Sunday, December 28, 2008

Merry Christmas

There has been way too much fun over this past week to write about all of it, so I am posting a few pics of our Christmas celebrations with both sides of the family. Uncle Geno and Auntie Lisa, Uncle Brian and Aunt Jo, Uncle Greg and Aunt Dovie, Tyrel, Wyatt, Abi, Gavin, Ana ~ WE MISS YOU!!!
I have TONS more pictures - don't ask me why but I've always got the camera handy lately. We really had a great Christmas. I have to say, I am glad it's over, I kind of had the bah humbug spirit this year. The past week or so has been great, though. We had a Christmas party with some dear friends (and missed some others!), Christmas Eve with Shawn's family, which is always so much fun, Christmas Day here (I am so proud of myself - I made the best batch of spaghetti and meatballs ever!), did some after-Christmas shopping, and spent yesterday playing in the snow. Lots to be thankful for this year.

Monday, December 15, 2008

Showing off: me and my little man

Well, thanks to my dear friend who also happens to be a VERY talented photograper (shameless plug: see lisahuberphotography.com), I have some more beautiful pics of Kole to show off. Is it just me, or does he have that "little old man" look? Gush, gush, gush!

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Fun with the girls

Well, I thought I would write a long and hilarious post about how much fun I had watching Twilight (again) with some girlfriends last night. But, alas, my lovely almost-2-year-old is screaming something about Blue's Clues while loudly refusing to pick up his toys. Here are the pics, and ladies, I haven't laughed that hard in I can't remember how long. Thanks!


















Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Welcome home, baby Kole

Last week, we were blessed with the arrival of our new bundle of joy, Kole Shawn. He was born on Friday, November 21st (daddy's birthday!), at 2:15 in the afternoon, and weighed in at 8lb., 11oz. He is an incredible blessing, and I, for one, am getting teary just thinking about how amazingly happy I am that he has joined our family. Words do not do justice to this kind of love and joy.














Wednesday, October 29, 2008

More fun

Okay, so that last post was funner than I thought it would be. Evidently, I DO have time to sit and dink around on my computer! Here's another one from Jolene... You are supposed to list 7 random and/or weird facts about yourself, and then there were rules about linking or tagging or something. But again, not so much of a rule follower, just doing this for fun. Hmm....7 random things about me:

1. I am so very pregnant, everything hurts, and I still have several weeks to go. My daughter's teacher told me today I looked like I was going to pop. I love it when tall cute skinny 26-year-old's tell me things like that. (It was a well-intentioned comment, she's actually a real sweetie).

2. Everything in my life seems to cycle. For example, I seem to go from wanting to totally just get after it and get things done, to totally procrastinating. Like right now, I have 3 loads of clean laundry waiting to be folded, lunch to clean up, snacks to prepare for girls coming home from school, and what am I doing? That's right, blogging! Each cycle seems to last a couple of weeks, and then flow back into the other way.

3. I love music, but have no musical talent or ability.

4. I wish I had more physical talent, like for dance or sports.

5. I always dream about the characters in the books I am reading, as if their lives are intertwined with mine.

6. I would rather lose a child than leave my children motherless. (I know, morbid and type-A)

7. I believe that people are capable most anything, given the right (or wrong) circumstances.

Bloggy fun

So, I've been tagged (I'm still not sure what that really entails!) by my dear friend Jolene. I think I am supposed to answer all of these questions with only one word, and then pass it on. However, since I am so NOT the passing on type, just enjoy!

1.Where is your cell phone? table
2.Where is your significant other? work
3.Your hair color? newly chestnutty auburn (love it!)
4.Your mother? nurturing
5.Your father? strong
6.Your favorite thing? thing...as in, Oprah? computer system in my new van
7.Your dream last night? nope
8.Your dream/goal? peace
9.The room you're in? kitchen
10.Your hobby? canning!
11.Your fear? mortality
12.Where do you want to be in 6 years? here
13.Where were you last night? home
14.What you're not? obsessive (really!)
15.One of your wish list items? cabinets
16.Where you grew up? California
17.The last thing you did? lunch
18.What are you wearing? wouldn't you like to know
19.Your t.v.? Guy Fieri paused
20.Your pet? hah!
21.Your computer? lifeline
22.Your mood? expectant
23.Missing someone? old friends
24.Your car? 2nd home
25.Something you're not wearing? wouldn't you like to know
26.Favorite store? GAP
27.Your summer? hot...prego...allergies...Twilight (swoon...)
28.Love someone? lots!
29.Favorite color? depends
30.Last time you laughed? today ~ haunted gingerbread houses, 2nd grade
31.Last time you cried? unnecessary

Evidently (my new favorite word) I am incapable of using only one word.

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Nesting

Several weeks ago, a good friend of mine asked me if I had been nesting yet. Foolishly, I replied, "No, I don't think I will go through that with this pregnancy. I have everything I need for the baby, etc., etc." Hah! Then the third trimester hormones kicked in. For the past two weeks or so, I have been running around like a mad woman trying to "get everything ready" for when the baby comes. I have purchased coming home from the hospital outfits for both genders (as we don't know the sex of the baby), onesies, diapers, post-delivery necessities for me, new clothes for the entire family, winter outerwear for all three of the children we already have, Shawn's birthday presents, nursing gowns, diaper bags, blankets, Halloween costumes, stockpiles of household necessities because clearly, my husband can't be expected to go to the grocery store (whatever, he goes every week now since I have hit the point where it is just too painful for me, physically and emotionally - the lady at WalMart told me I look like a watermelon). Hmm, have I left anything out? Every time I go on another brutal shopping trip (picture my enormous belly lifting cases of diapers, laundry detergent, etc. off the shelves at Sam's Club), I call Shawn on the way home and swear "I am never doing that again. I am done running errands. My body hurts, the kids are driving me crazy, people are staring at me as if I am about to give birth to sextuplets. I'm not doing it any more!" And then, without fail, I do it again. At home, in addition to canning and freezing vegetables, I have been cleaning as if I am preparing to give birth to royalty. Organizing closets and kids' clothes, running loads to the D.I.; today I scrubbed all of my kitchen cupboards - inside and out. I'm afraid to go back into the kitchen for fear I might pass out from the bleach fumes. On the list for this week and next is cleaning the fridge, inside and out, washing windows, inside and out, and cleaning every household surface possible with my steam cleaner. Window sills and the washer/dryer are in particularly dire need. My goal is to, one day soon, be DONE. So that I can just sit and relax until the baby comes. Whatever, you say? It won't happen, you say? We'll see. I was hoping that this post would alleviate some of my stress, but I am afraid it has only reminded me of several more things to stress about: storage tubs of baby clothes for both sexes need to be dug out of hiding, organized, and clothes washed, a hospital bag needs to be packed (so what if I still have 7 weeks, no sense in putting it off), when am I going to decorate and shop for Christmas?, and when, oh when, am I going to manage going to the Twilight movie (it comes out on the day we expect to have the baby)???

I should have entitled this post Crazy Pregnant Woman's Panic-Induced Rant.

Even if I had pictures to describe the state I am in, I would probably be too ashamed to share them.

Friday, September 12, 2008

Simple pleasures

Yesterday was a really crazy day, and by the time things settled down, late into the afternoon, it was just Jagger and me at home. He absolutely LOVES to go outside (side! side!), so I decided we would go out and pick a few tomatoes. Our tomato plants are always plentiful, and the only exception this year is that they are unruly and plentiful. They have outgrown the metal frames that we caged them in to keep them shapely and upright, yet we neglected to remove the cages. So now it's too late, and we have a jungle of caged tomatoes in our back yard (which makes picking a daunting task). So, after finding that most of the tomatoes were still green (phew, I can procrastinate that task for a few more days), we decided to take a peek at the rest of the garden. As our remaining family members trickled home, it turned into family harvesting the garden night. Just a few ears of corn and some potatoes are left. And the green tomatoes. I suppose now the real work of canning and freezing begins, but I am very excited about that part this year. I am going to puree and freeze most of my carrots and yellow squash to use in my newly discovered Deceptively Delicious recipes. I should have enough tomatoes to keep us in spaghetti, pizza, and salsa for the winter. Yay!!


Here is one of the girls planting magic beans!



How cute is my boy!? He's peering up over my belly :)


Got corn?

Lest we forget

9.11.01 Remembered

I thought about the anniversary of our country's recent tragedy yesterday, but, sadly, I was too wrapped up in my own grumpy mood to give it any serious reflection. My friend, Lisa has posted a beautiful tribute over on her blog. Click here to view it.

Thursday, September 11, 2008

Blog, blog, blog (read: blah, blah, blah...)

I am such a bad blogger. Either my life is exceptionally boring, or I just don't think anyone would be interested in what I have to say. Oh well. Actually, I think that, more often than not, I just don't feel like sharing what I am really thinking. Again...oh well.

So, yesterday, I took all of my files from my old computer, dumped all of the useless stuff, and put all the rest onto my new computer. My new, wonderful, fast, reliable, happiness in a machine (if your mind went where mine did with that last description - get it out of the gutter!) computer!!! So, as I was completing this task, I thought, hmm, I should probably print all of these digital pictures I have saved up over the past, oh, several years. Uh-huh. Jaw drops. I have roughly 1,500 pictures to print. Hee, hee, hee. The laughter comes from picturing the hundreds of dollars I will have to spend if I really want to print them and then do something with them. I am not a scrapbooker, so I suppose it could be worse. And who said digital photography was so great?

Here are a couple of pictures of the kids doing their "homework." Funny, though, Emma (laying on the floor watching TV) is the only one who has actual homework. So cute.



Tuesday, August 26, 2008

New beginnings



Yesterday was the first day of school for my two sweet little girlies. One in 2nd grade, the other in kindergarten. It was a little sad, just to feel the changing of the times, the leaving them to fend for themselves. But, for the most part, I just get so excited to see them begin new adventures in their lives. I honestly was a little nervous about Emma's teacher this year, but when I picked her up yesterday, her first words were, "Mommy, I had the best day. I am so glad I got Mrs. ~~~~!!" Time will tell whether my apprehensions will ever be realized, but for now, I am happy, too. I really have a core belief that things work out the way they are supposed to without too much unnecessary meddling (gather from that - I don't usually request specific teachers for my kids, because there are probably reasons I can't see yet for them getting who they get).


As it was the first day of school, and as I am no longer teaching, yesterday was also my first, first day of school at home. I have to say, being a stay-at-home mom rocks! I am getting my eyes opened to the innumerable blessings of housewifery. Now, don't get me wrong, I have actually been on both sides of the fence for the past nine years. I have taught full time, part time, and have been home during the summers. So, it's not that I don't acknowledge how challenging it is to manage a family (house, kids, husband, comings and goings, etc.). It's just that now, that's all I have to do. My only responsibilities (yes, immense in themselves) include taking care of my house, kids, and husband (and the little ones I am providing day care for as they come and go). In the past, I have done all that (except for the day care), plus worked outside the home. It is an amazing burden that has been lifted from my shoulders, and I am delighting in my new-found freedoms. It is like soaking up the first warm rays of sunshine after a long winter. I am immensely grateful for this new blessing.

Saturday, August 23, 2008

Peaceful mornings

So, yesterday morning, the kids all wandered out of their sleepy beds and onto the couch. It was chilly in the living room after a cool windows-open night, so they all snuggled up in their blankies. None of them were interested in breakfast yet, and nobody had anywhere to go or anything to do. They were perfectly happy to hang out on the couch together and watch one of the many episodes of Clifford the Big Red Dog we have saved on the DVR (Jagger loves anything involving puppies). It was a perfect summer morning, and a fitting end to a great summer (as school starts on Monday). I'm going to miss mornings like that.

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Catching Up




So this summer has been mostly filled with baseball and T-ball. The girls played on two different teams this year, so we had games four days a week. This was Em's first experience with machine-pitch, and she did so good. Nervous at first, but she caught on quick. I think her batting average was somewhere near .500 (impressive, huh?) Bella played on a T-ball team with a bunch of kids who had never played before. One of the dads told me he thought Bella was the most athletic kid on the team. (hee, hee, hee). It was so fun, but I am honestly really glad that it's over. Jag really, really wanted to play with the big kids! Every chance he got, he would try to run out onto the field. One time, I had to chase him almost to 2nd base. Every time whatever girl's team we were there to watch went out into the field, he would commandeer the available balls and bats and try to coerce me, or the other sister, or whatever family member was there to play with him.

Whew, this blog is finally done!

So, I decided to create a blog - for family and friends to keep track of us, for me to purge all of my random thoughts, to post the occassional meaningful discussion. However, this has been way more of a task than I anticipated. I have been working on this thing for a week now! I remarked to my friend that I would have to search through every single background on thecutestblogontheblock.com before selecting my perfect one. (I did end up settling with this one before viewing every single selection, but I still think it's pretty cute). That experience alone attests to my have-to-have-it-just-right personality. From address, to fonts, to colors, to playlist, etc., etc., I wanted to have everything JUST RIGHT. Alas... I decided today to deal with just-for-now and at least get the thing up and running. So here it is.