Happy New Year!!!

Happy New Year!

Conversation from the Christmas break...

LM: Pop, where is history?
Pop: Huh? What do you mean?
LM: Rudolph went down in history. Where is history?
Pop: Ask Nana.

Momma's Girl

She is definitely her momma's girl...bald and toothless, poor thing.

Happy Birthday Little Man

Happy Birthday my little man.

Christmas Time Is Here......

I am so excited for Christmas this year because of one very sweet little boy who is excited about Christmas. Sunday our church had a little Christmas pageant and my little donkey technically *participated* but not willingly. I wish I could have captured the look he gave me when I whispered loudly to him to sing. If looks could kill, I would be dead, ha.


Sunday afternoon we built a gingerbread train from a kit. My sister also used a kit to build her gingerbread house and her's looked like something out of Martha Stewart's magazine while ours looked like a train wreck. At least we had fun!

Vacation!!

I am almost on vacation! Although I still have two half days left at work I have been in vacation mode since Friday. My house has been deep cleaned, shopping is done, presents are wrapped, hard drives are cleaned off and backed up and I have a list of really fun things for our family to do for the next 2 weeks. TWO WEEKS - woohoo! The festivities start tomorrow and I'll share the details (with photos) later on this week.

In the meantime I thought I would share with you a little bit of Little Man's excitement about the BIG man in the red suit...

Writing his letter (or in his case coloring the letter mommy wrote for him)

Delivering the letter :)

Finally, my little gingerbread girl :)I'll be better about keeping this updated starting THIS week with Little Man's Christmas show, his Birthday party, Christmas and some fun family activities. Come back soon! Don't give up on us now!

For Mr. Christopher

Mmmmmwaaaah

I just want to smother her in kisses.....
and tickle him to pieces!!!

The reason behind the bumps on her noggin....

Little stinker can't figure out how to crawl but she has figured out how to pull up? Don't ask me, I can't explain it.

More conversations

Riding to school, after singing a million verses of Father Abraham...

LM: Mommy, Fahder Abaham have many sons?
Me: Yes buddy he had lots and lots of sons.
LM: It so hot in Fahder Abaham house?
Me: Well, yeah, I guess it probably was hot in his house. Why do you ask?
LM: He have lots of SUNS mommy. Da sun is so hot.


LM: Mommy, I don't feel good. I sick.
Me: You're sick? What's wrong?
LM: My froat hurts, my stomach hurts and my arm hurts
Me: Your ARM hurts?
LM: Yes and my 'nother one arm hurts too

Junebug is practicing her new vocal skills by screeching and blowing loud raspberries
LM: June bug is too loud. She hurting my ears.
Me: She is just practicing talking
LM: (walks up to JB and gets right in her face) WOMAN dat talkin too loud!
Me: Excuse me?
LM: Sorry mommy (back to JB) Princess woman, dat talkin too loud!
(we actually had a long talk about this one)

Leaving Sonic
LM: Hey! Where's my flush (slush)?
Me: We didn't get one today buddy.
LM: But mommy I NEED caffeine!

Watching Backyardigans

So this morning as I was sitting on the couch drying my hair, Little Man was snuggling on the couch with June Bug watching Dumbo (not the photos above). He asked me repeatedly to make the TV louder and told me that my hairdryer was too loud. I turned up the television but kept drying my hair. A few minutes passed and we tapped me on the arm:

LM: Hey mommy....
Me: Yes?
LM: June Bug sleeping?
Me: Yes...
LM: Mommy turn off loud dryer. Mommy wake up June Bug.
Me: Hmmm sounds to me like LM wants the dryer off, not June Bug.
LM: No. June Bug say mommy too loud.

Ha!

Who Has The Best Dad In The World???

MY KIDS!!!!! So several months ago (actually while prego with JB) I had this vision to stop throwing away my hard earned money on over-processed, weird tasting baby food and decided we could buy, cook and make our own. It isn't the right solution for everyone but since so many of Trav's health issues were exacerbated by food choices it felt like a good move for us (well, that and the fact that baby bananas don't taste like bananas and it creeps me out). I bought the books, I bought the food processor and I bought all of the little special BPA-free containers (don't get me talking on that one) and promptly put them on a shelf where they have stayed until this week. My W-O-N-D-E-R-F-U-L husband announced that since I was working a second job (essentially) to bring in more money to put towards our Total Money Makeover that he would take full responsibility for the baby food making endeavor. Let me tell you what a delightful treat it is to see my dream realized and not actually have to lift a finger to make it happen! I came home late last night to find hubby elbow deep (figuratively) in fresh delicious acorn squash, butternut squash and sweet potatoes. The aroma was intoxicating and the concoction was absolutely delicious! In less than half an hour he was able to make 3 weeks worth of baby food all for $4.13....nearly a $25 savings!!!!!!!!!!!! Woot woot!!

Acorn Squash.....not so sure at first but a hit in the end! One down a million more to go!

We're Back :(

Our family took a little camping trip this weekend with friends from church. It is a trip that we make twice a year so Little Man really looks forward to our camping trips but this one was June Bug's first. I think this face sums up her weekend nicely :)The weather was brisk in the day time and down right COLD at night but the 4 of us were huddled in a very small tent with lots of blankets and snuggles so we made it work with only a little bit of wind burn on our cheeks.

Little Man had such a fun time "catching" aka fishing with Pop. He didn't actually CATCH anything but he really liked the worms and throwing the lines. We also made a trip up to the docks to watch the ranger do a demonstration that ended with a live snake catching and eating a live mouse. I wasn't sure how Little Man would handle the mouse's demise but he really enjoyed it.The highlight of my trip was napping in the hammock with JB and then napping in the tent with a kiddo in each arm and a dog in my lap (photo coming from a friend soon, ha).Both kiddos were very disappointed to return home. How do I know JB was disappointed? When we got home this afternoon she was completely inconsolable, crying a really mad cry and after about 30 minutes of trying every trick in the book I simply walked outside - blessed silence followed by a "coo". That's my girl!

Visited by a Ghost

When my husband and I were first married we lived in a tiny little town called York, Nebraska in a 250 square foot "quaint" house. We moved there with my beloved but very unfriendly (except to me) russian persian cat, Piper. Trav so desperately wanted an animal that actually liked him that one day he brought home THE friendliest little farm kitten that we affectionately named Rawley. As far as cats go, and I have had many, Rawley was AWESOME and not at all like your typical cat. He was sweet, snuggly, playful, mischievious and loved people and animals tremendously; he was such a joy in our then childless home. Shortly after we moved to Texas he, along with our three other cats ,disappeared suddenly. Shortly after their collective disappearance we heard rumors from the neighbors that a pack of coyotes had destroyed the cat population in our neighborhood.

So imagine my surprise when Travis came running into the room tonight saying, "Guess who is at the front door?!" As it is Halloween I was expecting some really cute trick-or-treaters and was so shocked to see MY Rawley sitting coyly on the front stoop SIX YEARS after he disappeared! He is still as sweet as ever, a little less playful but still the little darling that we loved so much. He apparently wasn't fond of sharing all of the attention with three other cats, a chihuahua and a golden retreiver so he found a new home. Our animal farm only includes one animal these days but I know he wouldn't enjoy a home with kiddos so I am happy to see he is healthy and friendly enough to stop by for a visit.

Sick Kiddos

Our house has been full of sick kiddos this week and after a very full weekend of fundraisers and trunk or treat these two aren't the only ones who are exhausted.

Isn't the cold air delightful?

We sure think so.

Stuff

A couple of months ago I did a photoshoot for a spunky little 3 year old who had a really great sense of his physical abilities, balance and general safety. I commented on his sense of presence to his mom and she credited it to his gymnastics class. We checked into it and classes for LM's age were surprisingly cheap - woohoo! So for the past two months Little Man has been taking gymnastics classes at our local gym. Oh and the instructor doesn't always dress like a pirate, ha, this week was costume week.

Hayley and Jaclyn came to watch LM at gymnastics and he was quite the little show-off.

June Bug snuggling at church with Jaclyn and Hayley

Soooooo JB has a mullet or should I say haaaad a mullet. My family loves to tease and joke and lots of mullet jokes have been passed around in the past few weeks at the sake of my daughter. As her white blonde hair is growing in on the top, the long dark brown hair in the back is looking really strange so I gave her a itty bitty little haircut. I took the "before" photos but forgot to take the "afters", ha.

Buddies

I just love that my little guy has buddies that he can play with and it is just a bonus that those buddies are my BFF's kiddos.

My Princess Girl

Ever since Little Man learned that June Bug is a girl he has been calling her his princess girl and I must admit it fits really well! Our little princess girl brings so much joy to our lives. She brings beautiful colors, frilly outfits, sparkles and ruffles. She brings flirtatious looks, coy little laughs and the most penetrating eye contact you have ever seen. She is all cuddles and coos 24/7 and the princess of our little family. We love you little June Bug!

Auntie

Crash

Little Man l-o-v-e-s going to his little Mother's Day Out program on Tuesdays and Thursdays. He has made all kinds of new friends and loves his teachers very much. I'm told that he plays hard during the day which explains why he usually crashes in the car on the way home.

Today as we were packing up the car he told me he was still hungry and wanted to finish his sandwich from lunch. I buckled him in and handed him his leftovers and got ready to leave. Here is what I discovered before we had even left the lot.

More Conversations.....

Riding silently home from church in the car I look back and see LM sitting in his car seat, mouth wide open.
Me: Buddy? What are you doing?
LM: It broken mommy
Me: What's broken?
LM: My yawn. I so sleepy and I tant yawn. (mouth still open)
Me: Do you want me to fix it buddy?
LM: Yes, please mommy.
Me: (yawn)
LM: (yawn) Oh thank you mommy, dat much better

Leaving the fire station....
LM: Mommy, I wanna be a fired fighter like daddy
Me: You do!? I think that is a great idea!
LM: Mommy, I wanna be a fired fighter with Mr. Tommy too and pour da water on da fire and make smoke
Me: Ok buddy, when you get big you can be a firefighter like daddy and Mr. Tommy
LM: Mr. Phil too. I want Mr. Phil to drive da ambudance, it too big for me.


LM: (Giggling behind the chair)
Me: LM, what are you doing?
LM: Just playin' mommy
Me: Playing with what?
LM: Dis cute yittle (little) egg!
Me: (peeking around the chair) What egg?
LM: (holds up an ACTUAL EGG) dis one! Isn't it cute? It so yittle!
Me: WHERE did you get that cute little egg?
LM: Da fridge mommy!

LM: Mommy, I need to check my emails on da 'puter
Me: Really? What is your email address?
LM: Pink, Triangle, ABC

Daddy: LM, tell me a story
LM: Ponsa ponna time (Once upon a time).....
(pause)
LM: E Bend (The end)

Busy......again

It kind of feels like a lot of my blogs have been starting with some kind of comment about how busy we are. It seems to be a theme these days.....or maybe a sickness. Here is what has been going on....

Celebrations...

My mom and dad celebrated their birthdays last week and the fam (minus Adam) came up to celebrate with us. Little Man l-o-v-e-s being a cousin and a brother, as you can tell, and it really cracks me up that babies have no personal space. I cannot relate.

Almost kissing cousins, ha

Blowing out the candles

Meme, Papa and the great grandkids

Getting ready for "School"....

New haircut


Shopping for school clothes (he didn't last long)

Little Man and June Bug started "school" this week and I am back to working on the church campus again. Little Man was so excited for school and was upset that the day was over when I picked him up. June Bug did ok but was extra clingy and snuggly afterwards; broke my heart. After I picked them up they both took a little nap in my NEW and improved office and it felt a little like we were back at home working. Returning to work this time around was tough, really tough but I am so blessed that I was able to work from home for so long and soak up all of the snuggle weeks of June Bugs infancy.

June Bug napping in the bouncer under my desk (the lights are out)

Little man napping on the bean bags in my office

Busyness...

Work has been pretty busy this summer but I am two days away from starting a new website project for the church that will completely envelope my work life for the next 16 -20 weeks. I have been wanting to do this particular project for several years so I am INCREDIBLY excited to have been given the "go ahead" and am looking forward to the craziness that I am signing myself up for. The new project comes with a lot of new responsibilities and some changes in my role at church that will require me to do lots of ongoing training for my team members on a regular basis. I got to thinking about the ways in which the job change would effect my life and decided to request a larger office space so that I could train IN my office instead of having to check schedules and reserve rooms etc. every time I needed to set up a meeting. I was moved down to the very empty second floor of our building (only 2 other occupied offices) to a much larger space that I LOVE. It is wonderfully quiet, spacious and allows me to have training space, my massive desk and even a little play area for my kiddos or the kiddos of those I am training. It really helped give me something extra to look forward on my return to working on campus.

I've also enrolled in a couple of photography classes at a local art school and another digital darkroom class at the community college and I am loving every minute of it. I am still working on building my portfolio but I've cut back on my availability so that I only have 1 or 2 sessions a weekend and I am only focusing on my passion: infants, children and families.

Sometimes I think I have lost my mind trying to juggle all of this stuff at the same time but I think the busyness has kept the postpartum depression away so that makes it all worth it. I do think I am going to have to be more structured with my time in the coming weeks so that my family doesn't suffer but things are pretty compartmentalized already so hopefully I can just keep all my little ducks in a row for the time being.