Tour of Homes

I stumbled upon something fun and I wanted to share it with you. A very creative blogger has created a holiday tour of homes on the internet! Amazing! I spent a good hour last night looking at people's houses decorated for Christmas that I don't even know. It was such fun! Although I am not a part of the tour this year I thought I'd share the site with you in case you wanted to snoop around. Just click on this: BooMama's Holiday Tour of Homes. What a fun idea. I always wonder what other people's houses look like at Christmas....now I know!

Christmas Card

Trying to get two children to look at the camera and smile can be extremely exhausting for all! This year's Christmas card photo shoot was an adventure within itself. If the picture wasn't blurry, then someone was crying or not looking at the camera. Not shown are the pictures of Braxton running away because he "was done". I thought I'd share a bit of the photography fun. I love the one of the boys looking at each other. (Also, I apologize if you usually get a card from us and you didn't get one this year. I have lost some addresses on the computer and I am still trying to track many down.)




And finally we chose the following two pictures for this year's Christmas card. Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

Gotta have this!

Oh, the joys of teething!!! I am all about easing my baby's pain as those tiny pearly whites are trying to make their way through. I love Hyland's Teething Tablets...I firmly believe they work. We also like to wet a wash cloth on the corners and then freeze it...it's awesome! Well, I have stumbled upon the coolest teething product and wanted to share it with you.

We were at a friends house for dinner a few nights ago and I said something along the lines of this...

"I think a cool invention for teething babies would be a teething ring that has toothbrushes all around it. Nash loves to chew on his toothbrush, but it's not safe for him to carry around the house."

My new friend said, "Oh, I have something kinda like that." Amazing! Her father-in-law is a dentist and gave her a nifty little item called the "Cura Baby". Nash LOVES it!!! I googled it so I could order another one in case we lost it and could only find in on websites from Germany and Switzerland. I am not sure if you will be able to find it in the good ole' USA. But if you can, order one for your baby and order another one for me too!

Please don't touch....

Most of my readers know that I am a bit of a germ freak. There was a time in my life where I would wash my hands so frequently that my knuckles would turn red and be raw. I still wash my hands a lot and do not drink after others. I do not like my kids to drink after people either and I'm constantly wiping those little hands. I guess you could say my journey with Braxton and his neutropenia made me this way...but I was a little germaphobic before the neutropenia journey. I won't go into our neutropenia story right now. You can google it if you wish to learn more. But just know that Braxton is doing great and we are so thankful and blessed that he is healthy.

Anyway, the reason for my title "Please don't touch". We were at the "Dollar Tree" a few days ago. Yes, you read that right, the Dollar Tree. I was looking for some little books for my classroom and ran into all sorts of people while shopping. The first sweet lady said to me "Oh, what a sweet baby. He's like a doll." as she squeezed his round little cheeks. The next lady kept her distance but commented on my cute kids. And then there was lady #3. Hello lady #3!!! She ruffled Braxton's hair, "Oh, what a handsome boy." To which my son Braxton said "Don't touch my hair." I really don't blame him for saying it. I wouldn't want a strange lady touching my hair either. She proceeded to GRAB NASH'S HAND and give it a shake. Seriously, who grabs a baby's hand? Doesn't everyone know that little ones put their hands straight into their mouths. I wanted to say "Don't touch his hand." "Hello there!" she said. She then touched the cheeks, then back to the hand, then she touched his bald head. I tried to scoot my cart inch by inch away, but she kept on coming.

What's the etiquette here? Could I put a sign on Nash's head saying, "Yes, I am cute, but please don't touch me."

God is BIGGER than the Grinch!

It is so very hard to tell someone "don't be afraid" when they are literally filled with fear and it cannot be shaken. I'll never forget the first time I was truly afraid....two words: Freddy Kruger. Still makes me cringe. Even though I knew it wasn't real I was still so scared and had to pray my way out of it in Jr. High. I do not watch scary movies anymore....EVER!

We are experiencing our first real fear with Braxton. It all started about a week ago while Steve and I were at a party and the boys were at home with a dear friend. Braxton caught the first 5 minutes of "The Grinch" with Jim Carey. The movie was turned off pretty quick with the realization that Mr. Carey is a bit frightening as the Grinch, especially at the beginning of the movie. All was fine until a few days later when the bad dreams started. Braxton has been dreaming about the Grinch for the past 4 nights. He goes to bed saying "I don't want to dream again." and "I'm afraid of the Grinch." He has come into our room in tears in the middle of the night for the past 4 nights. He does not let me out of his sight during the day and will not go into a dark room even in the daytime! He told Nash today, "Go in there and get my ball because I'm scared." Last night Steve and I finally gave in and let the little guy start off in the middle of us....great night sleep for Braxton, not so much for mom and dad! How safe he felt in the middle of us!!

It breaks my heart to see my boy so sad and so scared. We have prayed for him and with him. We have talked to him about how the Grinch is pretend and how it's just a costume. We have shown him pictures of Jim Carey without the costume, all smiles and looking nice. We have talked about how God does not want us to be afraid and how he is bigger than the Grinch. We have talked about how God sends his angels to watch over us. We have brainstormed things that make Braxton happy....marshmallows, mommy and daddy, cookies, Christmas lights, books, Nash, cartoons, friends, and so on. Steve and I have thought about sitting down as a family and watching The Grinch together from beginning to end to show Braxton that it has a happy ending. We are still thinking about that one. Any opinions?

God does not give us a spirit of fear, but it is hard for a 4 year old to grasp that. ...it's sometimes hard for a 31 year old to grasp that as well. We all have "Grinches" in our lives that we need to give up to God. We all have things that linger in our minds that make us afraid. Why is it so hard to just let go? I don't claim to have the answer to that, but as I told Braxton, when that Grinch comes in your mind say "GO AWAY GRINCH!" and ask God to help you think of happy things.

All Aboard!!!

"Mom, do you think that next time we go to Arkansas we can sell our car when we get there and ride home on a train??"

Nash Facts

I recently realized that my darling Braxton gives me a lot of blogging material. He's funny, cute, smart, etc. I could nearly write about him everyday. Well, I am all about being fair and I feel like my sweet Nash has been left out in the cold. He's not nearly as funny as Braxton (YET!), but equally cute and I think he's pretty smart for a 13 month old. :) I thought I'd give a little update on my "not so teeny anymore" youngest child.....


Nash Facts:
1. Says "Bup" when he wants you to pick him up...."Bup" is translated as "Up".
2. Points to the light when you ask him where it is.
3. Says "Ball"....everything is a ball, oranges, apples, ornaments, balloons, the moon.
4. Loves to eat cookies. (Just like big brother.)
5. Has 7 pacis in his bed and throws all of them out of the crib when he's mad and doesn't want to sleep.
6. When he finally lays down he likes to have one paci in his mouth and one in each hand.
7. Not walking yet, but can crawl like a mad man!
8. Loves to climb on things, crawl in things, and under things.
9. Says "Da, Da" and "Ma, Ma", although I am sad to admit he says "Da Da" more!
10. He blows on his food when it's hot (although I never give him food that is too hot)....and he blows on it when it's not.
11. He loves to laugh and will steal your heart with those baby blues.
12. He bobs his head up and down to the beat.
13. He pretty much copies everything big brother does to the best of his little 13 month old ability.
14. He's my snuggle bug!!! Nash loves to bury his head in my neck and melt in my arms...I love it too! He's the perfect size.

Where did my baby go?

Where did my baby go? That is the question of the day. I look at my sweet four year old and see chubby cheeks, curly hair, and little baby teeth, but then he opens his mouth and here's what I hear...

"This is so boring mom."
"I don't care about your stuff."
"Seriously mom, we need to buy that."

Whoaaaa....slow down big guy! YOU ARE FOUR!!! Where did he learn the meaning of boring, not to care about things, and how to use the word 'seriously' correctly? I felt as if I was living with a teenager today, not a preschooler. I have often been told by mothers a bit older and wiser than myself to enjoy every minute, that it goes by too fast, and that there will come a day I will long for the all the ruckus in the house.

Today was one of those days where I wished time would stand still and my little boy would revert back to being 3 1/2...before he learned words like boring, seriously, and not to care. Today I thought about how my first born is growing up too fast, but then I was quickly reminded that he STILL my baby because I also heard these things this afternoon...

"Mom, I'm hungee. What's for lunch?"
"Mom, will you come wipe me when I poop?"
"AAGGGHH!!! My head is stuck, help mom!!!!" (Head stuck in shirt)

Christmas Questionnaire

Several of my blogging friends have completed this questionnaire...now it's my turn. I agree with my friend Carly when she said, "I like to find out things about people that probably won't come up in a normal conversation."

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper, although there are some gifts that require a gift bag due to size or oddly shaped.

2. Real tree or Artificial? Artificial, with lights built in! Real trees give me a stuffy nose and I think they are a fire hazard.

3. When do you put up the tree? The Saturday or Sunday after Thanksgiving.

4. When do you take the tree down the tree? Right after the New Year.

5. Do you like egg nog? Drink an egg....ummm, I don't think so!

6. Favorite gift received as a child? The one thing that stands out is a Cabbage Patch Kid named Roxie. It was my first Cabbage Patch. She's out in the garage right now.

7. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes, I have one my mom gave me when I was about 10. We also have the Fisher Price Little People one...it's the best!!! And we have the Veggie Tales nativity...very cute. I have a great nativity snow globe that will probably be broken one of the days by one of my children.

8. Hardest person to buy for? Steve's parents and his Grandma Ruthie

9. Easiest person to buy for? Braxton and Nash

10.Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail, but it's looking like I won't be getting them out this year. Maybe I'll try for a New Year's card. Do people seriously e-mail Christmas cards?

11.Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Random little trinkets and clothes that don't fit.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? I don't really know....Rudolph is a classic cartoon one. There's one about Santa's daughter (some model is the actress). It's pretty cute and I seem to find it on TV every year.

13. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Yes.

14. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? My mom's dressing, wassal, Christmas sugar cookies with icing.

15. Clear lights or colored on the tree? Clear

16. Favorite Christmas songs? Oh Holy Night, I'll be Home for Christmas, Jewel's version of Rudolph...she yodels. It's great!

17. Travel at Christmas or stay home? We do both. When you get married you inherit another set of family traditions and we have started some of our own as well. We stay home on Christmas Eve and wake up on Christmas morning at our own home. LOVE IT!! After presents and breakfast we hit the road to visit family. We always have to remember to get gas the night before and pack snacks for the road. EVERYTHING is closed on Christmas Day!

18. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer? Yes. I'm a mommy of small children, a former first grade teacher and I currently teach preschoolers. I gotta know those reindeer by name!

19. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Christmas morning and then again that afternoon and for a few days after that as we travel the country seeing family. (Run on sentence maybe?)

20. Most annoying thing about this time of year? Rude people who don't wave at you when you let them cross in the parking lot. Oh wait, maybe that's not just during the holidays!

21. Favorite ornament theme or color? Our tree is hodge-podge. My mom has given me an ornament every year since I was born, so I had 21 ornaments to start our tree with when we got married. I buy one for the boys every year too. I love getting ornaments when we go on vacations or somewhere special. Each ornament tells a story and I love that!

22. Favorite food for Christmas dinner? My mom's dressing, corn casserole.

23. What do you want for Christmas this year? I got a new coat in advance...it was a "need". I would like some new clothes this year too. I'm not really asking for anything special.

24. Who is most likely to respond to this? I think most of my friends and fellow bloggers have already done this...I'm one of the last to reply.

25. Who is least likely to respond to this? I like what Carly and Lindsay said, "I don't like to set up someone to be an under-achiever!" So I will steal their answer!

If you haven't already done this, it's your turn! Merry Christmas!

Funny Sayings...

We did a little Christmas shopping today...yes, on a Saturday and it was completely crazy with 2 kids! But we had fun none the less. Braxton was funny today. Here are a few things that spilled out of his mouth.

B: "Are we at Old Navy?"
Me: "Yes."
B: "Are you sure it's not New Navy? Because everything in here is new."

Me: "Here son. (handing him a wet wipe) Wipe your face off, you have Cheetos all over you."
B: "Mom, I don't care about cleaning my face."
Me: "Oh really?"
B: "What's care mean Mommy?"

Blonde Again!

I am so happy to be blonde again! I was born a blonde and started getting highlights in high school...been getting them ever since. My hair has gotten darker over the years, so right after my sweet Nash was born I decided to go brown. My reasoning was less maintenance and less money. I was a brunette for one full year and I am so glad to not be one anymore. I have nothing against brown hair, I know some very beautiful brunettes! It's just not me. I was complaining to my sister several weeks ago about not having any money and about how when we are not on such a tight budget that I will go blonde once more. My sister said, "Do you want me to send you some money to get your hair done?" I said, "No, you don't have to do that!!! I'm fine!" Well, a week later I got a surprise card in the mail with a check to go to the beauty shop. Yay!!!! Thank you Kelly for your thoughtfulness and your kind heart. I am so excited to be blonde again. It's funny how a hair-do can boost one's confidence. I feel more "like myself".

Love this time of year!!!

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Christmas!! I love the smell of Christmas, the music, the lights, the trees, the hot cocoa loaded with whipped cream, even the shoppers all crazy. I love it all! At Wal-Mart tonight Braxton said, "Mommy, what's that smell?" Oh, it's Christmas baby!!! (Cinnamon pine cones to be exact.) I love checking the mail. Ignore the bills and tear into the cards! I love Christmas cards with pictures best. It's so great to see how friends and family have grown and changed over the past year. Although I do not want to send a Christmas card showing how I have grown, just the kids!! I will not be featured in this year's card unless I can photoshop a few lbs away! :) Speaking of cards, I received my first Christmas card of the season a few days ago. Yay Lorren for being so on the ball!!! Her card is all alone in my little tree holder...keep 'em coming!

Don't change a thing

As I was at Target this evening (without children by the way), I couldn't help but overhear a little girl talking with her momma. The mom was a gorgeous blond, very slim and trim, and was dressed to a tea. The daughter was equally cute and looked as if she was about 9 or 10 years old. I was standing nearby looking at shampoo when I heard the little girl say this:

"Mommy, I want my hair to be this color." (Pointing at one of those boxes of hair dye.)
The mommy contemplated buying the product, but decided against it.

My only thought was, "You've got to be kidding me." This sweet innocent young girl is already wanting to change her appearance and she isn't even out of elementary school. What does this say about our society? We are constantly in a whirlwind trying to become someone better than we are...or what seems to be better. The grass is always greener, right? I am equally at fault...constantly wanted to look different, have one less blemish, be a few pounds lighter, have a different hair color, etc. I wanted to tell that little girl, "No! Don't change a thing....you are beautiful and God made you in his image." I know I have my share of trials raising boys, but tonight I am thankful to have sons. To all you moms of little girls: May you know all the right words to say to point them to the Father and may those sweet angels know at an early age how wonderfully they are made!!

And to all those little (and big) girls out there....You are beautiful and God created you in his image. Don't change a thing.

So. Very. Tired.

As I sit at the computer this evening I realize I have been absent from the blogging world for a few days. I am also noticing that my contacts are drying up and my eyes are getting all fuzzy b/c I'm about to fall asleep as I'm typing. I have several reasons why I am completely exhausted tonight. Here they are:

1. We've had a garage sale for the past 2 days. Got up at 5:15am the past two mornings to set up all the goodies. Grrrrr to waking up so dang early, but yay for making money! The garage sale was very successful despite the fact that a little old man in a beat up Volvo stole all of our signs (as one witness reported.) When my mother-in-law heard this bit of info. she got in the car to hunt him down....funny stuff. She couldn't find him, but I'm sure if she would have she would have given him "what for".

2. Nash thinks he is a newborn again. He's been waking up every few hours crying until I come rescue him. Teething maybe? Congestion? Testing mommy? Could be number of things, but all I know is he won't let me sleep.

3. Braxton has felt the need to wake me up at 3:30 the past THREE nights for various reasons. Here they are....
Night #1: "Mom. Mom. Mom.....my Nemo pillow keeps falling off my bed."
Night #2: "Mom. Mom. MOM.....I'm going to sleep in here on my "Car" bed."
(We had a little blow-up bed in our room last week while company borrowed Braxton's room. The bed is still on the floor.)
An hour later on Night #2: "Mom. Mom. MOM...I'm going to go back to my room now."
Night #3 (and this is a good one): "Mom. Mom. MOM....I need you to get the clippers. I have a fingernail you need to cut." Are you kidding me?????? After convincing him to wait until morning he decides to crawl in bed with me.
An hour later on Night #3: "Mom, I'm going back to my room because it's not very warm in here. My bed is much better."
Please keep in mind that all these comments were made between 3:30-4:00 AM!!!

4. I've had cold all week. It just turned into a cough that has kept me awake during the times a kid wasn't needing me.

I'm hoping for a good night's sleep tonight. I'm praying that Nash decides to not scream at the top of his lungs every 2 hours until I come get him, praying that Braxton will remember what mommy said about "thinking about if it can wait until the sun is shining", praying that I will not have a tickle in my throat, and finally...praying that I actually get to be in the REM stage of sleep for more than 30 seconds.

Good night friends!

What's that smell?

There's a strange smell coming from my laundry room and I am putting off finding out what it is. I thought I'd blog first and then dig in the huge pile of clothes. It could be one of two things and they both link back to one of my boys.

1. Braxton is such a heavy sleeper and still sleeps in a nighttime pull-up. He has a very bad habit of taking them off while they are still inside his jammies and then throwing them on the pile of dirty clothes. I found THREE pull-ups hidden in pants a few days ago.

2. Steve is a great help when it comes to cleaning the kitchen, BUT there's one little thing that drive me crazy. He takes the wet dish clothes and just throws them in the pile of cloths. I am not one to keep up with my laundry on a daily basis, so the dish cloths could very well sit in the heap of laundry for several days....all the while I am tossing more dirty laundry on top!

Nash is innocent in all this, but I'm sure he will contribute to smells around the house in no time. I'm leaning towards smell #2....it's more of a musty smell. I wish Braxton was the culprit here, b/c it's easier not to be mad at him....he's still learning. The big guy knows better...or does he?

Just clean already!!!!

I have been trying to get Braxton to clean his playroom for 3 days now and I'm at my wits end!!! Here are a few excerpts from our conversations....

Monday before dinner: (I had been asking B. to clean his playroom all day. It's really not that messy.)
Me: Braxton if you do not clean your playroom then you will go right to bed after your bath....no playing in the tub and no story.
Braxton: That's okay Mommy. I'm really tired. I just want to go to bed anyway.

Tuesday:
Me: Braxton, you are not allowed to play your Starfall games or Webkinz until your playroom is clean.
Braxton: That's okay Mommy. I don't want to get on the computer.

Wednesday (Today):
Me: Braxton, I'm done playing around. Clean your playroom or there will be major consequences. (And yes, my son knows what a consequence is.)
Braxton: I will not clean my playroom.
Me: Then I will start taking toys away if you can't keep them clean. (Holding up a big and fierce looking dinosaur.)
Braxton: Not my dinosaurs!!!! (Whining)
Me: Then start cleaning.
Braxton: Too messy....I will not clean.

Any advice???????? HELP ME!!!!

We're getting ready for a.......

Garage sale!!!! I spent most of the day sorting clothes, cleaning out toys, and hunting down items to sell. As strange as it sounds, this will be my first garage sale EVER!!! I sat along side my mom many years ago as folks rummaged through our stuff, but have never had the wonderful event in my own driveway. Surely my "junk" can become another's treasure.

As I gathered up toys and put them in a plastic tub, Braxton would quickly put it right back in the playroom and say, "But I looooooooove this Mommy." And then he would continue in saying, "Let's find something of Nash's to sell." :) It was such a busy day cleaning out and trying to depart with items we haven't used in months or even years.

I even ventured out into the garage to open boxes not yet unpacked from our move over a year ago. I got a bit sidetracked as I looked through boxes of stuff out there. I came across some items from college that I hadn't seen in years. I stood there for what seemed like forever looking through pictures and reading cards and letters to and from my college sweetheart...yes, I'm talking about Steve. I came across some great pictures of old friends, some that I still keep in touch with and some that I had forgotten about. I realized a few things as I was looking at those pictures.....

1. I had great hair in college. My roommate's mom was a beautician and hooked me up with highlights, haircuts, and top of the line products. You NEVER saw my roots in college!!! Man, I sure miss Linda...

2. I don't think I owned a belt in college. Almost every picture I found I was wearing my roommate, Julie's belt. She had this one cool brown belt with holes all in it. I think it was from J.Crew. Our other roommate Jodi had one too, so I could always count on one of them being available to wear! :) Thanks girls for dressing me so well!!!!

3. I loved intramural flag football!! We had a BLAST playing! Our team was the bomb! We were all great friends, had great coaches (one being my boyfriend, Steve), a cool name, and we were actually pretty darn good. Our freshman year our team name was "Real Women Play Ugly". Sophomore year - "Uglier". Junior year - "Still Ugly" (maybe this year was "Ugliest". Someone correct me if I'm wrong.) And our Senior year - "Forever Ugly". We even went to regional playoffs our senior year. (I ruptured tendons in my ring finger at that game and couldn't wear my engagement ring until months after my surgery.)

4. I would never relive high school days, but I would most definitely travel back in time and do college again. I loved my roommates, my friends, the atmosphere, the freedom, even the classes. There are so many people that impacted my life those 4 years at OBU. It was so fun to see pictures and take a stroll down memory lane.

Oh, and the garage sale is next weekend. So I have one more week to hunt down items and put all my little stickers on. I will let you know how my first sale goes and if I will do it again in the future.

Just a few questions...

Braxton: What's inside a banana?
Me: Just a banana.
Braxton: How does a plane fly?
Me: It has a very powerful engine that helps it get up in the air.
Braxton: What if it didn't have an engine?
Me: Then it wouldn't fly.
Braxton: What's an engine?
Me: Daddy will show you when he gets home.
Braxton: You mean we have an engine?
Me: Yes. It's in our car. Daddy will let you see it when he gets home.
Braxton: Do cows have eyes?
Me: Yes, silly. They have eyes.
Braxton: Do they talk?
Me: No.
Braxton: Do they moo?
Me: Yes.
Braxton: What do ducks do?
Me: They quack.
Braxton: What's under the grass?
Me: Dirt.
Braxton: What's under the dirt?
Me: More dirt.
Braxton: What's under that dirt?
Me: Rocks.
Braxton: What's under the rocks?
Me: More rocks.
Braxton: What's under that?
Me: Hot lava. (Hmmmm, not sure if my science is correct here, but he was happy with the answer.)

And the MOST important question of the morning.....
Braxton: Mommy, will you come wipe me if I poop?
Me: Yes.

Don't Blink

I love awards shows....even if I'm not a fan of the genre' I still love watching all the action. I love seeing the dresses, hearing the music, and finding out who won what. Tonight I watched the CMA's and was reminded how much I enjoy country music. I love how each song tells a story and you can actually understand what the artist is singing. I haven't really gotten to just sit and listen to "grown-up" music in such a long time. In the car we have a "Between the Lions" cd and a "Puff the Magic Dragon" cd that we alternate. I enjoyed just sitting on the couch tonight and listening to the music and the stories being told. One song that completely touched my heart was "Don't Blink" by Kenny Chesney. Made me think of my kids, my husband, my life. As the song says..."it goes by faster than you think." Here's the chorus and a video link. (I don't know how to upload a youtube video, so just click on the link. If I figure it out soon, I'll change it for you.) Grab a kleenex and give it a listen....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4ySSg4QG8g

Chorus:
Don't Blink
Just like that you're six years old and you're taking naps and you
Wake up and you're twenty-five and your high school sweetheart becomes your wife
Don't blink
You just might miss your babies growing like mine did
Turning into moms and dads next thing you know your better half
Of fifty years is there in bed
And you're praying God takes you instead
Trust me friend a hundred years goes faster than you think
So don't blink

Happy 1st Birthday Nash!

We had a pumpkin theme for Nash's first birthday. "Our little pumpkin is turning one!" I made one large pumpkin cake and a tiny one for Nash to devour...and that he did! This is a picture of the big cake.

I had high hopes of having Nash's one year scrapbook finished by his birthday to pass around, but no such luck. Ask me if I've even started it!!! So I put some of my favorite pictures of Nash on little pumpkins to show how he as grown. Party favors: Goody bags for the kiddos and pumpkin bread for the adults.

Just getting started!

"I think I'll get a little bit more...."

"Man, that was good!!"

Trick or Treat

Here's a few pictures from our Halloween! We had Spiderman and a spider in our mist this year. It was a little warm for our spider in his fleece costume...notice the bare feet and pants hiked up! I think those costumes are made for people living up north. Braxton was very brave trick or treating....he walked up to those scary houses and it didn't phase him a bit to see skeletons and zombies coming out of people's yard....ewww!! Come on people, I think I may have nightmares after seeing some of those creepy sights! We had a blast cooking out at a friend's house and then hitting the streets. :) Hope everyone had a Happy Halloween!

Gumit

Braxton: "Mom, why did you call daddy a 'gumit'?"
Me: "A what?"
Braxton: "A gumit! Why'd you call dad that? Were you just being silly?"

Braxton overheard me say "Dad gumit!" a few minutes earlier. As I sit here thinking about it I'm not sure what it means exactly, but I picked it up growing up in Arkansas. I think it's in lieu of saying a bad word.

Our Little Pumpkin

Our little pumpkin is turning one next Friday!! It is so hard to believe that Nash came into this world a year ago. Time has gone by way too fast! For Nash's first birthday we are keeping it simple. Not a whole lot of "hoopla" this go 'round. Since his birthday falls on Nov. 2, we are having a pumpkin theme. I used the above picture for his invitation and wrote, "A year full of laughter, blessings, and fun. Our little pumpkin is turning one." And yes, I took that picture!! I was very proud of myself to get such a good shot.:) We are having family and a few friends over for lunch.....I'm thinking either taco soup or vegetable beef stew. I haven't decided yet, but it will be something comforting to eat! I'm making little sandwiches for the kids in the shape of pumpkins. If you have seen the November issue of "Family Circle" magazine I am going to try making those little pumpkin cakes on the front. If I am successful, then you will see a picture of it next week! I love party details! I'm working on the rest of the details and trying to keep the cost to a minimum, hence the "not a lot of hoopla". I'll post again about Nash and his first birthday after all is said and done. Man, I can't believe my baby is turning one!!

Answered Prayer

I know I shouldn't be "surprised" when God answers my prayers, but it sure does throw me back when he answers them so clearly. For the past 5 years Steve and I have been on a financial roller-coaster....what family hasn't though, right? I feel like sometimes I am fake in the sense of trying to keep up with the Jones....all smiles, kids dressed cute, dinner out with friends, and yet our pocket books are bone dry. Is the saying "money can't buy happiness" really just a saying....Steve and I have often said that yes, it could bring a little happiness to our family. Please don't think I'm being superficial. I'm not talking about eternal happiness or the joy my sweet boys bring me on a daily basis. I'm talking about the happiness it could bring a four year old when mommy says, "Yes, you can have a treat at Target." I'm talking about the peace of mind my husband and I would have knowing that our bills are paid on time. I talking about not having to make the decision of "which bill gets paid today?" and "which one can wait until next time?"

Steve and I have dabbled with Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover in the past, but it's time to get serious. We have had some extremely hard conversations recently about "what to do next." There are things to cut back on, luxuries to cancel, and items to sell. My sweet Braxton wants a puppy and said to me yesterday, "Mommy, we could sell the vacuum and get a puppy." Those little ears hear it all!

Going back to my initial reason for this post.....God answering my prayers. I was in tears yesterday over Halloween costumes...silly I know, but when you are watching every penny everything counts! We have our Fall Festival at church tonight and the kids needed to dress up. Well, today God heard me and chose to remind me that he cares about the little things. We found a cute spider costume for Nash at Kid-to-Kid for only 8 bucks. Then I went to Toys-R-Us to hunt down a Spiderman costume for Braxton. I had a $10 gift card and thought that if I could find one for $20 or so then I'd only spend about $10 of our own money. Genius I know! Well, I found the costume and went to check out. The lady rang it up, took my card, and told me what my balance was. Are you ready for this??? $2.15!!!!! Yes, 2 dollars! It was on sale. So that's a total of $12.15 out of our own pocket for Halloween.

Thank you God for showing me that you care about the simple things in my life and the joy a costume brings to my preschooler. Thank you for reminding me that you are in control and that everything's going to be alright.

Come Home Please....

Once again I have been a single mom for the past 6 days. I have not enjoyed it. I have no desire to ever be a single mom, BUT I must admit I've got the juggling down. Steve returns from England tomorrow. Yay! We were counting down the days, now we have moved on to counting down the hours. Daddy is always missed when he is gone, but especially this week. Here's why.....

Tuesday - Nash wakes up at midnight vomiting.
Wednesday - Nash feels better, so we run a few errands. He eats well and "acts" normal.
Thursday - Because Nash feels better we all go to school.....
Thursday Night - Nash had 2 cases of diarrhea, and vomits all over the front porch as I was talking to our neighbor. She kindly let Braxton play with her daughter for a while so I could clean up. Guess we shouldn't have gone to school.
Friday - My sweet friend Ashley and her 2 girls drove up from The Woodlands to see us. (Yes, I did warn her about the puke. But because Braxton was showing zero symptoms we thought it was okay.)
Friday Night - Braxton wakes me up "Mommy, my tummy hurts." Braxton vomits at 1:00, 2:00, 3:00 and so on until about 7:00 in the morning. Add a few cases of the big "D" in there as well.
Saturday - Ashley and girls head back home. We were all so sad their trip was cut short due to puke. Another friend, also named Ashlee (different spelling) came over and brought me lunch and a fun magazine b/c I was stuck in the house with sick kids.
Sunday - Nash had diarrhea again after I fed him yogurt....shouldn't have gave him yogurt. Today I also realized that Nash's birthday is in 2 weeks and I have done NOTHING to prepare. This is soooo not like me and I have hit panic mode. Steve's birthday is Wednesday, but he's in England while my house is being invaded by puke so he gets nothing.
Monday - I am washing sheets, disinfecting, getting ready for school tomorrow, making birthday invitations, and folding the huge mound of laundry on the sofa.

Do I like being single with 2 sick ones? Absolutely not! Other than dealing with sick children, Braxton was sent to time out way too many times, Nash was left to cry for a little bit long, and I think once again I only took 2 showers while my husband was away. Come home please....

Leadership

How many four year olds walk around the house saying this quote?

"Leader........ship. The word leader is hidden inside the word leadership."

Well, that is my son's new 'thing' to say. Steve got a card for bosses day that opens and talks to you. It has the character Michael from "The Office" on the cover and his thoughts are belted out about leadership when you open it. Braxton has been carrying this card around all week listening to Michael...he's got it down pat and can do a pretty good impersonation.

A flap-a-what?

Braxton, "Mom, the only dinosaur I don't have is a flapasaurus."
Me, "A what?"
Braxton, "A dino with wings. You know, a flapasaurus."

May he never call it anything else....

A few birthday pics...

Dinosaur cupcakes. Yummy! Braxton loves dinos!

Our sweet boy is 4! Happy Birthday Braxton!

We had a great time at the party! Braxton's favorite gift was the Imaginext Castle complete with knights and dragon. He also got an overload of dinosaurs...our house has been invaded!

Gansta Nash

Angels

What Braxton has to say about angels......

"Do you think there are angels on top of all the cars protecting them?"

"MOM!!!! Move your bags out of the front seat! That's where the angel is sitting."

"When the angels are watching us, does God go away?"

For he orders his angels to protect you wherever you go.Psalm 91:11

First School Project

Braxton brought home his first school project a few weeks ago. Yes, he is only 4. And Yes, he has projects!! His project was to decorate a little man with all of his favorite things. A note was attached saying "let your child do most of the work"...."direct as needed". As a teacher I always rolled my eyes at projects my students brought from home and said "Yeah right, they did this all by themselves?!" Well, he was bored within a few minutes and on to something new so mommy took over...he's only 4 remember? He did choose the paper and the items to put on his shirt. He also told me where to put eveything. The shirt contains all the things Braxton loves....a cross for Jesus, dinosaurs, fruit, cupcakes, space, cars, Googles (his Webkinz pet), and baseball to name a few. The shoes are camo because he wears his camo crocs everywhere he goes. The pants are "tools" because he loves to build things. And of course we had to have a big picture of his sweet face to top it off! I'm sure this will not be last project he brings home or the last one mommy "helps with". :)

My Sweet Braxton

4 years ago today my sweet Braxton was born. Weighing in at 8 lbs. 12 oz. and 21 1/2 inches long...what a chunk of love. I can't believe I have a 4 year old! He has been so big all day today saying, "Mommy, is this something a four year old person can do?" For example, "Can a four year old comb his own hair?", "Can a four year old butter his own bread?" Mr. Independent all of a sudden....exciting and sad all at the same time. I miss my baby! "Don't look at me mom." is heard way too often these days. Although he is trying to be a big boy he still needs momma to wipe, to tuck him in, to make his breakfast, and to help clean the playroom. He will ALWAYS be my firstborn, my little "bumble bee". I love you Braxton! Happy Birthday!

Sick Babies and Identity Theft?

The past few days have been a bit crazy....I took Nash to the doctor yesterday and found out my sweet baby has a double ear infection. Yuck! This morning Braxton woke up with a fever and big ole' red tonsils, so we took another trip to the doctor. I am usually not one to rush to the doctor just for a fever, BUT Braxton is having his big 4 year old party this weekend and I wanted to nip it in the bud whatever it was. Well, on the way to the doctor's office my poor, poor Braxton starts throwing up. Yuck again! He has a virus that will just have to run it's course. No strep, thankfully, but then again I kinda wish there was a diagnosis so we could take care of it with meds. We are praying he is all better by Saturday so he can enjoy his party. It looks like I will be taking my first day off of work tomorrow to stay home with the kids. Nash would be fine to go, but I think I better keep Braxton home. :( I want him all well before his birthday party!

My e-mail at home has not been working. It keeps saying that my password does not match. I have not changed my password and my husband has not either....it makes me worried about identity theft. Could someone, somehow have changed it and has been checking my e-mail? Steve is calling the company today and getting it all taken care of. Weird! So, if you have gotten an e-mail from me within the last 2 days....it's not really from me.

While you were out....

Here are a few thoughts, revelations, and happenings while Daddy was out...

1. I like to sleep in the middle of the bed.
2. We need a bigger bed so I can do that.
3. You cannot wash a fluffy comforter in a regular sized washing machine.
4. Now we need a new comforter.
5. My baby is growing too fast...he can stand and feed himself.
6. I don't like that my baby is growing.
7. Please don't grow up!
8. We ate too many "corny" dogs this week.
9. Braxton said, "Come here Mommy, let's snuggle."
10. Our purchase at Hobby Lobby was a crow...in a pink dress...for the front yard.
11. Sometimes it's easier to just buy the crow than argue with a 4 year old.
12. It's spooky to me to take a shower when I'm home alone.
13. So I only took 2 this week.
14. Getting two kids and myself ready for school as a single mom is a bit tough.
15. It wouldn't be tough if I could stroll in around 10:00.
16. I have a new cell phone number.
17. It used to belong to someone else b/c I keep getting phone calls and texts.
18. So I called a guy and told him I couldn't help him in picking up the radios...he may want to try his friend again.
19. My four year old needs to learn to wipe himself.
20. But not with his bare hands!

That'll do it! Our week in a nutshell. We are so glad that Daddy is coming home this evening.

I'm Still Here

I just realized that it has been almost 7 whole days since my last post. Whoa Nellie....I better get my head in the game! :) My sweet hubby has been in Atlanta all week so I've been flying solo. I am definitely not meant to be a single mom. I need my man to rescue me everyday at 5:00. Well, more like 5:30-5:45. Is anyone's husband every really home by 5:00? If so, then sign mine up for that job!!! I have not been on the computer as much this week since he has been gone. I sure have a lot of catching up to do with all my fellow bloggers! The boys and I have been laying low for the past few days....school, home, errands. That's about it. Braxton and I had "Taco Lame-o" for dinner. (That's Bueno for all of you who don't speak "Braxton".) I realized that it gives me heartburn so I'm gonna lay off the grande tacos. I'm headed to the couch now for a night of good T.V. Hmmmm, which one shall I tape? Grey's or The Office. 'Cause I gotta see them both.

TV Night

Last night was our favorite night for TV. The kids were sound alseep by 7:20 to ensure no interruptions, the phones on silent, and snacks on the coffee table. Our night started with The Office....Steve's favorite. I thought it was so stupid the first few times I watched it, but made it through the first season anyway. Now I laugh right along with my husband, funny stuff! Then we watched Grey's....my favorite. I am a loyal follower and never miss, but I was not so pleased with last night's episode. I was hoping for an ending that made me long for more, but not this time. It will take a few weeks to get used to all the new faces and I miss Burk and Addison (I will be watching the spin-off called "Private Practice".) I will still watch Grey's every Thursday. I have not given up on them just yet....it's still a favorite.

Cuteness

The Pretend Man

Braxton, "Mommy, is that a pretend man over there?"
Me, "Where?"
Braxton, "On that chair." (I look over at a bench and see a very large man....400-450 lbs maybe?)
Me, "No sweetie, he's not pretend."

I grabbed Braxton's hand to help him walk quickly out the door. Once outside the store the conversation continued.....

Braxton, "Are you sure he's not pretend? I thought he was pretend."
Me, "He's not pretend Braxton, he's a real man."
Braxton, "Ohhhhh, I thought he was one of those blow-up mans sitting on a chair."

Wash Hands Please

I mentioned in a previous post that I am a bit of a germ freak. I will not talk a lot about my germaphobia today, but I do want to mention the importance of handwashing! Here's the story of the day: The boys and I went to Central Market this afternoon to pick up something for dinner. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Central Market. It is such a fun place to buy groceries. They have these wonderful "dinner for two" sacks for adults and nifty meals just for kids....easy and affordable! They also have EVERYTHING under the sun for you to taste as you are shopping. (We could have just filled up on food while we were there!) Anyway....my big boy had to poo while we were shopping so we spent a good 25 minutes in the restroom watching ladies come and go. As we were washing our hands and getting ready to exit the restroom the lady in the stall next to us came out...she fixed her hair in the mirror, rummaged around in her purse a bit, and then JUST LEFT!! Ewwww, without washing her hands. Do you ever have the urge to say, "Excuse me, did you forget to wash your hands?" to a perfect stranger? We saw her a few times as we were shopping taking samples of food from the nice little buckets. She did use the prongs to get the tasty treats out, BUT she still touched the prongs.....the same ones that I was getting ready to grab and then hand pieces of bread to my boys. Come on people....add about 45 seconds to your restroom ritual and wash those hands! Maybe our kids would have a few less snotty noses if we all took a little time to scrub up!

"When I'm 69"

Braxton IS completely potty trained, but we are still working on being independent when it comes to "taking care of cleanliness" after going #2.

Daddy: "Son, it's about time you start wiping yourself."
Braxton: "I'll wipe myself when I'm 69 Dad."

Here's hoping it happens before then.....

Yay for Standing!

Nash is learning to do so many new things, one of which is standing! It is hard to believe he's almost 11 months old. Time flies!! He doesn't pull up on a consistent basis, but he can do it none the less. We are so proud of him! He is pretty proud of himself too.


Yay for Nash!!

Saving it for space...

Braxton is ALL about space these days....actually he has been for over a year now. It all started when he said "Mommy, I want to go to space." I told him it cost a lot of money and we better start saving up. He invited Pops (Steve's dad) to go along...not only to see the moon, but to foot the bill! Pops bought him a special piggy bank just for his space money. Ever since that initial conversation we have been putting coins in his piggy bank for space. Each time he finds a coin he gets all excited and says "Gonna put this in my bank for space" and runs to his room to put it away.

We thought that his interest in space would've faded by now, but a year later it is still going strong. Steve went to NY this summer and brought back some of that yummy space ice cream for Braxton to eat. It has been sitting in our pantry for almost 2 months because Braxton would not eat it. "Gonna save it for space." Talk about self-control!!! He seriously would not open it because it was going on the shuttle with him!! :) I found it on the shelf a few days ago and asked him if he wanted to taste it....nope! I told him we would buy him some more to take to space if we really wanted to see what it tasted like. After a little convincing he gave in, "Okay, mom!!!"

Haircut

Got a haircut today. Yay....my head feels healthy! I have side-swept bangs. Any tips on keeping them "swept"? :) They've been in my eyes all evening. I like the look of them, I just need to train them to stay in their place.

The trip to the beauty shop was an adventure. For some reason I thought I could take my kids with me to get a haircut. Not gonna happen again! Braxton kept picking up wads of hair off the floor, "Mom, is this your hair? How about this...is this yours?" Nash's paci kept falling on the floor and sweet big brother kept putting it back in his mouth for him. (Imagine a wet paci and a floor laced with hair.....GAG!)

Needless to say I left with a wet head. I always love it when my lady fixes my hair for me, not today though. I couldn't get out of there quick enough! I'm sure we were the topic of conversation after we left, "that poor mom...what was she thinking bringing those kids here?" Exactly. What was I thinking?

So my friends will know....

The boys and I went out and about today in search of dinosaur ideas for Braxton's party. We did not have much luck at any of the stores so I came home and ordered just about everything online. Gotta love technology! What did we ever do without it? We are still working on the invitation idea....I explained to Braxton that we are not going to be able to put buttons that make "roar" sounds on the invitations. He doesn't believe me and is still trying to figure out a way to get this done!

At one of the stores we were in we saw some small foam crosses. Braxton was so excited and picked one up. He said, "Mommy, let's give these out at my party so my friends will know that Jesus died on the cross." He was truly EXCITED!!! It made me think when was the last time I was truly excited to show my friends the cross? Wow! I pray that his excitement for Jesus only grows stronger and that he will always want his friends to know. Crosses in the goody bags? Hey, why not?

Party Mode

Well, it's the time of year where I get in my typical party planning mode. I LOVE details when it comes to parties. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE them!!! Braxton will be 4 in October and Nash will be 1 in November. Usually I would have everything bought and invitations made by now for Braxton's party. I am a little behind according to "my schedule" and starting to feel the party pressure. Braxton wants a dinosaur party this year. There are so many great ideas I have found online. He also wants a bounce party....so most likely we will have a dinosaur bounce party (again). I like having parties away from our house...I don't have to spend a lot of time getting the house ready for company and it's easy to clean up! Unlike previous birthdays, Braxton is giving a LOT of input this year. Below are a few comments he has made as he is contributing to the planning.

"Mom, will you make a dinosaur cake....with spikes? No, you don't know how to make spikes. How 'bout cupcakes with dinosaurs?" (I have spent way too much money in the past on cakes. I think I will make those cupcakes this year!)

"Okay, here are my invitations....I want a dinosaur card with a button that you push and it goes 'roar'!" (Hands in claw motion and face all frowny as he's saying 'roar'...He's a 'big idea's guy' just like his daddy.)

"We will need a lot of invitations because there are going to be so many people at my party!"

"I changed my mind....I do want a dinosaur cake. One that is shaped like a dinosaur." (Okay, maybe I will be buying that cake after all!)

Just read about it?

Me: Do you want to hear about my day?
Steve: Are you going to blog about it?
Me: Yes.
Steve: Which is the shorter version?
(Glare)
Steve: I'll just read about it.....

Hmmmmmm, it looks like I need to take a break from blogging, e-mail, facebook, webkinz, surfing the net, and all other things that relate to technology. Maybe I'll spend a little more time TALKING to my husband instead of having him read about my day. If you don't see any posts for a few days just know that I must be engaged in a meaningful conversation with the man that I love! :)

Goodnight Braxton

Me: "Braxton, you have a choice....you can clean your playroom and stay up and wait for Daddy OR you can not clean your playroom and go to bed."

Braxton goes to his room and comes back 5 minutes later with jammies on and teeth brushed.

Braxton: "Goodnight Mommy." (Turns around and walks back into room.)

It is 6:15.

Stubborn? Yes.

I had not intended for him to be alseep this early, but he is. It will be an early morning for us all!

My Shopping Cart

The boys and I went to our local Wal-Mart Supercenter to pick up a few things today. My "few things" turned into one hefty load. Does anyone strictly stick to "the list"? :) Nash was in the front part of the buggy. (And yes, I still use the shopping cart cover with baby #2. Those things are so dirty and if I didn't mention it before I am a bit of a germ freak...but that's a whole other entry.) Braxton was nestled into the back part of the buggy for as long I could keep him. My cart started getting full and I had to let my son out of his confined space to make room for all the stuff. Vroooom!!!! There he goes. "Mom, I'm a superhero!" My boy was flying ahead of me at rapid speed with arms stretched out in front as I'm yelling, "Watch out! Slow down! Come back here!" He flew through the store for the remainder of our visit tossing things into the cart that he thought we might need. (We kept the superhero cookies that he found!) I got a few looks from passer-byers and even someone said, "Wow, you've got your hands full!"

On a 'separate' note.....pun intended, read on...I realized something about myself and my shopping cart today. I do not just toss items into my cart, they are placed according to their category. I like to keep things separated. In one corner of my cart I have all the baby items, in the other the cold stuff, and in the back all the dry goods. The fruits and veges stay together in the cart as well as the cheeses and meats. Items that belong in the bathroom sit cozily next to each other. And cleaning supplies must always stay away from the rest. When it's time to unload my cart onto the conveyor belt I continue to keep things separated. I do this so my checker-outer lady can bag them quickly while keeping them together. When I get them home my items should all be in the right bag and easy to put away. Well, not this time. I was frustrated with my checker-outer lady today. My baby food was mixed in with my bread, the turkey bacon was mixed with cans of soup, and she put my cheese right on top of my nice, hot, ready to eat rotisserie chicken. What????? Did I want my cheese to be melted when I got home? I don't think so.

So all you checkers out there, please be sure to keep things separated for those of us shoppers that are a little obessive compulsive. :)

Confession

Hi.
My name is Kathryn.
And I'm a Webkinz Addict....

My mother-in-law gave Braxton a "pet" not long ago. Well, a virtual pet. Some of you know what I'm talking about....it's called a Webkinz. Our pet is a fuzzy white platypus named Googles. Braxton loves him and sleeps with him at night. Our fuzzy friend came with a little tag and secret code. We must log onto the website to feed him, bathe him, play with him, take him to the doctor, etc. We have to "work" and play games online in order to earn cash to buy him food, decorations for his room, toys, furniture, you name it! Googles has an awesome room all decked out in baseball gear. Braxton is still a little young to play most of the games, but we get online together to check on Googles each day. My confession is that at night when Braxton is asleep, I get on the website and play games to earn money to buy stuff for our pet. Lame I know, but I don't want Googles to die so we must take good care of him.:) I'm sure the newness will wear off in a week or so and I won't sit at the computer goofing around. If not, is there a 10 step program? Whoever invented Webkinz is a genius! Why didn't I think of that??

Before and After

Where are my children?

Awwww, there they are.

My Sweet Sensitive Boy

Okay, I would not normally take pictures of my child in tears, but the camera was on the coffee table, sooooo I took a few quick pics in between consoling my sweet boy.

Tonight we watched the movie "Air Bud". I had never seen it, Nash was in bed, and Braxton was running a muck. I needed a little down time b/c Daddy was at a youth event and Mommy was just plain tired. So I flipped through the channels and noticed it was on. Oh, a movie about a dog that plays basketball!! Braxton would LOVE it!!! I plopped down on the computer as Braxton settled in on the couch. He was so into the movie!!! All was quite when all of a sudden I hear WAILING!!!! Not just little whimpers, but loud, obnoxious cries. My sweet sensitive boy was down right sad b/c he thought Buddy was going to have to go home and live with the very mean clown. I held him and rocked him and we watched the end together.

Braxton is in bed now. I have already gone in there twice b/c he has been crying. "Mommy, I didn't want him to go with the clown. Clowns are supposed to be silly, not mean." Oh, my sweet sensitive boy. I love him so much.

Not a lot going on....

Nothing much going on today! I think I've got the slide show situation taken care of. Some of you are saying that it's not coming up on your computer...your computer or internet may just be a little slow. Sorry about that! We are having a lazy day at our house. I love lazy days! There are definitely things to do around here, but there just not getting done today! Steve got up with the boys this morning letting me sleep unti 9:30!! Yay! Isn't he great? :) He has been camped out on the couch ever since though....watching the OU game and now the A&M game . He is a loyal football fan (mainly for OU, but will watch any game that's on). Braxton and I went to Target alone....we called it our 'Target Date'. He was excited to go on a date with Mommy. I just needed a few little things and was looking for a new shirt. Braxton kept saying, "When are we going to play dress up in the little room?" He was very pleasant at the store and we had so much fun together! It is always so great to spend time one on one with one of my boys. Here's a pic of my sweet Braxton I took yesterday. What an angel, huh?

Nash Rambler? No, Nash Aylor!

When we decided to name our second son Nash I had no idea that there used to be a car called the "Nash Rambler". This I should have known because my dad has a love for old cars and restores them as a hobby. On one of my dad's ventures to an old car show and auction he happened upon a very cool shiny hubcap from an old "Nash Rambler". Now it's a neat decoration hanging in our baby's room

Under Construction

Okay, I'm having a little trouble with my slide show and my other photos that I posted yesterday. I took them off for the time being until I have time to figure it out. I think the slide show was making my other photos mess up....sooooo, we may not have a slide show in the future. We'll see....

A Follower

I am not always a follower....I think I do a pretty good job at making my own decisions and doing what I want, when I want, etc. BUT I have followed the crowd and made a slideshow. Yay me! I figured it out all by myself. Several of my friends have added slideshows to their blogs and I just couldn't be left in the dust. I included some old and some new pictures...I'll change them out every once in a while. Enjoy!

First Day of School

Braxton is loving his new class, his teacher, and his friends. He had a great 1st day and day #2 was super as well. He came home singing a song titled "Buenas Noches" today. He'll be bilingual by the end of the year!

It's a miracle!

I promise I am not a spider dork.....

In front of our house we found Charlotte, or what we want to believe is Charlotte. (Go back and read my post in August about our little friend if you don't know what I'm talking about.) I think it's just a look alike, but you never know...maybe she escaped those snappy birds and made a new home in the front yard. Braxton was excited to see her, but told me later, "Mom, I don't think that's Charlotte." I took these pics today. I thought they were neat. She's eating a dragonfly....again, I am not a spider dork. Somebody out there would totally appreciate these pictures.

I just realized how HUGE these pictures are....think of them as "actual size" pictures. That's about how big she is!

Fuzzy Chicken and Safety Violations

Thought I'd share a few things my Braxton uttered today:

"Mom, is this fuzzy chicken I'm eating?"
"No Braxton, it is shreaded."

"Safety Violation!!! Mom, can we get one of those so when you're doing something wrong I can put it up?" (As he's looking at an orange cone in a magazine)

"Mom, you were so brave at the doctor."

"Nash, don't come in here. Do you understand? Do you??" (Closing his bedroom door behind him)

(On the way home from school) "Mom, I'm going to count to 21 and we better be home."

A Weighty Issue

Okay, I know that I have some added weight that I would LOVE to lose tomorrow. No one needs to tell me that. I already know it. I know I need to lay off the sweets, portion control, exercise, yada, yada, yada..... Today I was pleasantly reminded of how much I weigh and how much I NEED to weigh. By whom, you ask? Well, I had a dr. appointment this morning to get a TB test (required for my new job). The doctor is a family practitioner close by our house. It was my first time (and last) to go to him. I took both boys with me and they were PERFECT!! Nash just sat on my lap so still and Braxton stayed out of the cabinets. They were super well-behaved! Yay! But we're not talking about my kids right now, we're talking about my weight. The doctor asked if I had any other concerns while I was in there....."No, I'm great! Unless you want to prescribe me a pill to help me lose weight." (Insert my laughter here) I now realize I should have left it at "No, I'm great!" I opened the door for him to share his thoughts. Here's the conversation I had with the doctor.

Doc says (as he's looking at the photocopy of my license), "How long ago was this picture taken?"
Me, "About 4 years ago."
Doc, "And how much did you weigh here?"
Me, *insert amount here
Doc, "How much do you weigh now?"
Me, *insert amount here
Doc, "Oooooo, that's a significant amount. You need to do something to get that back down."
Me, "Well, I gained 45 lbs with my first baby, had 10 lbs. left to lose before getting pregnant again but didn't reach that goal, and THEN gained another 40 with my second baby."
Doc, "Oh, that's a lot. You really should have gained only 25 lbs."

He kept talking, but I zoned out....I started thinking, "Are we really having this conversation? He's totally calling me fat in a round about sort of way. I'm done. Start gathering up the kids and let's go home."

Yes, I know I need to lose weight. No one has to tell me that, but the ever so blunt doctor decided I needed to hear it today. Hmmm, maybe this will motivate me to take some action...maybe.

What am I doing??????

What in the world am I doing teaching preschoolers??? Did I think I would enjoy potty training 10 children that do not belong to me when I had the hardest time training my own??? Ugh. Today was an adventure to say the least! Every first day of school is a little nuts from the teacher's point of view anyway....the paperwork, pulling angels away from their mommas, telling mommas 'he will be okay, go ahead and go", trying to maintain order, and trying to make sure each child feels welcome. NOW, times that by 10 and you have my day! Much of my day was spent trying to maintain order in a classroom that was cleary chaotic. I do not handle chaos well, so today was humbling. I called my mom and told her about my day. She said, "Well, if anyone can get 'em into shape, it's you!!!" Only time will tell if I am able to live up to that comment. During rest time one sweet little girl said to me in a soft whisper, "Please don't tell me what to do." At least she said please, right? :) I had one young lad throw his new friend into a table.....yes, a table. I got to fill out my first accident report today. All in all, I guess it was a typical first day of school. Things didn't go exactly like I had planned, but the kiddos left with smiles on their faces and a "Bye Ms. Kafern!"

My boys had a good day in their own classrooms today. Braxton said "I didn't want to leave!" I haven't gotten much out of him as far as what activities he did in class though. He is way too young to start withholding information from me!!! Hopefully this evening he will want to talk about his day. Nash did okay.....I listened to him cry down the hallway for a little bit this morning. He was not a happy camper. The teachers are trying to get the little ones all on the same schedule....well, he would have rather taken a nap than go on that buggy ride this morning! He likes his own schedule thank you very much. He ended up taking a good 2 hour nap when they got back and woke up all smiley, so that's a good thing!

Day one of working mommy with 2 kids is complete.....how many to go? :)

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I have changed the settings so now anyone can post a comment. You do not have to have a google account in order to post!

One Post a Day

Steve: "You're only supposed to post once a day!!"
Me: "Oh, did you read the blog manual with the list of rules and I didn't?" (Smirk)

Guess I had a lot to say the past few days! Maybe I'll take a break....

Target Trip

We took a trip to Super Target this evening. I LOVE Super Target!! I was hoping for a little extra time to look around because Steve was with me and I thought (key word here is "thought") I'd get to browse. As we pull into the parking lot Steve says "Can I go over to Office Depot while ya'll look around?" Ummmm, if I wanted to go to Target by myself with two kids I would have come earlier in the day - by myself. After a little persuasion he decides to go to Target with us!! :)

As soon as we got into the store Braxton made a bee-line to the electric wheelchairs...a scooter like Granny has!! Yay! He quickly put it in reverse and backed into the wall. "Braxton, get off that!" He made it go forward, then reversed it again to hit the wall a second time. Trying not to laugh I run over to get him off.....I tell him to go to Daddy and get in the cart. Nope, he runs back to the scooter laughing and tries to get on it again. I carry my 37 lb. kid over to the cart and throw him in the back. (Sigh) Steve and I lock eyes and are trying not to laugh at our son causing a ruckus in the store.

Steve heads to the CD's as I am pushing the cart with two kids in tow. Remember the key word from earlier - "thought"....looks like I won't be browsing tonight. The boys and I head over to the lunch boxes. After talking Braxton out of getting a Tinkerbell, Dora, and Cinderella lunch box, he decides on a very cool circle shaped baseball one. We also get a matching ice pack for the freezer. We continue our stroll as a very large bald African American man walks next to us. Here's what happens next:

Braxton to the man, "Hi Baldy!"
Me, "Braxton!!!! We don't call people baldy. That's not nice."
Braxton smiling, "Okay Mommy."
A few seconds later an Asian man, with a significant amount of hair going in all directions, walks next to us.
Braxton to the man, "Hey Hairy!"

Oh my goodness!! That child of mine! I pretended like neither man heard my son!! We quickly made our way to another part of the store. My Target trip ended up being a fast one...no leisurely browsing. Nash started crying, Braxton kept standing up in the cart, and Steve was no where to be found. I ended up having to carry Nash and push the cart all the while listening to Braxton say one hundred times "Can I have some popcorn? How 'bout a drink? Huh, Mom?" We found Daddy and decided to check out. Maybe one day this week I venture to Target alone!

10 Months Old Today

Our sweet baby Nash is 10 months old today! He is such a snuggle bug and little explorer. He is crawling around everywhere, putting everything in his mouth, and trying to pull up to a standing position. He LOVES to "eat" whatever he can get with those little pinchers. I have fished out skittles that big brother gave him, doorstoppers, potting soil, and pen caps to name a few. He loves to laugh and to be held...don't you dare put him down unless you want to hear him wail! Nash's favorite things to eat are mashed potatoes and puffs. We have loved every minute of the past 10 months watching him grow! We love you Nash Leon Aylor!

A picture is worth 1000 words....

Riding Granny's scooter (with the dog), hanging out with cousins, gourd painting, and crawling around in the grass (for the first time)....we had a great time at Granny and Grandpa's 60th wedding anniversary party!