These are the days!

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYY!!!!!

2011-01-01T09:40:00.003-06:00

I am soooo thankful! It's a NEW YEAR, and my BLOG is back!!! For some reason, it had gone missing for a couple of months, and I was unable to access it. It was a little devestating, truth be told, when I realized that I had neglected to write in baby books like I should have and chose to blog instead (well, until I forgot to post for a good 5 months, but you know what I mean)! ;)

I resolve to be better about posting, and am so excited that I still have access to this blog!!! Woohoo! Happy 2011 to our wonderful friends and family!

2010-07-17T21:26:00.002-05:00

Singin' in the Rain...

2010-06-09T22:18:00.001-05:00

Today...this very day...we played in the rain. Two times. Well, C&B played in the rain, as I looked on happily from under the cover of Mimi's garage, or our front porch roof. But man, it doesn't take much! They were so excited..stomping around in their rain boots, dancing, twirling. I've decided that we're going to play in the rain more often...maybe I'll even join in next time!!! ;)

My Sweet Kiddos..

2010-06-09T22:14:00.003-05:00

SPRING...

2010-04-23T21:51:00.006-05:00

I LOOOOVE Spring!!! Here are a few photos to document this gorgeous time of year!

Also, I've started another blog, in case you're interested, oh faithful readers! ;) Dedicated to my old and new creative ventures, helping me navigate my way through motherhood. You can go here, if you want to check it out!

HAPPY SPRING to ALL!!!! ;)

Coloring Eggs....(Sort of) :)

2010-04-03T21:38:00.010-05:00

First, all was fine and well, as the eggs were nicely bathing in the dye-filled water....

Connor was really concentrating on coloring on his, and getting his egg to that perfect shade of green...

And, then, Connor laughed himself SILLY!!

And this is why! :) Brooke was coloring more of herself, than the eggs! ;)

And, voila...the finished..."product" :)

Happy Easter, and remember John 3:16, "For God so loved the world, He gave His only son, that who so ever would believe in Him, should not perish but should have ever-lasting life."

And then she was.....TWO!

2010-03-31T07:29:00.004-05:00

Oh Brooke, my sweet, happy, vibrant, singing, dancing, energetic, inquisitive, and highly-affectionate baby girl. How Mommy adores you! I can barely remember what life was like without you (though I think it may have involved a teensy-tiny bit more relaxation--but who needs relaxation, anyway? ;) You are the sunshine of our lives, and nothing makes my day more than when you run up to me, wrap your sweet, chubby little two-year old arms around the neck, and shower me with kisses! Sigh... You are wise beyond your years, and keep all of us on our toes, as your curiousity can sometimes get the better of you! Brookie, it's been two whole years since your sweet, shiny, PINK presence burst into this world, and we are soooooo very blessed because of this. Mommy, Daddy, and Connor love you dearly (as do your grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends).
There isn't a day that goes by that I don't thank the Lord for the gift of having a daughter...and especially because that sweet daughter is YOU. May the Lord bless you, keep you, make His face shine upon you, and give you peace.....today, and always. Oh how I love you, sweet girl.

Sweet....

2010-03-22T14:05:00.003-05:00

Doing the "Green" Thing...

2010-03-18T21:37:00.008-05:00

St. Patrick's Day was yesterday, and we celebrated with our dear friends...not only St. Paddy's Day, but also the combined birthdays of Ms. Sadie, and Ms. Brookie..both who have turned (Sadie) or will be turning (Brookie) two this month. Steph and I were pregnant together, and watched as our bellies grew (mine MUCH more than hers, even though she spent 20+ weeks of her pregnancy on strict bedrest), and grew. We got together each week at her house for a Bible Study, and had such a special bond as we prayed together for the health and safety of our little ones, and leaned on each other for strength and support. Which is why Brookie and Sadie have been friends from day one!!!! We have had so much fun watching these precious little ladies grow, laughing at their wild antics, comparing notes, and wondering what the future will hold! I hope and pray that they will be wonderful friends for years and years to come.....Happy birthday month Sadie and Brookie!!! We love you!!

Best of Friends...though Sadie looks a little afraid of Brooke's affections in the first pic! ;)

We had chocolate cupcakes to celebrate...Sadie was seriously cracking us up with hers..she really liked it, and really liked showing us how much she liked it! ;)

Sophie got to wear her mommy's dress that her Grammy made her Mommy, circa 1970...something! ;)

All the kiddos together...

A Few More Pics from the Sunny South....

2010-03-18T19:56:00.007-05:00

Salt Water, Sunshine, and the LOooooong Plane Ride Home!

2010-03-18T08:25:00.015-05:00

Last week, we ventured down to Naples, Florida to enjoy some southern sunshine, and some of our most fabulous family members who reside there (and some who were visiting, like us...a.k.a. Mimi and Gramps). Fun, fun, fun, in the sun, sun, sun...(and the rain, rain, rain, two of the five days)! The rain allowed for us to do some fun trips, though..we went to the local zoo (formerly "Jungle Larry's" for those of you who know Naples), shopped at Tin City, had dinner at the Riverwalk Cafe, and meandered down 5th Avenue...some of my most favorite things to do!

We drank a lot of these.... ;)

And we did a lot of this (albeit the horrible sunscreen rashes both kids got...FYI, if you're looking to buy sunscreen for this awesome spring weather that is finally here, avoid the aveeno baby..eeeks!)

And loved seeing Aunt Marce, Uncle Ross, Tim, Andy, and last but not least, the matriarch and patriarch of the family, Nana and Papa! ;)

The flight home was pretty much...awful. As you can imagine, my child who doesn't like to sit for two minutes, had a pretty horrific time trying to sit still for over two hours. She literally CLIMBED me, pulled my hair, yelled, kicked, and made the flight oh, so NOT enjoyable. Can you believe I actually brought a BOOK in our carry-on bag? The poor guy sitting next to us...ugh! I told Daddy that next year we're ALL going down (he stayed home and continued our "hardwood floor" project and worked..)! We had a blast, though, and miss our Naples family so much, already!!!

Let the Sun Shine!

2010-03-08T20:09:00.002-06:00

It's amazing what a little bit of warm sunshine on your face can do for a weary spirit! It's been such a long time since we were able to get outside and play, and run around, comfortably, without snowpants, coats, hats, mittens, and the whole winter get-up! Today was gorgeous--high 50's and pure sunshine. The kids and I put on our boots (as the snow is still melting, so it's muuuuddy out there ;) and went "exploring" in the wooded area behind our house. They thought it was the.greatest.thing.ever...seriously. They were so excited! We found a little stream that we had never really explored before and that was the icing on the cake! So much fun...I was giddy right along with them!
We needed this. We lost one of my mom's very dear friends to breast cancer last week, and it's been a little emotionally taxing. She was an incredible woman, self-less, and with abounding faith. Her service was amazing, but really pulled heart-strings that I wasn't quite ready to have pulled. Gretchen battled cancer for 13 years, and was diagnosed right after the birth of her third child. She did it with such dignity and grace, and the impact she had on everyone around her was so evident, especially at her time of passing, and it was yet another reminder of how much we need to savour every moment, and make the most of each second we are given on this earth!
So, the sunshine was good, and we made the most of it! The kids have had a rough couple of weeks due to bronchitis, and an ear infection. We had a week or so of redemption, and they seem to have been hit again. I just spent 20 minutes in Connor's room while he sweated in my arms, having night terrors. Too much medication, I am sure! The poor baby's lungs are the recipients of each and every cold virus that comes along, and he wheezes, and coughs something painful....meaning sleep doesn't come easily, to any of us! Tonight will probably not be very restful being that I had to give him benedryl, xopenex, and pulmicort before bed. I hate it, and I hate that he suffers. It's so hard to watch his little body struggling to breathe. It's at these times that I am reminded of the fact that we HAVE medicine to give our children, as well as doctors to over-see their care. As horrible as it is to watch your child in pain, at least we know that we have remedies for their ailments. I cannot imagine having to sit and watch as your child suffers, and not be able to get the medicine that they need. I just finished reading McMama's blog before I heard Connor's cries. She and her husband are visiting Kenya with Compassion International. Wow....puts things in perspective, that's for sure.

Anyway...I apologize for the rambling...I think I'm ready for bed, so I'm just "streaming" right now! ;) The kids and I leave for Florida this week, and we're really excited!! Just hoping and praying that the sickies are left behind when we board the plane (and that no other sick germs attack while we fly--should I make them wear masks? :)

Have a blessed week!!! More from the sunny south!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just about 22 hours of heaven....

2010-02-21T17:56:00.014-06:00

Wow....getting away was...incredible. Isn't it amazing how you don't realize how much you NEED to get away until it happens. Sometimes it seems like too much effort/money/production/etc., but it's so worth it, and necessary. I feel like I need to step back at times from my role as mommy, teacher, house cleaner, and all of the tasks that go along with each of these roles, and just....be.

Tommy and I left one sick kiddo, and one, hmmmmm...."extra-energetic" kiddo with my parents on Thursday...well, actually, with Tommy's parents at first, they were then picked up by my mom later that afternoon--gotta love having two sets of grandparents near by! ;) We drove about an hour until we reached our gorgeous destination. Nestled into the hills and trees, among 120 acres of incredible landscape, we checked into the charming Scottish Inn. There is something about the feeling of not having to rush to do anything, be anywhere, or tend to someone else's needs that allows one to completely relax. We arrived at 3:00pm, and the cocktail hour before dinner wasn't until 6:30. My first thought was to take a nap (of course), but instead we decided to take advantage of the beautiful setting and get outside.

One of the foundations of Tommy and my relationship is exploring the terrain together--doing physical things, and being outside. In the summer, we love to go for long walks together. When we vacation on the beach, one of our most favorite things to do is walk the beach all day long. Some of the things we used to do all of the time are no longer regular occurrances due to the kiddos. Don't get me wrong--we do get outside together as a family quite a bit. But to be together, just the two of us, amidst the most beautiful backdrop I have witnessed in quite some time was divine. Ahhhhhhhhh.......I felt like I was myself. Just me....a glimpse of who I used to be in my earlier years! ;) And together, we felt so young and carefree!!! It was invigorating and romantic just the same! It made me realize just how important it is to take time out in your marriage to do the things you adore doing as a couple. So often we do things by ourselves, or with the kids, or with our respective friends....but neglect to do things as a couple. This was so good for us, and made us appreciate each other so much!

Can you believe the size of the icicles in the gorge? Amazing!

Here's Tommy hanging out next to them, for reference of their size!

Remember when I posted about getting new boots? My old UGGS have had it, and it's time for some new ones. Well....still never got them. Soooo, it was a little treacherous, hiking through the snowy trails in boots with no traction what-so-ever. I did slip and fall quite a few times. So, when Tommy decided to go down into the gorge, I stayed at the top and looked on. He disappeared down at the bottom, exploring and galavanting through the caves. I enjoyed the quiet. It was breath-taking. Sooooo quiet you could hear a pin drop. The only sounds were that of my breath, and the occassional rustle of the wind through the trees causing a gentle mist of snow to cascade from their sheilding branches. God's creation at it's finest. Glorious.

After hiking, it was nice to return to our cozy room, turn on the fire, and get ready for dinner. Six courses. Divine. Dinner was served by candlelight, and as we ate, we watched the flicker of the candle reflect in the window next to our table, illuminating the dripping icicles hanging along the roof line. The main course was filet mignon...usually one of our favorites. Unfortunately, the chef prepared it in a soy sauce making it a little too salty for our liking, but it was still amazing, and we were soooo full from the previous four courses, that it didn't really matter, anyway.

We were able to get out and hike again the next morning after a delightful breakfast, which consisted of the most wonderful homescones and Scottish oatmeal I've ever tasted.

So refreshing, renewing, and nice to be together. 22 hours of heaven...that's what it was!

Happy Anniversary!!!

2010-02-17T08:10:00.004-06:00

Nearly eight years ago, Tommy and I said our "I-do's" on a bright, sunny, 50 degree day, that made conditions perfect for taking pictures outdoors! I wore a strapless dress, and was so warm due to the brilliant sunshine, blue skies, happiness and adrenaline, that I was able to get all of my outdoor shots without wearing a cape around my shoulders! My poor bridesmaides must not have been quite as high on adrenaline, as I do believe they froze in their strapless gowns, taking pictures outside the church with bare shoulders and arms! ;)

Our wedding was perfection, aside from the groomsmen (and women) dropping like flies with various illnesses...Tommy's one and only sister was so excited to be his best (wo)man, and was over-taken by the flu during our rehearsal dinner. God bless her, she made it to the wedding, flu and all, but was in no shape or condition to walk down the isle...I can't believe looking back, that she made it at all--unable to keep anything down! Poor thing! Thankfully her husband stepped in as a groomsmen!
One of the problems with holding a winter wedding, and flying people in from all over the country, is the germs that come with them...especially on planes! Tommy's poor eldest brother (who had graciously stepped in as his best man) made it through half of the ceremony, until, over-taken by strep throat and the overwhelming urge to faint, had to step down and sit out the rest....meaning Tommy's next brother stepped in as the best man, and was forced to write a speech on the way over to the reception--which was actually very well-written and poignant!

But, other than all of the illness in Tommy's poor family, our wedding was perfect--a dream come true! :) Eight years ago on February 23rd we promised to love each other, respect each other, be true to each other, in sickness and in health, through thick and thin, kids and tantrums, puppy training, potty training, breastfeeding, no sleep, times when the money is flowing, and when it comes to a complete hault, grumpy times, and happy times, through moves, new jobs, lost jobs, births, and deaths, new wrinkles, balding heads, and graying hair (all due to the two who joined us since our wedding ;)...we've seen a lot in eight short years. And though at some points I'm sure we've re-neged a bit on our promise to respect, I know that we have never stopped loving. And that promise remains true today, tomorrow, and always! (And the respect thing--well, that's always a work in progress, and has gotten a lot better over the years! ;)

In order to celebrate eight years together, we are going away tomorrow night. A beautiful Scottish Inn amidst a hundred acres of hiking trails in the middle of the snowiest winter we may have ever seen, awaits us. A six course meal, and a beautiful room looking over the woods...and, no kiddos! For 24 hours....bliss! ;) We are very excited, and although our time away will be short, it will be worth every second, I am sure! Happy anniversary my love...looking forward to an eternity together with you!

xoxoxoxo!

I WON, I WON!!!!!!!!!!!!

2010-02-13T14:07:00.002-06:00

I'm soooo excited! I jumped on here to check on all of my lovely friend's blogs, and as I hopped over to With a Chirp, a Buzz, and a Lion's Roar by the lovely Jess (who just so happens to be one of my earliest childhood friends :), I was in shock and awe as I realized I WON HER GIVE-AWAY!!! Woohooo!

Jess is an incredible seamstress and designer of children's clothing, and I'm off to email her Brookie's size and will be overcome with anticipation and excitement, waiting to see what she creates!!!!!!!!!!!!! THANK YOU, JESS!!!

xoxoxoxo!!!

Rockin'

2010-02-12T16:04:00.004-06:00

My awesome friend Heather made this hat for Connor...she needed a project during our winter snowstorm, so she tried something new! How cute is this??? :)

Taken....

2010-02-10T16:25:00.003-06:00

I've been "window shopping" today as I sit from my couch, comfy and SNOWED IN!!! I spied this in the Boden catalogue that came today...I'm taken. I'm contemplating attempting to hand-make one...what do you think? :)

Snowmagoodness....

2010-02-09T12:08:00.010-06:00

The snow began on Friday--the heaviest, fattest, flakes I've seen in a loooong time, falling at the rate of an inch an hour! We had some dear friends over for a playdate...some of whom got to be snowed-in with us a good part of the day!

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And, it kept falling all of Friday night until noon on Saturday! I think we had snowfall totals of 15 or 16 inches....

We had a couple of really cold, sunny days, and voila, it's snowing again! Another 5-8 inches today! Eeeeks! Tommy just got home early, and I cancelled my classes this morning...we're snowed in, again! Thank the Lord for our wonderful neighbors up the street who had Connor over this afternoon, because cabin fever has set in, big-time! ;)

I think I'll attempt to bake shortbread cookies with my new cookie press that was just delivered from the Pampered Chef this afternoon....it's a shortbread kind of day! ;)

Hope you're all staying safe and warm...I know a lot of you are snowed in, as well!!!

xoxoxoxoxo!!!!

Five for Five....

2010-02-03T08:02:00.001-06:00

Copied from. Ms. Marie's blog Every Day Matters

Here’s how it works:

The first five people to leave a comment on this post will get something from me.
But in return, you have to do the same thing on your blog and make something for five other people. The details are as follows, and if you want to play, copy the following onto your blog and leave me a post:

1. I make no guarantees that you will like what I make. Whatcha get is whatcha get.
2. What I create will be just for you, with love.

3. It’ll be done this year (2010).

4. I will not give you any clue what it’s going to be. It will be something made in the real world and not something cyber. It may be weird or beautiful. Or it may be monstrous and annoying. Heck, I might bake something for you and mail it to you. Who knows? Not you, that’s for sure!

5. I reserve the right to do something strange.

6. In return, all you need to do is post this text on your blog and make 5 things for the first 5 to respond to your blog post.

7. Send your mailing address – after I contact you.

Progression of the White Paint Project

2010-02-01T11:26:00.005-06:00

So, we started painting some of our trim last week.....the living room is done, and I was so excited to hang my new espresso colored, silk dupioni drapes from the Barn (as my husband so lovingly refers to it ;), but alas, I'm not too happy with the purchase. To the right, the gold drapes that we already had, and to the left, the espresso colored new drape. Not digging it. Oh well...I have a lot of other stuff to buy still, so that's okay. What do you all think?

Here's a close-up of the mantle:

And, a close-up of one of the pics on the mantle. I found it in the basement last week, and it's hilarious! I can't believe how young we were--16, and 18 respectively...right before T's senior prom! ;)

We still have a lot of work to do--I'll keep updating as more progress is made...but first, that means I have to get back to it...yikeys! ;)

Ms. Brooke

2010-01-27T13:29:00.005-06:00

A little less than 2 months shy of two, and she's definitely a diva in training. Here are a couple recent pics of Ms. Brookie Cookie herself! ;)

Giant Busy Box....

2010-01-27T13:09:00.008-06:00

This was a Christmas gift from my dear Aunt Amy for Brookie....and it's soooo much fun!!! The kids have found so many awesome projects within this giant busy box! Today, we made four paper bag puppets! Connor and Brookie made a cow and a lion this morning, and Connor's friend is over this afternoon and they are currently working extremely hard making an elephant and a frog, respectively!

A perfect way to keep busy on these dreary winter days.... :)

Seriously?

2010-01-25T16:06:00.001-06:00

Did I really type the word "inpact" below in my "Much Ado About Nothing Post"? Seriously.....

Sorry all, apparently the lack of sleep has been affecting me lately. Wait, is it affecting, or effecting? Seriously? Seriously....

XOXO! ;)

A Joyful Heart...

2010-01-23T13:28:00.002-06:00

I think of myself as a happy person, glass half-full (or over-flowing sometimes :) kinda girl. But, as of late, I've caught sight of "Ms. Grumpy Pants" reflecting in the mirror. I don't know why....maybe I'm tired? Maybe I've been burning the candle at both ends...maybe a little bit of everything all thrown in the mix. Connor will say, "Mommy, are you mad at me?"...to which I'll respond (certainly with no grumpy or slightly annoyed undertones)..."NO Connor, WHY would I be mad at you?" Tommy has accused me on quite a few occassions of being grouchy over the last couple of weeks, which then really gets my blood boiling, and makes me even more so, (even though I'm NOT grouchy...of course). ;)

Well, as I told you last time, I've made a few life-style adjustments lately. I'm revamping my eating habits, getting back into the habit of regular exercise, working on some home-improvements....but last night I came to a realization. All of this is well and good, but if I'm not doing these things with a joyful heart, than I might as well not do them at all!!!

I teach music classes for children a couple mornings a week-something which makes me oh, so happy. I consider it more of a priviledge than a job, for the most part! Our extraordinary director had a belated holiday party for all of us last night, and the theme was "Simple Gifts". After a delightfully elegant dinner, she read the words to the Quaker song which says:

'Tis the gift to be simple,
'tis the gift to be free,
'tis the gift to come down where you ought to be,
And when we find ourselves in the place just right,
It will be in the valley of love and delight.

Refrain:

When true simplicity is gained,
To bow and to bend we shan't be ashamed.
To turn, turn will be our delight,
'Til by turning, turning we come round right

'Tis the gift to be loved and that love to return,
'Tis the gift to be taught and a richer gift to learn,
And when we expect of others what we try to live each day,
Then we'll all live together and we'll all learn to say,

Refrain:

'Tis the gift to have friends and a true friend to be,
'Tis the gift to think of others not to only think of "me",
And when we hear what others really think and really feel,
Then we'll all live together with a love that is real.

I adore this song. I've always loved the melody, but never stopped to really let the words sink in. I love the idea of "simple gifts", and a JOYFUL heart! I am so excited to not only begin a few life-style adjustments, but also a reformation of the heart!!!! I have so much to be thankful for--so, so many gifts. And I thank you, all of my wonderful friends and family, for the simple gift of your friendship. And with a joyful heart, I'm off to paint another section of window molding! ;)

Much Ado About Nothing.....

2010-01-20T18:51:00.002-06:00

Sooooo....first and foremost, I need to get my act into gear. Remember all of those lovely posts about running...yeah, I sure was loving it...when it wasn't bittah cold out...like it is now. Now, I'm really enjoying my evenings snuggling in for the night with a glass of wine and some chocolate, or cookies, or something delightfully sinful that's totally unhealthy...whilst crafting, or watching t.v....on my bottom...which is growing larger by the minute!

Ridiculous, I say, absolutely ridiculous! I have got to amend this situation and now. I have a bad habit of just picking at food all day long, insead of planning healthy meals, three times a day. That needs to change, too. So, I am about to begin a reformation...we'll see how it goes...I'll keep you posted! Anna's wedding is in September, and she sent me pics of some ideas for bridesmaid dresses...yep...gotta start working now so that come September, I'll be ready to squeeze myself into one of those hottie dresses! ;) HA!!!! ;)

On a totally different note, we are doing some house reformation, or renovation as the case may be, as well. We didn't build our house, but the people who did opted to put in dark stained trim, throughout. I really, really detest it, but have detested even more the thought of having to 1) replace all of the trim, or 2) PAINT all of the trim....but, we're sucking it up and getting out our painter's tape and our brushes. We're almost done with the living room, and although it does take a lot of time, it's so incredibly worth it. I finished the mantle and the window casings in the living room this afternoon, and the inpact it makes is amazing. New drapes and a few new accessories and at least one room will be good to go....it's a start, at least! :) I'll have to post before and after pics soon!

WINNER, WINNER!!!!

2010-01-15T19:30:00.002-06:00

Thank you so much for all of your entries! ;) I took pics of the kiddos drawing name(s), but alas, the camera is downstairs and I am upstairs, and I think it might be asking too much of my lazy buns to go all the way down there to upload pictures of the official drawing! :) So, you'll just have to trust me on this one!!!! ;)

Because I have TWO kiddos, who bicker over everything, one didn't think it was fair that the other one got to draw a name and he didn't, I had to be fair to avoid an argument, so two names were drawn from from the pile.....

And..............

Heather Beach Photography was drawn by the lovely Brooke! ;)

And................

"So Happily Us" (Margaret) was drawn by the dashing Connor!

Congrats ladies!!! Email me with your info and I'll send out your gifts right away! :)
brookiecookiesbows@yahoo.com

And, to all of you who didn't win this time, no worries...I'm sure you can tell how much I love to give these things away, so we'll do a V-day giveaway in February, fo sho! ;)

Thanks so much for all of your sweet comments and words of encouragement!!!

XOXO,

Liz

Celebrating 200 Posts with a Vimeo...

2010-01-12T06:10:00.003-06:00

Dear readers,

I woke up to an email today from my amazing and beautiful friend, T., who attends Builtmore Baptist Church....an awesome church that has an incredible outreach and ministry and welcomes those from all walks of life with open arms!

I was looking for something neat and exciting to celebrate my 200th post (woohoo! ;), and I think this is just perfect!

I am crying as I write this....what an incredible testimony to the fact that God has a plan for each and every one of us, and there is ALWAYS hope in Him!

Have a wonderful and blessed day!!!

XOXO,

Liz

Happy New Year--Time for Another Give-Away!

2010-01-09T15:10:00.004-06:00

Okay, so I've been busy, busy, busy making these addictive little hair clips and bows....my house is suffering, my kids are sick of the bow habit...well, Connor is, at least, Brookie's like a kid in a candy store b/c my addiction now = her addiction and she has to change her bow at least three times a day! ;) I'm really excited because I've been conversing with a local clothing boutique about selling my accessories there, and we have a final meeting on Friday! Yay!

So, I've gotten a lot better at making these too...I'm learning which clips are best, which ribbon is best, how to heat-treat the ribbon to keep it from fraying, etc...I also just made my first donation to Compassion International with my proceeds, and am so excited that we are able to sponsor a child, and will receive info. about him or her in a week or two!!! I can't tell you how happy that makes me, and I hope my donation abilities are able to be greatly increased as my business grows!

So, in honor of my new found love for all things "ribbony" :), I'm having another GIVE-AWAY!!!! Yay!!!!! It makes me giddy to share these with friends, and one of my lucky bloggy friends will receive a pretty Trio set, a lot like this:

To enter, simply follow this blog if you don't already, and leave me a comment! One entry per comment!!!! We'll draw the winner on Friday, January 15th!!!!!!!!!!!

I wish I could ship all of my friends a Brookie Cookie's Bow, but I'm just not that bountiful, yet. :) However, I can give all of you a great deal....if you place an order on my Etsy site, simply leave a msg. with the order that says "These Are the Days" and you will receive a FREE clip or bow that compliments your order (I'll choose something really pretty ;)! No exclusions, or minimums to your order, either! And, if you spend $20 or more, you'll receive TWO free clips or bows!

Okay, enough promotion of this crazy new venture of mine....please, please forgive me! ;) I promise I'll only do one give-away a month from now on!!!!

XOXO!!! :)

Let it SNOW!!!

2010-01-07T19:30:00.002-06:00

We are in the middle of a winter snow storm which has pounded us all day with gorgeous, powdery, sparkling, white snow. It's been glorious to sit sipping yummy wintery beverages (Guiness was my choice tonight) and marvel at the fact that we have nothing to do (well, sort of ;), and no place to be! Daddy brought snow inside and put it in the kid's water table while I worked upstairs on my bows (I'm addicted, by the way). I heard squeals of delight filtering up the stairs into my office, as they scooped and shoveled the snow!
After I scrambled to make dinner (time passes so quickly while I'm busy crafting) we took the kids out for a night-time snow adventure. Daddy shoveled the driveway and sidewalks, while the kids flopped in, ran on, swept up, and gobbled the snow! They had a ball, and it was so much fun. Connor remarked to me at one point that the snow was sparkling, and it WAS. So beautiful under the street lights. I didn't take pictures, because our escapade was quite impromptu, but it was breath-taking.

I did have a moment when I went chasing after Brookie as she ran down the drive way. Apparently I have no traction on my boots, and my feet flew out from under me and I landed (hard) on my hip and shoulder--taking Brookie down with me! Daddy thought it was quite hilarious as I grumbled about needing new boots, (that's next on my list tonight :). I'm gonna be feeling that one tomorrow, for sure! But other than that we had a brilliant day, and who knows, we might even take a snow day tomorrow, too!!!!

Happy Winter, everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Christmas 2009

2009-12-29T07:26:00.013-06:00

My goodness...it seems like just yesterday I was writing about how EXCITED I was to bring on the holiday season, and now it's wrapping up right before our very eyes!!! But, Christmas of 2009 was a wonderful one, short as it seemed..and, the New Year is upon us. The earth has been blanketed with snow, I'm sipping my coffee, reflecting on the majesty of the season, (as much as one can reflect with two small children dancing and jumping around while Laurie Berkner sings in the background :) and dreaming about how nice it would be to go back to bed to reflect! Ha!

I was dreaming of a white Christmas, and it seemed as if our prayers would be answered, when we received a wonderful Christmas surprise on Saturday the 19th....SNOW!!!! Driving up the hill to my parents house that morning was truly breath-taking. Like a winter wonderland...just heavenly. All the trees canopied the road, and the puffy white snow upon the branches was a graceful and beautiful site to behold! Ahhhhh....Merry Christmas!!! But, the weather forecast was not to cooperate with my dreams for a white Christmas. It warmed up on Christmas eve, though the rain held off--so we had a white Christmas eve, at least. On Christmas morning, we woke up to the rain...pelting on the windows. Ick. But, the magic of Christmas allowed us to forget about the un-cooperative weather, and concentrate on the glory of the day.

The kids definitely made Christmas. Considering they have consumed hardly a morsel of food over the last couple of weeks that doesn't contain sugar as the first and foremost ingredient, they were in super-duper rare form! Brookie was the highlight of Christmas eve, running the "loop" inside my parents house, stripping naked, and slapping her little behind the whole distance. Brad and Anna lovingly dubbed her "cave girl". Even with her beautiful new fur coat from Auntie Anna, she still managed to earn the title with her grunts, points, and crazy antics!

The girl still loves her candy canes!

Opening a present that wasn't even for her....sorry Ellie! ;)

WE all sat down to a wonderful Christmas Eve dinner--minus Daddy, who had to work until 7:45 on Christmas Eve...much to our (and his) dismay. Brad and Anna were the Manhattan makers (gag me with a spoon--I stuck to my vino :), and Mimi even had beautiful table gifts for all. Spectacular!

Table gifts!

Connor and his shades, opening his gift with Gramps!

Brad....beer...Yum!!!

Church was...interesting...the kids aren't so awesome at sitting in church, but we made it! Unscathed...nearly. I was letting Brooke climb the stairs up to the third floor to burn some energy, when she tripped and cracked her head on the metal railing--sending the two nursery workers running out to see what happened. She cried for awhile, and had a good lump, but quickly recovered enough to *almost* disrupt the sermon! Ha! The best part was when I busted out a candy cane before a prayer thinking that would keep them distracted, but instead, Brooke shouts.."YAY, YAY, YAY, YAY" VERY loudly...like I said, the girl loves her candy canes! ;)

After Church, before Christmas Eve presents...

The kiddos in rare form...(or maybe not so rare :)

Trying on my new pj top! ;)

And, our night culminated with a visit from Rudolph. Yes, you read that right, Rudolph. Mr. Connor has decided that he's not such a fan of the Man in red, so we left a letter asking Rudolph to come instead. And, he obeyed Connor's wishes!

He even ate the red pepper (we didn't have any carrots ;)!

Rodolph left some wonderful gifts for us all, and we had a wonderful morning opening presents at home, going back to Mimi and Grandpas (where Santa was permitted to come--since Connor didn't sleep in the premises ;), and then to Grandma and Grandpa Smith's house to have Christmas dinner and open MORE presents! Unfortunately, I didn't bring my camera Christmas day, so you'll have to do without the visuals! :) We had a wonderful Christmas, and are hoping that all of our wonderful friends and family did, too!!

Wishing you all a happy and blessed 2010!!!

XOXO!!!

Okay, you all Made This Easy! ;)

2009-12-16T17:48:00.003-06:00

Shannon, Julie and Jessica......

You're ALL WINNERS!!!! Because I'm really in the Christmas spirit, and am swimming with bows :) I want to send each of you one! Just email me with your info ASAP so I can get it in the mail, ASAP!
brookiecookiesbows@yahoo.com
MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!

XOXO,

Liz ;)

Last GIVE AWAY before CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!

2009-12-15T18:08:00.004-06:00

One more chance to win a custom hair clip before Christmas!!! This lovely little clip is up for grabs--perfect for a stocking stuffer!!!!

This is a quick turn-around due to time constraints.....we'll draw a winner TOMORROW evening......so enter now!!!!!!!! Leave a comment for one entry, and if you follow, that's an automatic second entry!

XOXO,

Liz :)

Christmas Edition of Getting to Know your Friends!

2009-12-14T07:32:00.003-06:00

Here's my version! Now, cut and paste it from here, put it on YOUR blog, with your very own answers!!!! As my friend Jess said over at the Entertaining House, don't be a SCROOGE! :)

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?
Hmmmm...both. I usually wrap until I'm utterly sick of it, and then start pullling out the gift bags as a last ditch attempt to finish! ;)

2. Real tree or Artificial?
Well, sadly enough I have to say we're a big bunch of fakers. Too many allergies in this household (I swear it has nothing to do with the fact that I'm also a little bit lazy and sweeping up pine needles drives me crazy :).

3. When do you put up the tree?
The weekend after Thanksgiving--which is another reason we have to be a big bunch of fakers! ;)

4. When do you take the tree down?
Usually right after New Years Day.

5. Do you like eggnog?
Yum!!! I love everything about it!!! We put it in our coffee every morning during the holiday season...mmmmmmmm!

6. Favorite gift received as a child?
Wow! There were so many! I specifically remember getting a "Teddy Ruxpin" doll that I had really been wanting! Also, one year all of my cousins (girl cousins, that is) and I all recieved Cabbage Patch dolls from our grandparents on Christmas Eve....that was soooo exciting!

7. Hardest person to buy for?
All of the males in my life, with the exception of Connor, who continues to "add" something to his Christmas list at least twice a day! ;)

8. Easiest person to buy for?
Connor and Brooke are tied on this one!!!

9. Do you have a nativity scene?
Yes, but I'm still searching for the perfect place for it. It's breakable, you see, meaning that at the moment it's 15 up on a crazy over-hang in our foyer...and it's pretty much invisible....but it's still intact! ;)

10. Mail or email Christmas cards?
Snail Mail. We had our beautiful cards designed by my friend Steph over at LifePrintsDesigns...it was so much fun seeing what she came up with! I've *almost* got them all mailed...just a few more to go! ;)

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?
Ummmm...how about the most un-romantic gift ever received? That would be a Dyson vaccuum cleaner from my Dear Husband. Now, I really did want this...but unwrapping a vaccuum on Christmas morning leaves a lot to be desired! ;) Other than my diamond ring/earrings, it's definitely gotten the most use of any gift so far, though!

12. Favorite Christmas Movie?
I am in love with Christmas, and Christmas movies. I sincerely miss my little sister this time of year. I have the most wonderful memories of she and I wrapping furiously in my parents basement (usually on Christmas Eve), watching movie after movie..."White Christmas", "Scrooge" (the one with Albert Finney is my favorite), and many, many more. Then, we'd go to sleep together after Church on Christmas Eve, with Nick at Nite's Christmas marathon playing in the background.

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?
I am sooo behind this year. I'm almost done with the kiddos, but that's about it....ugh!

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?
Oh, I'm sure I have! ;)

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?
Everything....Tommy wanted me to go jeans shopping yesterday and I told him he was absolutely crazy! Jeans shopping on the same day you make a zillion butter cookies, a frittata for breakfast, and eat left-over mac and cheese for lunch is NOT the day to try on jeans....yikes!

16. Lights on the tree?
Our main tree in the living room has white lights, but the kids have a smaller one in their toy room, with colored lights. I actually miss having a big tree with colored lights...

17. Favorite Christmas song?
I adore "Oh Holy Night", "Away in a Manger", "Silent Night"....the list goes on, and on, and on! ;)

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home?
We stay in town but travel to both sets of Grandparents (our parents) houses. We spend Christmas eve at my parents, have dinner, go to church, etc., come back home, and let the kids open their presents from "Santa" Christmas morning here. Then, head back to my parents for more presents/brunch, and then to Tommy's parents for more presents and lunch/dinner!

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer?
Yes.

20. Angel on the tree top or a star?
Star. Mimi had to go buy a new star for Connor this year, as ours wasn't "sparkly" enough and this was really bothering him! ;)

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning?
We all get PJ's from Mimi and Gramps on Christmas Eve! Back in the day, before kiddos, Tommy and I used to exchange our gifts to each other on Christmas Eve...so magical and romantic by the twinkling tree lights with a fire going. Now, we're too consumed with getting all the kiddos gifts assembled and set up!!!

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year?
No snow....but rain, instead. Blah!

23. Favorite ornament, theme, or color?
I have many ornaments from my childhood that are dear to me. And, I just love a deep crimson color....yummy!

24. Favorite for Christmas Dinner?
We typically have ham, or turkey with Tommy's parents...

25. What do you want to do for Christmas this year?
I agree with Jess--send the SNOW!!!!

26. Favorite Christmas tradition growing up?
Christmas Eve at my Grandparents house. They had a big, open house, up on top of a hill, with a HUGE great/room. Perfect, perfect for celebrations. This could be a seperate post all of it's own, but we would all arrive sometime during the day on Christmas Eve, play Christmas Carols on the piano, sit by the fire, admire the HUGE pile of presents under the elevated tree! The house was FILLED with people! We would all eat together, get dressed in our special Christmas attire, and head to church--all of us!!! After church we'd all come back to the house, and each grandchild would "perform"--from playing the piano, to the violin, singing, reading the Christmas story, or "The Night Before Christmas" (my specialty :). Then, we would get to open our presents.....talk about worth waiting for! The anticipation was sooo great by that time of the night. I don't think Christmas has ever been the same since my Grandparents sold this house fifteen or so years ago. Oh, to spend one more Christmas Eve in the house in Maplewood.....

27. Favorite tradition now?
Making new memories/traditions with our little family of four! It's so fun to do things with the kiddos like make cinnamon dough ornaments, cookies, etc.

28. Favorite Christmas Memory?
I have way too many. Of course Christmas Eve at my Grandparents house, Tommy and I sitting by the fire and exchanging gifts--one year I got gorgeous diamond earrings, which I still wear almost daily. Seeing Connor's face last year as he emerged down the stairs on Christmas morning. Singing a solo at the Christmas Eve service at church when I was probably seven or eight, and being so nervous that I melted the wax candle in my hand before we performed! ;)

So many memories, and I'm so thankful to have the gift of making new ones!!! Merry Christmas, everybody!!!

LIVE on Etsy!

2009-12-13T18:40:00.001-06:00

Wow!! This was a lot harder of a task than I imagined it to be, but I have a start, at least! Need to re-adjust the header, etc., but, at least I have some items listed...will be doing another give-away this week, so check back for more! :) (Can you tell I adore making these hair clips? ;)
http://www.etsy.com/shop/brookiecookiesbows

Precious Moments....

2009-12-12T21:11:00.007-06:00

I had a bit of a wake-up call yesterday, so to speak. I was having one of those days...trying to get a ton of stuff done, feeling like someone was asking me for something, or to do something (including the dog) every 15 seconds...trying desperately to be productive, but not having much success...yada, yada, yada.

Well, I *finally* got Ms. Brooke down to sleep...ahhhhhh....success!!! I could get the floors clean, and get the laundry started, and all those other tasks I attempt to cram into that lovely period of the day we call "nap time". As I began to busy myself, Connor reminded me that he had slept in his own bed the night before and hadn't yet had his gum ball reward...so, I let him pick a gum ball, and sent him on his merry way. He asked to go play in his room, and I told him he could as long as he promised to be quiet, as his room is right next to Brooke's, and again, naptime is precious....

I finally had the main floor to myself and was extremely thankful. I was beginning to clean the counters when I heard a strange and horrific sound coming from Connor's room. My first instinct was to shout " BE Q-U-I-E-T"....I couldn't believe that he was shrieking like that when I had specifically told him to play quietly in his room...and he promised! But, the awful sound continued--and quickly turned into an eerie gagging noise, and then, it hit me like a ton of bricks...gum ball. He had taken his gum ball with him upstairs...I was so busy worrying about how and when I was going to get everything done that I had forgotten to ask him to bite it in front of me. Panic set in. Like the kind of panic where you break into an immediate sweat and being shaking uncontrollably. I RAN up the stairs where I found Connor half-way down, standing on the landing, grabbing his throat, face beet-red, tears streaming down his cheeks, gasping for air. Words can't describe the fear that gripped me in that moment. Everything I'd learned in the many CPR classes I've taken was a blurry haze...so, I grabbed him instinctually and thumped him on the back, and in that moment I heard a scream from deep within his throat and thought--AIR--he's able to scream so he's getting air--that means that he's breathing!!!!!!!! Thank you Lord, Thank you, Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!!!!!!

I scooped him up carried him to the couch, and held him in my arms while I cried and he cried. We had both been scared beyond belief, and that kind of fear and anxiety brings out more emotions that one can even begin to sort out. We stayed like that for a long, long time, until his little body ceased shaking, and he fell asleep in my arms. I held onto him as tight as possible, stroking his hair, and kissing the top of his head. As I sat there I was faced with pictures of him all around me--on the fridge, on the walls, framed and loose. From Connor as a baby with hair sticking up all over his sweet head, to a picture of he and Brooke taken last fall, laughing together in the double stroller on a care-free September day. I was granted such an incredible realization of just how PRECIOUS life is. I can't tell you the last time my first-born sat on my lap with me for more than 5 minutes--mostly because I'm always jumping up to do something. I don't hold him that much anymore. I encourage independant play. Though we do play together during Brookie's naps a lot of days (Candy Land, or a craft), a good part of the time we're sitting there, I'm not fully enjoying the moment like I should be, but instead, thinking of all the things that need to be done......

Anyway, the point to all this rambling is that I had a great wake-up call yesterday. As I said in a previous post, I am really going to try to slow down this holiday season and enjoy just being. Just doing fun things with the kids without thinking about all of those meaningless things that I need to accomplish. So, this afternoon, Connor and I spent a couple of hours in the "craft room" making hair clips for each of the little girls in his class. Then, we played Candy Land, and I enjoyed every minute of it..."The Year Without a Santa Claus" was on in the background and it was sooo much fun just hanging out and watching it with him. Exactly what I've been wanting to do!

Tonight, we had a quiet evening (both kids have yucky colds again so we had to cancel a get-together with family :(, but we made the most of it! I had sooo much fun dancing around the kitchen, Christmas music playing throughout the house, lights twinkling, all the while making white and dark chocolate covered pretzels! How wonderfully Christmasy! I am soooo thankful for all that we have this year. I could not ask for anything more! We are sooo blessed to have such wonderfully amazing family and friends...and, I'm very thankful that I was given a wake-up call to remember just how precious life is--all life, and to not take for granted a single second of it!

XOXO to you all!

And the WINNERS are...................

2009-12-09T12:39:00.007-06:00

DRUM ROLL.....PLEASE........................

The winner of THIS "Sassy Santa" Bow is:

And, the winner of THIS "Holly Jolly" Bow is:

(uh oh....you're gonna need to surprise one of A's cute little friends!!! ;)

CONGRATS, ladies!!!!! Email me with your contact info (brookiecookiesbows@yahoo.com) and I'll mail them out right away!!!!! Thanks so much to all my readers--we'll have another bow give away soon!!! Yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ;)

What???? Only 17 Days???

2009-12-08T15:19:00.003-06:00

I truly cannot believe that Christmas is only seventeen days away! This happens every year. I wait anxiously, all through November, to officially "let" myself get into the Christmas spirit. I adore this time of year, and each year without fail, I long to recapture those December days from my youth....so, I promise myself that this year, it will be different. I will do something "Christmasy" with the kids each and every day. I will take time to sit and enjoy the smell of something yummy baking in the oven, without rushing around, moving onto the next thing--failing to really STOP and breathe it in. I long for the care-free days of sitting in the little white house I spent the first five years of my youth in on College Street. Making homemade rock candy in our cozy little kitchen with my mom...the smell of *almost* burning sugar wafting from the stove! :) Waking up early to sit by the Christmas tree, staring for what seemed to be hours at the hundreds of twinkling (colored) lights. Taking moonlit walks hand in hand with my daddy up to the Buxton Inn to see the grandoise display of lights--the fresh snow glistening under the magic cast of the street lights. Christmas eve at my grandparents beautiful house in Maplewood....the absolute majesty of hearing "Silent Night" sung accapella at the candlelight service at church.
As I type this, the snow/sleet is falling, while Harry Conick Jr. is belting "Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow" in the background. It is Christmastime. I may not ever be able to recapture the magic of the season like I knew it to be as a child. But, what I forget is that right at this moment, we are spinning the webs of memories that our children will carry with them always. So, as busy as things might seem, as tired as I may be at the end of the day (or the start of the morning :), I will enjoy every minute possible of this holiday season, and we WILL make those paper chains, cinnamon ornaments, popcorn balls, and even go caroling! And instead of trying to recapture something that just might be impossible, I am trying to focus on the birth of our Lord and Savior this December, and teach our children to do so, too! ;) Merry Christmas, dear friends and family!!!!

Brookie was so sweet yesterday, in her little Christmas dress. We were playing dress-up, as she was ready to act as my "bow" model! ;) Now, why didn't I get this sweet picture BEFORE we had the Christmas cards designed? ;)

Because I went CRAZY making Bows... :)

2009-12-05T16:20:00.003-06:00

I'm GIVING two away!!! I want to send one to you!!! Leave a comment here, and "we" (the kiddos) will draw two lucky winners!!! And, you have a REALLY good chance of winning....because this is still a small-time blog!!! Lol!!! :) Love all the readers of this "small-time" blog, though!!!! Oh, and if you follow, you get entered into the drawing automatically (comment and follow and you'll get TWO entries)!!! We'll draw the winners on WEDNESDAY, so check back then!!! Yay...MERRY CHRISTMAS & Happy Chanukah!!! ;)

XOXO to you all (I did consume a glass of wine very quickly before writing this post--can you tell?---I was in charge of the card making activity at Connor's preschool as part of our town's Candlelight Walking Tour today, and I am B.E.A.T.....I think I need another...and another? ;)

Latest (Ad)Venture....

2009-12-04T20:52:00.013-06:00

Tommy is always laughing at me because I'm a dreamer and a schemer...I'm forever coming up with new ideas, projects, time-wasters...you know, things that help me fill my day with color, and creativity! ;) Sooooooo....here is my latest "thing"! I decided to make adorable little hair accessories for all the adorable little girls I know! I know an adorable little lady in a neighboring town who makes these, and she totally inspired me to try it myself. Oh my goodness, I have had sooooo much fun with this!!! If you want a bow, let me know....I'm selling each one at $5 a pop, and 10% of all proceeds goes to Compassion International...an awesome organization!!!! I think I'm going to have too much fun with this...my poor kiddos were fending for themselves quite a bit today...lol...no worries, though, no small children were harmed during the making of these bows...at least, I don't think they were! ;)

Sickos Survive Thanksgiving!

2009-12-01T17:40:00.011-06:00

We are officially a family of sickos! This is day number 12 for Brooke (woke up with a fever AGAIN this morning)...the rest of us have all been sick for well over a week, and are still not up to par. I'm not sure if this is the same bug, or if it morphed, or, if we caught something else over the weekend. In any case, I will be soooooooooo grateful when everyone is healthy and feeling GOOD again!!!!!! But, things could be much worse, so I'm trying to stay positive!

Because of the (s)ickies in our house, we stayed home on Thanksgiving. It was a very quiet day--just the four of us. Tommy wasn't feeling all that bad yet, so he still got up and ran the Turkey Trot--I was so jealous! He finished in the top 5% too, so I was excited for him!!! After the run I cooked my first ever bird, and we dined a "formal" dinner around our table...which was oh, so nice, until about 2.5 seconds into the feast when Connor began spewing his green beans, and Brookie started to re-mash her potatoes with her chubby little fingers. Mmmmmmmmm....a meal fit for....our family, that's for sure! ;)

But I was still proud of my turkey-bird! I used a recipe from W.S., rolling softened butter mixed with turkey herbs into a log, refrigerating, and then, when preparing the turkey, cut the "log" into discs and slid them under the skin. I then filled the bird with apples, onions, and garlic, rubbed it down with olive oil, salt, pepper, and herbs, and added a little white wine to the mix. It ended up being very juicy, and succulent, and we were pleased!!! Yay! ;)

Auntie Teah braved the "infirmary" on Friday, and declared that she didn't care if we had scarlet fever--she was coming over to see us! We love you Auntie Tea! ;) She came bearing gifts, and man oh man, for kiddos who had seen no faces except for mine and Tommy's for a week, they were no less than THRILLED to see Teah's beautiful smiling countenance!

It even SNOWED on Friday morning! It was beautiful, and though it melted quickly, there was time for the kiddos to catch a little fresh air, bundle up, and play outside on the deck for a few minutes, at least! ;) Connor was in seventh-heaven. I still have to get Brooke snow boots for this winter, so all I could find in the closet were a pair of hand-me-downs....which she was not so impressed with. My little diva was stubborn for at least 15 minutes before she finally lamented and let me put the boots on her so she could go out, too! Ha! Auntie Anna, we're pretty sure she might take after you...a little! ;)

Thankfully, Tommy and I felt better by the weekend, so we were able to escape for a little while, and see friends and family. Brad, our Anna's future husband--and his family were in town, too, so it was so wonderful to get to spend time with them. Wow, Anna is going to have so much fun being a part of that family--they are just awesome!

Unfortunately, socializing and talking over the weekend was really hard on the ol' voice, and, I pretty much lost it by Sunday...still waiting to regain it today! But, it was worth it to catch up with wonderful friends, and celebrate the holidays. Bring on December, and we're kicking this flu bug out the door with November! ;)

A Thanksgiving Poem...

2009-11-25T14:24:00.003-06:00

Twas the day before Thanksgiving,
and for weeks and weeks,
Mama was greatly anticipating,
A great pre-Thanksgiving day feast.

The turkey was purchased,
The fridge full and merry,
Sparkling white checked off the list,
As well as red, mulling spices, and cranberries.

Yes, all would be festive,
Filled with holiday cheer,
Fresh crispy green beans, mashed potatoes,
And Great Lakes Christmas Ale beer.

But over the weekend, there arose such a flurry,
Little Brooke's nose was snotty...
Of course we were worried.

And the snotty nose became a chest cold,
And then came the fever,
And yes, we share germs...
I am not a deceiver.

So then Connor was plagued,
And Mommy was beaten,
Daddy didn't feel so hot either,
And no turkey was eaten.

But despite all the germies,
The yucky noses galore,
Despite the body aches and fevers,
and the lack of decor...

We are thankful, you see for each other today.
And for all of you too,
no matter how many miles away.

The Lord has richly blessed us,
with a roof over our heads,
With wonderful friends,
And warm cozy beds.

So we'll pray that tomorrow,
we wake up feeling refreshed.
That the fevers are gone,
And we're back to our best.

That turkey will roast,
and we'll cook those cranberries,
We'll see our dear friends and family,
and all will be merry!

So Happy Thanksgiving,
to all near and dear,
We love you dear friends and readers,
And wish you were here!

You might hear me exclaim,
With all of my might,
"Happy Thanksgiving to All,
And to all a GOOD NIGHT"!!!!

On the Potty...

2009-11-21T14:20:00.004-06:00

Brooke has been obsessed with the potty recently...she does go, though I'm not really "pushing it" yet...basically because I'M not mentally ready to potty train! ;) Check out our little diva in training though--her favorite thing to look at on the porcelin throne is the newest Hanna Anderson catalog! ;)

GIVE AWAY!!!!

2009-11-21T13:55:00.002-06:00

Happy holidays, Happy holidays!!! It's that time of year, and here's a holiday give-away too good not to share! Hop on over to The Entertaining House to enter!!! ;)

XOXO!!!

Some Day I'll Get One!!!

2009-11-16T11:23:00.007-06:00

A Christmas card picture, that is! ;)

My friend Steph launched her new business a couple of months ago, and I'm so excited to have her design our Christmas cards...trouble is, it's REALLY STINKIN' HARD to get a picture of both of kids...together...smiling at the same time! I was literally CHASING Brooke around the yard on Saturday, trying to get THE shot...Connor was great, since I promised him a "treat" if he cooperated, however, Brooke had free-reign (or so she thought) of the front yard (usually off limits to her), so she was in seventh heaven! Here are a few pics from Saturday...we'll have "round two" after I rest-up and recover a little bit! ;)

Three Weeks....

2009-11-09T09:05:00.002-06:00

They say it takes three weeks to form a habit...three weeks to get into a routine...three weeks of doing something on a regular basis to really have it become a part of your day to day living. Yesterday marked three weeks since I began running again. At first, I was a bit skeptical. I had begun again last summer, but my knee really started to act up so I didn't make it very long, at all.

But, alas, my wonderful husband has been diligently running this summer, and inspiring me (better late than never, right? :) He wanted to run The Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning...a 5K that raises money for the local food bank and takes place in our town. I thought about it, and decided that I, too, would trot along...I needed a goal, something to aspire to! So, three weeks ago yesterday, I went to a little shop downtown that specializes in running shoes. Spent a lot of time in there, trying to find the perfect pair (and ended up with a pair of Mizunos, which I love :), got some new running attire at Target, and got back in the saddle again!

Sooooo, it's been three weeks of running five days a week. I've increased my stamina to 3 1/2 miles, and it feels soooo good. I've missed the burn, and the feeling of satisfaction I get when I break a sweat, stay focused, and actually make it all the way up that hill without stopping to catch my breath!!! I have great ideas, now...I want to run a half marathon next summer!!! I know it's a lofty goal, and I don't do too well running in the cold, so it will be hard to train this winter (of course we got rid of our treadmill last year...ugh!) But, it is another goal, and we'll see how it goes!!! The good thing is, unlike my lovely husband, I am soooo not competitive, so any goal I have is just for myself. I have no time in mind, no records I want to break, I just want to keep up this habit...it's such an awesome time to de-stress, think, and pray!!!

Of course, I haven't lost a pound, but that might be due to having this dang Halloween candy around! :)

Halloween...is Ovah!!!

2009-11-01T15:29:00.005-06:00

And, I'm glad. :) Don't get me wrong, it was fun and all, but our kids aren't the best with costumes (Connor finally wanted to wear a costume this year, but Brookie down-right refused to put on anything except for her cute tutu--thanks Jo ;)--and, I just don't do "scary". Not really a fan. But, we had fun. We Trick-or-Treated, and Connor had a costume parade at pre-school which was pretty darn adorable, and now we have an incredible mound of candy that forces me to run at least three miles a day to negate the effects of. Ugh!!!

How excited am I though, that now we are OFFICIALLY into the HOLIDAY SEASON..(if, like I do, you understand the beginning of the "holidays" to start the first of November. ;) Woohooo!!!!

Cave Explorers!!!

2009-10-31T13:00:00.010-05:00

We had an awesome day yesterday, visiting our good friends down in the southeastern part of the state. It was a spectacular day, our first hint of Indian Summer. Brilliant sunshine, and temps in the high seventies. I had such a fantastic time in the car driving both there, and back. The kids were pretty entertained with a DVD, while I sat in the driver's seat, admiring the gorgeous scenery, and reminiscing about time gone by. I attended college very close to where our friends now live, and I made this trip many, many times during that time in my life...under much different circumstances, though! ;) It made me feel young again....until I'd survey my surroundings...glance at the rearview mirror and see the two kiddos in the back seat, and then realize that I was cruisin' in a mini-van. Well, it was still an awesome day, even if I can't even pretend I'm 21 again for more than a split second!!! ;) Thanks Hannah, for hosting us...we had such a wonderful time, and can't wait to visit again, soon! And now, for a WHOLE SCHLEW of pictures.... :)

Happy Birthday, Annabelle!!! ;)

2009-10-26T07:49:00.003-05:00

The lovely Anna's birthday was Saturday!!!! We love you sooooo much, Annabelle, miss you *almost* as much, and pray for you every day!!!! Happy, happy birthday, sweet girl!!! ;)

Fellow Mommies.....I WANNA KNOW!!!!!!

2009-10-19T09:06:00.001-05:00

Okay fellow mommies of toddlers (or kiddos who previously were toddlers)...please, please, please share some tips with me regarding HOW YOU GET ANYTHING DONE productively, without losing your patience a zillion times!!! Take cleaning, for instance. Today is my "cleaning" day. I am currently in the middle of cleaning the kitchen floor. As I stopped to check email, this is what happened...the "poltergeists" have attacked, again....or rather poltergeist, as Brooke did this on her own, Connor just came over once he saw what fun she was having. Mind you, they have a whole toy room and living room they can play in--15 feet away. They can do whatever their little hearts desire in there while I clean in the kitchen...I don't care...I just want 15 minutes to clean the kitchen floo

I give Brookie the dustbuster and let her help vaccuum...I let them "help" me wash windows...we took the pack and play away, because that just became a huge collector of toys...a.k.a...CRAP, so that's no longer an option. And, naptime is sporadic and questionable, so I can't always wait for that each day. Please, please, please...any tips or advise on how to keep an intense, high-energy, creative little 18 month old spirit occupied for 15 minutes, in a DIFFERENT area than I'm in, would be ever-so-helpful...as I'm about to lose my ever-lovin' mind!!! ;)

"Connor-isms"...the Latest and the Greatest.....

2009-10-12T07:48:00.003-05:00

Just a few funny things our ever-thinking four year old has come up with, lately! :)

Mommy (TO DADDY): "I don't know what we are going to do about Brooke. Time-outs don't work, nothing works...we need to figure out a form of discipline that will WORK!!!"

Connor: "Mommy, I think you need to build her a dog cage......that's the only thing that's going to work." ;)

I guess little ears are always listening to grown-up conversations! ;) We laughed sooo hard (after explaining that though this might be just the ticket, it is highly illegal, and mommy and daddy would most certainly get in big trouble). I'm pretty sure he understood...hopefully.... ;)

.....................................................................................

We were out for a walk recently, and the weather was undoubtedly chilly. We only made it a little ways down our street before turning around and heading for home.

Mommy: "It is FREEZING out here. Connor, I'm going to need to drag out your big, puffy, winter coat. I can't believe how cold it is already!"

Connor: "Mommy, what does puffy mean?"

Mommy: "You know, like, big, squishy, lumpy...remember?"

Connor: "Ohhhhhhh...you mean like your tummy????"

Mommy: *Sigh*, "Exactly".... ;)

.....................................................................................

Connor and Gramps were sitting watching TV the other day, and this wonderful convo. was relayed back to me. Apparently, a commercial for a toothpaste dispenser came on.

Connor: "Oh Gramps, I wish Mommy would buy one of those things for her toothpaste."

Gramps: "Really, Connor? Why???"

Connor: (Sighs)..."Cause her bathroom is suuuuuch a mess..."

Thanks, Con! ;) I really appreciate you looking out for the cleanliness of my bathroom!!! Time to learn how to scrub out a sink and a toilet...bathtub, too! ;)

It's Been Crazy Around Here!

2009-10-09T07:25:00.002-05:00

Wow...gone are the leisurely summer days, spent lazing (er, rather, chasing after two kids) by the pool, playing outside until the sun goes down, evening walks around the neighborhood, playgrounds, parks, heat, humidity. Fall is here, and I think WINTER is following quickly in her footsteps. It's COLD here. It's been rainy and chilly, and those crazy weather-people are calling for scattered SNOW showers on Monday. What?!? It's the beginning of October, people...how is that possible?

The days are shorter, and we're trying to cram as much as possible into each one. Preschool, playdates, visits to pumpkin patches, and the apple orchard, Soccer, and Music classes, and me teaching three mornings a week...it's a tad bit crazy around here. Which, makes me really and truly appreciate mornings like this one, where I can savor my coffee with a hint of gingerbread spice (and no, Brooke is not going to indulge in my creamer today, FB friends, I promptly put it back into the fridge after each use now :), and lounge around in my pj's with my hair a frazzled/frizzled mess. A trip to Target is in order though (woohoo--I looove any excuse to get to Target :), so, I'll probably go run comb through my hair, throw it back, and get the kiddos into their gear--jeans, sweaters, coats..ugh..., and make sure to pick up some play-dough so I can have 30 minutes this afternoon to get a little work done!

Much ado about nothing, I guess! ;)

It's Beginning to Feel a lot Like......

2009-09-25T11:39:00.004-05:00

FALL!!!!!! It's in the 60's today, and though it's overcast and gray, there is a little nip in the air, and we've lost some of our yucky humidity. I've been sooo looking forward to pot roasts, chili, pumpkin bread, spiced cider on the stove, and all of the other yummy delicacies that go hand-in-hand with the season.

Soooo....I have this ready to go in the oven. I have all afternoon to cook it nice and slooooooow....yum!

And, I just pulled this out of the oven. Pumpkin chocolate chip bread..mmmmmmmm......

I love fall!!!!

Brilliance...

2009-09-16T08:19:00.009-05:00

We have had the most glorious September...beautiful, gorgeous, amazing...BRILLIANT! The skies have been robin's egg blue, with a few whispy clouds here and there...the colors are already stunning, and fall has only just begun to grace us with it's presence. I love, love, love this time of year!

My birthday was on Sunday, and after church, we had no plans at all...the weather was simply perfect so we knew we had to do something outside. On a whim, we packed the kids up and headed to our local arboretum. It was a perfect birthday. After walking for a couple of hours, and taking lots of pictures (one of my very favorite things to do :), we headed to our local market and bought dinner items, grilled up some salmon, with fresh herb salad (my favorite), and sat outside eating and sipping Mojitos. A perfect end to a perfect day!!!

Happy Birthday, Connor!!!!!

2009-09-10T07:49:00.014-05:00

My "baby" boy turned four on Monday!!!! Wow, was it ever a whirl-wind day! Daddy was out of town all weekend getting the jet-ski ready to be "winterized"....(no tounge in cheek here, I promise ;). So, kiddos and I were left to our vices, getting ready for Connor's big birthday bash on Labor Day. Thank the Lord Mimi was around to help with the kids, because it was seriously CRAZY!!! Trips to the store (several), trying to stain deck furniture before the party, keeping the house in order, the kids entertained, and getting up in the middle of the night to feed nebulizer treatments to a sick boy....the night before his birthday. Ugh.

But, we did it. By the time Tommy got home on Monday, we were all at the end of our ropes. The kids were tired from lack of sleep and a big weekend. Tommy was exhausted from getting up before 3am to make the drive back from the cottage, and I was so spent I felt sick to my stomach, and thought of nothing but going back to bed all morning. But, we had a big, fat, party to get ready for. And, it was raining, no less. So, following in the footsteps of my friend Jess, I put on my big girl panties, and trucked on. I told Tommy that this was not about us, this was about Connor, and even though we were ready to drop, we needed to buck up, smile and get this party rollin'!

And...we did....and, we had FUN!!! Lot's of FUN!!! Connor had a blast, and loved his party so much! Everyone was AMAZING...pitching in, helping with all the details! We have such awesome friends and family, and it made the day so much better! Happy 4th Birthday, my little Buggy-boo!!! We love you more than words can say! (Next year, we might just go see a movie to celebrate your b-day, though! ;) LOL!

Connor's big present from us--his "Star Wars" room...of course, he wanted the light saber OFF the wall! ;)

Birthday moring!!!

Running around in the rain to try out his new sprinkler (which lasted all of 30 minutes before totally deflating ;)

Cake time!

Blowing out the candles...thought about his cold after the fact...sorry friends! Good thing most of the other kids had colds too. :(

Waiting patiently!

Pinata--Connor's favorite part! ;)

Brookie liked that Pinata, too!

And finally, with his birthday crown, celebrating at school!

Goin' to the Chapel...

2009-09-06T08:04:00.005-05:00

My beautiful sister got engaged this weekend to the love of her life!!! Anna, we loooove you sooooo much, and couldn't be happier to welcome Brad into the family (that could have some crazy ramifications, especially with Tommy for a brother-in-law)! ;) Love you both dearly!!! CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Time...where has it gone???

2009-09-02T16:07:00.005-05:00

Time is ticking away as I write this. I have so many things to do, and so little time...the clock reads 5:07. Tommy will be home in 30 minutes or so. I have nothing for dinner (can I give him mac & cheese? Will he mind a hot dog for the second night in a row? ;), the loads of laundry need to be switched before that yucky smell sets in, there are toys all over the house, the dog wants to go out for the 900th time today...time...there is never enough of it, yet I have a sense these last couple of days that I need to cherish every second of this incredible phase in our lives.

Yesterday, my Connor started preschool. A milestone, yes, but nothing to cry over! Nothing to get incredibly emotional about...right??? Ugh...tell a first-time mama (to an almost 4 year old) that! ;) Preschool starts at 12:30, so at about 10:00 yesterday morning, I looked outside at the breath-takingly beautiful blue sky, and decided we couldn't NOT go for a walk on this crisp September morning. It was PERFECT, gorgeous, GLORIOUS even. Temps. in the low 60's, very slight breeze, and brilliant sunshine. I pushed Brookie in the stroller, and Connor walked beside me, stopping to look at bag worms, snail shells, and of course, to pick his mama many, many dandelions and stalks of Queen Ann's Lace. Some of the time, we walked hand in hand.

I breathed in heavily, glancing down at his not-so-chubby-anymore little hand in mine, as he skipped along. So much ahead. So many things to look forward to! Right now, he's ever so anxious about me leaving him at school, but when will the day come when he says, "Mo-om, please don't come INTO my room when you come to pick me up from school--it's soooo embarrassing"...remember those days? I sure do (so sorry, Mom :). I had such a sense of what a BLESSING we have been given..getting to raise these incredible little beings. Watch them grow and learn and become their own special little people. Wow. A song kept playing in my head...a song my mom used to sing to me, that her father used to sing to her....

TURN AROUND
Written by: Harry Belafonte, Alan Greene & Malvina Reynolds

Where are you going
My little one, little one
Where are you going
My baby, my own

Turn around and you’re two
Turn around and you’re four
Turn around and you’re a young girl (boy)
Going out of the door

Turn around, turn around
Turn around and you’re a young girl (boy)
Going out of the door

Where are you going
My little one, little one
Little pigtails and petticoats
Where have they gone

Turn around and you’re tiny
Turn around and you’re grown
Turn around and you’re a young wife
With babes of your own

Turn around, turn around
Turn around and you’re a young wife
With babes of your own

Where have they gone
My little ones, little ones
Where have they gone
My babies, my own

Turn around and they’re young
Turn around and they’re old
Turn around and they’re gone
And we’ve no one to hold

Turn around, turn around
Turn around and they’re gone
And we’ve no one to hold

Where are you going
My baby, my own

Of course, I did get a little teary during circle-time at preschool (the parents got to stay the first day). Watching my little man follow directions, find his name, and work through some real anxieties. But, good tears...only good tears. The best is yet to come, I am sure! :) Congrats to all the other "big kids" who started (are starting) school again this fall!!! Prayers for a wonderful year!!!

SOCCER STAR!!!

2009-09-01T08:12:00.005-05:00

Last night marked the end of baby-hood, and the beginning of life with a busy pre-schooler! ;) Connor had his first soccer practice/game, and even scored a goal for the "green team"! It started out a little rocky at first...not quite sure he wanted to play with new friends, especially when he "couldn't remember their names". He would cry a little, then buck-up, and do what he was told by his coaches (who are incredible, by the way)! Daddy had to encourage Mommy not to run out on the field and hold his hand, (literally)...so, Mommy and Brookie stayed on the sidelines (with Mimi and Grandpa who showed up for support ;), and watched. Wow--I never realized how hard it would be to refrain from running out there to wipe your child's every tear!!! :) It was so good for our little man, though. I let Daddy take the lead and provide most of the encouragement..which was a good thing in this situation!

By the end, he was thrilled, and we were the last ones to leave the field. He and his good friend Ellie, from down the street--who happens to be on the blue team, stayed and practiced for a good 45 minutes after his official practice ended. They had a blast, and he was chatting up a storm about his new-found love for the game of soccer the whole way home! So adorable! I was so proud of Connor, though. He's very "slow-to-warm-up" and has trouble adjusting to new situations. But, he hung in there, worked through the tears, made some new friends (maybe next week he'll remember their names :), and even scored a goal!!!! Yay!!!! Today marks the start of his first year of pre-school...praying that goes just as well! At least moms/dads get to stay for the first day!!!

New Scoots for Fall...

2009-08-28T07:19:00.006-05:00

Mimi and I took the kids shopping the other day to get a few things, including new fall shoes! I am always amazed when the shoe salesperson measures their little feet and I discover that I've been literally CRAMMING their feet into too-small shoes for a couple of months...ooops! ;) Brookies shoes were all size 4's, and she's now measuring a 5 1/2...sorry Brookie!

She is very proud of her new kicks--they sparkle, and Connor helped her pick them out--(If it was up to her she would have purchased one of each of the display shoes in Nordstroms). Poor salesman, we were "those people" who made him pull out like 50 pairs of shoes! It looked like a tornado hit by the time we left! Ha!

Yep, that's my MAN....

2009-08-27T13:40:00.003-05:00

After power-washing the deck and furniture all day! ;)

Welcome, Fall!

2009-08-27T08:22:00.004-05:00

Oh my goodness--September is going to be such a busy month! I am excited for all of the new things to come...Connor will be starting soccer, and pre-school, both of our birthdays are this month, I start teaching again mid-September...busy, busy, busy!

As fall approaches, and summer comes to an end, I find myself becoming a little nostalgic. Four years ago at this exact time, I was on bed-rest with Connor--our first little bundle of joy, waiting (quite impatiently :), for him to be born. August was an especially HOT month that year, and September did not give way to cool weather as I had hoped. I was H.U.G.E and pregnant...seriously--if I weren't so disorganized with pictures, and had actually transferred all of our files over from our old laptop, I would post one here. When I think about these feelings of nostalgia, I have to laugh. At the time, I was miserable. I was scared for my health, my baby's health (I had high blood pressure and tons of swelling), I was so fearful about having to return to work, nervous about bringing home a new infant...our life as we knew it was about to change in every tiny little aspect.

I think the reason I become sentimental when I see the first leaves start to turn, or when I begin to hear the count-down for the re-emergence of college (a.k.a. OSU football), or when I smell and autumn-scented candle, is that I treasure that time in my life soooo very much. It was the hardest, most intense thing we have ever done--going through a difficult pregnancy, having an extraordinarily rough delivery, having to return to the hospital five days post-partum because my blood pressure was out of control, and then being released on my 27th birthday--a clear sign from the Lord to me that He was always holding us in the palm of His hand, and then finding our two months later that Connor would need to have surgery....intense, to say the least. But, oh, the joy....I cannot begin to describe the joy.

Bringing a baby home is soooo incredible, and I'm so thankful to the Lord that He is given us this amazing opportunity two times. I will always love this time of year, as summer gives way to fall. As we get ready to begin a new school year, and the schedule fills up. I will never forget laying on my couch, surrounded by books and TV, magazines, my lap-top, and lollipops (helped to encourage the baby to move so I could keep up with my "kick-counts" :). Those were the last boring and quiet days of my life for many, many years to come. The last time I searched for things to fill up the very long days...waiting, anticipating what was in store.

Welcome, fall! Welcome, September!!! I'll have much more to post about, very soon!!!!

Favorite Summer Memories....

2009-08-22T18:22:00.004-05:00

I just hopped on Jess's (The Entertaining Mom's) blog, to read her latest new and delicious post, and was thrilled to discover her "Favorite Summer Memories"....makes me miss summer already--and, it's not even gone yet! Make sure you stop by and read her post...a taste of a real New England summer....ahhhhh! Since she tagged me, I guess I'll give you a taste of an Ohio summer...doesn't quite have the same flair, now, does it? :) But, you get a taste of it anyway! Ha!

Favorite Summer Movie: Ooohhhh...I just watched "Mama Mia" with Teah, Lynne, and my Mom, and loooooved it. I would have to say that's my new favorite summer movie. Since Jessica already claimed "Grease", I won't do it, but...can I please just claim the line in "Summer Nights" when John Travolta sings..."oooohhhh, uh....those suuuuuhhhhuuuuummmmer, ni-hiiiiii--iiii-iiii-iiiiii--iitttesss..." Gives me chills just thinking about it! :)

Favorite Summer Cocktail: Oh, this is so hard. But, judging from what I've poured a glass of nearly every night since the on-set of summer, I would have to say a crisp, clean Chardonnay....mmmmmmmm...drinking one currently.

Favorite Summer Song: I always love me a little Bob Marley, and, has anyone else heard the new segment on Noggin, featuring a gorgeous version of "Three Little Birds"??? That makes me happy! ;) It's really hard to narrow it down to just one, though.

Favorite Summer Meal: Hmmm...I am in love with Earthbound Organics Fresh Herb Salad Mix...YUM!!! I love this with grilled chicken, feta cheese, fresh tomatoes from the garden, and a little Garlic Expressions dressing. Soooo good!!!

I also love to parboil Country Ribs, for a few hours, and then create a foil "boat", slather the ribs in really good bbq sauce, and throw the "boat" on the grill for 20 minutes or so....yum, yum, yum!!! :)

Favorite Summer Outfit: Wow! I guess I would have to say a tube dress that is easy to wear, comfy, and cute, all at the same time!

Favorite Summer Reading: I love to read during the summer. My favorite thing to do is to sit on our porch swing with a glass of Chardonnay on a summer's evening, and read a good book. Granted, these nights are few and far between at this point in our lives, but I treasure them. I've read many wonderful books this summer, including:
"And the Shofar Blew", Francine Rivers
"Accidental Mother", by Rowen Coleman
"Fire by Night", and "All She Ever Wanted", by Lynn Austin....
among others! ;)

Favorite Summer Moment: Oh goodness, there are many, many perfect moments that would describe this summer. We spent many glorious nights at The Winery at Otter Creek. We get a bottle of Chardonnay (to start :), sit out by the beautiful lake in Adirondack chairs, watch the beautiful sunset...ahhh..simply brilliant!
Spending time up North with friends and family...every day was to die for up there..*sigh*..
The fourth of July celebrations in our quaint town, including spectacular (in our humble opinion :) fireworks displays, spending time (and money...oye, ve) at the street fair, catching up with old friends, riding in the parade, etc., etc.
And, finally, spending days at the pool--chasing after little Brookie, watching Connor become more and more confident in the "big" pool, eating the greasiest french fries and grilled cheeses one could ever imagine!!!

Ahhh....can't wait to do it all again, next year!!!

Next, I think we should explore our favorite things about fall....so we don't become entirely distraught that summer is coming to a close...*sigh*...again. Thank the Lord for seasons! Something to look forward to every three months! ;) Although, winter can stay far, far away in my book!!!

I'm tagging:

The (anti) Boring Blog

I heart

Everyday Matters

A Mom's Life

So Happily Us...

We 5 Forgeys

Crossing the Prairie

Caught in the Act!

2009-08-21T11:37:00.007-05:00

Remember when I said that the post-vacation DIET would start on MONDAY? Well, apparently I forgot to start eating healthy.

This is what I ate straight from the freezer BEFORE lunch...

Part of the left-over Buckeye cake from Whit's (our favorite place, ever for indulging in amazing custard treats).

And, guess who else thought he should partake in the heinous(ly yummy) eating habits of his muffin-top sportin' mama...

BAD MOMMY!!!! Diet starts, you guessed it...MONDAY!!!!

Progress Report.....

2009-08-20T07:27:00.004-05:00

Just a quick note to say that CONNOR has slept ALL NIGHT in his new room for THREE NIGHTS IN A ROW!!!!!!!!!!!! WAAAHOOOO!!! He's doing so well, and actually we've noticed a definite improvement in his behavior, as well--probably due to sleeping uninterrupted all night. Brookie is still a work-in-progress, but we'll get there--slowly but surely.

After all of this, I've often asked myself if I had it to do all over again would I choose to co-sleep, and without a doubt, I'd have to answer in the affirmative. It's definitely not for everyone, and there are some real difficulties that come along with co-sleeping (including the issues of night-weaning if you're nursing, and transitioning into the child's own bed), but I must admit, I adore my sweet baby's breath on my neck, and feeling her little heart pitter-patter away as she's curled up in the crook of my arm. I've come to realize that even if we have ten kids (deep breath, Mom...just a hypothetical, and most definitely not in the plan :), I'd probably end up *happily* sharing sleep with each one of them! (*Obviously last night was a good night in terms of sleep, or I might be singing a different tune this morning! Ha! :)

Speaking of sleep, I was turned onto this website PickNicksBrain by a family of one of the children that I teach. It's actually really cool! After dealing with a baby who had major sleep difficulties, Nicole dedicated her time and energy into researching sleep (among other subjects relevant to baby/toddlerhood) in order to help other struggling mommys. Check it out if you have a chance--good stuff!

Million Dollar Head....(Can we get a helmet for that thing?)

2009-08-18T20:42:00.005-05:00

Today proved to be just as the weatherman said--hot and humid, with a few storms and scattered showers. We spent the morning meandering about our local "mall", (which consists of about five REAL stores and 200 little kiosks, and temporary stores), trying to kill time, and get a few things that we needed. The kids actually were very cooperative, and we even managed to squeeze in a haircut for Connor. The wait was a total of ten minutes once we signed in to get his cut, and our little meticulous man must have sighed at least 20 times, exclaiming, "When is it going to be MY turn?....I NEED a haircut...I really, really NEED to look handsome." I was seriously cracking up as I tried to give him things to do in order to keep him distracted until it was FINALLY his turn! ;)

By the time sweet Brookie woke up from her nap (in her NEW bed--which she happens to be sleeping in sooo well :), the skies had cleared, and the gray gloomy day had turned hot, sunny and hazy. I figured it was time to get the kids outside for a bit to expend some of that pent-up energy! We have a water table, and their most favorite thing to do is turn on the spiggot at the side of our house and fill their buckets over, and over, and over again, all the while splashing each other, and filling up the table. We usually let them play for a few minutes before giving the "okay, this wastes water, let's turn the faucet off" now speech. So, I was grabbing a few of these precious moments to read my newest page turner (The Accidental Mother, by Rowan Coleman)when I hear Connor yell, "Owwww". I look up from my gripping story, and he seems to be just fine, dumping yet another pale of ice-cold water on his head and squealing with delight. I give the "water off" speech, and they turn off the spiggot. All is well as my children are happily entertained splashing in the water table and squelching in the mud puddles that have emerged from the running water. I look up at a laughing Connor, contended as ever, running and playing in the mud, covered from head-to-toe in a dirty...gooey...brown liquid...er, wait...IS that brown? Do we live in the Carolinas? Could it possibly be that our earth tinted a rust color? Um, I don't think so. I lept out of my ever so cozy plastic lawn chair to further examine the substance on my baby boy's face.

Low and behold...a mother's worst fear! It was something out of a horror movie!!Blood...red, and watered down from the aquatic entertainment...gushing down Connor's face, and chest, and back! My immediate reaction was to grab his WHITE polo shirt, which he'd previously taken off due to soakage, and start wiping away the blood. Okay fellow mommy's...note to selves..if your stomach is at all weak and you find yourself in a "sticky" situation that might involve loss of bodily fluids, grab something other than a stark white shirt to perform damage control. Damage assessment might not prove to be entirely accurate upon inspecting the WHITE garment.

After I caught my breath, said my initial prayers, calmed myself down, and brought my completely un-phased boy in the house (along with his completely out of control baby sister who absolutely was NOT ready to come inside yet), I could survey the situation and use my hours upon hours of extensive internet medical research to confirm a diagnosis. Upon performing my initial examination I concluded that the wound appeared to be a split laceration, and should not require *real* medical attention. :) Just to be sure, I called the pediatrician's office, and explained our situation to the nurse--who might have been a teensy-tiny bit annoyed at my untrained use of medical terminology, and rightfully so! Lol! ;)

My real concern was WHERE the laceration occurred. You see, when Connor was a mere three months old, he underwent neurosurgery for a condition called craniosynostosis, in which one (or more) of the sutures in an infant's skull fuses pre-maturely. The surgery resulted in removing a 2"x3" piece of skull, to allow Connor's head (and brain) to grow correctly. I realize this is an entirely different post altogether, but my fear at the time was that this "split laceration" re-opened one of the scars from the surgery, and that brains might come bubbling out of my little guy's head. Seriously...this is what my clearly non-medically trained mind was conjuring up at the moment. And is probably why the nurse clearly thought I was nutso as I hurriedly explained the situation.

But, according to the pediatrician after an over the phone consultation (through a nurse), and our non-expert opinions, Connor's "million dollar head" (as we affectionately refer to it) is still intact--brains and all! :) I think I'll ask for a helmet at our follow-up visit with the neurosurgeon this fall!

Musical Beds/Rooms, etc.

2009-08-17T18:41:00.005-05:00

Did you ever consider how much having babies would affect every single aspect of your life, down to the tiniest, most mundane detail--especially, your NIGHT LIFE??? Yes, yes, obviously having a baby affects your night life, but what about your SLEEP life? Did you ever think about how much THAT would suffer??? Even four years after the birth of your first baby??? I, most definitely did not.

When Connor was first born, we lived in a cute little cape cod house...two bedrooms downstairs, and the master "suite" was the entire second floor. Of course, we created a nursery in one of the downstairs bedrooms, and thought that somehow it would fly for us (me--since I was nursing) to run up and down the stairs 25,000 times a night to check on the baby, nurse the baby, burp the baby, lay a hand or an ear on his chest to make sure that he was still breathing (5,000 times a night), etc., etc. At first, (because once the baby was actually born we discovered this was not so realistic), we brought the bassinet and the baby upstairs to sleep next to our bed--along with all the diapers, wipes, diaper rash cream, and burp cloths. We were prepared for sleep. Which, never seemed to come. We all kept each other up--Daddy tended to snore, baby tended to cry, Mommy tended to fall asleep nursing the baby in bed, and then would panic because Daddy slept so heavily (why, and how can Daddy's do that, I'll never understand...) So began the game of musical beds in our household.

After really, really lacking on sleep, I began napping in the downstairs guest bedroom, which just so happened to be next to the nursery. How utterly convenient. The changing table, rocking chair, crib, etc., was right next door...no going up and down stairs in the middle of the night. Hmmmm....I figured it might not be such a bad idea to camp out in the guest room just for a little while, until we adjusted to things. Sleep was vital at this point, to both Tommy and I, so it seemed like the best solution. Well, being the hands-on, can't-put-a-baby-down, kind of mother that I am, co-sleeping was a natural progression, and as soon as the baby would wake up for his mid-night feeding, he'd come back to bed (the guest bed) with me....where he was contended to lay, and dream-feed for the rest of the night.

It worked. It did. We were in severe survival mode, and this was the best way we knew how to survive. Well, when Connor was 9 months old, we moved. We are now in a house where all four bedrooms are on the upper level, so sleeping arrangements SHOULD be straight-forward and easy. However, no one took into account that a baby boy who was used to the comforts of sleeping next to Mommy would not be having any of that sleeping in his own crib stuff...and yes, we tried CIO, and it was awful, horrible, I have extrememly stubborn, strong-willed children, and I can't tolerate it. Soooo, Tommy, Connor and I all slept in the master bedroom. Until it started to get a little crowded.....

To make a very, very long story short...Connor and I then moved to the guest room (mind you, a beautiful little nursery was set up this whole time which, pretty much, housed clothing). We stayed there for a little while, until I decided that he and I should move to the master bedroom, and Tommy should move to the guest room. We switched again. Then, I got preggers (imagine that given our sleeping arrangements :), and we decided it was time for Connor to have his OWN ROOM. We set up his "big boy" room, and used a little (or a ton) of bribery to get him to stay in there. It kinda, sorta worked for awhile. He would sneak into bed at some point in the night, always though. As my belly grew, and grew, and ggggrrrreeeewwwww, I got more and more restless and unable to sleep. Soooo, Daddy moved back to the guest room, and Connor would flit back and fourth.

Then, along came Brooke...she and I moved into Connor's room in the beginning. Daddy and Connor slept in the master bedroom (I don't even know why at this point--it seems so weird and irrational thinking back). At some point, we moved Brookie's crib into the master...but, Daddy's snoring would keep her up, so Tommy was in the guest room again. Connor would go to bed in his own bed, and then sneak in with Tommy at some point in the night. Seriously, people, MUSICAL BEDS. The best was when people would come over and Connor would give the token "tour" of the house, and introduce, "Daddy's room" and "Mommy's room"--I'm quite sure this raised a lot of eyebrows!!! ;)

Well, the point to this incredibly long and dis-jointed story, is to tell you that FINALLY, we created a real room for Brookie--with a bed, since she's been a co-sleeper, too and is used to sleeping in beds, and moved Connor into the bigger bedroom (formerly the guest room, a.k.a. "Daddy's room"). And Tommy and I are back in the master bedroom....at least for most of the night...until Brookie wakes up at some point and I creep into bed with her, and her cry wakes Connor up, and he creeps into bed with Tommy. Maybe, just maybe, someday we'll stay put for an entire night!!!!!!!!!

The point of this whole story is to share pictures of Brookie's new bedroom:

Home...So Why am I Still Eating Chips????

2009-08-15T13:06:00.002-05:00

Back to life. Back to reality. Back to phone calls, emails (even though we had internet at the lake, I used the "vacation" excuse to the max...reading very selectively, and answering even more selectively :), to a messy house, a trip to the grocery store, running into people we know at the grocery store, a lawn that needs mowed, etc., etc., etc. I left a life of relaxation and leisure behind, to come back to our REAL LIFE..which I love, and really did miss.

One thing I didn't leave behind were my horrible eating habits. U.G.H...I was sooo bad on vacation. Doughnuts, coffee with creamer (sweet creamer, ta bout), DQ tag-a-long blizzards (can I say, "yum"), fried chicken, mashed potatoes, Subway sandwiches at the beach...and the list goes on, and on, and (quite unfortunately...ooooonnnnn). So, here I am, back at home, eating a nice turkey sandwich and CHIPS for lunch! I don't eat chips in REAL LIFE...I really don't. But, I guess I'm not quite ready to give up my vacation mentality. Plus, Grandma dropped off a home-made apple pie last night upon our return. She makes THE BEST apple pies--with apples from her own trees, right there in the front yard. She rolls out her pie crust from scratch, and it bakes up so golden brown and crispy....mmmmmm...how can I pass that up???

So, my friends, MONDAY it is. Monday vacation ends, and I will greet reality head-on. I have my Kashi Go-Lean cereal waiting for me in the pantry, skim milk to add sparingly to my coffee, tubs of Organic fresh herb salad mix with feta for lunch. And, if I get really inspired, I'll pull out my "Oprah Detox Diet" (I'll post more about this, later) and quit messing around all together. Maybe by Wednesday.....right now, I'm having a piece of apple pie...al'amode, of course! ;)

And, Part Deux....

2009-08-13T08:03:00.009-05:00

We have had the most tremendous time up North. I can hardly believe it's been fourteen days, and now we're looking around at our mountain of "stuff", thinking about re-packing the car in order to drive south tomorrow. No more listening to the wind rustle through the birch trees on the deck. No more waking up to the smell of Dad's coffee percolating in the kitchen, making getting out of bed before 7am much more tolerable...maybe even nice! :) No more chasing Ms. Brookie all over the beach, stopping to "talk" to every doggy (and their owners), before finally making it to our final playground destination. No more feel of FLYING as the jet ski hits speeds around 55 mph, wind in your face, freedom like no other! No more hearing Connor beg to go fishing down at the dock....

But, we can go home revived and refreshed, ready to start another year! Much to look forward to upon our return! I bought some wonderful things for Brookie's room at the Pottery Barn outlet on the way up....maybe I can get some advise from my sister's new employer--one of HGTV's hottest stars! ;) (Anna, am I allowed to say who? :) Connor starts soccer and pre-school in a mere couple of weeks, and soon it will be time to plant mums in the planters, and buy gourds and pumpkins for the front porch. Where does the time go? Well, at least we have beautiful pictures and a vast array of memories to commemorate our glorious vacation to culminate the summer of 2009!

Vacation Pictures: Part One

2009-08-10T07:22:00.007-05:00

Here Comes the Sun, Little Darlin'

2009-08-09T20:29:00.003-05:00

It's been a wonderful vacation at the lake thus far....I'm sitting here, enjoying a cold beer from the growler courtesy of the local brewery down the street, sweating bullets from my nightly walk with Brookie...though I must say, we've had such a mild summer, that a night of steamy heat feels a little good...and realizing how nice it is to not have to worry at all about what we're going to do tomorrow, where we're going, or whether or not the laundry is done or if the house is a disaster. It's really, really nice to live the simple life for a couple of weeks out of the year.

Today was an amazing day for the beach--started out tumoultuous with lighting, thunder, and heavy rain over the lake, so Tommy and I went out to get a paper and doughnuts, thinking what better way to start a rainy morning. We went into the Bavarian Bakery with the skies looking bleary and ominous, but by the time we emerged--five minutes, and a dozen doughnuts later--the sun was breaking through the clouds, giving us a reason to hope for a day filled with all sorts of possibilities other than sitting inside, trying to keep two energy-bound kiddos from bouncing off the walls (ceilings, doorways, etc. :)

The boys were able to enjoy a morning of fishing, while the girls went to the beach, daring to hope for a bright sunny day. It turned out to be just that! The boys soon joined us beach-side, and we had our very best beach day, yet. The weather was hot and steamy, and the water was aquamarine and clear. In fact, we had such an awesome day, that I fear even all the re-applications we did with the kids' sunscreen didn't keep them from getting a little too much sun--as was the case with the grown-ups, too. Whoops!!! Nothing horrible, but I hate to see even a little bit of pink in my kiddo's cheeks (from the sun)--makes me feel like a bad mommy!!!

We came home and recovered from our day--a little more fishing, walking, eating, drinking, etc., and now I'm off to read a book and wind-down for the night. I'll post pictures tomorrow of our AMAZING week with Teah and Lynne...I can hardly believe they've been gone since Thursday--we had such an incredible and blessed time with them. We miss them like crazy, but the boys are making up for our heartache! Grandpa, Daddy, and Tim (my dear, sweet cousin, who loves us so much he's decided to spend his TWENTY FIRST BIRTHDAY with us at the end of his trip north) are keeping us well entertained and rested! :) Boy, was Connor glad to see them when they pulled into the driveway on Saturday...no longer the "man of the house..." :) Will post more pics soon!

Not a Care in the World.....

2009-08-03T14:20:00.006-05:00

Here I sit, breathing in the heavenly smells at our family cottage, on the lake. Ahhhhh....what is it about this place? It's like coming home. Nothing ever changes. Aside from new carpet, a new duvet cover in one room, a couple new pieces of furniture, appliances, and a few other items, everything is a constant. The same curtains that my grandmother sewed in the 60's, same pine knot-holes that I spent hours laying in bed looking at as a child--even the same little crib that I slept in as a baby. Glorious. Some things never need to change, in my book. This is a place that you can come to and re-discover yourself, what you love, and remember those that lovingly built this place for the rest of us to enjoy for years, and years to come. We're here for two wonderful weeks, and so far, have been having a divine time!!!

Connor and Brooke...for the Baby Books!

2009-07-15T11:51:00.004-05:00

Well, since I've been absolutely horrible about updating their baby books lately, (actually, I won't lie--I've rarely EVER written in Brooke's...sorry, baby girl), I figured I'd write a post about the recent happenings and accomplishments of these two precious kiddos!!! ;)

Connor is getting sooo big and grown-up. I can hardly believe that he will be FOUR in less than two months. Wow! Where, oh where does the time go? He is very athletic and loooves to play outside, and has learned to ride his bike very well (with training wheels, of course) this summer. He'll start soccer in the fall (bumble-bee soccer, as Daddy likes to call it :), which we're really looking forward to. His little legs are always covered in scratches and boo-boos, and he will proudly tell anyone who will listen where each and every one came from!

He is excited to start pre-school in the fall, and loves to ask, "Mommy, will you miss me sooooo much when I'm at school?" To which I reply, "YES, I will miss you soooo very much--I ALWAYS miss you when I'm away from you." "Don't worry," he'll then say, "I'll ALWAYS come back to you, I promise.." :)

What I'M getting a huge kick out of is the fact that he's SINGING on KEY now!!! He's able to match pitches, and I ADORE hearing his little voice, singing away..it melts my heart, and brings tears to my eyes! Oh, how I love my baby boy!

And then, there is Brookie!!! Ha!!! I can hardly think of Brooke without laughing, because she is just the epitome of a tornado in toddler-form! :) She is into everything--literally, and is wise beyond her years when it comes to picking up a new skill or idea (I'm sure this is because she is learning from her big brother)! ;)
Brooke is such a happy little girl, and always smiling, however, she definitley is not afraid to express her opinion about something she doesn't like...most of the time by crying and throwing a down-right temper tantrum! Terrible two's a little early, just like everything else!

Though she's not saying many words yet, Brooke understands nearly everything we tell her to do. She's a great communicator, and gets her message across by nodding, saying, "dah", for "yeah", or "dah" while shaking her head "no", for "no"! ;) She's able to get into everything by pushing chairs around the kitchen to reach what she wants, or opening one drawer, to climb into it, only to reach what she wants in another! She keeps us on our toes, this one!

She's such a lover, though, and adores giving hugs and kisses to anyone, and everyone who will accept one from her!! ;) I ADORE being the recipient of her sweet kisses and hugs, and quite frankly, cannot get enough! ;) We just had her 15 month appointment the other day, and her Pediatrician said, "Wow, Brooke could not be more different in personality from her brother"! Although, she does think they look exactly alike...the verdict is still out, on this one. We love our little Brookie-Pie sooooooo much!!!!

Benjamin..(cute as a)..Button :)

2009-07-14T14:57:00.004-05:00

Lyndsay, Stephen, and Benjamin visited this weekend! We had sooooooo much fun with them on Saturday night. I made a pitcher of Sangria (my version which is very easy--I just cut up a bunch of fruit and add white wine...sometimes a little sparkling soda for bubbles :) We ordered pizza for simplicity, and let the kiddos play while we caught up! We had such a wonderful time with them, and wish they didn't have to go back to NC on Sunday! Hopefully we'll be able to see them again, soon. Benjamin IS as CUTE AS A BUTTON... ;)

Dragging....

2009-07-13T12:32:00.002-05:00

I am dragging today...ugh. It's Monday, but a GORGEOUS Monday. The sky is brilliantly blue, and the sun is shining beautifully...it's only in the mid-seventies, too. PERFECT. But, all I want to do is go back to bed. I would give anything to take an un-interrupted nap this afternoon. Or, to take my book outside on this sparkling day, lemonade in hand (I do have organic lemonade in the fridge), and just SIT...for hours. Ahhhhhhhhh....

Unfortuantely, that's not on today's agenda. The kiddos and I are fighting a mild bug. Both kids have had fevers, and Brooke's sneezing quite a bit. Upset stomachs seem to be a part of this thing too, and I am just exhausted. Apparently, fatigue isn't affecting Connor and Brooke too much. Brooke just woke up from a short nap in the car, and now she's climbing the walls (literally), and Connor is hitting both of us with a book...that I promised to read him, after I'm done being tired! ;)

Someone send me some motivation so I can get out and enjoy the day...or, better yet, send over someone to watch the kids so I can take a nap!!! ;)

We <3 the Fourth of July!!!

2009-07-05T10:17:00.010-05:00

I love the fourth of July in small-town, America!!! We had such a wonderful weekend! Many wonderful friends were in town, as well as family (Auntie Anna and Brad, Aunt Marcia, etc.). We had a fabulous weekend from fireworks, to enjoying the midway downtown (Connor about broke the bank playing those silly fair games, but he sure did have FUN), eating fair food, livin' it up at bbq's with friends and family! We LOVE the fourth of July!!!!

Kid's at Maria's...

Anna and Brad!!!

Connor won a fish at the far--which is still goin' strong three days later! ;) It's a record at our house!!

Brookie and Mommy uptown

Connor and his best friend, Eli

Daddy and Connor on the ferris wheel! Connor loved it....thank the Lord! Tommy wasn't sure what to do if he didn't! ;)

Erin, Eli, and Brookie jammin' out to the band on the grand stand!

Nana, Mimi, and Brooke on the fourth. Brookie is wearing a dress that Nana made for Mimi, circa 1952!

Happy July!

2009-07-01T11:07:00.005-05:00

Lovin' Summer!

2009-06-29T08:16:00.010-05:00

What a gorgeous June we've had! I'm so sad to see it go....I LOVE summer, and while I love every season (well, except that yucky winter muck that seems to drag on through March), summer defintely takes the cake! We've had so much fun seeing friends and family, lazing around by the pool (er, rather, tirelessly chasing the kids around the pool ;), going on long walks, enjoying sunsets at our new favorite winery, and breathing in that warm summer air! Below are some pictures from June with some of our most favorite people!!!

One of my longest and dearest friends, Maria has been in town quite a bit with her two gorgeous girls, Claire and baby Eleanor. We've had so much fun catching up with them. It's been so much fun to get to see them so much!!! Yay!

Tommy's brother and family came in from Texas, and his sister and family came in from Charlotte, and we had such a wonderful time with everyone. The kids love getting to play with all of their cousins--this side of the family can't have a party without a heated game of "something" taking place. So, true to form, an old-fashioned game of baseball occurred, spanning an entire late afternoon/evening...what's a little healthy competition between siblings/mothers/daughters/fathers/sons....Ha! ;)

The kids have so much fun at Mimi and Grandpa's house digging for worms, etc. Mimi even made Connor a "worm garden" (in part so he stays out of all her flower beds and REAL gardens--ha!). They were playing with a slug!!! :)

BFF'S! :)

2009-06-09T19:41:00.006-05:00

Sadie, daughter of my dear friend Steph, is two weeks older than Brookie. They are sooo funny together. Here they are "playing" today. Well, really, Sadie was sitting nicely at the table, eating her dinner quietly, while Brookie climbed all over her left-overs and demanded her poor little friend's attention! Ha! I'm excited these two will grow up together, and I'm sure this is only the first of many crazy pics we'll post of the two of them! :)

Picture Time!

2009-06-05T18:05:00.005-05:00

Trying to get one of my flowers outside... ;)

Showing off the Buddah Belly to the whole 'hood! :)

Again, they can sleep anywhere! ;)

2009-05-29T07:07:00.001-05:00

Reflecting....

2009-05-27T16:40:00.002-05:00

I've been frustrated lately. Tommy has been working a lot, the kids have been more difficult than usual, Connor is turning into a B-O-Y through and through, and is testing my patience, pushing my buttons, driving me crazy--I'm sure most of you can relate! ;) Most of all, though, I've been frustrated with myself. Before I was a mother I never knew what it felt like to want to scream into a pillow as loud as humanly possible, while maybe even banging your head into the wall! I never knew I could yell--never really did until my kiddos came along! I never knew what a HIGH PRESSURE job raising children really was. I always pictured motherhood filled with days of playing on the swings at the park, walking to story-time at the library hand-in-hand, tickling, playing silly games, kissing boo boo's, and accepting wet sloppy kisses and hugs all day long. Well, I've come to find out that motherhood IS all of these things. The joys of being a mom have FAR surpassed my high expectations!! However, so have the stresses and the frustrations.

I take my job as a parent very seriously, as do most of the wonderful parents I know. And no other job that we do has so much at stake! At the end of the day, WE are totally, 100% responsible for bringing up these little ones to be all that they can be, teach them right from wrong, instill our values, faith, beliefs, teach them the ways of the world, shelter them from hurt and fears, and keep them safe, healthy, and happy! What a gift this is--and I truly, truly believe that! It's so hard when we get caught up in the little frustrations of the day (which sometimes seem like HUGE frustrations) and see the BIG picture! I love my babies more than life itself, and nothing makes me happier than to see them smile, hear them belly-laugh, watch them discover something new, or most of all, accept one of their wet, slobbery kisses! I'm praying that I can see that BIG picture, and not get so caught up in why the kitchen floor is never clean, why I can never get a load of laundry folded, or why my life sometimes seems to resemble the screen-play from the movie "Groundhog Day"! :)

I discovered something today. My journal from when I was pregnant with Connor. I got teary-eyed just thinking back to that precious time in my life. I spent a great deal of time living in fear that something would go wrong with the pregnancy, but oh, how I wanted that precious baby with every fiber of my being. I decided I would keep this journal handy so that when I find myself in a particularly frustrating situation I can look back on it. I'll share an entry with you now (if you've stayed with me this far--Ha!!! ;)

January 16, 2005
....I am so blessed with this pregnancy! It's such a true miracle of life and no matter what, I know that the Lord created this little one and that He is in complete control over it's little life--even as new as it is! I pray for the day that I hear this baby's heart beat, and then, when FINALLY I get to hold that BABY in my arms...a little less than nine months now (Lord willing)! :)

Oh what a true "miracle of life" these little ones are, and I'm sooo thankful for the gift of motherhood. I pray that I would be the mother that God has called me to be, and remember how blessed I really am!!!! Mommy loves you dearly, Connor and Brookie, and I'm so sorry for all of the times I get frustrated with you for silly things....I'm working on it (or rather, God's working on ME)!!!! ;)

SHOUT OUT TO MS. HARTMAN'S SECOND GRADE CLASS!!!!

2009-05-18T13:29:00.003-05:00

My dear, sweet, friend Teah (also known as Ms. Hartman) told me that she has been sharing our silly blog with her second grade class!!!!! I hear about these wonderful kiddos all the time from Teah...(excuse me, I mean MS. HARTMAN :), and It's an honor and a joy to hear about your class and all of your splendid progress and adventures you've had this year!!!! And to think, you're just about ready to graduate to the THIRD GRADE!!!! WOW!! I am so proud of Ms. Hartman and her amazingly AWESOME second graders!!! Here is a picture of those baby birds (who will fly any day now), just for you!!! ;)

Yeah, that's me in the Mini....

2009-05-13T20:08:00.002-05:00

So, we did it. We bit the bullet, took the proverbial "plunge", crossed over to the "dark side" (as one friend so eloquently put it), and bought a MINI VAN. Something we swore we'd never, ever do. When Tommy and I were younger, living the high life and kidless, we looked at families we knew who were buying vans and swore, up and down, that we'd never go there. Never cross that line. We were NOT going to be "those" people. We would find a way around buying a van and continue to drive in style.

Well, we made it work for 3 1/2 years in a truck and an SUV, pretty well, I might add. But then, it happened. Tommy's older brother was visiting a few weeks ago, and they drove down in high style--cruisin' in a mini. Tommy laughed about the van, until his brother showed him the inside, and walked us through all of the little perks and features that a minivan now possesses. DVD, Navigation, lazy susan in the floor boards, all of the latches and tethers to insure that the carseats will be as snug and secure as possible...yada, yada, yada...and most of all, ROOM. Room to store things, move around, and space between the kiddos so they aren't always poking each other (that was starting to happen in the SUV). I was swayed. Pushed over the edge. Enough to go home and search Craig's List for Odyssey's.

We found one, and now, I am a driver of a minivan. I've joined the club of soccer mom's and taxi drivers. I have to say, it's not sexy...but I like it. I really like it. I like the features, and I like the space, and I like the safety. I like that I can pop a DVD in and totally entertain Mr. Connor in the car. It's nice. I'm old. Whatev...it is what it is! :) And, Connor LOOOOOVES it! He plays in it, wants to stay in it after we pull into the garage, and was very nervous parking it uptown the other day while we were running errands. He kept saying, "but I need to see MY minivan..." So funny! I'd tell you to honk if you see me driving, but really, I think you might pass at least 15 other silvery-green colored Honda Odysseys on the highway in one 10 mile trip! ;)

Vacate the Nest, Yo!!!!

2009-05-12T13:58:00.003-05:00

Okay, so the baby birds were cute....eggs are beatiful. I love bird's eggs, and have always had a minor obsession with nests and eggs. Eggs are so fragile and delicate, while also being beautiful and vibrant. They are such an awesome reminder of new life and rebirth, and how God creates even the tiniest of creatures mysteriously and carefully. I always think of Matthew 10:29-31, which says "Not even a sparrow, worth only half a penny, can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to Him than a whole flock of sparrows."

That being said, I am soooooooo ready for these baby birds to grow some feathers and take their flight!!!!! I guess once Mama bird had a chance to really bond with her babies her protective instincts took over, and she went from chirping from a near-by tree, to now dive-bombing and attacking the "enemy" (which happens to be us). Well, me being protective of MY babies, who would like to be able to go out in the backyard on a gorgeous sunny day such as today, yells loudly at her while she dive-bombs my head, and we kind of battle it out for ownership of the swingset. Today, after making Brookie cry (Mama dive-bombed her at the same time as I yelled), we threw the towel in, and came back inside. It's beautiful out--narry a cloud in the sky, mid-60's and brilliant, and we can't be anywhere in the backyard without fear of attack!

I'll admit it--although I do adore birds eggs, nests, and cute little hatchlings, birds that come flying at my head (or my children's heads, for that matter)scare the living heck out of me. I surrender to the Mama, but ask that her prized baby birds hurry up and grow, so that we can have OUR yard back! Wouldn't ya know, a barn swallow has chosen the eve of our FRONT porch to build her nest in. Sigh. Maybe we'll be able to go outside again come June...

New Tenants....

2009-05-08T09:06:00.005-05:00

New tenants moved into the kiddos playset a few weeks ago! It's been so much fun watching our mama robin make her nest, lay her eggs, and meeting her new baby birds! :) Tommy and Connor just happened to check out the nest just as birdie #1 was poking his little beak through his beautiful blue egg! Wow! We came back to document quickly after his emergence...but didn't want to disturb the nest too much, or mama bird for that matter! Poor thing....the kids really like to swing...she's forever chirping at us!

Pretty Floors!

2009-05-03T09:57:00.007-05:00

Daddy rocks...with the help of our WONDERFUL Dads and AWESOME friends (i.e. Hartman's :), we have brand new hardwood floors! We've been talking about this since we moved in three years ago, but decided to let the kids destroy the old floors as much as possible, first! :) They put down a LOT of flooring in just 3 short days...Daddy was worn out but, it's sooo worth it! The kids and I were vagabonds last weekend, floating from house to house, and camping out at Mimi and Grandpa's...we were all glad when our house was liveable again! We decided the kitchen tile project will happen when the kids and I are in Michigan without Tommy this summer!

Visit from My Ladies!

2009-04-20T07:46:00.005-05:00

Auntie Teah, Auntie Lyndsay, and Baby Benjamin were here last week! Oh my goodness, it was soooo wonderful to see them! We got to spend a lot of time together, which was so awesome. The kids played so well together, and we're pretty sure Brookie is in love with darling Benjamin (me, too :)! We love you guys, and miss you already!

"I Sleep in a Drawer"

2009-04-20T07:41:00.003-05:00

Remember that quote by little Ralph from "The Simpsons"....well, it might be true for Brookie! ;)

For Auntie Anna....

2009-04-10T08:03:00.003-05:00

Auntie Anna sent me a text last night, asking if Brookie still has the "Hillbilly Smile". Well Annabelle, I'm happy to say that top right front tooth has finally broken through, however, she'll still look like our toothless wonder for a few weeks, I'm sure. Case in point....lol!!! ;)

Special Delivery...

2009-04-10T07:58:00.003-05:00

Sooo, Brookie's new carseat was delivered the other day. Man, I never thought a carseat could allow for so much entertainment....especially, the box! ;)

Birthday Girl....

2009-04-03T10:12:00.008-05:00

My Little Girl is ONE...How is this Possible???

2009-04-03T09:56:00.002-05:00

Oh my little Brookie Pie, where oh where has the last year gone? I can hardly believe that we have left the baby stage behind, that you're now a perfect little toddler/monkey (we're not entirely sure which :), gaining more and more independence every day.
The night before your birthday Daddy and I were reflecting on what we were doing one short year ago. Even though I was scheduled to be induced on Wednesday, the Tuesday before I was having contractions all day. I remember playing outside with Connor trying to wrap my brain around the fact that this was the last day he and I would spend together without you in the picture. Surreal, really! Daddy came home from work early, as I wasn't sure I would make it through the day. But, since we had everything set up for our induction the next morning, we hoped and prayed that you would stay put for one more night, and that you did!
Early Wednesday morning (like at 3:15am) we woke up, called L&D to make sure there was a bed, showered, and headed to the hospital. Mimi came to stay with Connor, and Daddy and I were on our way. Oh my goodness, I was elated. I COULD NOT WAIT to meet my little girl. Your birth was INCREDIBLE. It was beautiful, and wonderful, and our perfect scenario for bringing you into the world. When I think back on that day, March 26th, 2008, I still get giddy...I don't remember pain, or agony, I remember the most wonderful, light-filled, glorious day! When you came into this world, the first thing you did was latch right on and start nursing. It was such an amazing bonding moment, and I've felt bonded to you ever since.

Oh, my darling girl, I cannot picture life without you, nor imagine a day living without your sunny presence. You have the ability to light up a room with your smile (hillbilly as it may be at age one, with the top left front tooth missing--ha! :) You are so affectionate and loving, and Daddy and I are in pure bliss when you throw your chubby arms around our necks, lay your head on our shoulders, pat our backs, and say, ahhhhhhh! ;) I know your grandparents would agree with this whole-heartedly, and even Connor would, most days! ;)

We love you, precious Brooke. You are truly a gift from the Lord above. My prayer for you is that you know how much He loves you, and that Jesus will be your best friend, each and every day of your life. Happy birthday, sweet girl!

Happy Birthday, Brookie Pie! :)

2009-03-28T17:04:00.008-05:00

Quick post...more about her little celebration after it happens tomorrow, and her letter from Mommy to follow! :)

Just had to show off her snaggle-tooth, and new outfit from Auntie Anna! :)

Oh, and also Connor's "Charles Penzone" haircut...Auntie Anna, Brad, Mimi and Grandpa took him...you don't even want to know what a kid's cut at Penzone's costs...I think they were all pretty floored as well! Lol....at least he got to sip pink lemonade while he waited for his "stylist" to come get him. Seriously...

Kentucky Weekend!

2009-03-23T07:40:00.014-05:00

We had a fabulous weekend in KY with John, Deidre, and their kiddos! It was so wonderful to see them and play, play, play! Deidre cooked meals fit for royalty, and the kids had sooo much fun together, and did soooo well--amazingly well! We were all good and worn out upon our return last evening, but wonderfully fulfilled after spending time with awesome friends! Thank you for your hospitality John, Deidre, Carys and Evelyn...can't wait to see you guys again soon...and we're grilling steaks for you (which still won't touch Deidre's cooking..lol! ;)

John and gorgeous Evelyn..

John and the kiddos!

Testament to Deidre's amazing skilz..

Two babies in the tub...

The boys gave the babies a bath...with beers in tow, as well as music hooked up in the bathroom. :)

Brookie and Deidre!

Brookie loooooves Evelyn!!

Deidre and the baby girls!

Deidre and Evelyn

He was so worn out from playing he fell asleep doing a breathing treatment! ;) On John and Deidre's bed, might I add! Then Carys laid down next to him to do hers, and she crashed as well...ha!

Connor and Carys!

Beautiful Evelyn!!

Just a Little Snip....

2009-03-16T12:51:00.006-05:00

Brookie's hair was getting rather, ahem, mullet-ish, if I may...soooo, I gave her a little trim last night to help it grow more evenly! :) She seems to have my hair, which was sooo fine when I was little. So, we have one little lock of hair as a result of her first little trim! So funny!

Playing in her brother's room after the cut! ;)

Mommy getting ready to trim it up after the bath!

This is a Dinosaur Fish!

2009-03-16T12:48:00.002-05:00

Connor's doodle art of a "Dinosaur Fish"! ;) Had to take a picture of this--he was very proud, and wanted to make sure Daddy saw it! :)

Talented Mimi!

2009-03-16T12:45:00.004-05:00

Mimi knit this sweater for Ms. Brooke! I wish I had a better picture, but it's sooo adorable! Mimi's so talented! ;)

They Can Sleep Anywhere!

2009-03-16T12:40:00.004-05:00

My Little Penguin....:)

2009-03-01T14:40:00.002-06:00

So, Brooke is officially walking now--she walks pretty much everywhere, and...she looks just like a little penguin. It's hilarious! I'll try to take a video soon and post it on here. She really and truly waddles! Ha! :)

Cindy-Lou Who?

2009-02-22T13:14:00.003-06:00

Our first attempt at piggy-tails! :)

Mimi, You Forgot Someone...

2009-02-20T07:39:00.004-06:00

Brookie was jealous that Mimi went to Florida without her, so we let her try on her new bikini (without a diaper, might I add) and pretend she was at the beach, too. We thought if Mimi saw these pictures she might request that Grandpa bring Brookie along when he flies down on Sunday--she flies for free, remember?? :) Marce said it's fine with her!!! Ha! :) Hope you all are having FUN! We love you--(even though we're freezing up here....)

Can you see the wet spot to the left on her toy box? That would be due to the lack of a diaper! ;)