A Thanksgiving Poem...

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...

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!!!!

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!!!

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....

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!!!

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!!!

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!!! ;)

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!!!!!!

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.....

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!

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......

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...

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!!!!!

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...

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???

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!!!

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...

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....

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

Welcome, Fall!

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!!!!