giveaway. So, be sure to come back.

**My brother-in-law got engaged on Friday to a long time friend of mine. I will post the whole story as soon as I can get some pictures to go along with it, but in the meantime, congratulations Ian and Leah!

**I won a great prize on Classy Mommy's blog. I won four tickets to the Thomas the Train Live show in NYC. Austin is going to love it and we are currently working out the details of who will go with us.

**I haven't gotten the kids' outfits for Easter finalized because I always wait until I have a better idea of what the weather will be like. You never know what you are going to get with Spring. So, I have a little bit of shopping to take care of this week. Shoes and tights for Mia and a maybe a sweater vest or jacket for Austin.

**We watched Slumdog Millionaire last night. What a great movie!

**I have probably bored you to tears by now, so I will end this rambling with one of Mia's cutest new "tricks". When asked, "Mia, what does a rooster say?", she responds "doodle-doo."

Slump

2009-04-02T00:08:00.000-04:00

I'm in a slump.

Not a blogging slump.

A life slump.

For the last couple weeks, I just can't shake it.

I thought the weather getting warmer or the sun shining would help. And, though it does to some extent, it really doesn't.

I feel frustrated, annoyed and emotional most of my day.

My patience is thin to say the least.

I have cried each day.

Nothing drastic has changed in my life.

My husband loves me beyond words and I feel the same about him.

My kids are healthy, though I swear they have been whining incessantly and Austin seems to have learned how to completely tune me out.

I can see in Mark's face that he is worried about me.

I wake up each day with hope that it will be better.

I pray that it will be better.

I can't put my finger on the problem.

I hope it is just a phase and I will wake up tomorrow and feel foolish for writing this post.

Out???

2009-04-01T00:31:00.002-04:00

Mia: Can you believe that our mommies got us all excited about Spring and getting outside and we are stuck in these strollers?

Mia's friend: Yeah, and even worse they are making us watch our brothers run around and play.

Mia: I think I better start walking on my own soon. Otherwise it is going to be a really long spring and summer.

Mr. Chicken

2009-03-31T00:34:00.000-04:00

Austin has a bear washcloth puppet that we have named Benny the Bear.

He loves having conversations with Benny during bath time.

Though he knows our hand is in the puppet, he interacts with it as if it is real.

So, I should not have been surprised when I was making dinner and Austin came running over and said, "I want to talk to Mr. Chicken Mommy."

I wasn't sure I heard him right, but quickly I figured it out.

I was rinsing the chicken in the sink and he got on his stool, grabbed the wing, shook it and said, "Nice to meet you Mr. Chicken."

I then placed the chicken in the roasting pan, scoured his hands because he touched raw chicken and grabbed the camera because I knew this would be a photo op.

When I came back into the room Austin was talking to "Mr. Chicken" (though headless) and reached over and grabbed a piece of celery.

He said, "Oh, you're hungry. Okay. Why don't you have a snack. Here is some celery."

Now, I know that he has seen me stuff a chicken before roasting it, but I certainly don't talk to my chickens.

He proceeded to feed the chicken celery and garlic, telling "him" that it would be good for him.

This was a moment that I wished I had a video camera, because it truly would have better captured what was going on.

I put the camera down and we finished feeding the chicken celery, garlic, some seasonings and butter.

Then as I seasoned the skin of the chicken, Austin asked me what I was doing.

I told him that I was getting Mr. Chicken ready for the oven so when he was done cooking he would taste good.

He looked at the chicken quizzically and as I put some small pats of butter on it, he said, "What's that Mommy, his lotion?"

I didn't understand what he meant at first, but then I realized he was contemplating Mr. Chicken going into the hot oven.

I said, "Austin do you mean, lotion like Mommy puts on you when you go out into the sun to keep you from burning?"

Yeah.

"Then yes, it is kind of the chicken's lotion, but it's butter."

Oh.

As I put "Mr. Chicken" into the oven he continued talking to him and said, "Don't worry Mr. Chicken, Mommy put your lotion on and you are going to be so delicious when you are done cooking. I am going to eat you up!" (I believe he stole that line from the troll in Three Billy Goats Gruff)

Don't you wish you could be three sometimes and enjoy the fun and wonder of simple things?

Pouty

2009-03-30T00:46:00.002-04:00

This week's theme on I<3 Faces is pouting.

I think for many months the pout was permanently on Mia's face, but thankfully now she spends much more time smiling.

Head on over here to see all the wonderful and pouty entries this week.

Pea-Boo

2009-03-26T23:20:00.001-04:00

One beautifully sunny, but cold day this week, we were stuck inside due to another round of colds.

Mia was soaking in the sunshine and dreaming of time outside, as she stood at the sliding glass door.

When I noticed her, she was slightly behind the curtain and I asked her if she was playing peek-a-boo.

She responded, "pea-boo".

Austin took that as an immediate invitation to join in the fun.

Soon there was belly laughter from both kids as they used the curtain to play together.

It made my heart smile to see them having such simple fun.

Especially since they had both been pretty whiny for a couple days because they had raw, runny noses and generally didn't feel good.

Though I wasn't suffering from a cold this week, I was suffering from "where-the-heck-is-spring-because-I-am-going-to-lose-what's-left-of-my-mind" syndrome.

So I needed that dose of fun and laughter even more than they did.

One thing I was reminded of this week, is that even on the toughest days in the most frustrating weeks, God gives me moments with my sweet children that make it all worth it.

I am truly blessed by every smile, snuggle, laugh, new word, milestone, "I love you" and a million more little things.

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

Streak-free Cleaning???

2009-03-26T00:15:00.005-04:00

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I am starting my Spring cleaning, though Spring has refused to show up around here.

The other day while multi-tasking, I left my swiffer vac (my life saver for dog hair and kid crumbs) and ran upstairs to get the vacuum.

When I returned I found Austin being his usual helpful self.

However, not in exactly the state I had left him.

You see he had been wearing footy pajamas that zip from top to bottom.

But, he had to go poop.

So, he had to pretty much remove all clothing to do his business.

The result was this...

He didn't think anything of it until he saw me with the camera.

That is when my attempts at streak-free cleaning ended!

Reading to his Snuggle Puppies

2009-03-25T00:21:00.002-04:00

Naturally Beautiful

2009-03-23T10:34:00.002-04:00

This week's I <3 Faces theme is natural light. All photos have to have been taken with no flash.
I rarely use a flash these days because I LOVE the look of the shots I get with natural light.

This week my kids entry is my sweet nephew and his beautiful mommy, my sister Lisa. Last week was Lisa's birthday and in true servant fashion, because that is who she is through and through, she spent her birthday in Nicaragua with her husband and two boys, visiting missionaries to encourage and support them.
I could look at my sweet nephew's face all day long. Those deep, chocolate eyes and soft face suck me in every time.

My adult entry for this week is my cousin and her fiance. They will be getting married in June and I had the pleasure of taking their engagement pictures awhile back. What a fun day that was!

For more entries in this week's contest go here and see the amazing talent that is represented on this great site!

I Demand Spring

2009-03-23T00:35:00.000-04:00

I am done with this...

And this...

It was kind of fun while it was here, but after a winter filled with gloomy days, frigid temps and lots of illness, I am demanding that Spring truly arrive and stick around.

Patience is not being exercised around here.

Friday was the first day of Spring and I woke up to snowflakes. Are you kidding me?

So, in an effort to usher in Spring, whether it likes it or not, we have been doing the following things.

Going to the park to slide and swing and run around.
(Even though the temps have been in the 40's)

Spring cleaning and organizing.
(Because its never too early to start.)

Grilling hamburgers.
(Because I don't do the grill so who cares if it is freezing outside. Just kidding honey!)

Putting away winter clothes.
(Well, not all of them, but most.)

Reading books about Spring, Summer and all the fun things that come with warm weather.

Taking walks and socializing with neighbors we haven't spent much time with in four months or so.

Wearing our sunglasses and "dancing" to fun music in the car.
(As if it were warm and we were doing it with the windows down and sunroof open.)

And finally...eating warm weather foods like watermelon.

Welcome Spring!

It is so nice to have you here.

Now, if you could just pass a memo along to your weather department and get things rolling in the proper direction, you would make our celebrations complete.

A Smothering Love (Wordless Wednesday)

2009-03-18T00:14:00.000-04:00

Visions of Green

2009-03-16T09:49:00.002-04:00

This is my submission for this week's I <3 Faces contest. The theme this week is green. The picture must have green in it somewhere.

This picture makes me even more eager for the green, blooming, beautiful days of Spring. Oh, how I can't wait for those days of long walks, playing outside for hours, picnics in the park, grilling dinners and the warmth of the brilliant sun.

For more of this week's entries hop on over here and check them out. There are some really talented people out there!

It's Not Easy Being Green

2009-03-12T00:20:00.002-04:00

I know that you think this post is going to be about St. Patrick's Day or something fun like that, but you would be so wrong.

Because the green I am talking about is me...and Mia...and it has come in the form of the nastiest stomach bug I have EVER had.

Last Thursday I was having a nice night out, having dinner with a friend while my mom and Mark were watching the kids. My phone rang and Mark was on the other end telling me that Mia and my mom were both sick....vomiting. I grabbed my purse and left.

By the time I got home my mom had been sick 7 times and Mia had been sick 4 times. The stench of vomit greeted me when I opened the door. Not a good thing!

It was a long night and felt so bad for both of them. And, by Saturday morning I added my name to the list of people I felt sorry for.

It hit me in the morning when my stomach was empty, so you can imagine how pleasant (much sarcasm injected) 12 hours of vomiting was. If only that was the end, but no. Then came the days, yes days, of stomach cramps, pain and diarrhea. Multiply all of that times three people in the house and woah.

Endless laundry, disinfecting, one sick baby who was breaking my heart and one well preschooler who didn't understand why Mommy, Nana and Mia couldn't play, everyone praying that Mark and Austin would stay well, and my daily mommy responsibilities mounting before my eyes.

Sunday night I called the pediatrician to make sure that I was doing all I could to keep Mia from dehydrating because she hadn't eaten since Thursday and was not receptive to Pedialyte. He reassured me, but then went on to say that unfortunately the most recent stomach bugs that were going around were either lasting 24 hours or nearly a week. I got off the phone and almost started to cry because it had only been four days. Only....four....days....of misery.

Yesterday was my breaking point. After waking up early to Mia screaming because she had diarrhea in the night and it had gone up her back, nearly to her neck, dried on her skin causing a rash, I just didn't know how much more I could take.

This has been the THIRD time our household has had a stomach virus. I swear we wash hands, disinfect, have good hygiene, etc.

I finally broke down and cried when I realized that I HAD to go to the grocery store with two kids even though I felt crappy (literally). I pulled myself together and told myself that there are people who deal with much worse on a daily basis and I was letting a stomach bug get me down.

I was exhausted when I got home and couldn't wait until nap time. It did all of us good to rest, and when Mia woke up she was much more playful than she had been. She even clapped her sweet little hands and said, "happy, happy" which of course made me cry. I hoped that was a sign from God that she was feeling better and today would be a good day.

Fortunately, it was.

Because today started with a water main break on my street and no water.

Is it Spring yet?

My First Blogging Event

2009-03-11T23:28:00.003-04:00

Recently I had the pleasure of attending a Mom's Night In event for local bloggers hosted at Classy Mommy's house and sponsored/organized by Role Mommy, Sane Fit and Slendertone.

I have to admit it was a little nerve wracking to go to a total stranger's house and walk in to meet a room full of other total strangers. Most of these women I had never even "met" online. But, I had a great time and met some fantastic other mommy bloggers.

Here's why we all had such a fantastic time. These ladies really know how to through a party! We were pampered by massages and given manicures and makeovers by a local spa. We even received goodie bags from the spa with another free manicure and all sorts fun, pampering goods.

Then, we were treated by a demonstration from Sane Fit and Slendertone. We were able to try out all of Slendertone's products before they sent us home with one of them for FREE!!! I tried the Slendertone System - Arms and was really impressed with the way it worked out my muscles through electric stimulation.

If only I was as thin as this model and looked as good as I tested it out.....sigh...someday!

Anyway, I was fortunate enough to take home the Slendertone System - Abs. Score! I can actually wear it while I am cooking dinner or folding laundry and be multi-tasking while working out my underlying six pack. How great is that???

Here is a fun video about the product:

All in all it was a great night and I look forward to attending many other events that allow me to connect and meet with other bloggers.

Thanks again to Classy Mommy, Role Mommy, Sane Fit and Slendertone for giving this mommy a much needed night of pampering and fun!

Cropping Austin

2009-03-10T22:37:00.003-04:00

Before cropping

This week's theme is creative cropping. I just love this picture of Mia in the tub with Austin. She definitely needed to be the center of attention so I made sure that was the case with a little cropping and editing.

Head on over here to see many more great submissions in this week's contest!

Messy

2009-03-03T22:52:00.003-05:00

Thanks to a bloggy friend I came across a fun site www.iheartfaces.com

This week's contest theme is Messy.

I love this picture of Austin last year when he enjoyed his first Jello pudding cup. He had always rejected them before, but on that particular day he decided he like them....A LOT!

The fact that he gave me such an "I'm busted!" look, makes it one of my favorites.

For more pictures of messy kids, head on over to the link above and check it out.

Tutu Cute

2009-02-26T00:06:00.000-05:00

Sorry for the picture overload, but I can't help it!

Your First Birthday

2009-02-25T01:11:00.000-05:00

My Sweet Mia,

It is impossible to believe that you are already a year old.

It seems like just the other day that Daddy and I found out we were having a girl. He turned instantly pale, already fearing how he would protect you during the dating years and I immediately wondered how I would deal with all the pink, since that was never a favorite color of mine. As negative as that sounds, we were so excited to meet you and bring you into our lives. We are forever changed by you and your snuggly sweetness.

You were beautiful from the start. I couldn't believe how much you looked like your brother and yet had your own delicate features and light eyes. I remember holding you close in the hospital, as you donned your pretty pink cap, and thinking that I might just have to change my mind about pink.

Those first few months broke my heart because you were in such discomfort with your reflux and colic. I begged for a smile to warm my heart, but for so long you just didn't feel well enough to oblige me. Now, you are making up for it. Your toothy smile, your giggles and sweet belly laughs, the way you tilt your head to the side as if saying, "look how cute I am", every snuggle, every hug, every sloppy kiss, these are the things that make my heart smile.

I am daily amazed at how different you are from your brother. Your whole face lights up when you see a doll, stuffed animal or anything pretty. You are such a girl!

You do love music, just like Austin, and you bounce and dance when you hear tunes you like.

You are not walking, but you can cruise like a champ. Your favorite time to cruise is in the morning when Austin is grazing on his breakfast and you are on a mission to snatch as much of it as you can. I love the sly look on your face as you realize that he isn't paying attention and you have just scored a piece of sausage or banana.

You have begun to communicate and it is just precious. You know a handful of words in sign language and you use them well during meal times. I don't blame you for choosing "Daddy" as your first spoken word. You will almost certainly be a Daddy's girl since you have such a fun, playful, handsome daddy. I do appreciate that you have since added "momma" to your vocabulary, though that came after "Beau" (the dog), "yum-yum", and "hi."

Easily, one of my favorite things in the world is watching you and Austin together. You both love each other so much and though there are occasional disputes over "mine and yours", they are blurred by the overload of sweet moments. Every morning Austin wakes up and says, "I think Mia is awake" because he wants me to go get you so you guys can play. He loves taking a bath with you and playing peek-a-boo, hide and seek and "boop the binky." But, by far the cutest thing, is how the two of you hold hands in the car. I can hardly concentrate on driving. I hope you will always be such good friends.

Because you look so beautiful when you wear it, I am now a huge fan of pink. I just HAD to buy you a pretty, pink tutu for your 1st birthday. I wish I could have captured your face when you saw it for the first time. You beamed!

For some reason I never envisioned myself as the mommy of a girl, but you have changed all of that. I cannot imagine my life without you and all of your sweet, pink, girlyness.

I pray that this, your second year, will be filled with smiles, steps, words, laughs, inches, discoveries, memories and so much more.

Happy 1st Birthday my "love bug", "sweet pea", "peach."

I love you to the moon and back!

Mommy

Something New

2009-02-22T23:40:00.004-05:00

Mommy took me to get my ears pierced on Saturday. I liked looking at all the pretty things in the store and all the attention I was getting. But, when the lady started to mark my ear with that pen, I knew that I wasn't going to like what was coming next.

They tried to distract me with a cute teddy bear, but the fact that Mommy was pinning my arms down and another lady was holding my head still, confirmed that I was not going to like what was coming.

And then it happened.

Oooouuuuuch!

I cried so hard I nearly choked on my saliva and then before I could really tell what was happening they did it again.

I looked at Mommy like, "why are you letting this happen to me?" She smiled and told me that it would be okay, but I wasn't so sure she was right.

The ladies that hurt me offered me a sweet yellow thing to calm me down and Mommy actually let me have it. Within seconds I was distracted by the glorious flavor. Turns out Mommy let me have my first lollipop for suffering through getting my ears pierced.

So, tell me, was it worth it?

Sunday! Sunday! Sunday!

2009-02-20T00:48:00.009-05:00

These little trucks bring joy to my little guy's life. But, the real thing makes him downright giddy.

Austin's Uncle Ian and Aunt Leah got him (and Daddy) tickets to Monster Jam for his birthday.

Sunday was the big day.

Here he is all ready to go, with appropriate attire and his favorite loud event headphones.

He took one of his trucks and eagerly waited for the show to start. Unfortunately, he wasn't wearing his headphones as he waited and when the trucks started revving, signaling that the show was about to begin, the noise scared him and he started to cry.

He got over it pretty quickly though when he started to watch the action. (Popcorn helped too!)

He loved all the stunts and mini races.

He loved the popcorn too! Mark said that he was just shoveling it in with his eyes fixed on the trucks. It was one smooth, constant motion.

There were not just monster trucks doing all of their tricks, but motorcycle stunts too. Unfortunately, those pictures didn't come out. He had a great time watching all of it.

Mark tried to get a picture of him smiling at the camera, but he would NOT take his eyes off the trucks.

He has been making loud revving noises all week. Those are usually followed by the him saying in a low, growly voice, "have a Monster Jaaaaam birthday."

It truly was the perfect gift!

Thanks Ian and Leah!

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

An Ear on Austin

2009-02-19T00:36:00.001-05:00

The age of three has been very interesting so far. My moments of frustration have increased exponentially with the use of the phrases "Why not?" and "How come?". Two was a sweet age compared to the challenges that three has presented.

BUT...

He makes us laugh every day. Here a few snapshots of our life lately.

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

Last week Austin got a Valentine card from Grandma and Grandpa. Inside was $5. I asked him what he was going to buy with his money and he said with gusto, "Wings Mommy!"

Me: What kind of wings Austin?

Austin: Wings so I can fly high in the sky.

Me: Where can we go to buy wings?

Austin: Target Mommy. Target will have them.

(I'm not even kidding.)

*************************************************************************************
Over the last few months Austin has complained a lot about the sun being in his eyes when we are in the car. So, I finally remembered when we were at Target one day to get him some new sunglasses. He choose a blue pair with a small Spiderman on them.

He wears them all the time now.

The other day when stopped at a red light, I turned around and looked at him and said, "Those are cool shades buddy."

His response..."Yeah, I know I look fined!" (That's "fine" in Austin language.)

*************************************************************************************
He has started calling his hiney his "naked". So, the following phrases can often be heard.

"Mommy, I'm done pooping! Come wipe my naked now."

"My naked stinks. I need new underwears."

"It's time to take a bath and clean my naked."

*************************************************************************************
Tonight while I was loading the dishwasher and doing other things in the kitchen, Mia decided to decorate her face with her dinner. When I turned around I started laughing and Austin came running to see what was so comical.

As Austin and I stood there laughing at Mia, he said, "Mia you look goooorgeous!!!"

Sweet Relief

2009-02-18T00:34:00.001-05:00

Today I had to take Mia in for a series of tests to make sure that the urinary tract infection she had several months ago was not a result of "plumbing" problems. I had the tests schedule for November, but we ended up being out of town that week because my grandmother was ill.

For awhile, I didn't reschedule because it wasn't a truly necessary test, just a precaution. However, with all of the heartbreaking stories I have read in the blogosphere lately, I just couldn't shake the "what if" from my worried mind. So, I scheduled it and today was the day.

Unfortunately, the tests were scheduled during her morning nap time and she didn't sleep in the car. The first test was an ultrasound of her bladder and kidneys. She did really well, though she kept giving the nice technician dirty looks. I let her play with a fabulous I-phone application called Mini-Piano where she could play music. Needless to say, the technician thanked me for bringing such a great diversion.

The next test was a lot more invasive. She had to be catheterized, have her bladder filled with water and then pee it back out all while being restrained on a metal table with a large MRI-like piece of equipment over her. I was right behind the back of her head trying to calm her, but she was terribly upset. I handled it much better than I thought I would and much better than I would have back in November when she was younger.

In typical Mia fashion she was stubborn and not doing exactly what they needed her to do. She needed to empty her bladder and was only peeing a little bit and then stopping. They took the catheter out and put a diaper on her and let me hold her for awhile while she peed. Well, that was the plan anyway. But, after 15 minutes she still had a full bladder. Everything during the tests looked perfect and so they decided to let us go even though she really didn't finish the last part of the test. I know that little princess probably peed as soon as we left the room!

I must say that when I walked out into the bright sunshine and the cold wind hit my face, I felt a such sweet relief. I have been overly worried about all things health related lately. (Maybe because we seem to be enduring and endless string of bugs and colds) It is so good to know that she is fine and the urinary tract infection was just a random problem.

Thank you God. This mommy is going to sleep so much better tonight!

Young Love

2009-02-12T01:12:00.006-05:00

Last Sunday I had the pleasure of taking pictures of a beautiful couple. My cousin Emily got engaged on Christmas day to her boyfriend Seth, and I offered to take their engagement pictures.

They are a fun, happy couple and it made the job so easy.

It certainly helped that we had a beautiful day to head to the park where they were engaged and get a variety of shots.

I love the look on Seth's face in the above picture.

I know they are eager to see these pictures, so I thought I would give them and the rest of my family a look at some of the fun shots of the day.

Congratulations Emily and Seth! Your love is easy to see and it was a joy to spend the day with you.

Intruder

2009-02-05T00:55:00.003-05:00

Dear Stomach Bug,

I do not appreciate the way you have intruded into our lives this week. I had plans and you have ruined them. I have a long list of things that need to be accomplished and my pen sits by the list idle and yearning for a marking opportunity.
We have already gone through this once this winter. Why did you have to come back for a second visit?

By far the worst thing about your timing is that today is my baby's birthday and she is sick. How could you do that to my love bug?

I had plans to write a beautiful post for Mia and include a photo recap of the past year, but I have been too busy cleaning up vomit, washing, disinfecting and praying that I am spared. You will not ruin my plan, only delay it.

I demand that you leave my home and not return. You are not welcome here and after your seriously rude behavior I hope you leave feeling remorseful.

With anticipation of a germ free home,
Susan

Passionate about Puddles

2009-02-04T00:09:00.000-05:00

We had a somewhat warm day this week.

It was a whopping 47 degrees. Doesn't sound like much, but to us it felt like 65.

So, needless to say we spent some time outside enjoying the sunshine and "warm" weather.

And what does warm weather combined with previous snow create?

Puddles!!!

My boy hit everyone he saw and loved every minute of it.

He was soaked and dirty, but he couldn't have had a bigger smile on his face.

Today we are back to the snow and bitter cold and my sweet boy is battling yet another round of the stomach bug.

I am quite sure that when he closes his eyes to rest he is dreaming of all this snow melting and the giant puddles it will create.

Happy puddle jumping my love!

For more Wordful Wednesday posts visit:

Chicken Enchilada Dip (Go Steelers!)

2009-01-29T00:01:00.004-05:00

Having lived one hour south of Pittsburgh for a little over eight years, I am hugely excited that the Steelers are in the Super Bowl. Of course, I would have preferred that they be playing the Eagles, but I am used to disappointment when it comes to my team.
For all of you that will be having a Super Bowl party (or attending one) and need a great dip recipe, here is one that I love and find very well received by all those I serve it to.

Chicken Enchilada Dip

1 large can (12.5 oz) and one small can (4 oz) of chicken
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
8 oz shredded cheddar cheese
1 can Rotel tomatoes with green chilies, drained
1/4 - 1/2 tsp of garlic powder (depending on your tastes)
1/2 - 1 tsp of chili powder (depending on your tastes)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine all ingredients and place in a medium sized baking dish. Bake for 30 minutes or until edges are golden.

Serve with tortilla chips and enjoy!

Snow Beautiful (Wordless Wednesday)

2009-01-28T00:10:00.000-05:00

Out with the Old... (A photography question)

2009-01-27T00:05:00.005-05:00

It has been about two weeks since disaster struck.

I had so many plans and in a split second they all had to change.

You see I was trying to be a better photographer and learn more about my camera, a good thing, but it wasn't my lucky day.

I heard a strange noise and as I continued to look through my camera everything was very dark.

Initially I was puzzled and adjusted my settings again.

But, when I looked at the lens from the front, I could see that something was very wrong.

I tried everything.

Nothing worked.

My lens was jammed at f22, barely letting any light through the teeny tiny opening.

I took it to the camera shop the next day hoping it was an easy fix.

No such luck.

They would need to send it away for a 3-4 weeks and it would cost me about $75.

The lens (a Sigma 28-80mm f3.5 -5.6) only cost about $85.

I was not a happy camper.

After all I had Austin's birthday party, Mark's birthday, my cousin's engagement pictures, Mia's first birthday and maybe first steps and so much more quickly approaching.

My 100-300mm lens would not suffice for those events.

So, I am now in the market for a new lens because fixing my old one seems ridiculous at that price.

I have already missed Austin's birthday party and Mark's birthday so I can't afford to miss any more great moments.

My question for all of you who are photographers or at least really like to take pictures and are lucky enough to have a DSLR is:

What is your favorite go-to lens and why?

Thanks for your feedback.

Rub a Dub Dub, Two in the Tub

2009-01-25T23:42:00.002-05:00

Until about a week ago, we bathed the kids separately. We did this both because they have different bed times and because we figured Mia would be a little overwhelmed by a bath with the wild man (at least when it comes to bath time).

Mia has always liked the water and her baths, but in general she is low key and gets scared and weepy when there is too much commotion or craziness.

That we figured would make the two of them bathing together a disaster. However, Austin asked if they could take a bath together and so we decided to give it a shot.

We were wrong! They had a great time together. Austin splashed and "swam" less and was even happy to share all of his bath toys with his sister.

He has really started wanting to do more with her lately. I think he has finally realized that she will become a playmate for him and that will likely be more fun that playing alone or with Mommy and Daddy.

Austin "taught" her about all the toys in the tub and they had a good time laughing at each other's mohawks.

So, since then they have been bathing together. We give them their baths and then Mia goes to bed and Austin gets to spend a little more time with us (lately playing Wii Fit, but I will tell you all about that in a later post). It has worked out really well and the joint bath time has been fun for all of us.

If I haven't mentioned it lately, I can't get enough of my precious family. Each day is such a blessing and joy with my husband and two beautiful kids. I am one lucky lady!

Nana's Tractor

2009-01-16T00:07:00.004-05:00

When we arrived at Nana's house for Christmas, it was dark. Upon waking up in the morning and starting to get his bearings on things, Austin looked out the window and immediately spotted it.

Nana's tractor.

It was a VERY cold day, but Nana wanted to take him for a ride as much as Austin wanted to go. After breakfast Nana put on about ten layers of clothing, Austin was bundled up and they headed out. Unfortunately, the tractor needed gas and so the wait was longer than expected, but Austin was so excited he didn't care.

He quickly wanted to be a part of the experience and not just a passenger. Nana showed him how to lift the bucket on the front and he was thrilled.

He seemed a little annoyed that I was taking pictures because he wanted to concentrate on the task at hand. Smiling at the camera was not on the agenda!

They weren't going very fast at all and Nana let him "drive" around the yard for awhile. I guarantee he is still having dreams about driving that tractor.

He is a tractor nut and though he has gotten to sit on idle tractors or ride on lawnmower tractors, this was a much grander experience. The fact that it was Nana's tractor made it that much more special.

It didn't take him long at all to know exactly what to do. At nearly three years old he was an old pro.

It was a memory that he and Nana will never forget. He is eager to go back and drive the tractor some more. Unfortunately, it will probably have to wait until Spring when the weather is a little more predictable.

For me, it was such a joy to see my mom and my son not only enjoying themselves, but bonding in a way that only a loving Nana and her sweet grandson can.

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

Drool Happens

2009-01-14T00:03:00.000-05:00

Poor Mia has been cutting four new teeth.

And you know what that means....DROOL!!!

This face makes my mouth ache.

But, fortunately she is still in pretty good spirits most of the time.

For more Wordful Wednesday posts visit:

My First Christmas

2009-01-09T09:29:00.000-05:00

I am "soooo big" and just had my very first Christmas!

Before Christmas day I got to open some presents from family members I wouldn't see at Christmas. My Aunt Lauren and Aunt Bridget got me this Glo Baby and I LOVE it! I have been wanting a baby doll and this one lights up and plays music.

When Christmas morning came, Austin and I rushed out to see what Santa left us. We both loved the gifts we saw in front of the tree.

Mommy had some really cute girlie Christmas jammies for me, but I was so excited about Christmas morning that I pooped straight up my back before I even got out of bed. Thankfully, Mommy had some backup jammies from when Austin was a baby.

Before breakfast I got to open my stocking. I didn't get any candy like Austin, but I did get a baby doll and a stuffed snowman.

When it was time to open presents I was so excited! Mommy didn't think I would really be into Christmas this year, but she was WRONG. When they gave me my presents I held one in my left arm while I opened another one with my right hand. I never let go of that other present. I was afraid Austin might think it was his and take it from me.

I got a new cell phone. I must be a big girl now! My phone is better than Mommy's because it plays fun songs and makes better noises when you push the buttons.

After opening each gift, I took some time to eat the wrapping paper. I love eating paper!

Did I mention that I really love my new cell phone? I might also want to mention that I am teething, so please excuse the enormous wet area on my clothes.

Austin was happy to come and help me play with my new toys. I didn't mind. I am good at sharing so far. We have fun playing together.

I like these cup things that Mommy and Daddy got me. I am not really sure what they are for yet, but I like pretending that I am drinking out of them.

My favorite gift by far was the Superstar Stage that Nana got me. You should see me with my microphone when the music is playing. I have to say that I am one fabulous superstar.

I loved Christmas! It was so much fun.

Next up....my 1st birthday.

Only 27 more days...not that I am counting.

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

Dawn

2009-01-08T01:20:00.000-05:00

Most mornings that we were at Nana's, Mia slept in (I think due to the elevation and peacefulness). However, one morning she was up unusually early. At first I was really annoyed, but within minutes I was grateful.

The sunrise was spectacular!

I have always been in awe of the colors and power in the sunrise and sunset.

Somehow witnessing that beauty makes me feel closer to God.

On that morning I felt like the sunrise was a gift just for me. I am sure that there were others on their way to work or having a first cup of coffee that admired its beauty. But, since I was witnessing it on my own (except for the baby) I imagined it was mine. And what a gift it was!

2008 certainly had its challenges, tragedies and low points, but I choose to see and dwell on the light, the blessings. Those were beyond measure and when I look at my life I see beauty more spectacular than any sunrise.

As I embark on the dawn of a new year, I am optimistic, grateful, joyful, blessed, encouraged, excited, proud, loved and renewed.

I know that God will do amazing things in and through me this year. My greatest desire is that I will step out of the way and let Him. Jesus is the light in my life. I hope I will be a beautiful reflection of Him in 2009.

I May Be Sweet, but...(Wordless Wednesday)

2009-01-07T00:33:00.000-05:00

Precious Cargo

2009-01-06T00:10:00.002-05:00

One of my favorite moments from this Christmas...

This was easily one of Austin's favorite gifts this Christmas. It is a big boy remote control monster truck that Daddy just HAD to get for him even though the age suggestion on the box was 8 and up. It almost immediately became his most prized possession.

This is my mom's nativity set, which Austin was obsessed with. Thankfully the whole thing was very child friendly since they are all stuffed fabric pieces.

On Christmas afternoon Mark and I noticed him playing with the nativity set as he had been doing for days, but he was very intently talking to someone over there and so we listened in.

"Hi baby Jesus."

"Awww, baby Jesus you are so sad. Why so sad baby Jesus?"

"Oh, poor baby Jesus. Don't be sad. I'll make it better."

We watched him as he carefully lifted baby Jesus from the manger and...

laid him in the best place he could find to make him feel better.

Of course, he then gave baby Jesus a ride so that he wouldn't be sad anymore.

For days every time someone would place baby Jesus back in the manger, eventually we would find him back in the monster truck again.

I guess Austin must have had a special conversation with Him and knew that is where He wanted to be.

I hope my sweet boy always has such a compassionate heart and fun spirit!

Pleeeease!

2009-01-01T21:30:00.002-05:00

Dear Santa,

I know that you have just finished your busy season and are probably taking a well deserved vacation, but I thought you could use as many days as possible to try to fulfill one of Austin's requests for next year's Christmas presents.

Over the last week or so he has been fascinated with the night sky.

He loves to look out the window or go outside in the frigid air and see the stars.

He thinks they are "bootafull."

Which they are.

I know that you are probably thinking that what he wants is a telescope so that he can see them better.

Oh no!

Believe me, I wouldn't be bothering you on January 1st to fulfill such an "easy" request.

What he wants is beyond my ability to provide, so I am leaving it in your capable hands.

Good luck Santa!

Out of his own precious little mouth, this is his request: "Look Mommy! Look at all the "bootafull" stars. We NEED a spaceship Mommy. We NEED one! Get it for me, get it for me pleeease!"

This has not been a one time request.

This is nightly.

Explaining that Mommy and Daddy don't have room in the driveway for the spaceship isn't working.

He is relentless.

I'll work on the parking space and launchpad.

The spaceship is up to you.

Enjoy your mini vacation!

With much thanks in advance,
Susan

My Greatest New Year's Eve

2008-12-31T00:26:00.000-05:00

Dear Austin,

I can't believe it has been three years since our lives were forever changed by your birth.

You surprised us with your New Year's Eve entrance. On the way to the hospital we were making phone calls to let people know that our party was officially changing locations. I have to admit that celebrating New Year's Eve and Day in the hospital was not great when it came to the food and entertainment, but celebrating you was one of the greatest joys of our lives.

You were born at 11:58 am. The first time I saw your precious face it brought tears to my eyes. You were perfect and soon revealed your sweet and sensitive personality. The months that followed brought your smiles, giggles, babbles, belly laughs, army crawls, first steps, first words and so much more.

There were and are so many days that I stand in awe of you. As a teacher, it brings me such joy to see your love of learning and how quickly you pick up on new things. You are gentle, kind and compassionate. I will never forget how on Christmas day when I started crying thinking about the recent loss of Abuela, you cupped my face in your little hands and said with your sweet little voice, "Don't cry Mommy. It's okay. Don't be sad. Awww, I love you Mommy." You made everyone's heart melt with your sweetness.

You love to laugh and find great joy in making others laugh as well. It has been so much fun to see your sense of humor develop and we are certain you will continue to entertain us with your antics.

You have always loved music and this year that has really blossomed. You sing ALL the time! You make music from the most simple things and I believe you hear music in simple things too. I can't wait to see what part music will play in your life as you continue to grow.

Your interests this year have mostly remained the same. You love all things transportation, but have a special love for tractors and trucks. You enjoy cooking, both real and imaginary. I guess it is in your blood! You like to figure out how things work and you ask a lot of questions. We often wonder if you will be an engineer like Daddy and Grandpa.

It is truly amazing how much you have learned, grown and accomplished in your three years. Becoming your mommy has changed my life in ways I could never have imagined. You are a daily blessing and I thank God that he entrusted your beautiful life to Daddy and me. My heart overflows with love, pride and joy over you.

I look forward to all that this year will bring you.

Happy 3rd Birthday buddy!

Love,
Mommy

Trauma at Nana's

2008-12-30T01:00:00.004-05:00

The Saturday before Christmas we arrived at Nana's house around dinner time. After unpacking and stretching a little bit we sat down to eat. We hadn't been to Nana's since her new house was finished and Austin had never been to her previous house.

As we were seated eating dinner, we heard a gasp from his little body followed by, "Look Mommy! It's a reindeer!"

Austin had spotted by stepdad's prize buck mounted on the wall.

His excitement soon turned and he grabbed my arm, looked me in the face with a worried and puzzled expression and said, "Mommy, the reindeer is stuck in the wall. Help him! Help him!"

Christmas Unplugged

2008-12-28T22:59:00.002-05:00

No, I didn't magically disappear or fall off the face of the Earth.

We headed over the rivers and through the many woods to Nana's house for Christmas and what awaited us was NO INTERNET.

I thought I would have some access through dial up on my mom's computer, but the first day we were there, her computer crashed.

After a couple days we got desperate enough that we headed to the local library (a mere 20 minutes away) to at least check the mounting emails and such. What we found there was a 30 minute time limit.

Needless to say, we pretty much just decided to have an unplugged Christmas and enjoy the relaxation.

And boy do I have some stories, so stay tuned.

A Christmas Fairy Tale

2008-12-19T02:17:00.000-05:00

Once upon a time there was a Mommy who was desperate to get the perfect Christmas picture of her two little darlings.
On her first attempt to capture this elusive shot, she dressed the children in their Christmas clothes and the baby spit up all over the front of her outfit. The boy refused all bribes and so no pictures were taken because the mommy could see that things weren't headed in a good direction.

On the second attempt the boy was more cooperative and the baby didn't get sick on herself, but looking at the camera was not on the agenda.

The baby was obsessed with touching the boy and he was only briefly okay with that.

Soon the boy began to cry after having his face scratched and so the mommy resigned herself to yet another failed attempt.

However, she realized that the baby still seemed somewhat cooperative and so she plugged away.

The Mommy was pleased with some of her success with the baby, but the desire of getting the perfect Christmas picture was still unfulfilled. So, she tried yet again with a few props.

Again the baby was intrigued by her brother's face and all its parts.

And, on several occasions she had to display her newly learned skill of "soooo big."

The children took turns being cooperative.

The Mommy finally realized that the perfect picture she had envisioned in her mind was not, in fact, the best way to communicate the joy of her household. The love and happiness was found in pictures she had already taken.

And so the Mommy was content with her Christmas pictures and proudly displayed them for all her family and friends to see. Perfection she discovered was simply a matter of perspective.

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

Ropa Vieja

2008-12-18T00:29:00.000-05:00

Okay, here is the recipe that many of my family members and friends have been begging for. I am finally following through on my promise to get it to everyone.

Ropa Vieja, translated means old clothes. I know, that makes you hungry right? Anyway, it is actually a wonderfully savory (not spicy) Cuban shredded beef dish. I hope you will give it a try, because I don't think you will be disappointed. This version is really easy because most of the work is done by a slow cooker or crockpot. Let's get started!

Ropa Vieja

2 lb. flank steak
½ green or red bell pepper, cut into strips (I prefer red)
½ Spanish onion, cut into strips
4 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
2 tsp. Salt
2 tsp. Coarse Black Pepper
1/2 tsp. cumin
½ cup red wine (not cooking wine...the real thing)
water

2 Tbsp. Olive oil
2 cups of broth from the crock pot or beef broth
1 small can tomato sauce (8 oz.)
1 small can tomato paste
1 tsp. oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
splash of white vinegar (optional)

Place flank steak into slow cooker and cover with onions, bell pepper, garlic, salt, pepper and cumin. Pour red wine over the top. Add water until the meat is just covered with liquid.

This is what it should look like before you put the lid on and cook it for 6-8 hours on low or 4 hours on high.

When the steak is tender (easily shreddable with a fork), remove the onion, bell pepper and garlic with a slotted spoon. Chop cooked vegetables and set aside. Remove meat and shred with two forks. I also do a rough chop so that the strings of meat aren't too long, but that is a preference thing. To a large skillet over medium heat, add olive oil and saute vegetables. Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, oregano and broth. Stir to combine. Add shredded beef. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook for about 25 minutes or until sauce is reduced and "clinging" to the meat.

Serve with white rice.

Personally I like it with black beans too, so this is what my plate looks like before I dig in.

Enjoy!

On the Move

2008-12-17T01:34:00.002-05:00

I am not sure why my children insist on doing the army crawl instead of getting up on their hands and knees, but it has been their crawl of choice. Mia is still not pulling up very much, however she is into just about everything.

She loves being on the move and has gotten into the dog's water/food, the DVDs, many of Austin's untouchables, every little speck of anything on the floor and much more.

I know this crawling phase won't last long so I plan to enjoy it while it lasts. She might be making more messes than before, but she is still irresistibly cute while she is making them.

For more Wordful Wednesdays visit:

How I Roll (or wrap)

2008-12-15T14:00:00.001-05:00

Christmas Meme

I got this from Elaine at The Miss Elaine-ous Life and I thought it would be fun. You should "play" along too! Let me know if you do!

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? I do both, but wrapping is definitely my favorite.

2. Real tree or Artificial? Real. I love the smell and the look of the real thing. I will admit that this year it is neither though. We won't be here for Christmas and with a crawler that is into everything we opted for saving the money and using it on other things.

3. When do you put up the tree? Usually the weekend after Thanksgiving weekend.

4. When do you take the tree down? Within the first week after the new year.

5. Do you like eggnog? I love eggnog. I love to put it in my coffee instead of half and half. Mmmmm.

6. Favorite gift received as a child? A doll that had hair that "grew", could be styled, and then "cut" or shortened with the turn of a dial on her back.

7. Hardest person to buy for? My dad.

8. Easiest person to buy for? My husband.

9. Do you have a nativity scene? No, but I know which one I want I have just not found a price that I can justify. I love the Willow Tree nativity set.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Usually mail, but this year it will be email to save a little money.

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? A set of polka-dotted matching headbands intended for a pre-teen or younger girl and given to me when I was seventeen.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? A Christmas Story. We watch it every Christmas Eve while we are wrapping presents. My sisters and I started the tradition.

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Usually not until after Thanksgiving unless I come across a great deal or fear that the item won't be available once everyone else starts their shopping.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Only for a white elephant party.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? There is nothing in particular because I pretty much enjoy all of the Christmas eating, but I will say especially the cookies.

16. Lights on the tree? Must..be..WHITE! It is my personal preference and though I can appreciate a beautiful tree with colored lights, my tree will always be white and no blinking.

17. Favorite Christmas song? Breathe of Heaven

18. Travel at Christmas or stay at home? Depends on the year. This year we are traveling.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's? Yes

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Star.

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Christmas morning.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? The lines to checkout just about everywhere.

23. What theme or color are you using? I haven't really decorated this year, but my usual color scheme is red and silver.

24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Depends where I am for Christmas but I love the ham.

25. What do you want for Christmas this year? Closet organizers because I get stressed out just thinking about how horrible our master bedroom closet is.

26. Do you have a favorite ornament, what? My favorite ornaments are the ones that I have received from my grandfather each year for many years. They are very special to me and because of that tradition we started one of our own where we buy the kids an ornament that is representative of something they did, liked or achieved that year. Then I paint their name and the year on the ornament. When they grow up they will have them for their first tree or I will gladly keep them and reminisce.

27. Gifts from Santa? Wrapped or Unwrapped? Both. Probably one of each. The big, difficult to wrap one will be unwrapped.

Sorry Grandmas

2008-12-11T00:36:00.001-05:00

From the mind of Austin:

The following beverage box was sitting on the counter waiting to be taken to the recycle bin.

Austin: Look Mommy!

Me: What is it Austin?

Austin: Wow Mommy.

Me: What is that on the box?

Austin: It's a grandma.

Me (after turning the box around thinking there may be a different picture on the other side): What?

Austin: It's a grandma, Mommy, it's a grandma. Hi little grandma, hi!

A closer look at the "grandma"

I would love to get in his head and understand the reasoning going on in there.

Sorry to all of you grandmas. I am sure he meant that in the most loving and endearing way. I mean the elf is smiling and carrying what could be gifts or treats on his back.