Marla DeKeyser

He's Five!

2012-01-22T21:04:00.000-06:00

He's five now, and we have the pictures to prove it!

He loves classic cars and hot rods, so he had a car themed birthday party. We sent cookies and little cakes to school, and he had more of the cookies and a bigger car cake for his birthday party. He was surrounded by family and dear friends. I can't think of a better way to celebrate!

Happy Birthday, big boy! I have a hard time believing that you are already 5 years old, yet the life I lived before you were born seems like an eternity ago. . . and, if you happen to be reading this years from now . . . well, I couldn't have asked for a cooler or more loving boy to have made me a Mom! Thank you!

Mississippi

2012-01-16T22:58:00.002-06:00

It's where I'm from . . .

A place I love with people I adore . . .

It's home. That just doesn't do it justice . . . it's HOME and I think of it often.

No matter how far away I live or how long I've been away, there's just no better feeling than returning home, and now that I have children, it's important to me that they experience this wonderful place too.

This is my Papaw. He's 93 years wise. There's nothing he can't do. He lost his beautiful bride 2 years ago - they were married 65 years. I miss her. He's worn these green work clothes for as long as I've known him - to see him in anything other than a suit on Sunday or pajamas at night would be awkward and unnatural.

This is my Noona - my Papaw's baby sister. Born Mayme, but christened Noona by my Papaw when she was born - he looked in her crib and said "Oh, Look! It's a little Noona." Guess that stuck. Noona is the craziest, happiest person I know. She's completely full of life and fun. She taught me to water ski and drive a car. She was never one for formality - she insisted we call her Noona. Coming from a culture where everyone is "Ma'm" and "Sir" and "Aunt", etc... she cringed if we called her Aunt Noona - She's Noona - plain and simple (although there's nothing simple about her).

My Papaw has an old dairy farm in Mississippi. The cows are long gone, but it's fun to walk around the old farm and see what treasures we can uncover. We found lots of fossils of snails and clam shells. I found many old amber bottles and a few china dishes. My favorite score was an old iron bed - headboard, footboard, & one bed rail (although my cousin called and thinks she found the other one!). Can't wait to get that back and cleaned up with a mattress on it.

This is my Grandaddy. He lost his beautiful bride about 8 years ago. I miss her too. She made the best cornbread you've ever eaten, and try as I might, I just can't ever make it like I remember her making it. Grandaddy is headstrong and set in his ways, and I love that about him. I wish I lived closer.

My Aunt Sissie & Uncle Allen.. . .I feel so fortunate to have them in my life - they love my kiddos to no end and would do anything for us (even giving up their room when we come to visit). They are my home away from home and such generous people. . . Again, I wish I lived closer.

The Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge is pretty much in our backyard in Mississippi. We spent a short visit at the Goose Overlook and Nature walk before heading to my Papaw's farm one morning.

And here's my Dad & his little lady Roxy. Much to my dismay (and my children's enjoyment), he insited that the kiddos help him shoot this rifle on New Year's Day. My boy's year just got made - all on the first day.

So glad they got to experience this place and it warms my heart to hear them talk about the fun they had.

Goodbye, Mississippi - until next time. I'll think of you often. :)

Birthday's Eve

2012-01-13T21:07:00.000-06:00

Just a little fun before bedtime. It seems that 5 is so much bigger than 4. There's lots of fun stuff planned for him this year, and he's so excited about everything!

Happy birthday to the one that made me a Mom. What a wonderful gift to be reminded of on his birthday each year!

These Children Must Have Been Very Good

2012-01-06T21:53:00.000-06:00

We were certainly excited in the days leading up to Christmas.

We hosted a Christmas Eve dinner at our home with Dirck's parents and his sister. The kids opened presents after dinner. My boy got a much coveted Nerf gun. He has asked for this gun for about a year now, and his Dad and I kept telling him he had to wait until he was older. Well, Grandma and Grandpa came through for him, and he's now the proud owner of his very own Nerf gun. I think he slept with it that first night.

Christmas morning came, and Santa was very, very good to these children.

Before the kids woke:

After the kids woke:

My little lady told Santa she wanted a princess house. He brought her a doll/princess house, and she has played with her house and little family every day.

My boy asked Santa for a Batman house and some Legos. Santa came through for him, and he was pleased as punch on Christmas morning.

Dirck and I got the kids some bikes. We only had one tricycle, and our boy has pretty much outgrown it, and the little lady isn't far behind. We figured it was time. My boy hopped on and took off. Little lady here was a little apprehensive about her bike, but was happy and loving it once she got the hang of it.

And another big hit around the house is a microphone that was given to her by her cousin. We've listened to her version of "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" many, many times as well as a few original compositions. She loves to sing, and it's been fun to see her get into the showmanship of it all.

The day after Christmas, the kids and I left for Mississippi to spend some time with my family. I'll have to post some of those pictures later.

All-in-all, a wonderful holiday. Yes, these children are far too spoiled, but it's fun to be able to spoil them. I loved watching their reactions on Christmas day. Their presents were as much fun for me (and Dirck too) as it was for them.

Merry Christmas

2011-12-25T02:10:00.000-06:00

From our home to yours. . .

(our card this year - front & back)

Merry Everything!

We hope you have the happiest of holidays.

Goofy

2011-12-24T03:58:00.001-06:00

These kids can be so incredibly goofy.

I love that!

(used my fisheye lens to capture some goofy pictures of my goofy kiddos)

The Christmas Program

2011-12-23T01:47:00.001-06:00

Sad to say, but this is one of the only pictures I took with both my little people in the same image at their Christmas program.

It's stellar, right?

They sang two songs and they both did great - as did the rest of the preschool.

My little lady started the program strong, but by the second song (and when she realized how many people were in the church watching her), she got shy and refused to sing any more of the song. Such is life at 3, I suppose.

Merry Christmas!

What He'll Always Be . . .

2011-12-22T04:35:00.001-06:00

When he sleeps, I can still see the baby in him.

I'll love you forever

I'll like you for always

As long as I'm living

My baby you'll be.

A Boy And His Dog

2011-12-21T00:28:00.001-06:00

He insists that she follow him. He's learned the trick to keep her around.

Nothing better, don't ya think?

Who Makes Those Rules?

2011-12-20T02:19:00.001-06:00

You know, those rules that say you shouldn't have red wine with fish or red wine doesn't pair well with sweets . . .

Well, I'm here to tell you, that this red wine and these maple cookies were wonderful together.

What do "they" know, anyway?

Happy Holiday!

Carnage

2011-12-19T09:13:00.003-06:00

These two look innocent enough.

But looks can be deceiving.

Despite this little guy's best effort and friendly smile. . . he never stood a chance.

The Christmas Spirit is alive and well here this week!

Warmer

2011-12-18T20:57:00.000-06:00

It was warm enough today to get out and play in the yard with only jackets (not heavy coats). Hard to believe we are only a week away from Christmas. They are getting excited (as am I). Just a few little snaps in our jackets this afternoon.

Love these two (but you knew that, didn't you?).

These Two

2011-12-16T20:19:00.000-06:00

These two . . .

Love them (and their blankies too).

That's all.

The Little Apple

2011-12-15T22:35:00.000-06:00

We took a day trip this past weekend to Manhattan, Kansas to visit Dirck's alma mater and take in a basketball game. These kiddos loved wearing their Wildcat clothes, and if only it would have been a little warmer, we could have gone all over that campus.

Here's a quick pic in front of the administration building.

And two little snaps from inside taken with my phone.

Go Wildcats!

Observing

2011-12-05T22:46:00.000-06:00

Fun things happen when you sit back and watch.

I'm enjoying watching these guys (only slightly more than I enjoyed eating those cookies!).

Typical

2011-12-04T22:35:00.000-06:00

This is what Saturday morning looks like around here . . .

Just As They Are

2011-11-13T15:48:00.000-06:00

It's been such a great Fall around here. Here it is November, and we are still able to play (comfortably) outside. It's so nice.

I captured these images yesterday. My little lady decided she was going to be a "Rock & Roll Girl." She found some sticks and played drums and sang for at least 30 minutes. It was a most awesome concert.

My boy took advantage of the weather to ride his Big Wheel around the yard. Each weekend I think "This will be the last time we're out here playing . . . " but nature's beauty and the sun's warmth keep being good to us. I love that.

And this is another attempt of mine to capture my kids just as they are - these moments are so precious to me, and I hope they will remember them one day and smile.

Leaves!

2011-11-07T10:06:00.000-06:00

Goodness, we have a ton of leaves in our yard!

Lots of fun for the kiddos (and me too when I get to watch them)!

My First Baby

2011-11-06T10:02:00.001-06:00

She's 12 years old now.

My little Madison, aka Maddie, aka Mad-Dog.

Where did the time go?

A Lazy Saturday Morning

2011-11-05T21:25:00.000-05:00

My boy got sent home from school yesterday. Seems he was quite sick - sick enough to get sent home with a bucket to hold his head over while his Daddy drove him home. Poor baby.

He spent yesterday afternoon and evening sleeping, and when he woke this morning, he was feeling much better.

Still, we kept it pretty low-key this morning - just hung out at home in our jammies.

I love these little moments.

So glad he's feeling better.

Enjoying the Last of These Warm Days

2011-11-04T22:52:00.001-05:00

Here we are:

Trying to soak up as much warmth as possible before Winter sets in.

We've had such a wonderful Fall!

I recently gifted my old (and very first) digital camera to my boy. He has had such a great time walking around and taking pictures, and in turn, I have a great time watching him. I'll have to post some of his pictures soon - he's got some really good ones (although I'm biased, I realize)!

My little lady grabbed a good book, and was content to sit outside and enjoy the weather.

We ended our evening outside with a fun little game of Airplane before the sun set and we returned inside.

We will miss the warm days, but on the bright side, I'm looking forward to warm cuddles and snuggles this Winter.

One Mug - Many Ways

2011-10-22T16:17:00.002-05:00

Oh, how I love this little mug . . .

Have a wonderful weekend.

Bad Blogger . . .

2011-10-16T21:45:00.000-05:00

A month? It's been over a month since I last logged in to this little blog-o-mine. Can't say I have too many excuses . . . just work and kids and meetings and laundry. . . . lots and lots of laundry.

Well, to get this little site up to speed, here's what needs to be said (written?).

We were a little goofy last month. I found my shutter remote, and I was determined to get a few pics of us all together. Tough thing is that the focus when using one of those remotes is tricky - and hard - and perhaps meant for someone with greater skill than I, but I'll keep trying.

We were rockstars for an evening. . .

My boy started playing soccer. This is his first organized sport, and I'm not sure that he really loves it. The first few games/practices were tricky - he was frustrated and cried a lot because he didn't get a chance to kick the ball. He didn't understand that everyone would try to kick the ball and not wait their "turn" to get some action. He's doing better now that he's starting to understand the concept. His last game of the season is this weekend.

I'm trying hard to take more photos of my kiddos, "just as they are." Being a self-proclaimed lover of photoshop, it's hard for me to not fully edit every image and try my best to get the most perfect shot. I'm LEARNING to let go of this, and I gotta say, I like the results. These kids are amazing - they don't need me to doctor-up their pictures to be remembered that way.

We're desperately hanging on to the daylight of our shortened days. We start our mornings early on the weekends and try to spend as much time outside as we can while we can. We've been having a wonderful fall around here. These first two images were taken early morning in a park close to our home, and the last one there is how we ended our day in our own yard.

Love these moments.

Love this family.

Miss this blog.

I'll try to do better, but sometimes life happens, and I'm learning to embrace that, so pardon me if I'm a little absent around here.

We "Moustache" You A Question. . .

2011-09-14T20:46:00.000-05:00

Do these 'staches make our noses look big(ger)?

Clearly, we had a great weekend! I love my silly munchkins and love that they actually wanted to wear these moustaches.

Enjoy your day and hug your little ones, OK?

Me & My Babes

2011-09-08T20:52:00.000-05:00

Armed with a tripod and shutter remote, I'm determined to take more pictures of me with my munchkins.

Taken Sept 8, 2011, right after dinner.

I need to do this more often.

You do too. . . how many pictures do you have with your loved ones?

Oh, and the quilt . . . pieced by my Great-great Grandmother. My grandfather had the pieces all these years and just recently had the pieces quilted. Isn't that lovely?

I Heart Faces Challenge: White

2011-08-28T23:17:00.000-05:00

My boy at 4-and-a-half.

Dreams of being a sheriff - just like Woody

Loves Animals

Loves ATV/4 wheelers

Wants a pontoon boat, a houseboat and a ski boat in that order

Plays with cars and tractors

Could eat and drink sweets 24 hours a day

Loves, loves, loves his Daddy

Thinks I'm OK too (most of the time)

Still sleeps with his blankie

And his bear

Growing so big and tall - right before my eyes

Talks all the time

about any and everything

Thinks his Grandpa is the bees knees

My boy, my heart, my love . . .

To see more White inspired images, head on over to iheartfaces and check out all the awesome entries.

Dandelions Are Not Weeds

2011-08-28T22:18:00.002-05:00

They are flowers.
Picked by tiny hands
And delivered with big smiles.

Besides, they're only weeds if you don't want them.

And for sure, I want these. :)

Us

2011-08-28T22:16:00.002-05:00

Typical Friday night.

Us . . . on the couch . . . watching some TV . . . with beer . . . he shares if I ask him . . . then it's back to more TV. . .

See what happens when I get myself a tripod and find my shutter remote?

Hope you had a wonderful weekend.

School Is In Session

2011-08-23T21:43:00.000-05:00

We started Preschool this week . . . and although I KNOW they are old enough, it's just hard to believe that my tiny babies are in school.

My boy went to the same preschool last year, but this is my little lady's first year. She did great (not even a little tear or look of uncertainty). I overheard her telling a little girl "My Mom put medicine on my bottom." (referring to benedryl cream from all the mosquito bites she got while running around the yard in her cape and undies the night before. . . ). I had to giggle and think to myself, "It's going to be an interesting year!"

My boy's an old pro. I was told he made new friends, and he came home excited to see some of his old friends from last school year. Really, his mood seemed entirely different - happier & lighter, and I don't know if that's because his sister was with him or if he was just excited to see some familiar faces. Perhaps a little of both?

Well, it's going to be an interesting year, for sure, and I'm really looking forward to them sharing some of the same experiences.

Wham! Pow! Bam! Superheroes Rock!

2011-08-22T21:18:00.000-05:00

Today, the kiddos were off to their first day of preschool. . .

but last night. . .

we were superheroes

Our last night of summer. What a great way to spend and evening!

We Are . . .

2011-08-21T21:29:00.000-05:00

. . . Handsome Like Daddy.

Oh, fun with glasses - not quite like daddy's glasses, but fun to play with none-the-less.

A Colorful Afternoon

2011-08-13T22:20:00.000-05:00

From today, I want to remember . . .

That we finger painted on the deck this afternoon. . .

The way he drew his hot-rod, "Just like the one I'm going to drive one day."

The way her hair fell in her face & had paint in it - and she hardly noticed. . .

The paint (washable - whew!) that was all over their hands . . .

The way they would dip their fingers into one color paint, and then dip them into another color paint . . . and then she'd say "I'm making a rainbow . . . see Mom? . . . a rainbow"

My babies. . . my lovelies . . . my littles. . . growing fast and furious.

We slowed down today to paint, and for almost an hour, time seemed to slow down too as I tried to drink in every last ounce of this moment and the way we are today.

Happy Weekend.

The Sassy One

2011-08-07T16:21:00.000-05:00

Her expression says a thousand words. . .

But mostly it says that she's VERY serious about her dominoes.

Oh, my sweet and sassy daughter . . . I do so love everything about you!

I Heart Faces Challenge: Water

2011-07-26T21:08:00.000-05:00

This is from our beach trip earlier this summer. I have so many more images to blog from this trip. Until then, I leave you with this one of my boy . . . clearly loving those waves.

To see more images with water, head on over to iheartfaces.

Celebrating the 4th

2011-07-21T07:09:00.000-05:00

We spent a glorious week at the lake with Dirck's sister and family. I have more pictures to come, and as soon as life slows down long enough for me to post them, I will (I promise!), but for now, here's a few of our 4th-of-July highlight.

A fun little neighborhood parade where candy was thrown to my kiddos, and they got to wave American flags at the "floats" (ie, golf carts). My little lady here even had a Tiara thrown to her - made her day, I tell ya.

I've been so behind on this little blog-o-mine. I still have vacation pictures from May that I want to post and talk about, along with lots of stuff in between. Hopefully, I'll have time to do it one day . . .

Happy Weekend!

Lightening Bugs

2011-07-08T02:19:00.001-05:00

Summer, fireflies, and kids go hand-in-hand.

These two are usually in bed long before these bugs come out and play. I think this made it even more exciting for them to actually catch a few.

Hope you are enjoying summer as much as we are.

Off To A Good Start

2011-07-07T14:19:00.000-05:00

We are spending the first week of July at the lake, and here's a little snippet of our first night here:

Yep, July is certainly off to a good start.

Our Scout

2011-06-26T03:49:00.002-05:00

She's 10 years old.

I still call her my puppy.

And I probably always will.

Father's Day

2011-06-25T15:48:00.000-05:00

After church, we headed over to a Greek Festival in our hometown.

We sampled yummy Gyro Sandwiches.

We clapped along to this talented musician. He was great - reminded me of Dick Dale (Do you like the Pulp Fiction soundtrack? Then you like Dick Dale . . . ).

Dessert was probably our favorite thing. Not sure what this custardy-filo thing is, but it was amazing.

We finished out Father's day by playing in the yard with Dad (as it should be).

Don't worry, she wore pants when we were in public

Fun Times! Maybe one day I'll get around to posting about Mother's day . . . :)

Sneaky Sleeping

2011-06-16T07:52:00.000-05:00

Checked on her before I went to bed last night. . .

Unbeknownst to me, she managed to climb out of her crib, slip on a shiny tutu, grab a tote bag that's bigger than her and fill it with all her babies and stuffed animals.

I moved everything out of her crib, repositioned her so she could stretch out in her bed and then went to sleep.

When I went in to wake her up the following morning, she had everything back in the crib with her!

Yep, she will be an interesting one when she's 16. By then she'll be smart enough to take off her shiny skirt after sneaking back in before going back to bed. I think I will install an alarm system on the windows when that day comes . . .

Bathing Beauties

2011-06-11T09:44:00.001-05:00

I love that I can still get pics of them in the tub. I know there will come a day when they won't like this, but until that day comes, I'll try to get as many pics of them playing together in the tub as I can.

My boy here commandeered the soap dish - didn't really take his hand off of it during the whole bath.

My girl . . . just as smiley as ever.

Gosh, I love these monkeys and am so happy to know these two.

My Babes

2011-06-10T21:30:00.001-05:00

I don't think I'll ever tire of seeing my babes in the setting sun.

You, on the other hand, probably can't say the same thing.

Have a wonderful weekend!

I Heart Faces: From A Distance Challenge

2011-06-07T17:01:00.004-05:00

It's been a while since I've participated in an iheartfaces challenge. This week's challenge theme is "From A Distance," and I thought that this image I captured of my two guys on the beach last week would be a perfect fit.

To see some wonderful photos or to submit your own, head on over to iheartfaces. Be prepared to spend some time though . . . lots of lovely images over there.

Oh, and I have TONS more beach pictures to share once I get through them all . . . stay tuned! :)

My Favorite Flowers

2011-06-04T03:31:00.001-05:00

I grew up in the South, and there are many, many things I miss about home that just doesn't fare well here in the Midwest.

Southern Magnolias, for one. I adore those big majestic trees. I love the lemony-scent of the large white flowers and the glossy large leaves that stay beautiful year round. There was a large magnolia at my great-grandmother's house, and I think of that tree often. I dream of having a large home with a wrap-around porch and a long driveway lined with these trees . . . *sigh*. There are a few of these trees around my town, but they are small, and scrawny, and nothing like they are at home. They just can't take the winters here.

My favorite flower is and has always been the daffodil. I love the heartiness of these flowers. Plant the bulb, and with little to no care, they would pop up each year. I can remember a field across from our home that was loaded with pecan trees (yet another thing I could go on and on about *bliss* - and that's pronounced "pah-con" rather than "pee-can" in my book). There were houses on the property many, many years ago - long since gone, however, every year the place would be littered with daffodils. What a welcoming sign for the coming Spring months - beautiful and fragrant and bright. There's no way you could see a vase full of daffodils and be sad . . . they're just too pretty, too perky, too lovely!

And then . . . I moved to the Midwest. And let me tell you . . . I discovered peonies - just as hearty as the daffodil and wonderfully fragrant as well. Peonies need those long cold winter months in order to flower, so safe-to-say, we didn't see these down South. I never even knew what these flowers were until I saw some in our neighbor's yard, but I've been a convert ever since. They are showy with their big, beautiful blossoms. They come back every year like clockwork (always around Mother's Day), and the scent fills our small home with the sweetest aroma every year. These babies look amazing in a vase - filling the inside and then spilling over the sides, and they make a beautiful bouquet.

Whereas the Daffodil is the super-chipper, happy-go-lucky little sister, the Peony is the more mature, robust, romantic and dramatic big sister. I love them both, and I think they unite my two sides as well . . . the Southern roots that I cling to and the Midwestern life that I've happily chosen.

So yes, there are many, many things that I miss about the South, but these little gems here are just one of the many reasons that I love the Midwest.

The Usual . . .

2011-06-03T15:23:00.002-05:00

A typical Saturday spent . . .

Lounging some of the morning away in bed. . .

Visiting the zoo, and riding the carousel . . .

Playing on Momma and Daddy's bed after naps . . .

Playing outside before dinner.

Whew! What a day!

Happy weekend to all!

Three

2011-06-01T15:18:00.002-05:00

Baby girl just had a birthday!

I guess one day I'll have to stop calling her baby girl.

But it won't be today.

Or tomorrow.

We celebrated with a pink flower birthday. We had pink strawberry cake, pink flower cookies, pink lemonade, and pink pizza (OK, the pizza really wasn't pink, but I'm trying to go with the theme here. . . ).

Happy Birthday little lady! I'm so thankful that three short years ago, you and your girliness entered our lives.

I love you to the moon and back!

Not To Be Outdone

2011-05-29T16:29:00.003-05:00

His sister has gotten a lot of attention lately because of her big birthday and all. He's been very good about it, and even reminds me that he's older than her by showing me from time to time.

"Hey Mom, I'm 4!"

He recently decided he wanted to be a sheriff - like Woody the Cowboy in Toy Story . . . only he wanted to be a bandit too - so we got a bandanna and pretended to be a rouge sheriff for a little bit.

He's silly sometimes . . .

He's growing up so fast. Even though I miss that lovely little baby, I rather like the little man he is becoming.

A Celebration Week

2011-05-09T10:31:00.003-05:00

We are getting busy around here planning a most special birthday this weekend. There will be cake and ice cream and balloons, and she has no fear about telling anyone she meets that she is having a "flower party."

At times, I have a hard time believing she's already turning 3 - and then there are times where I can't believe she's only been around for 3 short years.

She's such a perfect fit for me.

Thank heaven for little girls.

A Treat

2011-05-01T04:04:00.000-05:00

I was able to pick him up a little early from school last week, so we went and got a treat.

Just a few quick snaps of my little man and his Frosty. (P.S. One of the yummiest chilled treats I can remember having as a kid - second only to Mississippi State Ice Cream :))

No Privacy

2011-04-30T05:01:00.000-05:00

Well, I couldn't resist snapping this as I walked past the bathroom.

They each got a Leapster from the Easter Bunny, and neither of them could part with it for one second that day.

Yes, yes, I know they will be appalled one day that I put this on the blog. . . but it's real life . . . and it makes me smile.

Happy weekend.

Proper

2011-04-29T01:18:00.000-05:00

Just thought we'd take a quick moment to demonstrate the proper way to eat a strawberry glazed donut.

Any questions?

Oh, Almost Forgot

2011-04-27T20:44:00.002-05:00

I took these pictures earlier this month. My kiddos were in their play area (I wish-oh-wish I could say play-room) , and my girl was playing with blocks. Watching her stack the blocks gave me a little idea.

I thought these were a bit cheesy at first, but now, I love them.

:)

Easter Sunday

2011-04-26T21:59:00.003-05:00

The rain held off long enough for us to go outside for a fun Easter egg hunt.

And what to do with all those eggs? Make deviled eggs of course. I thought this would be a slick way to get my boy to eat eggs (which he despises). Although he was excited about it at first, as soon as he saw the egg on his plate, he decided he didn't like deviled eggs either. Oh well, I tried. As for my little lady, I didn't have to coax her to try them . . . she loved the eggs.

You'd never guess she likes eggs, would you?

New Tradition

2011-04-25T21:51:00.003-05:00

Well, this was the first year I attempted this with the kiddos.

I have to say it went very well.

They loved to drop the eggs in the dye.

I'm the only one that got messy, but I can't say the same for some of the eggs. There was a casualty.

They each picked their favorite egg - purple for the boy and pink for the girl . . . go figure. :)

For sure, we'll be doing this again next year, and I'm looking forward to it.

Happy Easter!

Movie Night

2011-04-24T22:40:00.002-05:00

We are most definitely popcorn fans around here. The kids ask for it, and no movie would be complete without it.

We sat down and watched Benji - circa 1974 - this weekend. My-oh-my, how cinematography has changed - for the better. The kids loved the puppy, but I don't think a movie where the majority of the action is a dog running down alleys and sidewalk would make it in today's world.

Thumbs down for the movie, but good popcorn and company - most definitely a good night.

Hope you had a happy weekend.

Happy Easter

2011-04-22T09:59:00.000-05:00

These little bunnies hope you have a wonderful Easter weekend.

Have you ever seen two cuter little bunnies????

A Failed Experiment

2011-04-21T21:53:00.002-05:00

I bought a shutter remote about one-and-a-half years ago in an attempt to include myself in more pictures with my family.

My original intent was to take at least one photo a month that included me in the picture.

. . . Fail . . .

I found that remote this past weekend - and I really couldn't tell you the last time I used it.

So . . . before heading to work and daycare, the little lady and I thought we'd snap a few images, and get a little more use out of that remote.

I love these . . . and her!

Happy Weekend!

Love It When She . . .

2011-04-20T21:04:00.002-05:00

. . . wants attention, and tells me "I don't feel much good" just so she can have some cuddles.

. . . refers to the polka-dots on her jacket as "Polka-nuts."

. . . cuddles with me at night when we are reading stories, and then wants to read the story back to me . . . and can recite almost every word.

. . . asks me to sing her a song before bed. We have our usuals - You Are My Sunshine, Rock-A-Bye Baby, etc - but she also asks for random stuff like the "Valentine song," so she smiles while I make up words and sing off-pitch melodies.

. . . gives life to inanimate objects. She plays with her brother's tractors, but she gives them each and identity - like the "Mommy" tractor, and the "Baby" tractor - and then she plays with them like they are dolls. I love seeing this difference in my children.

. . . comes home with her daddy from daycare, and runs to give me a hug and tells me "I so much miss you today!"

. . . surprises me everyday with some new word or phrase or action.

2-year-old little girls are simply the sweetest little things in this world!

Turning Corners

2011-04-19T12:05:00.002-05:00

We've turned a corner . . . I hope.

It seems from the moment he turned 4, he's been grouchy and irritable. Forget the "Terrible Twos," this kid had a horrible case of the "Foul Fours" (yep, just made that up myself). He has yelled at me & Dirck, at his sister, at his classmates, and even at his teachers. Dirck and I can't figure it out. We're not big on yelling at home, so trying to figure out where (and why) he got this behavior has been a mystery.

But lately. . .

Lately he's been such a different kid from a few months ago. We haven't gotten a negative report from school in over a month. And while he's not perfect (who is, right?), he's been pretty nice to his sister - playing with her and even asking her to play with him.

Warms my heart . . . and gives me hope.

Spending Our Days

2011-04-16T21:18:00.003-05:00

Outside.

In the yard.

Playing.

Our favorite place to be this time of year.

The weather is warming - perfect for monkey bars . . .

and hopscotch.

Yep, we are loving this warmer weather very much.

:)

The Fish

2011-04-11T03:45:00.001-05:00

Spring is OFFICIALLY here when we make a trip to our favorite plant nursery for peppers and tomatoes.

While there, the kiddos love to watch (and occasionally feed) the fish.

It really is the highlight of their weekend.

My boy was good for 2 solid days at school because he knew he would get to go see the fish on Saturday if he behaved. Yes, we bribe him like that. . . it works . . . about 50% of the time. :)

We got our peppers and tomatoes planted, and I'll be danged, we had a hail storm.

We will be making another trip back to the nursery soon for more plants, and no doubt, this will be another highlight for these munchkins.

I love seeing the world through their eyes, where a simple little trip to the nursery becomes a big, fun adventure.

Enjoying This . . .

2011-04-10T03:04:00.003-05:00

I love to hear the giggles as they get ridden around in the wagon behind the tractor.

I love to see Dirck's face light up when he hears them too.

I love to watch them all enjoying the outdoors.

I love Spring!

Makeup Can Be Fun

2011-04-09T14:38:00.002-05:00

Especially eye liner right before bath time These two . . . keeping me smiling. Always.

Happy weekend.

Best Face Challenge: I Heart Faces

2011-04-03T13:21:00.004-05:00

Here's my favorite photo as of late. Oh, how I love this munchkin. To see more beautiful face entries, head on over to iheartfaces today!

To My Boy . . .

2011-03-31T22:11:00.002-05:00

You're growing. And that's wonderful. I love watching you become your own little man. But, could you slow it down a bit? I can hardly remember the squishy fat baby or the ornery but sweet toddler that you were. I love you forever. :), Mom

Hiding

2011-03-30T22:03:00.002-05:00

Where are you? Where are you? Hmmm. . . where can you be? Are you under the sofa? Are you behind the TV? Are you on top of the ceiling fan? *insert LOUD giggles* My clever little lady thinks she is being slick by hiding from me behind this curtain. Thing is, she's a terrible hider. She laughs and giggles loudly while moving her little feet up and down in excited anticipation of being found. I love this. Truly, I love this.

Stacking

2011-03-26T14:57:00.003-05:00

I haven't quite figured out the appeal. She likes to take every movie out of our movie drawer and stack them as high as they'll go.

Sometimes she lines them up with the titles all on the same side. Sometimes she doesn't.

Um, yes, I know . . . we have two copies of Caddyshack. You caught me. One is still in the wrapper . . . any takers?

She has to stand on her tippy toes to place the last few movies on the very top of the stack.

She admires her sculptural feat, and then we place them back in the movie drawer.

Only to come back to another day.

Stacking? Boring post, I know, but even when my muchkins are doing the most mundane of things, I still love to watch them.

His Turn

2011-03-23T21:41:00.003-05:00

Seems I've been posting a lot of pictures of my little lady as of late.

It's not because I don't love this face:

Because I love it very much - along with the rest of him.

Very, very much!

How I Spent My Birthday

2011-03-21T19:38:00.004-05:00

Yesterday was a great day.

Not only was it my birthday, but it was also the first day of Spring. Yay, Spring! We have missed you.

The weather was perfection. We spent a majority of the day out on the back deck.

We even busted out the Big Wheel.

My boy decided that he likes to turn the handle bars around. He says he likes the Smiley Faces.

Huh?

See . . . the gauges make a Smiley Face. :) Can't argue with him there. I like Smileys too.

This lovely man here smoked a wonderful brisket for dinner.

This little lady made me smile.

As she always does.

And it seems that no time out on the deck would be complete without a potty break. He loves to do this outside. It's a boy thing, I suppose.

Hee hee!

What a wonderful day. One I hope to remember for a long, long time. Thank you to my wonderful family for making a girl feel extra specially special on her birthday!

Happy Double Birthday

2011-03-20T01:01:00.000-05:00

Two years ago today, I typed my first few words on this little blog-o-mine.

It's been a wonderful little diary of our lives, and I'm so glad I've been able to regularly blog about our family.

AND. . .

It's another birthday today as well. . .

Mine!

Another year older. . . another year wiser . . . another year that I get to love on these munchkins. . . another year grateful.

I'm looking forward to it all.

Tickling

2011-03-18T22:08:00.002-05:00

A little look at what we've been up to around here.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Smiling

2011-03-15T02:52:00.000-05:00

Her whole face lights up when she's happy.

Lucky for us, that is the majority of the time.

Smiling eyes . . . smiling face . . . smiling girl.

Makes for a smiling momma! :)

Injured

2011-03-13T03:20:00.000-05:00

She shrieked.
I perked up.
She cried hard.
I cuddled her.
She still cried.
I kissed her.
and then wiped the blood away from her forehead.

Baby girl here fell on the toy box this weekend. She's pretty tough though and calmed down as soon as she found out she could have a Hello-Kitty band-aid on her forehead.

Poor baby. We'll see how long she milks this. She's still pulling up her pant leg and showing me a scratch on her knee that she got 2 weeks ago. Each time she tells me the story of how she fell (in detail). Each time she needs a kiss on her boo-boo.

This little injury here made for a nice boo-boo kissin' kind of day.

I Caught Him

2011-03-12T14:51:00.000-06:00

Smiling . . . (kind of)

Can you believe it?

Just So Ya Know . . .

2011-03-12T14:30:00.004-06:00

It ain't all sunshine and roses over here.

(Nice elbow to the face on her part and push with the shoulder on his part)

Today, was a good day. They played. They got along with each other.

Not everyday is like today, but it seems we are having more and more of those days lately. Perhaps they are finally starting to be friends, or perhaps they've just realized that the other one isn't going anywhere, so they may as well get along.

I'm hoping for friends. :)

Welcome to March

2011-03-11T22:53:00.003-06:00

Finally, finally. . . FINALLY . . . some decent weather.

We are enjoying a few warmer days here and there and have been trying to go outside every chance we get.

The kiddos have joyfully found their jungle gym again. After months of staring at it from the window while it was buried in snow and wishing they could climb all over it, the time has finally come. I love that they pretend they are monkeys . . . or spiders on a giant web.

My little lady insist on playing on the see-saw - always. She can be quite bossy too. "Sit, Momma!" She doesn't understand how uncomfortable that little see-saw is for an adult. It's worth it though. . .

I love the sun right before sunset. This time of year seems especially beautiful when we are outside playing after work and school. The sun is starting to set, and the light seems to swallow us up in it's warm yellow glow - then the most spectacular sunsets of pink and orange and red. Oh, how I wish I had some landscape photography skills.

I hate that it's been so long since I posted. I've been trying to spend less time on the computer and more time on the treadmill. My goal is run a 5K this year. I can do it on the treadmill, but running on pavement is quite different. I'm working on it though. Wish me luck! :)

February Recap

2011-02-28T21:00:00.004-06:00

A short month, but a fun one. Man, we were busy around here.

We started the month with 2 snow days for all of us! We spent most of that time holed up inside staying warm, however we did venture out a few times for fun in the snow. The kiddos loved sledding this year.

In those 2 days of relaxing bliss, I thought I could pull off a month long online photography class. Wow, epic failure! I managed to post 2-3 of the assignments, but that was all. I think the extra days away from work gave me the false sense that I could do it all . . . Snow Days, I love ya, but that was just cruel!

We went to 2 birthday parties this month - one at an indoor kids play area and the other at a pony ranch. I know it's only a matter of time before my littles are asking to have true parties and not just the pizza, cake and ice-cream that we do here at home with family.

Dirck and I had a date night this month. We even got a baby sitter (so rare)! It was great. We went downtown and had a nice dinner and then bellied up to the bar for some after-dinner beer. OK, maybe I should rephrase . . . does "went for cocktails after dinner" sound better? OK, the reality is that I had one measly beer, but it was good and I had time to actually enjoy. It was nice to be with Dirck away from home and the kiddos - reminded me of when we were dating, and goodness knows, that seems like forever ago.

We took the kiddos to an indoor arcade/ video game/ kid play area place earlier this month. Yep, they were a little young for most of the games, but Dirck had a good time showing the kids all the different games. There was a kids-only play area complete with train that my two munchkins really enjoyed. I'm sure we will go back again.

The weather this month has been crazy. CRAZY. We've had 75 degree weather and then had 35 degree weather the next day. We were part of the great 2011 "Snowpacolypse" earlier in the month, and just last night we had a crazy thunderstorm come through - just so darn unpredictable.

And, to wrap-up, we made it back to one of our favorite early morning breakfast joints - the doughnut shop. The kids get hats and chocolate milk and sugar frosted doughnuts while watching the doughnuts cook. What more could a kid ask for?

All-in-all, a great month. Now, wonder what March has in store for us?

Random Thoughts on Sanity and Soured Milk

2011-02-26T15:18:00.006-06:00

I'm amazed at how calm my friends can be.

We went to a birthday party today for a 2 year old, and everything was so organized and calm. The parents were there smiling and socializing. The newly-turned-2-year-old was running around and happy. I look around and see these amazingly calm people in a stressful (throwing a b-day party for a toddler and 25 or so of their friends, is indeed stressful to me) situation, and I wonder what's wrong with me? My time is spent running between my two kiddos. . . one's yelling that she's hungry. . . one's yelling that he wants to ride the big metal horse. One is trying to ride a pony and the other is yelling that they want to feed the goats. One is running this way and the other is running that way . . . In the midst of juggling my purse, my camera, the diaper bag, sippy cups, two heavy kid coats, my heavy winter coat, two new cowboy hats that the kids say they want but refuse to wear, all the while trying to keep my hair out of my face and look like I'm not 3-ticks away from a complete mommy melt down. How in the world? Of course I want my kids to be able to go places and do things, but seriously it stresses me when I'm by myself.

I hope no one could tell that I was about to explode - all Mommy Dearest style at my kids. . . "Why can't you sit still?" "No, you can NOT eat another cookie." "No, you've already had 2 bags of Cheetos." "Go to the bathroom right now." "No, no, no. . . don't put that in your mouth." "Seriously? I just lifted you on that horse, and you want back on again?" All said only in my head, I promise . . . except for the Cheetos comment . . . really, that's all they would eat if given a chance.

I know, I know . . . stop my belly-aching. I truly love my children and love hanging out with them. They are amazing little creatures. If it comes down to a day of shopping alone or spending time with my kiddos, I'd much rather be with them . . . but there are times that I just feel completely stressed out. Like I'm juggling each kid and despite my best efforts to keep them going smoothly in the air, I just keep dropping them. I feel like I should be able to control their every move and emotion and it just doesn't work that way. Ever.

While we are at the party I stand behind some other parents while the kids are playing a game (OK, really, while my son is watching the game, and my daughter is hanging on my pant leg), and I smell the most amazing scent. It smells like soap - fresh, clean soap. And I begin to think that I don't I ever smell like soap. How do these parents have time to shower before a party while getting their kids ready at the same time? Oh, man . . . what it must feel like to smell like clean soap. And again I wonder how do these amazing, calm parents who smell of fresh, clean soap do it? And then, I wonder what do I smell like? So maybe it's not a good idea that I know . . . about the smell. I'd still like to know how they (the calm parents) do it (not become a screaming, yelling monster in public with their children)?

We came home. My boy fell asleep in the car, and my little lady is convinced that she doesn't need a nap. I put him in bed and then chase her around the house until I catch her so I can put her down as well. Once the kids are down I start cleaning the house. I find an old sippy cup - one that I'm guessing was discarded months ago. I discover our own little science project growing in that cup. The good new is, I think I can clean it with bleach and maybe some lemon juice. The bad news is, I think I found the reason as to why I never smell like fresh, clean soap. *sigh*

Seriously, all you calm parents out there . . . . how do you do it? What keeps you calm when really, you just want to throw up your hands and yell . . . or am I the only one that feels that way?

Sorry for the lack of pictures today - and all the run-on sentences. I'll post some pretty pics soon. I promise.

Here's to keeping my sanity . . . hopefully. :)

I Heart Faces: Cell Phone Challenge

2011-02-20T20:45:00.004-06:00

There are times when I don't have my "real" camera around - times when I just want to take a quick picture and not even think about f-stops or metering - times when I'm in the moment and stopping to get my "real" camera would quickly make the moment end.

Sometimes it's just fun to be able to capture a moment without much technical thought.

This was one of those moments.

And although I love my "real" camera, it's nice to have access to my camera phone when I want to preserve a sweet memory.

Like giving my little lady her first manicure. :)

I can't wait to see all the crazy creative images that will be over at iheartfaces this week. To see some wonderful camera phone images, head on over!

And if you're interested: Camera Phone is Android for Motorola MotoBlur & edited with PhotoWonder (gray).

Cooperation

2011-02-19T15:12:00.004-06:00

Well, he's not ALWAYS cooperative for the camera.

Actually, it's darn-near a miracle that I ever get him to look at me when I have the camera in my hand . . . I'm not sure how he's developed this aversion? ;)

That's OK though because I like to take pictures of him when he's not posing for me. And honestly, my kids rarely pose. Oh yeah, they may, every-once-in-a-while, stomach the courage to sit with their arm around each other for a picture - and I may get lucky.

But they don't always turn out exactly as I dreamed in my head when setting up the shot.

But again, that's OK because they are just being themselves, and really, I can't wish for anything more than that.

Not waiting for the perfect moment for my little man to look at me has allowed me to get - in my personal mommy opinion - some great shots of him.

Like this one. I love his eyelashes and the way he was just laying on the bed here. Normally, I wouldn't have taken a picture like this, but I'm so glad I did.

And this one. I really wanted him to look at me for this picture, but he was too preoccupied looking out the window, and again, I love how this image turned out . . . and this is him. Really him. And I love that.

Of course, this is really him too. And, he's actually looking at me in this image. And I love it . . . and him.

I guess the whole point of my rambling post is to say that even when he or she or anyone isn't cooperating, I'm OK with that. I enjoy observing and documenting them just as they are. I think we should all encourage each other as well as our children to be ourselves (themselves) and be OK with being less than perfect.

Because imperfect is often the most perfect way to be. . .

Her Song . . . Illustrated

2011-02-14T21:12:00.002-06:00

The itsy-bitsy spider went up the water spout

Down came the rain

And washed the spider out

Out came the sun

And dried up all the rain

And the itsy-bitsy spider went up the spout again

Yay!

Computer Games

2011-02-12T14:43:00.002-06:00

We sometimes like to "play letters" on the computer.

Ever heard of Starfall? My kiddos love it. Mainly they love the alphabet section, but occasionally they will sit for the stories.

My son is now able to navigate the mouse so he can "play letters" by himself. So far, my daughter is content to just watch (and maybe tell him which letter to play next).

We love this time right before bedtime.

If you have little ones and you haven't checked out Starfall, I highly recommend that you do soon! It's been wonderful for my little ones - even before they were 2 years old, they loved it - and still do!

I Heart Faces Challenge: Hearts

2011-02-07T01:53:00.001-06:00

How I love the dollar aisle at Target. We scored these sunglasses last week, and oh, how she loved them. Unfortunately, the dollar-sunglasses were just as advertised . . . they broke shortly after this photo was taken. Boo for breaking, but Yay for the fun we had with them!

To see more pictures with faces and hearts, head on over to iheartfaces.

Then & Now / What She Wears

2011-02-04T16:58:00.003-06:00

I'm combining day 3 and day 4 assignments for Kelly Willette's Joy Of Love class today.

My daughter will be 3 in May. She just now has enough hair to pull back with cute little barrettes and clippies. I remember the first time I put a tiny little clip in her hair and it stayed . . . I was giddy. You see, my son didn't even need a haircut until he was almost 3 years old, so having a little girl and NOT having her be a baldy (as beautiful as she is with or without hair) makes me happy in a selfish, girly kind of way.

So here she is sporting her tiniest hair clip on the first day that it stayed in all day and didn't slip off. This was taken about 1 year ago.

And here she is this morning. Wearing her cute little flower clippie that we purchased today at the drugstore, and loving her "long" flowing locks.

She loves wearing her barrettes now - either or bow, or a barrette with a little animal on it, or this flower (which I suspect will soon become her new favorite).

To see other's takes "Then & Now" and "What They Wear," or if you'd like to play along with me, just visit Kelly's site for the fun details.

Fun In The Snow

2011-02-03T22:08:00.003-06:00

What to do on a snow-day when we are all at home?

Well, we find a hill and do a little sledding. (and we don't stop to wipe noses while sledding if you were wondering . . . )

We stop and take a much-needed family picture.

And we finish up by warming our little chapped faces with some hot chocolate before nap time.

What a treat (for all of us) to get a few snow-days. I loved having a few extra family days this week!

How He Looks

2011-02-02T18:32:00.003-06:00

We enjoyed a snow day today - all of us - and it was wonderful.

We spent some time shopping - had to get another snow shovel and Dirck needed a warm hat (since he wore my son's old one yesterday in the snow) and some gloves.

We also spent some time sledding in this powdery wonderland. It was wonderful, and I'll post some pictures of that on another post.

After sledding we came home and put the kids down for their naps. I went outside and shoveled our entire driveway.

Actually, I only shoveled about half of it.

OK, OK, I really only shoveled about a fourth of it. I just can't keep up with my husband.

So here he is right after we finished. He's sporting his new hat and gloves - maybe a little tired from shoveling the entire driveway (um, I mean 3/4's of the driveway) and maybe just a teensy bit annoyed at me and my camera.

This is how he looks . . . and I couldn't be more happy about that.

Today's challenge on Kelly Willette's Joy Of Love was "How They Look." The goal was to photograph someone you love - just the way they are. If you'd like to play along with me, go visit her site and join in the fun.

What He Does

2011-02-01T22:11:00.003-06:00

I'm taking a little challenge this month as part of Kelly Willette's "Joy Of Love" series. The challenge is to find joy and love around you every day in the month of February. That seems appropriate, right? February is the month of love and also the shortest month of the year, so hopefully I'll be able to complete each day's assignment . . . maybe.

Each day will be a different challenge or topic. Today, the challenge is "What They Do," and my focus was my husband. I'm always trying to document the little things that my kiddos do that make me smile, and I rarely take the time to focus on my husband. There are many, many reasons why he makes me smile, and here's my attempt to document just a few of them.

1. He is a total gourmet chef. Seriously, he's good. He started making the majority of our dinners when I was pregnant with our first child. He did this to help make my life a little easier, and even after 2 kiddos, he still does the majority of the cooking. I don't tell him enough how much I appreciate and love this about him. Here he is making tonight's dinner - Beef Bourguignon (one of our favorites). You can find the recipe here (we make the "poor-man's version" by substituting chuck roast for the fillet of beef).

2. He is an amazing father. He plays with our kids . . . really PLAYS with them. They adore him, and I adore that they adore him. Oh, and I adore him too! Here he is today pulling a combined 75 pounds of kiddos on the sled in the middle of some crazy snow and winds simply because they wanted to go out and play in the snow. And I know you can't really see this, but he's wearing my son's OLD hat because it is so cold, and he doesn't own a hat - the size on this hat is 18months - it just BARELY covered his ears and was the silliest thing. Wish I had a better picture of him in that hat!

3. Did I already say he's an amazing father? My husband will get a little play list together on his computer and play my son's requested songs while my daughter dances to the music (one of her favorite things). It's fun to watch. Here he is today going over their play list. My son crawled into his lap and wanted to see his Daddy's cd's that were sitting on the desk. Which reminds me of YET another reason I love him so . . . he's using those cd's to back up all my photos on the computer. How great is he?

No seriously, how great is he?

Now, don't you want to play along? There's still time to join. Just head on over to Kelly's site and sign up for all the fun!

Snowed In

2011-02-01T11:02:00.003-06:00

Everything in this town is shutting down . . . and by everything, I mean EVERYTHING - my son's daycare, my office - even Dirck is on his way home. We are gearing up for a large snowstorm - "The biggest in 50 years," as some of the weather forecasters are saying. The prediction is anywhere from 5 to 25 inches of snow ("5-25," way to narrow that down, forecasters) and blizzard like conditions.

So, when Daddy gets home, I think we will all go out and play in the snow. Until then, we are watching movies and playing inside to stay warm.

Here's my boy with his newest toy. He picked this out in the clearance aisle at WalMart. It's a bit out of his age-range, and he gets frustrated when it breaks apart (as do I because I have to get the manual out to rebuild the darn thing). Anything Toy Story though, and he's in love - so we endure it.

Hope you are staying warm wherever you are!

I Heart Faces Challenge: Best Face January 2011

2011-01-31T12:34:00.002-06:00

My little lady.

In my scarf.

Oh those eyes . . . I could stare into them all day. And that smile . . . it constantly calls out for me to smile too. And those cheeks . . . they just need to be kissed excessively. And that little nose . . . she's sweet perfection to me.

To see more "Best Face" photos, head on over to iheartfaces.

What To Do?

2011-01-28T21:08:00.004-06:00

Our house is plagued.

PLAGUED, I tell you (raising fist to the sky and shaking it).

My son is recovering from pneumonia, and is just now feeling well enough to go back to school. My husband is feeling under the weather, and has spent a few days at home in the bed, and yesterday my little lady was sent home from the babysitter with a fever.

On New Year's Eve when I was reflecting on 2010 and triumphantly said "Bring It!" to the year 2011, I had no idea that THIS is what would be brought! I'll choose my words a little more cautiously this year.

So, what's a girl to do when she's stuck at home, high on Tylenol (not really) and obviously feeling much better?

Well, she played some drums.

And then she danced while I played the drums (and took a picture of her).

Then she decided to check her email - which must not have been very interesting because she spent absolutely no time on the computer. Sheesh . . . kids today, right?

And then we finished up the morning by coloring a little bit of Hello Kitty.

She's feeling much better now, and hopefully, maybe, SURELY (fingers crossed) we are all on the path to recovery and can enjoy the weekend!

Happy Friday!

Spending Our Days

2011-01-24T18:50:00.002-06:00

We've (my boy and I) spent our weekend under the weather. First, it was a stomach virus . . . and now, after a trip to the pediatrician today, it seems my little man has pneumonia. Poor guy.

He's spent his weekend sleeping, barely eating, and now, coughing what seems to be a very painful cough. I'm hopeful that the antibiotic will soon work it's magic. In the meantime, we'll be laying low and trying to recover.

I hated when my munchkins got sick as babies, and it's not any better now that they are a little older. I don't think watching them struggle with sickness will ever get any easier. Here's hoping for a quick recovery.

A 4-Year-Old and a Monster Truck

2011-01-22T21:27:00.005-06:00

He's "officially" a big boy.

He was convinced that he was going to grow instantly when he turned 4. He was a little disappointed when he was sitting at breakfast on the day of his birthday. He announced to me that he could not reach any higher than he had the night before when he was only 3. His reasoning for this is that it must not happen until after he has his birthday cookie with his friends at school. I gotta say, I love the way his mind works! And yes, when he got home, he informed me that he could, in fact, reach higher.

So, what does a big 4 year old request for his birthday breakfast? "Honey, I'll make you whatever you want for your birthday . . . pancakes? Waffles? French Toast? you name it. . . " He wanted peanut butter Captain Crunch . . . on a plate (as in "not in a bowl, Mom, and not with milk on it"). Easy enough! Request granted.

He had decided a long time ago that he wanted a Monster Truck birthday. We made monster truck cookies for everyone at school and then I made a monster truck cake for his party.

Sad thing is, he got sick the night of his birthday, and we had to call everyone and cancel his birthday party. And even sadder, we were going to just have some people over the following weekend, but guess who got sick again? Bless his 4-year-old little heart!

So somewhere between being sick and being able to lift his head, he actually got to blow out his candles, listen to a very off-key Happy Birthday To You, have some cake and open a few presents.

Minus the sick part, I think he enjoyed his birthday. He sure loved his presents, and now he's already trying to figure out what kind of party and cake he wants next year.

Always thinking, this one is . . .

Typical

2011-01-20T22:11:00.002-06:00

Just a typical little shot of our typical little life.

Typical, and I love it.

A Few Things . . .

2011-01-18T21:16:00.002-06:00

1. She's cute (and she knows that).

2. She loves Jessie (from Toy Story) the "Cowboy-Girl" - her words.

3. She likes to wear her pink boots from her Grandma & Grandpa and pretend that she is Jessie - she tries to convince her brother that he's Woody or Buzz Lightyear.

4. She talks nonstop - and she makes sense.

5. She would sit and color or draw all day long.

6. She loves broccoli and green beans and cucumbers.

7. She doesn't really like bread - not even donuts (she eats a few bites, and then she's done) or sweet breads.

8. She loves animals - particularly kittens and puppies.

9. She likes to dance. We will turn on music, and she'll yell "Dance Time!" and run to the front room to dance.

10. She's getting better at going on the potty ( I can't even begin to imagine a life without diapers).

11. She wakes up happy, and usually entertains herself to sleep at night.

12. She ALMOST has enough hair for a ponytail - ALMOST!

13. I love her - more than I ever imagined I would, and I'm just so grateful to have been blessed with this little lady.

Farewell, 2010

2011-01-15T09:55:00.000-06:00

These were the last two pictures I took in 2010.

It seemed a fitting end to a good year with these munchkins.

Goodnight, my munchkins . . . my hope is that your dreams are even bigger in 2011.

Goodnight, My 3-Year-Old Baby

2011-01-13T21:30:00.005-06:00

Today, he was my 3-year-old baby.

Tomorrow, he will be my 4-year-old kid.

In his own words, when he's 4 he will be able to laugh louder, jump higher, run faster, reach higher and grow taller. I'm looking forward to his little 4-year-old self.

I Heart Faces Challenge: Smile

2011-01-10T20:37:00.003-06:00

Happy 2 year bloggy-bday to iheartfaces!

I took this photo this morning. Today was our first official snow day, and we did not let it go to waste!

To see more "Smile" pictures, head on over to iheartfaces.

Bad Mom

2011-01-08T16:04:00.002-06:00

Well, that's me. The Bad Mom . . . The one who was supposed to take pictures of the munchkins over the holidays to preserve these precious memories of their childhood, and guess what? Christmas morning came and went, and do you know how many pictures I took? I'm embarrassed to say. . . only a few of my little guy with his presents (only because he got up first) and NONE of my little lady with her presents . . . NONE! How can that be? My camera was within arms reach the whole day, but I honestly got so busy helping them unwrap their presents and passing out presents that the camera just didn't get much use.

Kiddos, if you're reading this and many, many years have passed by, please know that YES, we DID have Christmas this year. . . and YES, you guys enjoyed it immensely (as did I . . . so maybe that explains why there are no pictures . . . )

OK, here is the one and only picture I have of my kids together on Christmas morning. They were playing in a large empty box in the living room, and I just happened to snap this image as my son was opening and closing the lid. The little lady is playing with her new glow-doodle (which she immediately loved), and not only are they sporting their new Christmas pajamas but their Woody and Jessie shirts that they got from Santa in their stockings this year.

Next year . . . there's always next year. I promise to make up for the pictures!

I Heart Faces Challenge: Best Face(s)

2011-01-03T21:17:00.003-06:00

Well, these are the two best faces in my eyes!

To see more "Best Face" photos and to even vote on your favorite, head on over to iheartfaces.

Happy New Year!

Happy Holidays!

2010-12-24T15:00:00.003-06:00

We wish you the the Merriest of Merry, the Happiest of Happy, and all the Peace, Love & Joy that you can handle!

(our holiday card this year)

May you have the best of Holidays!