Just Me and The Boys

MPM: Budding Photographer

2012-01-30T21:33:00.001-06:00

For Christmas 2010 we bought Ian a kid-friendly camera. Today we downloaded 250 pictures off of it for the first time. I'd say about 50% of them were either black or blurry beyond recognition. About 25% were of random things like the side of the couch or somebody's foot. And 25% were somewhat decent shots, although the camera's photo quality isn't that great.

Ian is such a gadget guy, so he was enthralled as I walked him through the process of plugging his camera into the computer, opening up iPhoto, and choosing pictures he liked the best. I even showed him some "editing" features, and since I knew where we were headed with our craft, I had Ian convert the photos to black-and-white. Once he clicked the "print" icon, he rushed to the printer to wait for his pictures.

The next part was kind of trial-and-error, but once I figured out the best technique, it turned out great! Initially I was thinking we would try to tea-stain the photos to make them look sepia-toned. Well, it wasn't showing up very well, and Ian rubbed so hard that the tea bag broke and made a mess, thus the photo was ruined. Next we tried simple watercolors, but it still wasn't getting quite the effect I wanted.

The stroke of genius occurred when I got out cotton balls. We just couldn't blend/smear as well with the paint brushes. I don't have pictures of us doing this part, but here is the end result.

And once the pictures were all painted, well, we just had to keep painting, you know.

Super Duper!

2012-01-27T21:17:00.000-06:00

I've seen that face before...

2012-01-25T21:09:00.000-06:00

Seth, January 2012, age 20 months

Ian, October 2009, age 20 months

MPM: A Craft for the Crafts

2012-01-23T22:12:00.000-06:00

As you can imagine since we do a craft on a weekly basis, we have lots of finished products lying around. Plus, Ian and Seth are usually bringing home crafts from school. Admittedly, some of their "artwork" doesn't make the cut. I mean, I don't really like clutter, and it's the piles of paper I find the most plaguing. We choose our favorites, put them on display in Ian's room or on the fridge, but even then, they needed a place to ultimately be stored. Enter today's craft...

It was actually a pretty low-key craft as far as the boys' involvement goes. I had bought some notebooks and sheet protectors for containing their artwork. I got out the Cricut machine to make letters for the books' titles. Anything with BUTTONS is a big hit with the boys. I also like how Ian actually works on letter recognition and learning the orientation of the qwerty keyboard while using the Cricut.

Hey Mom, what does that thing do?

Seth just being cute, hanging out in the kitchen.

A break to play with party blowers

The party blowers have one-upped the Cricut!

Using the Xyron to make our letters adhesive

The craft takes over the kitchen, ahhh!

Finished products

Now the hard part comes when I gather and catalog all the crafts!

Why the Y?

2012-01-22T10:37:00.000-06:00

On any given day, I arrive at the Y wearing disheveled workout gear and toting two uncooperative preschoolers who for some reason fought me on getting out the door over a matter as simple as socks! (We need them for Y-Land, I calmly remind them.) After the kids are safely placed behind locked doors (or well, at least they are childproof) I have a chance to either work out my frustrations through exercise… or forget about them completely! I may leave the Y in sweat-soaked clothes with those same stubborn children in tow, but now I feel like I can conquer the day… or maybe even the WORLD! Here is my story:

As a young adult, I did not have to deal with issues with my weight or general health. I recognized the importance of a regular exercise routine and was able to maintain one and stay self-motivated for the most part. If I fell out of said routine, it was easy to get back into one, and I really didn’t have to answer to weight gain when I slacked. Oh, to be that care-free twenty-something again!

After having my first son, let’s just say my world changed, and so did my body. Sleepless nights and new-mom cluelessness left me feeling overwhelmed, and I certainly didn’t have the energy to exercise! However, the baby weight wasn’t budging on its own, and I felt myself spiraling into a state of depression.

I first joined the YMCA in April 2009 when my son was 14 months old, and I wish I would’ve done it sooner! While I left my kid in the hands of kind and reliable childcare workers, I was not only able to work out, but also enjoy adult interaction through the group classes. Suddenly I was looking forward to exercise and starting to see results!

Four months later, I had lost all my baby weight and was even able to go off antidepressants! Ironically, I got pregnant again shortly thereafter, but I had a much healthier pregnancy the second time around due to the habits I had already established. Plus it was much easier to bounce back after my second son was born.

When we moved to Schertz in the summer of 2010, one of the first items on the agenda was to join the local Y. Again, I have been pleased with the childcare facility and workers, I’ve found a good variety of classes to attend, and I deem the instructors to be knowledgeable, inspiring, and fun.

I choose the group classes because as a stay-at-home mom, I crave the interaction. I also find the most motivation there– through people who have similar goals as me, and I’d rather look at their friendly (albeit sweaty) faces than a screen on a cardio machine. While I know several people are successful on the gym floor, I prefer upbeat music, a set routine, and a specific time on the schedule to help keep me accountable.

I have heard that exercise produces endorphins which in turn give you energy and boost your mood. I have no doubt that my experience at the Y drew me out of the grip of depression and gave me a new outlook on life. When I exercise, I feel better, both mentally and physically, and that makes me a better mom, wife, person, and friend.

The YMCA has called for folks to tell their story, so this is my submission. It may not make "the cut" or even past the front desk, so I am sharing it here!

Under the Influence... or Not

2012-01-19T13:32:00.003-06:00

I'm not sure if this is something worth bragging about, but as of right now I am OFF any kind of prescription medicines. Oh sure, I take OTC things for headaches and other aches and ailments. If a drug can fix it, then I'm generally OK with taking something. I'm thankful to not need anything on a daily basis, and it's been a while since I could claim such a thing. However, I wonder about this a lot... how much should we let our bodies handle naturally and what substances are OK, perhaps even necessary, to help aid things along.

Obviously medicines are needed, especially for folks with "conditions," and pills are keeping us alive and well these days. Medical research and technology exists that can help relieve everything from chronic illnesses to the symptoms of the common cold (still waiting for the cure, though). Information about drugs is more readily available and marketed to us moreso than ever before. And the list of "side effects" is almost comical at times... you fix one thing, but gain a whole new set of problems!

All of that to say, if there's a drug out there that can fix our problem, why not take it? And at what point do we draw the line? I'm actually a little wary of drugs, myself... afraid of addictions or the effects of long-term use. However, I've been grappling with a couple of more minor issues along these same lines which has prompted this blog post. (That was a long introduction, huh?)

Caffeine. I'd venture to say it's a drug. It has an effect on us and can be addictive. But is it a bad thing? I try not to make it a habit, but man, when I do get that cup of coffee (or two) or drink that soda (or two), I feel, well, BETTER. Like right now for example... had coffee this morning, and normally I'd be trying to squeeze in a quick nap before picking up the boys from school. But instead, I'm blogging! (And baking. And working. And actually looking forward to seeing the boys in a few minutes.)

Diet pills. I've never tried these. But I've run into some folks recently who sell/use a line that has really yielded results for them. I've only started wondering about this recently... when exercising and eating healthy (mostly) doesn't take care of these extra 10 pounds I'd really like to lose. Honestly, I'd just like to be able to wear the clothes in my closet again. I'm not sure what the issue is because I feel like I work hard at it, sometimes to the point of misery, yet see no results. I wonder if it's my metabolism and if there is something out there that can give me a little boost.

Part of the aforementioned diet product line also comes with a caffeinated energy drink. I've had a sample of it... and it works. I've also tried a sample of their sleep aid (which they boast is all-natural and non-addictive). It also worked well. Seeing as how I am a person who doesn't get regular amounts of sleep and also lacks energy, I am drawn to these products. But I also wonder, why can't I just do this/handle these things on my own? At what point do I admit that my body is aging, my circumstances are trying, and perhaps it's OK to get a little help?

MPM: Looking Back, Looking Forward

2012-01-16T21:25:00.000-06:00

I guess I have been too caught up in my own woe-is-me-isms recently that I forgot to mention our Mod Podge Monday craft from last week! An art session around here is almost always deemed successful in the eyes of my boys if paint is involved. My favorite brand/type is Crayola fingerpaints that come in tubes... it is easy to just squeeze out what you need, and cleanup is a breeze! For small messes, all you need is a wet wipe. If your child ends up covered in paint (not that such a thing would ever happen) then just stick them in the tub. No scrubbing is even required!

Last week we attempted blowing at globs of pain with straws to make splatters. To make it work better, I actually had to water down the paint some. We also experimented with "driving" toy cars through the paint to make colorful tracks and "stamping" with legos. I guess the moral of this story is that you don't really neeed special supplies to get some cool effects with paint!

Love his expression... he was having fun, really.

This week (today, in fact) we were visiting John's parents. I put Grandma to work on helping us achieve our MPM craft. She's another crafty one in our family, and I knew this would be right up her alley. (In other words, as a paper crafter, I knew she'd have lots of scraps on hand!) Ian has been nearly obsessed with a certain birthday coming up... in his mind, age three is a thing of the past, and he is SO ready to be four! I knew we needed some way to help him count down the days. It was getting to the point that every night before bedtime he would ask me if he'd be four the next day. Sheesh, kiddo! Don't try to grow up so fast!

Lots of concentration going on here!

Ian now has a paper chain to help him count down the days until February 21! He loved using the stapler... anything to make him feel more like a big boy!

Today I Choose Happiness

2012-01-13T20:25:00.000-06:00

And it just so happens that happiness comes in the form of chocolate-peanut butter chex mix!

This wasn't really my intention... REGULAR Chex Mix was the agenda, but in searching for the recipe, I ran across a few other recipes that caught my eye. Because initially I was thinking, hey, I have all the ingredients: Chex, pretzels, cheese squares, nuts, Worcestershire sauce, etc. But then I also noticed I had peanut butter, chocolate bark, and powdered sugar on hand, too. Oh, dilemma!

John had already succumbed to sweets earlier this week. At lunch today, I watched my kids devour chocolate chip cookies with messy goofy grins on their faces. Later they coated themselves in green sticky goo when a neighbor offered them a popsicle. They ran around the neighborhood like crazies on their sugar high while I watched... tired, cranky, and in a slump. Something simply had to be done!

So, there you have it. I've failed on both accounts, but I don't care. I'm the one who presented myself with a challenge on this blog and then had to confess my shortcomings, and quite frankly, it's not like any of you were offering encouraging comments as I set forth on my goals. If it's truly about trying to eat healthier and stay away from sweets mostly, then fine. (I'd venture to say that the regular Chex mix isn't very healthy anyway.) But MISERY was never the goal and never should be!

Seth Speaks

2012-01-12T21:31:00.000-06:00

Seth is a boy of few understandable words, and he speaks often in very cute but indistinguishable gibberish. I suppose when he does start talking in words we can understand, he won't stop. I mean, if you get that boy going in a "conversation" even now, you're likely to hear ALL about it.

He does have several words we know: mommy, daddy, Ian, hi, bye-bye, no, go, snack, baby, dog...

But it seems that his other words at this current time fall into two different categories, or uh, ROOT words, in Seth's terms. I guess it shows that he is recognizing sounds and can't verbalize the distinctions just yet, but it's interesting... and confusing at times!

When Seth says "guck," he could be referring to any of the following: sock, jacket, truck, or rock.

When Seth says "shoo," it could mean shoe, see, outside, or train (choo choo?).

And when we are getting ready to go out, and we encounter these things on an almost daily basis, it makes for A LOT of discussion about "gucks" and "shoos." Enlightened? I know I am.

Fizzled Out

2012-01-11T12:58:00.000-06:00

No sweets for me in 2012, but John has already caved. He's probably a much happier person than me right now.

My daily organizing tasks? FLOP! Last week went great. I have yet to do any of this week's tasks. And I don't feel motivated AT ALL. There's this cascading effect, you see... I worked on the garage this weekend, but found stuff that needed to go in the house somewhere, but since I haven't tackled that respective project, I just leave it in the garage, meaning that task feels unfinished. There's house stuff that needs to go in the garage, too, but no room or system is in place really. Argh, frustration.

It doesn't help that I was plagued with a four-day-long headache this week either. Plus allergy/sinus issues. Plus TMJ. Plus sleep deprivation. Plus busy kids. Sick kids. Whiny kids. Plus just life in general... dishes, laundry, etc.

And WORK! As a freelancer, it's GREAT for things to be picking up! But it seems to come in waves, and right now, I am riding that wave (and trying not to drown). House projects, you may just have to wait. There is only so much of me to go around. Oh, and ME time? Non-existent. I thought maybe organizing things, since I like to do it, would count as good ME time, make me feel productive and more in-control. (Because that's what it's all about anyway, don't you know?) Not really. I'm starting to despise my lists. But the unfinished projects, I despise even more.

Pace myself. Take care of myself. Recite. Repeat. It will get done... sooner or later.

Well, 30 Came and Went

2012-01-07T23:19:00.001-06:00

I haven't quite arrived at my 31st birthday, yet, but I've been thinking about it lately because of my self-imposed stay-away from sweets until then. Maybe Baskin Robbins (because of the whole 31 flavors thing) won't be good enough to break the fast... but what should my special birthday treat BE? I need something to look forward to in order to get past the cravings now. But sadly, then I also worry... will it make me sick to eat something sweet after such a hiatus?

That is one thing that has been different about being 30, or well, just older than I used to be, I guess. I can't just eat anything I want and a) not expect it to go straight to my you-know-what or b) get away without some sort of gastrointestinal discomfort. My metabolism is definitely not what it used to be... in my teens, I never worried about eating healthy or exercising. In my 20s, as long as I gave exercise some consistent effort, then I did just fine no matter what I ate. Now? If I'm going to maintain, not even attempting to lose, then I must exercise and eat right. (Which I guess you should do that no matter what your age, sigh, why is it so hard?)

But even some healthy foods do a number on my stomach. I had never really experienced heartburn outside of pregnancy until NOW.

And I wonder how much of it is due to having had two pregnancies. My body will never be the same, will it?

Another way in which I feel old is that I get sore more easily. A moderate workout will leave me tight and sore for days. (I guess this is good, in a way, but it makes me cranky.) Bending over is more difficult than it used to be, climbing stairs makes me winded, toting around small children and all their stuff is tiresome... and I've even been exercising pretty regularly to boot! Oh, and I am just. so. tired. I know some of that has to do with chasing little ones, but in reality, child-rearing will be the biggest mile-marker of my 30s regardless of how I feel.

There's a reason we're designed to have children when we are young. 'Nuff said.

When I look back at the past year, though, it has been a good one... no major changes for once. That's what happens in your 20s. You go through so many changes with college, marriage, jobs, starting a family, buying a house, etc. Let's just say I enjoyed a year of feeling more settled. And what girl in her 30s could ask for more?

I even lead somewhat of a professional life! (Work is about to pick up again, actually. Freelance, yeah, that's how it rolls.) I wonder sometimes, though, if I ever decided to join the workforce again if anyone would have this dilapidated mom-brain of mine. And I do wonder if the longer I stay out of corporate America, the less viable as a competent worker I am becoming.

But who am I kidding? I love the flexibility of my job, and while motherhood is the hardest job ever, it's an important one! I do not take that responsibility lightly. Even though parenting these little guys is so unpredictable and oftentimes frustrating, I wouldn't trade it for the structure or status of the working world.

And so, yes, I'm approaching 31, sorry, I digress. Thirty has been a good year. And this will be a good decade, I think. I will get to watch my boys grow and learn. I will root for my husband, his growth as a father, and his success at work. I may find myself working more... or less and eating more...or less (therefore weighing more or less)... but I still stand by what I said a year ago. I'm not worried as much about how I am going to be older, but how can I be better? Because I cannot change the passing of time, but I can choose how I pass my time along the way!

I cheated!

2012-01-06T21:59:00.000-06:00

No, I didn't eat anything sweet, although right now I could really REALLY go for something. Hmm, must redirect my thinking...

I didn't do the junk drawers today, ack! But I did go ahead and start on the garage which is the project for the weekend, so I guess I'll make sure I work on the junk drawers sometime this weekend, too. I did pull some odds and ends out of the junk drawer to add to this...

So my other confession is that I had to buy this little metal retro drawer thingy. It just beckoned me. So, I've put nails, screws, small tools, hooks, and those sort of household handy things in there. Used some chalkboard paper scraps I had leftover to make the labels, wait... where have we seen that stuff before?

I guess I can show you the Mod Podge Monday project now. I am covering the train table in road maps, and while that project is still ongoing, I made this little guy as a matching piece. This little drawer unit used to be in my bathroom, and honestly, I would have loved to buy something nicer for the train toy organization. But in the interest of saving money and also knowing that little boys might not take care of things at this age/stage, I figured this would work well. I also love that while Ian can't help with the train table, he was able to take part in this.

Progress Report

2012-01-05T22:00:00.000-06:00

So, how am I doing on my nifty January goals? Well, no sugary sweet, desserty-type things in the new year so far! (This includes soda... and I almost caved at a restaurant the other day when it came with my combo meal.) I've found that it's not as hard as I expected to kick this habit, although I do know that I am MOST vulnerable at night, and that is when the sugar craving most often occurs. John is trying this with me (thanks, babe) and he says the hardest time for him is at work where free Dr. Pepper is on tap, and people often bring goodies to share. We are a whopping five days into this and patting ourselves on the back.

House organization is going well. The week's projects have shaped up nicely, however, last weekend's project still plagues me. I am working on a train/activity table for the boys. It's slow going because I can basically only do only side at a time. And then if it requires more than one coat of paint or sealant, then that's two nights on that side. And then I skip a night because I'm tired or busy, and well... someday it will be finished. Meanwhile, the boys are building train sets and car tracks on it during the day, so at least I know it will be a purposeful piece (and obviously they don't care what it looks like, either).

OK, so a while back I posted about the pantry and laundry room. The panty's organizational structure that I put together back in July was still in place, but I had gotten a little lazy about it. (Hmm, I wonder how long it will take for me to undo all my little January projects?) Also, I got a new label maker, so I could add labels this time. Here are the pictures.

Before

After

Love labels, baskets, and lazy susans

I forgot to take a before picture of the laundry room, but you can pretty much assume it looked like the picture in the previous post. I'm not sure why this becomes grand central station... I guess because we enter our house through the adjacent garage door, it makes a good stopping (and stashing) point. Plus I can close the door and have it out-of-sight, out-of-mind. I kinda wish this room were bigger, but that would probably just result in more stuff and a bigger mess.

I'm not crazy about the bag in the top left corner. That's pretty much a bag of bags, most of which we used during the summer for pool and picnics. I may try to relocate that. I really want to leave the dryer top open if I can. It would be a good place for whichever load of laundry is in the works. And perhaps a place to plan out crafts away from beady little eyes and grabby little hands. Crafts, you say? Why, yes, I store our supplies in the laundry room!

There is actually a system here.

A work-in-progress shot

The kids' crafts needed some serious organization. I haven't done much Pinteresting for my house projects so far, but I did find one idea that I've applied here. They used plastic cups inside muffin tins to sort supplies. They put magnets in the bottoms of the cups to keep them from tipping. I adapted this, and put adhesive velcro on the bottom of my cups to place inside baskets.

I also recovered some simple shipping boxes with contact paper to use as storage. One contains candy leftover from Halloween and Christmas and is stored in the pantry. (You can see it in the photo above.) I closed the lid on that one since we're not doing sweets, and I definitely don't want the kids getting into it. On the smaller box, I folded the lid in and put glue in there to store on the top shelf of our craft center.

So, I'm pretty much on track for this week! I didn't take pictures of the kitchen cabinets which was today's project. It was really only three cabinets that needed work, and they're not very interesting. Also, I haven't spent any money to speak of, yet, so sticking with my goal of using what I already have. Tomorrow I am supposed to tackle the junk drawers in the kitchen. Ugh, I am NOT looking forward to that.

There is NO system going on here.

Mod Podge Mondays is Back!

2012-01-02T21:39:00.000-06:00

Unfortunately this is only a teaser post because I can't show you the finished product yet! It is currently unassembled and drying plus it is designed to coordinate with another piece I'm working on, so I'm sure all of that will be revealed soon.

Today Mod Podge (well, glue + water = paint consistency) was back in all its glory. We mod podged some maps to pieces of heavy duty poster board. Yes, there is such a thing! It costs 99 cents whereas regular poster board is 49 cents. And it's just a little bit thicker, and I'm hoping it'll work well. So, here's Ian in all his glue-painting excitement.

He was so cute as I emphasized creating a nice thin layer... he kept reciting, "Gotta get rid of the globs!" This next photo is blurry, but we then pressed down road maps to our gluey poster board.

Before we even started the craft, though, Ian saw my xyron (sticker maker) machine and repeatedly asked when we would use that. I recently purchased the 5-inch model, but he knew just what to do. So, we made some labels...

Seth was a little miffed that he couldn't participate. (See him confined to his booster seat in the background?) I will try to find a craft for next Monday that he can do, too!

31 in 2012

2011-12-31T14:00:00.001-06:00

Remember me? The girl with the number thing... yep, I'm at it again. I've got a few things up my sleeve for ringing in the new year. This post is probably more for me than it is for you, although if you would like to take some inspiration from it, that would be great!

I've been thinking about my 31st birthday for some reason... after throwing a pretty big party for my 30th, I figure this one better be low-key. Who am I kidding? It's not like adults really get much focus on their birthdays anyway. So, the plan was to enjoy an ice cream treat at Baskin Robbins, you know, the place with 31 flavors? Yeah, that sounds good.

But what if I stayed away from ice cream and all other things sweet UNTIL THEN? (My birthday is March 8, by the way.) I can strive to be a healthier person by my 31st, and then reward myself with something special and sweet for THAT DAY. Obviously I won't want to ruin a good thing going... I do feel compelled to knock my sugar habit... and could use some motivation (like numbers) to help me to do.

Also for my 31st, I'd like to get a gift from Thirty-One, an awesome company that sells bags, purses, organizers, and accessories. I spent quite a bit of money with them a few months ago when I got new luggage and other items for the house, so I vowed that I would NOT buy anything else until my 31st birthday... they are supposed to come out with new spring prints by then, too!

Speaking of getting organized, I feel the need to get a better handle on things around the house. I follow a couple of organization-themed blogs that put to shame any organizational skills I thought I had. I also think about little projects around the house often but once I start working on something, I usually get frustrated... like if I relocate a toy from the living room to Ian's closet in an effort to straighten up the living room, I am suddenly overwhelmed by the state of Ian's closet and want to fix everything around the house right then and there!

So, for the month of January, I've devised a plan. I've assigned a task to each of the 31 days of the month with some of the bigger projects spanning over the weekends. I'm posting the schedule here, so bear with me... or join me! I'm thinking about posting weekly updates of the progress, you know, before-and-after pics and that sort of thing, to also help with motivation. (And aspire to be like those blogs that I read? Nah...)

Weekend projects:
Jan 1: Activity table
Jan 7-8: Garage
Jan 14-15: Out-of-Town
Jan 21-22: Craft space
Jan 28-29: Filing

2 Train toy organization (decorate/label)
3 Pantry
4 Laundry room
5 Kitchen cabinets
6 Junk drawers

9 Refrigerator organizer
10 Living room bookshelves
11 TV cabinet
12 Indoor toys
13 Outdoor toys

16 Master bedroom dressers
17 Bedside tables
18 Bathroom cabinets
19 Master closet
20 Start craft space project

23 Ian’s picture project (gather crafts)
24 Organize kids’ artwork (in binders)
25 Ian’s room/closet
26 Seth’s room
27 Start filing project (Seth’s closet)

30 Kitchen area filing (follow-up)
31 CLOTHES! (get rid of what we don't wear)

So, 31 in 2012... here I come! Happy New Year, Y'all!

Addendum
I would also like to add that I am attempting to accomplish some reorganizing without purchasing a lot of new stuff to do it. I just need to work with what I have and perhaps repurpose some things, like covering cardboard boxes with decorative contact paper to make storage bins, for example. Also, the other night I reorganized the boys' bathroom while Ian was taking a bath... so as a work-from-home mom, I may have to get creative about how/when I can do my projects. And if it becomes too obsessive, I may need to back off. OK, we'll see how it goes.

It's like magic!

2011-12-27T22:09:00.000-06:00

I have heard John say this quote more than once...

Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.

And I'm really starting to believe it! I've been blown away by technology lately. I'm sure lots of folks got techy gadgets for Christmas. We actually didn't receive any as gifts, but with the help of gift cards and rebates, we've added a few new toys around here ourselves.

First of all, especially with having traveled recently, I've come to fully appreciate and marvel at the capabilities of a smart phone. John recently upgraded his to the iPhone 4s, and we've had fun playing with Siri, the phone's voice-activated assistant. She's oh-so-smart, sweet sounding, and well, a little sassy. If you ask her something silly, she might say, "I do not know the category of that inquiry, John." But the fact that John can simply put the phone up to his ear, ask "Where's the nearest Starbucks?" and have Siri direct him to his desired peppermint mocha is uh, pretty darn cool.

John also has a Kindle on its way. Several of our family members and friends have Kindles or other e-readers. I'm looking around my living room at four loaded bookshelves full of books that haven't been touched in years and are just taking up space and collecting dust, so having books on a fun little gadget sounds like a good plan to me! (I'm in the process of trying to de-clutter the house, so that is my wavelength right now.) Also, the portability of a Kindle plus the ease of acquiring books to read on it sound like great selling points. I'm not really a big reader myself, but hopefully John will let me look over his shoulder and see what this Kindle business is all about.

Lastly, John bought a Kinect system for our XBox today. This allows you to do interactive games... a sensor picks up your movement, and you can do things like run in place to get down the football field or swing your arms as if holding a bat to hit a homerun. It was so fun to watch Ian try to figure things out and get so excited about "winning" the games! And before we had the Kinect capability, I was even impressed by the amazing graphics in John's most recent game purchase for the Xbox. But seriously, if you can ride the river rapids in your own living room, doesn't that sound magical?

When I think about how much technology has changed in just my lifetime and what it will do in my kids' lifetime, it's hard to even imagine the possibilities! And someone out there is the magician making this stuff work and coming up with new tricks while the rest of us oooh and ahhh. This is one magic show that I'm excited I get to experience!

A Christmas Poem

2011-12-21T21:36:00.001-06:00

Twas the week before Christmas,
and all through my abode
Not an appliance was stirring, not even the commode.
The laundry sat untouched in piles all asunder,
And the toilet was clogged, so where's the darn plunger?

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
With a concoction of Benadryl and snot in their heads.
The dishes, they taunted this mama so tired,
As do many other tasks to which I aspired.

When from the TV, there arose such a clatter,
The sounds of dragons growling and maybe blood spatter.
The husband is unmoved by the house disarray,
And so I won't worry about that chore today.

So, I at my computer and he at his game,
The parents relax, in that, there's no shame.
Christmas is coming, there's stuff to be done...
Blogs to be written and levels to be won!

But who am I kidding? I need to get hoppin'
Thankfully I'm done with the wrappin' and shoppin'
Tomorrow we'll be busy packing and baking,
And hoping those colds the kids will be shaking!

But tonight it is quiet, with rain's soft pitter patter,
Even though tomorrow will be a whole different matter.
Christmas is coming, I truly can't wait,
But that doesn't mean I won't procrastinate!

Hot+Chocolate+What Else?

2011-12-19T21:23:00.000-06:00

I can already anticipate the post-holiday need to detox from sugar, and the culprit is not really all the holiday goodies... it's the HOT CHOCOLATE! Oh my, I am seriously addicted! So before I force myself to give up my daily (or sometimes twice-daily) consumption of this delectable drink, I thought I would share some of my favorite ways to make it.

First of all, the givens... I mix mine up with milk. None of this water business, it's gotta be rich and creamy. I heat a mug of milk in the microwave for 1.5-2 minutes, add my mix and maybe some other fun ingredients, and drink it up! Also, just like my favorite brownie mix is from Ghirardelli, so is my favorite hot chocolate mix. You'll notice it as the constant in the following photos.

New find: peppermint marshmallows!

With raspberry liquor... my favorite lately

Can't go wrong with a little caramel

Mexican flair with cinnamon and vanilla


With coffee liquor... this one is SWEET!

What is your favorite way to drink hot chocolate?

From One "San" to Another

2011-12-17T22:18:00.000-06:00

A couple of weeks ago we packed our bags, kissed our kids goodbye (who were in the care of Grandma), and boarded a plane to fly to a different "San" city. John has been out to the San Francisco bay area a few times this year, and this time I got to go with him! We left our home "San" with cold and rainy weather and spent a week where it was sunny and 60... pretty much all year round!

While we were there, we enjoyed dinners out with couple friends (a work contact of John's and his wife and also a childhood friend of mine and her boyfriend), ate delicious food, attended a Christmas party, traveled the surrounding areas, John worked, I relaxed, all in all, a great week! Here are a few pics.

I walked around the Fisherman's Wharf area and Pier 39... saw a scattering of sea lions there and lots of shops and seafood. It was fun to do a little touring on my own!

I ended up a Ghirardelli Square, and as I write this, I am eating my very last piece of "Dark Chocolate with Sea Salt Caramel" squares that I bought there. Besides my tattoos, the only other souvenirs I got were two little toy cable cars for the boys.

I rode the characteristic San Fran cable car up to Union Square where all the shopping is. I spent a little while in Macy's... which had like seven levels of women's clothing alone and was actually crowded on a Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. It was kind of a stressful shopping trip!

On Wednesday, I relaxed at the hotel that morning while John headed down to the South Bay for some meetings. I was able to successfully navigate mass transportation on my own (bus to train to another bus to another train) in order to meet up with him for the evening's activities... nope, not a night on the town or anything... a gathering of computer programmer types who wanted to hear what John had to say! I listened intently to his presentation and didn't understand most of it... but what I could tell is the HE knew what he was talking about, and was well-received by his listeners! I was proud of him!

On Thursday, we headed north of the city, across the Golden Gate Bridge, hiked around a bit in the Muir Woods and drove up the coast.

Crossing a creek in the Muir Woods

Different than our Texas coast

Oh, that picturesque bridge

A fun trip, a fun city, fun times.

Maternity Wards and Moving Vans

2011-12-11T07:23:00.000-06:00

With a new year approaching, folks start to get a little retrospective, right?

In 2008, we had a baby.

In 2009, we moved.

In 2010, we had a baby AND moved.

In 2011, we did neither (phew!) and things have been pretty easy breezy this year!

Hmm, I wonder what 2012 will hold?

Dear Seth...

2011-12-09T20:28:00.000-06:00

Even though you are a little over 19 months old, I feel like you will be two before we know it! You're running and jumping and learning and talking! It is so fun to experience all these firsts yet again! And while we might be a bit more laid-back with you as a second-born, that doesn't mean your accomplishments are seen as less significant. And being the second child does come with its advantages… you were introduced to things like cartoons and chocolate long before your brother was.

You were born during the day* and it was a pretty surreal experience to have an actual appointment to meet you. So, you were positioned in the womb opposite from how Ian was, and you’ve been pretty different from him since coming out. I love how you are cuddly and content, expressive and energetic. We never doubt how you are feeling about your situation because you always let us know!

You are mama’s little ray of sunshine* greeting me each morning with a huge smile and a vibrant “hey!” At night you enjoy a little rocking before bedtime, and I sing You Are My Sunshine… this has been your little “song” since you were a baby.

You still are a baby! But you are making headway into boyhood with each passing day. Your personality is still developing, but you do seem a bit fiery*. When you are excited about something, you speak animatedly, shriek with delight, laugh with vigor, and sometimes even do a little dance. When you are mad, well, let’s just say you have a little dance for that, too.

You have shown slight tendencies for left-handedness* although the verdict is definitely still out on that. (The other day you “wrote” with your right hand, I noticed.) Lefties tend to be interesting people and whether you are one or not, you are definitely one of a kind. I also hold you with my left arm and carry you around on my left hip a lot… has it been mentioned that you are a mama’s boy? And that is something I hope will never change.

You do have a lot of growing and changing ahead, and no matter who you become, you will always be mine.

****

Dear Ian...

2011-12-07T20:01:00.000-06:00

You are a few short months from turning four, and sometimes in my mind you are already there. It could be because you are always reminding me that "on my next birthday, I'll be four!" It could also be that you look and act so big to me, and I am still fascinated by this little person who has been placed in my care. Being your mother has taught me so much about myself!

You were born at night* and you still find the nighttime a great time to wake up and summon me. You rise so early in the morning, like clockwork, but sometimes (when I'm coherent enough) that is when our best conversations occur. I love how you are learning to talk more and more, expressing yourself, forming thoughts, conclusions, ideas, opinions... yet you still regurgitate so much of what you hear and reenact what you see. I must remember that you are always watching what I say and do!

You are my shining star* always ready to perform and show your stuff. "Mom, look at me!" Son, I must strive to teach you humility! Half the time your antics are silly, the other times, quite impressive! You seem to be a natural-born athlete, and I hope to know the best way to hone that as you get older.

You are ALL boy, claiming that your favorite color is blue* and expressing your fascination with guns, cars, fire, etc. You are a Daddy's boy. You may be rough around the edges and willing to challenge your mama, but my daily dose of the "I really love you, Mom!" keeps me going strong.

You are my right-hand* man. I can always count on your help around the house... cooking, cleaning, some small chores you even handle yourself. You are so willing to help, and while I think some of that is because you just want to be bigger, I also hope you have a helpful spirit that grows as you do.

No matter where you go and what you do in life, you will always be with me.

****

I'm sure the news of another tattoo comes as much chagrin to family members who weren't thrilled about the first one. I don't know what to say for myself here except that a) this is what happened when John let me loose in The City this week, b) getting inked is actually a bit addicting, and c) there's nothing that can be done about it now, so you still have to love me, tattoos and all!

And with that being said, note that I have another son and another arm... so stay tuned for the next post!

Clips of Snips

2011-12-04T21:10:00.000-06:00

In retrospect, I shouldn't have set the camera down next to the TV that was playing Barney. And while it wasn't that obvious to me while we were there, this place does a pretty good job at providing every distraction imaginable.

And were you wondering where the oh-so-supportive big brother was during the actual haircut?

The votes are in...

2011-12-03T22:44:00.000-06:00

Well, I'm not talking about your votes because nobody seems to comment on my blog anymore. (Thanks, Mom. Got your comment at least!) However, it did seem there were enough votes in favor of Seth getting his first haircut (whether I blogged about it or not), and even though this mama was a little hesitant, we went ahead and took the plunge.

The other thing we put to a vote was where to take Mr. Seth for this milestone haircut. Ian has been to three different kids' hair salons in the area, so I asked him which one he liked the best. Ian's vote was for Sharkey's. He also gave Seth a little pep talk about being brave for his first haircut. It's fun that big brother can witness and participate in Seth's firsts.

Seth was very well-behaved and didn't fuss a bit. Then again, he has attended Ian's haircuts, and we had even introduced him to the fun cars you can sit in and the sound of the clippers. I was afraid that I would be sad by how much his new haircut would make him look like a little boy. Honestly, it kinda reminds me of him at a younger age since he has LESS hair now like he did then! I guess I'll let the pictures tell the rest of the story...

Yeah, looking a bit unruly on top there.

Before shot of the back

He liked to watch himself in the mirror.

Lil' stinker!

The back after

Mmm, thanks for the lollipop!

In queue...

2011-12-02T13:32:00.000-06:00

I just love the word "queue." Not too many words have four vowels in a row, you know. Below is a list of posts I intend to write soon, things that have just been rattling around in my brain a bit. The list is more to help me keep track, but if you want to "vote" on which one you'd like to see first, feel free.

Thirty Becomes Me, a follow-up post on this one
Letters to each of the boys, basically what I love about them at this age/stage
More to This Life (my recent spiritual grapplings)
Mom-Brainers (simple no-brainers of motherhood)
San Francisco... I'm going next week! (I could blog pre or post about this one.)
Mod Podge for Adults! (contingent on whether I finish the project...oh, wait, I haven't even started it, yet!)
Seth's First Haircut (contingent on if he actually gets one any time soon)

Pinteresting? Maybe...

2011-12-01T20:59:00.000-06:00

Here are a few ideas I've come up with recently, and they might just be Pinterest-worthy. So, do I just blog about them and then pin myself? That still seems kinda lame to me, but if it's all about sharing ideas, then here goes...

So when Seth got big enough to reach picture frames on his bookshelf, I had to take them down. I recently swapped the bookshelf in Seth's room for the toy box in Ian's room... since Ian is more interested in books, and well, Seth is always perusing the toy box. Around the time that I rigged up the frames that spell his name to hang as pictured below, I also cut off his floor-length blackout curtains and trimmed the bottom with ribbon.

The frames are hung with ribbon from a dowel rod that spans across the window fixture (and is hidden by the valance). The four-foot dowel rod cost $1.33 at Lowes. Also, I have plans to make superhero capes out of the leftover curtain "fabric." I don't even know what it's made out of... something vinyl-ish and sorta cottony? Anyway, I'm sure it's quite aerodynamic for superheros in flight.

Also in Seth's room we were having a problem with the rocking chair hitting the wall. At its best, it was transferring black paint. At its worst (especially when a small child launches himself into the chair) it was threatening to knock holes in our wall! A while back I attached this foam knee pad to the wall with Command Strips. Think knee pad used for gardening, although we had them on hand for kneeling on while bathing the kids in the tub. This particular knee pad used to be bright green until I trekked out to the storage shed one day and painted it the color of the wall!

And here's another one... so, you know those freebie magnets you get that are kinda flimsy and usually a little ugly? You can see a small stash of mine in the top left corner of the photo above. Well, cut them up, get yourself some super sticky tape (that's the red stuff you see in the pic), and add them to the back of PHOTOS! You can do any fridge-worthy photo; here I've just made some little scrapbooky picture frames as party favors.

So, I thought these were interesting... perhaps even Pinteresting!

MPM: Taking a Break

2011-11-28T21:19:00.000-06:00

For the month of December (even though I realize today is still November), I am taking a break from Mod Podge Mondays. That doesn't mean we won't be doing crafts around here, because when you set a precedent with a three-year-old, you have to darn well stick by it or there will be much wailing and gnashing of teeth. (Ha, I kid myself... he does those things when he can't have a certain snack or watch more TV. Crafting hasn't really reached that caliber of importance in his life, yet.)

The holidays really are a great time to get your craft on, but I just don't want to be tied to a certain day... just for a little while. I'm sure come January, I'll welcome the chance to get back into a routine again! Also, I want to blog about some other things that I've been mulling over. And maybe even do some crafting of my own. So, not a hiatus from blogging...or crafting... just changing things up a bit.

That being said, I have entertained the idea of starting a Mod Podge Mondays blog separate from this one. What do you think? Would you check that one, too? Or should I just leave everything here in one place to make it easier on me and you? Well, it's not too difficult to just throw another blog out there, in fact, I already did just to play around with the template and all. Leave me a comment and let me know what you think...

Pinterested? Not really...

2011-11-26T20:02:00.000-06:00

I attended a scrapbook retreat several weeks ago, and this is what I overhead...

"Oh, I found this idea on Pinterest..."
"I tried this recipe from Pinterest..."
"Oh yeah, I read that on your Pinterest..."

And so on and so forth. Yes, Pinterest (a virtual pinboard for the stuff you like that you find online: recipes, crafts, home decor, travel, sayings, etc. which also offers a way to share them) seems to be all the rage these days, and several people assured me that it would be "right up my alley." So, of course, I took the plunge and honestly, it took me a while to get the hang of it. Now I seem to be doing alright with it, but I'm not completely sold and certainly not addicted like so many others have claimed.

First of all, I already operate on a system of collecting ideas from the internet... it's called bookmarks. I realize that no one else can see my bookmarks, so I agree that the "sharing" aspect of Pinterest is kinda neat, but...

Can't really post craft ideas there if I want to make them as a gift... can't really post party plans there if I want them to be a surprise to the party guests... can't really take credit for anything as my own idea if it's assumed to be found on Pinterest...

Hmm, maybe I just don't want to share? Or maybe I feel like I'm stealing others' ideas? I dunno, I can't quite pinpoint why Pinterest is not of particular interest to me.

It annoys me that the "pin it" button is extremely finicky.

It annoys me that they want access to all my facebook info, yet still allow strangers to follow me on Pinterest (which is NOT how I have facebook set up).

It also annoys me that I have to click a post at least three times to get to the original source. Seems almost quicker to do my own google search. I have found that searching Pinterest for specific ideas is helpful, but if I repin something, all of the sudden I become that pinner's new best friend. Ugh.

I dunno, maybe someone can enlighten me on the greatness of Pinterest. Meanwhile, I'll just pin away or pine away on why I don't like it but somehow should.

Redeemed

2011-11-23T14:37:00.000-06:00

So it seems a lot of things just weren't going right for the crayon cakes and successful leaf rubbings, paintings, murals, or what have you... but we did put our leaves to good use.

Strung the rest of the leaves together with some raffia

The traditional goodie table is missing something!

We also did another craft on Monday I forgot to mention. We decorated wrapping paper for a birthday present. I only had Christmas paper on hand, and the gift was for my nephew, so we turned the paper over and went to work. Seth is doing pretty well with using markers...

I also think painter's tape is my new best friend... it is useful AND forgiving! Oh yeah, and it's BLUE! So, throw in some fun ribbon, and there you have it!

Also, since we are celebrating my nephew's birthday, I made him a special little dessert. His mom told me he liked boy things... like trains, castles, DIRT. For some reason, I picked up on that last one...

MPM: Leaves are falling... and failing!

2011-11-21T21:19:00.002-06:00

Really, I think I do much better with crafts I come up with myself or things we do on a whim. There are a few problems I've found with following blogs like this:

I have something to compare our work to... and if it doesn't pass muster (in other words, look super duper amazing like theirs) then I get discouraged.
I tend to forget that the kid artists might be a little (or a lot) older than mine.
They may have tried a few different things and waited until the best turnout to post (or not, but I am telling myself this as comfort). Whereas I am flying by the seat of my pants here, and you are just along for the ride.
They have larger audiences who are gleaning ideas from them. Me? Well, I think I'm just keeping the grandparents and a few friends entertained right now. (I can aspire, though!)

So, let me tell you the major source of frustration. Troubleshooting! First of all, the crayon cakes (see previous post) are definitely easy to handle and could potentially work well for leaf rubbings. However, the wax or something like that rose to the top after they were cooked which created a clear layer of something that didn't produce color!

And the edges were kinda sharp, too... so that combined with the twigs and texture of the leaves plus a pretty thin paper meant we were tearing things up around here!

Seth kept saying his favorite word, "Uh-oh!"

Did my blogger friend mention any of this? No... I guess her crayon cakes turned out perfect. Oh well, I do seem to have the gift of improvisation! That is the only way I can make crafts with preschoolers work... go with the flow, always have a back-up plan...or two...or three, and remember that sometimes the boys like to clean up as much as they like to craft! (Ian probably enjoyed mopping the floor afterward more than anything else.)

What's the name of the craft day? MOD PODGE! So, we made good use of our leaves bathed in a nice thick layer of glue! When all else fails, mod podge it! That might become my new motto!

Oh, and not all is lost with our crayon cakes. I cut off the weird layer and colored with them a bit to help round out the edges. We still have some leaves, so maybe we'll try again soon.

MPM: Crayon Cakes and Calphalon

2011-11-20T20:34:00.000-06:00

Tomorrow's craft is another one I read about a while back and have been waiting until the right time to do it. I'll post about that tomorrow. But as with some (but not all) of our crafts, there was prep work involved. So while the boys played outside several days this week, I sat on the driveway and pealed off crayon wrappers, so we could make CRAYON CAKES! The how-to can be found here.

Naked and all broken up... bring on the heat!

Mmm, smell that fresh-baked crayon goo!

Finished crayon cakes after setting in the freezer

I won't be making muffins in that tin again, but it was already past its prime anyway. And in other related baking news... several of our pots and pans we received as wedding gifts have bit the dust. Basically, they are worn and the Teflon is scratching off. So, today John went and bought us a whole new set! We got a pretty good deal with a coupon, a sale, a "bonus buy," plus a gift card "cash back" reward. It's like Christmas up in here! (Actually, this might be my Christmas present, in fact.)

Lookin' good on my pot rack!

I've never had a stock pot before!

Blog Backlog Part II

2011-11-17T21:45:00.001-06:00

So, if the word "blog" is a shortening of "web log," then could it be "klog" for a "back log"? So, then that would make this post a Blog Klog! That is also a Karen original. You get that one for free. Haha, I'm funny... clearly I have not had enough sleep this week.

Facebookers already know that on Daylight Savings Sunday we busted out with glow sticks inside balloons. I read about the idea here sometime this summer and have been waiting until it got dark early enough to let my boys try it before bedtime!

The next night (and a few nights after that) we just played with the light sticks. I am now a HUGE advocate of this cheap and easy version of FUN! We stored them in the freezer to prolong their life, and the four nights of play we got out of them was totally worth $3 for a pack of 12! (It's also a great way to wear the kids out for bed!)

So, I also got out my sorta-SLR camera and set it on a really slow shutter speed to catch some cool light effects. In this first one, John is making the swirls at the top, Ian is the red blob on the left, and Seth's rolling his sticks around on the couch on the right.

John=green, Ian=crazy, Seth=small

This one is my desktop pic right now.

John and Ian are throwing the sticks back and forth.

Blog Backlog

2011-11-16T11:57:00.000-06:00

A while back we made Thanksgiving cards to send to the grands and greats. Now that they have all received them, I can share with the world wide web. Behold... Seth's foot and Ian's hand... and proof that we have two little turkeys running around here.

I also sent them some prints we had done at Target of the boys in their Halloween costumes. I just wanted something cheap and quick. (Oh, how I miss living closer to our family photographer!) We had a pretty good experience doing Christmas photos there last year, but I was disappointed with the photographer this time. She just wasn't very, hmm, entertaining? Patient? Creative? Yeah, all of those things you need to take good pics of kids. Oh well, you get what you paid for! And we got some funny shots for sure!

Oh my, he's so strong and handsome!

Super handsome, but super silly

My little radioactive spider...

Who insisted that he have his snack cup

This was actually one of my favorites.

This captures the brothers perfectly.

MPM: Handmade and Hand-Played

2011-11-14T22:04:00.003-06:00

After I write this post, I am totally "pinning" this one because this idea is a Karen original. Oh yeah, baby! No googling on this one, no kid craft blog-rolling, no pining away on Pinterest... just me and my brain, my busy boy, a hodge podge of craft supplies, and of course, Mod Podge in the making!

OK, now that I am done tooting my own horn, let's get down to the real musical instrument featured here: handmade MARACAS! You see, John is currently in Brazil, and while that wasn't really the initial inspiration for this project, I was thrilled to read this on Wikipedia...

The word maraca is thought to have come from the Tupi language of Brazil...they are considered characteristic of the music of Cuba, Puerto Rico, Colombia, Venezuela, Jamaica and Brazil.

So, in a sense, this one's for you, John! But before we could get started, I felt like the boys needed an educational video on what maracas are and how they are played. While I prepared craft supplies, I pulled something up on YouTube for the boys to watch.

Supplies include: two toilet paper rolls, thin piece of cardboard, colored tissue paper, painters' tape (I grabbed this on a whim, and it turned out great. Plus, it's blue and doesn't look all, uh, tapey), Mod Podge (we make our own: glue plus a little bit of water to make a "paint" consistency), sponge brush, dry beans (or rice), and two plastic balls (of which we have plenty).

OK, fine, I did borrow this bit of information from back when we made rainsticks on how to make an endcap for your toilet paper tube. Basically trace a circle that is bigger than the end of the tube (I found a glass that worked nicely), then trace the tube's diameter on the inside. Cut little slits from the outside circle to the inside circle that you can fold up and then cap over the end of the tube. I started out using scrapbooking tape to secure it, but found painters tape to be the better option.

Uh... this is what happens when you spill your Mod Podge.

So the next step is to tear the tissue paper into little pieces and Mod Podge it onto your tube. Because maracas should most definitely be colorful and festive.

Expedite the drying time... because kids are impatient!

Once the tissue paper is dry, put beans inside the tubes. We filled ours about halfway full. Then pop one of those plastic balls (think ball pit ball... or you know, whatever you have that will fit) on the end, and secure it with the painters tape. Then let your little musical prodigy have at 'em! Throw in some Samba music, and maybe we'll feel just a little bit closer to Daddy in Brazil.

The artsy shot... you know, for Pinterest.

Yes, obviously the mechanism for our maracas works differently than the real ones, but guess what? It makes noise... and he made it... and therefore, he loves it. Last but not least, a video... I'm a little hesitant to post it for its incriminating content, but oh well.

11-11-11

2011-11-11T20:39:00.001-06:00

If you've been following my blog for a while, you know that I like numbers and themes. I mean I only blogged about it here and here and here, and that was just in the past year. So when I woke up this morning, the idea hit me to make a big deal out of this special day... I mean, it won't happen again for another 100 years, so surely a celebration is in order, right? So, this is what we did...

Ian helped me make 11 blueberry muffins for breakfast.

The boys decorated a banner together

We each wore 11 articles of clothing.

Our 11-11-11 banner... let the celebration begin!

Scavenger hunt to find 11 balls and cars

We watched the 11th episode of Backyardigans.

Pacifier and bear count for Seth's 11.

Dance party at 11:11 a.m. on 11-11-11

11 pieces of pizza for lunch that we shared with friends

Playing with dinner (only on special occasion)


Special post-dinner treat: M&M cookie bars!

For our dance party, I chose the only playlist in my iTunes library that had 11 songs: Big Daddy Weave. The boys also had 11 M&Ms each for an afternoon snacks. I called a few different places in town looking for a Row Eleven Pinot Noir to share with John tonight... to no avail. However, we might watch Ocean's Eleven after the boys go to bed. And yes, there are 11 photos posted above. There is definitely a method to my madness... but I do realize it is madness all the same.

Happy 11-11-11 Day!

Another Post on Homework

2011-11-10T09:51:00.000-06:00

So, my boys come home from Mother's Day Out with homework, and today I will be attending their first "school presentation" for Veteran's Day. Oh, so that's why Ian keeps singing what he calls "The Nationaler Anthem." He also mumbles through the Pledge of Allegiance, so this should be interesting. I guess I'm catching small glimpses of what life with kids in school will be like. And truthfully, how can any child survive school without parental involvement and support, I wonder?

Well, I recently took parental involvement to a whole new level. Ian's class has "Mr. Bear," who is a worn, but loveable little teddy bear who comes home with a different kid each weekend, and you're supposed to document all the stuff you do with Mr. Bear while he's visiting. When I first heard of the idea, I was intrigued... I mean, we love to DO stuff, we take lots of pictures of our activities, and I would welcome any excuse to "document" these things (hence the blog). But then I realized how much we would have planned over Halloween weekend... oh, Mr. Bear would have SO much fun with us.

Ian's teacher said, "Well, I've never had a parent actually petition for Mr. Bear," in response to my subtle request for him that particular weekend. I had actually considered bribing her... teachers like apples, right?

So, Mr. Bear tagged along with all our fun events. For the first day or so, Ian insisted that Mr. Bear shadow his every move. (He even offered explanations for things Mr. Bear couldn't do... like use the potty. I can't quote him, though... it's probably not blog-appropriate.) Ian was insistent that Mr. Bear sleep with him, and he enjoyed cuddling up with our stuffed friend to watch cartoons. Then mama had to get to work on the "documentation." I had this hair-brained idea to make our "story" flow like a comic book. I even fought with Photoshop on converting photos to look more like illustrations. Hopefully you can click on these pics below to see them full screen... yes, I am crazy. But it sure was fun!

MPM: Teamwork on Homework

2011-11-08T11:07:00.002-06:00

Homework for preschoolers? Well, it's a good thing I like to do crafty activities with my kids, then! Last week, Seth brought home a sheet that he was supposed to fill with things he is thankful for. Ian brought home a turkey outline that we could decorate with "any medium we want." So, it was Monday, and we went to work!

Ian makes stickers with the Xyron

Seth put on these stickers of his favorite things.

I love Ian's concentration here.

My FAVORITE, the boys working together!

Savor this moment, because...

Whoops! Ian spills the beans, and Seth eats the glue!

Happy Turkey Day!

I am pretty tickled that my boys worked together on their ~~crafts~~ homework. And even though beans ended up EVERYWHERE, Ian was good about helping to clean them up. And Seth really did put his own stickers on, but while sitting in my lap and needing a little prodding every now and then... hence no pictures of that. Well, another successful Mod Podge Monday, I would say!

The Secret Link

2011-11-07T12:39:00.000-06:00

John called this "the secret website" the other day because I worked on an iWeb site to share our recent pictures, but didn't post anything about it. Well, I had just written about Seth, and I wanted him to get his 18-month glory before moving on to the next thing. So, without further ado...

johnandkaren.com/october

25 Pounds of Fun

2011-11-04T20:42:00.003-06:00

Seth had his 18-month appointment this week, and as trend would have it, I am posting his stats here.

25 lbs. 1 oz. (50th percentile)
33 1/2 inches long (80th percentile)

So little man is long and lean! Everything else checked out just fine... in fact, I found myself floundering a bit to find an actual question to ask the doctor. Once upon a time I marched into the pediatrician's office with a list in hand. But really, everything with Seth is going well... eating, sleeping, playing, talking, climbing, temper-tantrum throwing, all very normal for his age. So, to finish off this post, I'll just include some cute shots of Seth I've caught lately. Because a picture (or ten) is worth more than words anyway...

Peek-a-boo, I see you!

An appropriate shirt for Seth

We CAUGHT something here!

I just love little baby feet. Love 'em!

Yay for Mr. Bear!

Thanks, Nana, for the necklace.

Cute Halloween pjs

We start them out early around here.

Big boy sittin' at the BIG table

Mom, you're TOO funny!

Chicken Stand-bys

2011-11-03T12:50:00.000-06:00

Check this out... a post NOT about the children... or crafts. Wait for it...wait for it...

I have a couple of chicken recipes I want to share because these are my tried-and-true fall-back dinner recipes that I know I can count on to turn out, don't require too much prep or planning, and everyone usually cleans their plate. Usually. (Not going to mention a child here, but you can guess, I'm sure.)

Before I relay the recipes, I'd like to mention that we typically buy chicken tenders. I can't really eat an entire breast (or maybe it's a half-breast, actually) by myself, and that white, tough stuff on it usually weirds me out. Chicken tenders have that little tendon thing at the end that I just cut off, plus the size is easier to divvy up among my boys.

Chicken Parmesan
Microwave 1 tsp. of minced garlic (or garlic powder) in a plastic bowl with olive oil (just enough to cover the bottom of the bowl and coat your chicken). In another bowl, combine bread crumbs, shredded parmesan cheese, and Italian herbs/seasoning. Dip your chicken in the oil mixture, then coat with the bread crumb mixture. Cook in the oven at 350 for 20-25 minutes for tenders, 30-45 minutes for breasts. I usually serve this with a side of spaghetti and tomato sauce.

Chicken Teriyaki
On the stovetop, combine the following in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat: 2 tbs. cold water whisked together with 1 tbs. cornstarch, 1/2 c. soy sauce, 1/8 c. cider vinegar, 1/4 c. sugar (or sugar substitute), 1/2 tsp. garlic, 1/2 tsp. ground ginger, and 1/4 tsp. black pepper. Place your chicken in a greased baking pan, and pour the sauce over the top. Cook at 425 for 20 minutes for tenders, 30 for breasts. I usually serve this with rice. We had this for dinner last night, so I took a picture.

That's bread up at the top, by the way.

To be honest, I've been making these two recipes for so long that I usually just wing it. In fact, I am guessing at some of the measurements based on slight modifications I've made. But people keep eating it, so I guess I'm not too far off with just eyeballing it!

Also, this has nothing to do with chicken, but I was planning to post this a while back and never did. A friend of mine recently reminded me of a drink we used to get in college called the Watusi. I don't have a specific recipe, but below is the gist of what I did to make it. It sure is tasty... you should try it sometime!

The ingredients

JD's Art Cafe Watusi
Pour yourself a nice big glass of Dr. Pepper. Leave a little room to add in about a cap-full of vanilla, a splash of grenadine (cherry-flavored syrup) to taste, and a splash of cream or half-n-half. Stir it up and drink it up!

Enjoy!

MPM: Party Plates

2011-11-01T10:07:00.000-06:00

I know I have yet to post pictures of our spider party. That was really only the beginning of a week's worth of festivities that all rendered fun photos, so I am working on a way to share them. Stay tuned.

We did end up with leftover party plates, and I started to brainstorm on what we could do with those. Sometimes I come up with these things on my own, sometimes I use others' ideas. Most of the time I use a good ole Google search to help refine my initial idea. I would give credit where it's due, but I can't really remember what I read about and where... I guess that's where Pinterest comes in, huh? (I did post the bear plate ideas there.)

We did our painting a day early so it could dry in time.

Painting plates for a tambourine!

Ian tells me you gotta be strong to use the stapler.

The boys loved cutting shapes on the Cricut.

Gluing our shapes to make a fun bear face

My pics are not in order, it seems, oh well

Hello there, Mr. Bear!

So, the bear is a painted plastic cup for the snout, a pom pom for the nose, and well, you can see the rest. For the tambourine, we painted the plates, added stickers, and then put beans in between before stapling them together. It's nice to have another noisy thing around here to complement our rain stick. Although when I tell Ian we're making a musical instrument, he says he wants to make a trumpet. I'll have to think on that one.

If you see the stuffed bear in one of the photos, that is Mr. Bear who came home with Ian from school. The project is to bring him home for a weekend and document all the fun things you did with Mr. Bear. Oh man, RIGHT up my alley, and I'm afraid I went a little overboard. Maybe I will post about that later. It's been such a busy week. My head is still swimming from it all!

Overheard and Understood

2011-10-29T21:30:00.000-06:00

Last night at the Scooby Doo deal, I overhead the mom sitting next to us say this while taking a picture of her two adorable costume-clad daughters...

"You better smile right now, or we are going home!"

At first, this statement made me very sad. However, when I got to thinking about it, I'm guilty of the same... dragging my children to events just for the photo opp. I just finished culling down 174 photos taken just today after activities we did in the name of "family fun." This has caused me to step back and wonder, am I doing all these things for them... or for me?

Back to the lady at the museum... I try VERY hard not to judge other parents because I don't know their situation, and I also know what it's like to become so frustrated with your children that you're almost at your breaking point (the key is NOT to break, though). But this mom continued to fuss at her children while she spent the majority of the evening texting on her phone. I kinda wish she would've gone home like she had threatened.

That being said, I'm giving myself a little break on the matter. Sure, I plan outings so I can get cute photos and preserve the memories. But my kids have fun at them, too. I do exercise some discernment. In the past two days, we've done pottery painting, Scooby Doo watchin', park playing, and fall festival-izing. However, if it had been MY choice, I probably would have opted for the air show that's going on at the nearby air force base. That would be too loud and unnerving for my boys, though, so we crammed our adult selves into the seats of a kiddie train instead.

All of that to say, sometimes I feel like the work involved with certain outings outweighs the actual fun we had. And sometimes the actual good photos of my busy boys are few and far between. So I do want to be more careful about choosing activities for my kids. I don't want to become the mom who is frustrated because they won't just stand still and smile for a picture.

I did read somewhere that we don't really remember much about the first four years of our own lives, so we get to enjoy reliving them (and childhood, in general) through our own children! So, really, it's OK if I choose to be super crazy busy for ME to enjoy these fun, formative years, too! As long as everyone gets a good nap in (me included), then we're good to go!

So, after this week's worth of festivities, I have to figure out some way to share the photos on the blog. I've been posting to facebook pretty regularly, but I'm not sure of the best way to share pics here. I've almost maxed out my Google Picasa space, but I'm not crazy about the Flickr interface. I'll be thinking on that one...

Another Unfounded Obsession

2011-10-28T21:35:00.001-06:00

Don't you love how kids just latch on to things as their "favorites" without much rhyme or reason? (And sometimes change their preferences as soon as the very next day?) Just like Spiderman, Ian also claims to be a huge fan of Scooby Doo despite his limited exposure to it. I mean, sure, Scooby's a dog, therefore very likeable, but the show's plotlines are definitely over Ian's head and sometimes a little scary even. All I know is that Netflix doesn't have a lot of Scooby to offer, and the one time we watched it here, it scared him.

That being said, Ian owns a Scooby shirt. He loves to say, "Scooby Dooby Doo!" And he watched a fair bit of it while staying at my parents' house a few weeks ago. Sure, I'll feed the obsession... so we went to meet Scooby at a local children's museum tonight. They played a movie afterward, which from my perspective was pretty, uh, stupid (the one with real actors and a computer-animated dog). Ian said it "was only a little bit scary... the part with the monsters." While I feel slightly convicted to better screen certain things that Ian watches, it was fun to have a mother-son date night all the same.

The First of Many

2011-10-27T20:51:00.003-06:00

It has been Ian's request for several months now that he dress as Spiderman for Halloween this year. Does he watch Spiderman? No. Does he really know that much about him? Well, he's had a mask and gloves for a while, he's read a book, and maybe seen a cartoon or two. So, I'm not entirely sure where the obsession comes from, but oh well, we'll roll with it. He's played around in his costume a few times, but today was an official wearing... the first of many. So, here's my little Spiderman on Superhero Day at school.

I've been ~~fighting~~ experimenting with Photoshop tutorials all night trying to get the right effect for a comic book version of these photos (or more that might be taken in the near future). So far, this is the best I've got...

Update: Still working on the comic book thing. I tried a different photo, and it seemed to work a little better. Seth went as a little Incredible to school today... I guess he was Dash because he wouldn't stay still for any decent pictures!

Seth's Words

2011-10-25T19:38:00.001-06:00

The reason for this post is two-fold. One, I know the doc is going to ask about this at Seth's 18-month appointment next week, and I honestly don't know how many he has. Two, I've been recording his milestones on a calendar, but he picks up words so quickly these days, I've lost track! This is more for me than you. So without further ado and in no particular order, Seth can say...

Mama (or Mommy), Dada (Daddy), Ian, brother, ball, dog, snack, banana, milk, water, all done, down, hi, bye-bye, diaper, thank you (only heard once), I want this, bath, teeth, swing, slide, goodnight, love you (only heard once), no (heard many times), bird, shoes, eye (while pointing at his or mine), pjs, clean up, and book. I've also heard him hint at something that sounds like "one, two, three" or even "abc," so I'm wondering if he learned that at school.

He definitely understands a lot more than he says. It's a fascinating age, really, and I look forward to hearing more of what Seth has to say in the future.

MPM: Party Prep

2011-10-24T10:55:00.001-06:00

This week we are having a spider party. How did I arrive at this idea? Well, Ian's Halloween costume is Spiderman (it's been his request for months), and Seth gets to be the radioactive spider that bit him! So with two spider-themed costumed crazies in the house, why not add more crazies (the boys' buds) and have a spider party! I'm sure I will post more on that later...

So, we needed to do some crafts to get ready for our party. This first craft is going to be something we'll offer to our friends at the party, so I thought we'd prepare some samples. Usually I come up with my own MPM crafts (or by some compilation of stuff I've read about or just jumbled recollections in my head) but this time I had purchased two kits from Oriental Trading. These spiders and webs came in all black, but when you scratch them with sticks, they reveal color!

So Ian and I made a few for decorations. I plan to put the craft table under the bar here and let the kiddos have at 'em. Hopefully they won't use the sticks to poke at each other, but you never know with this bunch! The next craft involved a lot of gluing to make little spider pops to put in the kids' goodie bags. Ian helped mostly with squirting out the glue and putting on the heads and feet. After a while, he told me, "These spiders are too gluey!"

Of course, you can tell which part of this craft Ian enjoyed the most!

Lookin' on the Bright Side

2011-10-20T20:39:00.001-06:00

Let's see... the bright side? That would be the southeast corner of our house that now has significantly less shade since one of our trees FELL DOWN earlier this week. And if a tree falls in your yard, yet no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? Pondering the answer to that question is perhaps simpler than dealing with your home insurance company on such a matter.

The truth is, I was actually here and did hear it, but the "crunch" sound was so underwhelming, I didn't even get up to check. It was a pretty blustery day, and it sounded like maybe a branch fell, NOT an entire tree! And as you can tell from the photo, it didn't fall to the ground, but rather our other tree caught its fall, thus creating a crazy mess of intertwined branches and leaves.

There really is a bright side to all of this... like the fact that if the tree had fallen a few feet over and about five hours earlier, it could've fallen on Ian's head since his room and bed are in that corner of the house. In fact, if it would have fallen in any other direction, it could've caused damage to our house or fence or that of our neighbors. It did take out half of the other tree, which is still standing but was looking pretty shabby once the tree trimmers were done with it.

Tree trimmers took care of everything the next day. Bright side.

In the photo above, you can see a concrete slab that was also uprooted. On that slab rests the neighbors' air conditioning units. Their a/c still works, thank goodness, but this part of the whole ordeal may be the trickiest to tackle with the insurance company. Otherwise, the cost of the tree trimming (which is a pretty penny, mind you) fell short of our deductible.

And while such events were totally unexpected, we did have money in the bank to cover it. Bright side.

And the tree? Well, good riddance! It was an old 50-foot hackberry that probably needed cutting down anyway. It was a messy tree, its position gave too much shade for the grass to grow underneath it, and apparently it was even infested with bugs as the tree trimmers discovered. I am sad about the state of our live oak (the other tree), but I still marvel at the fact that this could have been so much worse.

And did I mention that no one was hurt? Bright side.

Well, unless you count Ian's minor head injury which occurred when we pulled up the blinds in his room to watch the tree trimmers, and the blinds FELL on his head! There seems to be too much falling going on around here.

Speaking of fall, we've been enjoying some nice fallish weather lately. Bright side.

MPM: This just in!

2011-10-19T19:54:00.000-06:00

Did you notice that we missed last Monday on our weekly craft? (Probably not, but oh well.) Of course, I was off gallivanting across the country, but while Ian was staying with my parents, he got to do crafts there! My mom assured me that they would carry on the tradition.

However, in the madness of getting home, unpacked, and resuming our regular schedule, I didn't get to see the crafts until this week. In addition to coloring and sticker fun, Ian helped my mom make bracelets and necklaces for everyone.

Ian says dad gets the necklace with the most beads.

Ian shows off his creations.

Seth thinks his are pretty fun, too!

The whole family is decked out!

My mom is a pretty crafty gal. Hmm, that must be where I get it from! She seems to be into beading right now, but over the years she's done all kinds of crafting from painting to sewing. Thanks, Mom, for giving me your sense of creativity... oh, and for taking good care of my kiddo, too!

MPM: Rice-a-Rainbow

2011-10-17T14:21:00.000-06:00

Well, I've searched the internet over and can't seem to find the recipe I used to dye our rice with food coloring. We did this the week before our Boston trip, so I'm trying to remember what we did... maybe 1/4 c. vinegar, 4-6 drops food coloring, and 1 c. rice? The recipe said to mix in jars, but you could also use ziplocs, I imagine. The jars were easier for my little guy to pour things into and shake around, though. Another recipe said to use alcohol instead of vinegar. I suppose both are intended to dry the rice out, but I don't really know the advantage of one over the other... well, except my house smelled like vinegar for a while.

Adding rice to colored vinegar

Stirring... he has marker on his face, btw

Shaking, swishing, hold on tight!

Our colored rice needed draining after this

Lil bro observes that process

Letting the rice dry before storing in plastic bags

So then fast forward to today's craft. Just add glue, and then you've got a whole new meaning to the term "sticky rice." I knew this one was going to be, in a word, MESSY. Needless to say, I was too busy managing the mess to take many pictures. And the best thing I could come up with to create with our colored rice was a rainbow!

It's probably not customary to hand vacuum your back porch (which is where we did the craft) but this part was more successful entertainment than the craft itself. I was afraid we'd attract ants or birds with the rice, and sweeping just pushed it into the grooves. Ian probably vacuumed for 45 minutes (while the craft lasted about 20), and he did a pretty good job!

My Phone is Smart

2011-10-13T20:17:00.005-06:00

I suppose it's safe to say that mobile technology has pretty much revolutionized the way we operate and communicate in today's technology-driven world. I have been an iPhone user for nearly a year now, and I was actually a little late in jumping on the "smart phone" bandwagon. It's hard to imagine what the next five or ten years will bring... and wow, what will my boys be using and doing technology-wise when they're my age? All I can say is that the LAST five years have brought about so much change, and this became so apparent to me when I TRAVELED for the first time in five years.

Long gone are the days of having to book travel arrangements through an agent. With the internet, we could handle the prep work ourselves. However, gone are the days of having to look all that stuff up on your computer before you left town. I am amazed at how incredibly useful and invaluable having my phone on hand in Boston was, and here are some examples of how smart my phone really is:

I used my phone to find out my flight terminal/gate info and even check in!
Obviously, I was able to keep in touch with folks through calls, texts, and emails.
I didn't really want to carry around my big camera, so I just took pics on my phone!
We used the map function quite a bit to find our way around.
We used the Yelp and Urban Spoon apps to find yummy places to eat in Boston.
We used their mass transit system app to navigate the subway and commuter trains.
While waiting for/riding on the trains, we killed time by playing games, reading the news, or checking Facebook/Google+ on our phones.
I suppose I could have even read a book on my phone, but I chose the more traditional route for that. (Yes, I'm actually reading a book right now!)
I could have also listened to music on my phone, but I forgot my earbuds.
We used the weather app to know how to pack/dress for the day.
I set an alarm on my phone to wake us up in the morning.
I booked a tour on my phone.
An urgent thing for work came up, and I was able to fix that... even changed html code and updated a website (with John's help).
I used the phone's web browser to look into fun things to do in Boston.
I used my phone as a flashlight to find my way around a dark hotel room.

Oh gosh, the list could go on! It was also impressive how widespread the network coverage is, however, we did hit some dead spots every now and then... now THAT is the limit to the smart phone's smartness... it is only as good as its connection, well, and battery power. Needless to say, John and I drained our phone batteries by the end of every day we spent in Boston.

And I suppose photo quality on a phone leaves some things to be desired, but below is a link to a sampling of the pics I took in Boston. Enjoy!

Boston Bound!

2011-10-05T20:22:00.001-06:00

John snapped the picture above on his "water taxi" ride from the airport to his swanky hotel. He has been in Boston this week on business, and I am flying up to join him on Friday. Tomorrow I will head north to drop off the kids with their grandparents and proceed to have an actual VACATION! Woohoo!

So, while I'm gone, oh faithful readers... if I actually have any, leave me a shout out in the comment section. I have to ask for this every once in a while to boost my blogger self-esteem. You see, I'm getting very few comments these days. (Many thanks to those who do comment.) That's OK... I'm commenting less on other people's blogs, too, but I just wanted to see who was still out there. Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?

MPM: Where There's a Will, There's a Way

2011-10-04T13:59:00.000-06:00

My original plan was to just put rice in the mailing tubes and seal them up. But then I thought making one of those rain sticks would be cool, and John advised me on the mechanics. He's so smart like that. I read a few different methods online and settled on the one that used a hammer a nails. Because I like to do crazy things for our crafts. I mean, my child is at the ripe old age of three, you know.

What's better than one 3-yr-old with a hammer? TWO 3-yr-olds with hammers! I think I may have a few slight dings in my table... or maybe those were from Ian's fork during one night's dinner protest. I'm not sure. Oh, the stories that table could tell. So, anyway, we invited Ian's friend, Will, over to participate in our Monday madness... now, that's a MPM first– fun with a friend!

Ian did pretty well at wielding the hammer.

Best buddy, Will, inspects the nails.

Checking out the nails on the inside of the tube

Adding rice to the tube

Will's super cute twin brothers (They are Seth's age)

Decorated sticks and silly boys

So you hammer in nails all around the tube to make a sort of spiral on the inside... when the rice hits it, it makes a cool sound. We probably could've used more nails and perhaps more rice, but it serves its purpose. That is one good thing about crafting with three-year-olds. They're not really critics. Until next time!

MPM: Bubble Bubble, Toil and Trouble

2011-10-03T11:06:00.001-06:00

Last week the boys got fun packages in the mail from Uncle George and Aunt Mary. Ian loves to get packages, thought the mailing tube itself was lots of fun, and well, the bubble wand inside was also a big hit.

Our resident bubble-blowing expert

Can't blow, yet, but LOVES bubbles all the same!

After our involved feet-painting project from last week, I wasn't sure what to do for this week's craft. I started eying those mailing tubes. Hmm, what could we do with those? An idea popped into my head, John helped me expand my vision, and with a little help from a google search, we were ready to go!

Supplies... well, except for the brownie mix

Thus begins the toil and trouble...

Like a lot of our crafts, Seth was too little to participate. So, we invited a friend over for this one. And I proceeded to hand hammers over to three-year-olds. Stay tuned for the exciting conclusion...

A Brownie Experiment

2011-10-02T11:34:00.000-06:00

Here is what I've read online about adding beans to your brownies (to make them healthier or get your kids to eat more protein/fiber). Basically puree a can of black beans and add it to your brownie mix (sans egg and oil). I did not try it this way, but...

I had both black and white beans pureed as baby food in the freezer. Seth didn't like them because they were pretty bland, and I've mixed them with other things like veggies. But it got me thinking... I wonder if you could taste them in brownies? So, I experimented with this yesterday...

I used two brownie mixes and then split it three ways into 8x8 pans. I made the mix according to the directions (with egg, oil, and water) and then added 1 cup black beans to the far left batch and 1 cup white beans to the batch in the middle. The batch on the right is the no-beans-added version.

John and I both did blind taste tests. Our results were slightly different... he said he could taste "something weird" in the black bean version, and I thought "it" was more noticeable in the white bean version. "It" is not necessarily a distinct bean flavor, though, and perhaps it wouldn't phase you if you didn't know you were looking for something. John and I both agreed that the texture of the beanie brownies was different... more chewy than the original. John used the word "spongy" which sounds kinda gross, but I didn't think so.

When compared side by side, there was a noticeable difference. But the beanie brownies didn't taste BAD, and I'm pretty sure my kids wouldn't be able to tell. Later today, I'll taste again and then get Ian to weigh in on the matter... as in, give him a beanie brownie and see if he eats it. Do NOT tell the kids beans are in there... Ian would be prompt to tell you, "I don't like beans."

Oh... and now I have a lot of brownies at my house. What to do with them? Hmm...

Paranoid

2011-10-01T11:51:00.001-06:00

Top Ten Reasons Why We Are Not Having More Children

John and I are both in agreement on the matter.
A surgical procedure has been performed to ensure the matter.
I have already sold/given away a lot of our baby items.
I am still SO TIRED from the first two!
I wouldn't know what to do with a girl.
I wouldn't know what to do with THREE boys!
Seth is already my needy child, he doesn't need middle-child syndrome.
We're planning to convert the baby room into a guest room... so people will come see us!
People might not want to come see us if we had three crazy children running around.
We're pretty comfortable with the parent:child ratio right now. We really don't want to be outnumbered.

So, why am I paranoid? Because I'm late...

MPM: The Paintfoot Tribe

2011-09-28T21:38:00.001-06:00

I have no idea what compelled me to want to do this, but it sure was fun! The Paintfoot Tribe must be crazy, huh?

My little paintfoot in action

Of course mama had to get her feet wet, too!

Ian cleans off between colors

This little paintfoot was a bit disgruntled

Our finished painted pathways

So, basically I laid out the plastic and rolled out the paper (intended for our art easel which we rarely use). The bath was on standby, water bins and towels were strategically placed, paint was squirted on plastic lids, and off we went! The fact that Ian has asked me EVERY DAY if/when we can do this again should attest that it was a hit! Well, a hit for Ian and me, that is.

Seth's reaction really surprised me. I thought he'd jump right in with both feet! But instead, he fussed and threw himself down. It would seem the paintfoots are just as temperamental as their close relatives, the blackfoots.

I have videos of the whole shenanigan, so I'll edit those and post them soon! I have also added a link for Mod Podge Mondays in the sidebar. Thanks for checking in!

He was just 17, you know what I mean...

2011-09-27T21:05:00.002-06:00

Can you name that song/group?

Yesterday Mr. Seth Evan hit the 17-month mark. Monumental? Well, no. Marked with milestones? Well, some. He's pretty much a walking, talking busy-body these days. A friend of mine used the phrase "mobility without morality" for this stage. So. very. true.

The tantrums are here in full force. Little man throws himself on the ground, and his fits last longer than Ian's did at this age. Of course, he's my passionate child, so I shouldn't be surprised by this. I am just ignoring them. Seth does understand and usually responds to the word, "no." He also knows how to say it.

Thankfully we are moving past the stage where he puts everything in his mouth. He will still sample some things like playdough and paint (probably because they resemble food and well, they're not really age-appropriate). He still loves to eat, occasionally throws his food, and knows either words/signs to say "hungry," "more," and "all done." He also knows words for his routine... diaper, shoes, snack, pjs, and teeth.

He's adding lots of new words to his little vocabulary, and we're starting that fun parrot stage, too. Some of his favorite words (and things) are "bah" for ball and "dah" for dog. He calls his pacifier "that" because I think I say, "Oh, you want that?" when he points to it. He says "yay!" when he's happy and "ohhh" when he's concerned. Like I said, my passionate child.

Perhaps Seth should've been born walking because he seems to be a happier kid now that he can get around. He LOVES going outside and exploring. He walked around the neighborhood (about 3 blocks) with Ian and me the other night... just blowing and going! And because he's so active when he's up and around, he also crashes pretty hard. He usually naps for 2-3 hours in the afternoon and sleeps about 12-13 hours straight at night.

He's recently added the desire/need to be rocked a little at bedtime. I think he needs this to wind down since he IS so busy during the day and RIGHT up until bedtime (usually because Ian is still up and doing stuff). I don't mind this one bit... I don't rock him to sleep, just enough to sing his little song (You Are My Sunshine) for a few rounds, stroke his hair, and watch him smile at me from behind that darn pacifier. The other night he said "wuv oo" for "love you" when I laid him down! So sweet!

Seth loves chasing his big brother, jumping on the bed, and playing peek-a-boo with him. He's starting to fuss and fight back a bit, too, so the brother relationship continues to develop. Seth is also still a hard core mama's boy... he'll be visiting his Grandma and Grandpa for several days in October, so I really hope that goes well.

Seth has a mouth full of teeth (we're done until 2-yr-molars) and a head full of hair (no haircut, yet). He's doing really well at "school," and I adore his teacher. She always says he is "so easy going." Um, are you talking about my passionate child? Well, he does rarely fuss at drop-off (like the other kids do), and he takes good naps there (like the other kids don't) so that's good news.

I will leave you with some cute pictures of my silly boy. Oh... and stay tuned for the exciting conclusion to our recent Mod Podge madness!

MPM: Preparation

2011-09-25T19:44:00.003-06:00

True, this particular session of Mod Podge Mondays actually occurred over the weekend. I have been thinking about this one for a while, but figured I may just need to have John around to call upon in ~~an emergency~~ a pinch. So, I'll post about this one in stages and let you decide whether or not I'm just plain crazy!

Bins of water... for intermittent cleanup!

Remember this stuff? Yeah, an absolute necessity.

Barricades... to keep that crazy lil' brother contained

A bath ready to go in a time of need...

Oh yes, you had to know paint was involved!

Our Monday plans involve a playdate at the park and a possible trip to the pediatrician. However, I'll be sure to keep you updated on what happened next... unless you want to take a guess!

The Blackfoot Tribe

2011-09-23T11:54:00.003-06:00

Members of the Blackfoot Tribe have recently been spotted around here. The hot summer months had forced them into hibernation, but the first signs of fall have brought them back out into the open.

You can also tell a Blackfoot native by his pink cheeks, sweaty hair, and outdoorsy smell. Blackfoots spend a lot of time outside, so they often need adequate rehydration and ritualistic bathing.

The Blackfoots are wild at heart, can be temperamental at times, but will generally respond to love and affection... and the offering of food. When you spot one, you may be able to make eye contact for a brief moment before he is off running in the opposite direction.

You Know You Live With Boys When...

2011-09-21T21:18:00.001-06:00

Dinosaurs greet you at the door

Random car parts live in your closet

Original song lyrics make reference to dragons

The couch becomes a trampoline


Spiderman often makes an appearance...

...and superheroes come in all sizes

Bus wrecks occur in the bathtub...

...or on the bed

Cartoons require a fresh perspective

The crib doubles as a jungle gym

Bed jumping sessions are a daily occurrence

Night time usually means game time

An entire toy bin is devoted to balls

The "man cave" provides a second home

ANYTHING can be refashioned into a gun

Those random car parts ultimately find their rightful place

Pillows and blankets come in shades of blue

All of the above can happen in just a day's time

OWT Disorder

2011-09-20T19:46:00.006-06:00

OWT stands for "Obsessed With Themes," and if there were such a thing, I would most certainly be diagnosed with it. At this time, there is no known cure.

Symptom: The rooms of one's dwelling place typically have a theme.
Case Study: Let's see... my living room is done in maps/travel, the boys' rooms are transportation, their bathroom is animals, and my room has pictures/paintings of doors.

Symptom: A person with OWT enjoys throwing parties simply because themes can be easily applied.
Case Study: Not only did I go all out for the kids' birthdays this year (and my own), I already have themes, activities, and decor in mind for next year.

Symptom: If there is no reason to have a themed party, the OWT patient creates a reason and then plans accordingly.
Case Study: I host monthly brunch playdates that always have a theme... Donuts-n-Dinosaurs, Muffins-n-Monsters, etc. which involve food around the theme, of course, along with decorations, crafts, and take-home goodies.

Symptom: A person with OWT loves holidays which typically carry their own theme. However, since big ones like Christmas and Halloween can be so broad, the OWT will likely narrow down the theme in order to promote simplicity and cohesiveness.
Case Study: My Halloween party theme will be spiders. My Christmas decor is all gold. Yes, colors can constitute a theme.

Symptom: The OWT also attaches readily to very random holidays since a theme can be easily incorporated. This also helps close the gap in between the bigger holidays, which feeds the OWT's need for themes.
Case Study: See previous post about Talk Like a Pirate Day.

Symptom: The OWT only shops with ease at stores that are clearly laid out by theme. Thankfully, grocery shopping rarely poses a problem, but any kind of resale shopping or bargain hunting can cause anxiety for the OWT.
Case Study: I cannot do Marshalls, Ross, or TJ Maxx unless the need is absolutely dire. Also, consignment stores (which are generally pretty organized, actually) and garage sales do not appeal to me.

Symptom: The OWT is not a reckless spender, however, one usually needs a benefactor to fund the affinity to throw parties and only shop at specialized retailers.
Case Study: Thanks, John. I love you!

Arrrh, thar be no craft today!

2011-09-19T20:16:00.002-06:00

Ahoy me hearties... thar be no craftin' 'round these parts today. Me mini-mateys and me be jumpin' ship this morn' to visit a wee lass and her beaut of a mother. Yo-ho-ho, me scallywags had a grand ole time, aye... 'twas a long day at sea, and thar be no time fer ruckas, lest they walk th' plank fer their scurvy deeds!

Did ye be knowin' 'tis Talk Like a Pirate Day?

Shiver me timbers, that's a hard gig to keep up. I even enlisted the help of an online "pirate translator" along with a pirate vocabulary list. The fact that such things exist online makes you wonder what on EARTH did we do before we had internet? If ye be needin' these tools yerself, then jus' "google it," ye landlubbers! You can also google the origin of TLAP Day since I am too lazy to post the links here.

So, in case you didn't quite catch the gist of what I was saying in pirate speak, we didn't do our Mod Podge Monday craft today... although if we HAD, I could almost guarantee it would've been pirate-themed. Since we had such a busy day, though, I didn't even think about this random "holiday" until I sat down to settle in for the evening, otherwise I'm sure Ian and I could've had some fun with it.

Today I met a friend and her daughter halfway between our city and theirs (which meant a 1.5 hour drive for both of us). It was great to see Lindsey and catch up on life since we saw each other last while expressing the joys and trials of motherhood. If you don't already follow her blog, you should, even if you don't know her. She is an incredibly gifted writer... she really could be one of those famous blogs in the way that she writes with such authenticity, wit, and eloquence.

So we met at a park, watched the kids play, took a train ride, ate lunch at a local hot spot, and topped off the outing with yummy frozen yogurt. As expected, the boys slept in the car on the way home and were somewhat difficult to manage as they got increasingly tired this evening (hence the "scurvy deeds" comment above). THIS tired mama was about to walk the plank herself, not to mention that a lovely migraine had set in on the drive home. So, obviously there is no craft to post about today, but perhaps when the boys are older, we can celebrate TLAP Day by making our own pirate maps!

I be signin' off now, me buckos!

The Neverending Laundry Saga

2011-09-15T21:59:00.002-06:00

My sis-in-law posted something on Facebook the other day that made me laugh. "Dusted and vacuumed today! And I don't even have company coming!" While Lydia and I keep house a little differently, I can totally relate to this statement. But for me, it's with laundry. When company is coming, I have to tackle this chore, otherwise there would be no towels in the guest bathroom. I feel like the neverending, mountainous piles of laundry are everywhere!

Do you ever eat a huge meal and are so full that you think you might never be hungry again? But we always have to eat again. Such is the case with laundry... clothes and linens always get dirty, and we always need them again. Although sometimes I am tempted to just go buy new ones instead of washing the dirty ones... ha!

I'm actually pretty good at keeping things straight around my house. I do dishes regularly and don't let them pile up in the sink too often. I wipe down surfaces and vacuum as needed. We have a nightly ritual of cleaning up toys, and you can usually find me trailing the boys after playtime during the day trying to straighten things up here and there. (I suppose I should interject that I am spoiled, er, I mean, blessed by a cleaning service to take care of the nitty gritty. Yes, I know, why am I even complaining?)

Regardless, I totally lose my composure with laundry. I just can't get a good system going. I know people have different methods... wash a little here and there, wash certain clothes on certain days, etc. For me, it's always a MARATHON. Do about 10 loads in one day... and then let them sit somewhere for a few more days. My favorite place to store clean laundry is in the dryer. The last load of the day usually stays in there until it's time to wash again OR I've actually used everything that was in there! I can't even tell you how many times I run the dryer on "refresh" mode with full intentions of taking the clothes out only to FORGET them again.

I'm not sure why laundry gets the better of me... I guess because I try so hard to keep everything else in its place, that something has to give? Perhaps it's because laundry baskets are placed strategically throughout my house, so not only are there plenty of places to store dirty clothes out-of-sight, out-of-mind, but I also can't gauge how much is really there until I get it all going... and then I just feel overwhelmed by the task. And since the laundry room is closed off, YOU don't see my secret stashes. I think the bottom line is: I don't like folding and putting away. (I actually do OK with the gathering and washing part.)

So that's it... my confession. I have no solution. I'm not looking to change. I'm certainly capable of managing laundry, but simply choose not to. When the need is dire, it gets done. My guests WILL have clean towels, and my kids won't have to go commando. But I might be pulling Ian's underwear out of the dryer on our way out the door!

MPM: Alphabet Automobile

2011-09-12T19:41:00.001-06:00

OK, my confession is that we didn't actually do this craft today. I was out of town for most of the day on business. Doesn't that sound professional of me? On business.

My initial plan was just to skip this week, but over the weekend I found myself floundering a bit with what to do with the kids, so crafting was a good low-key activity. (I was feeling a little under the weather, and John was busy working on his car. And if you don't think this counts as "low key," just wait until you see what I have planned for next week.)

We did this craft in stages... the first was cutting letters out of magazines.

Why stages? Well, someone was teething...

Or shall I say was, is, and forever teething. No, actually, this is his last one-year molar, so we should be good for a while. Big ole nasty teeth!

Next we put glue on a little wooden car that I found for $1.50 on clearance at Hobby Lobby. Score!

Later we mod podged over the letters, but I didn't get any photos of that part. This guy's pretty cute, huh? We'll have to find a place to hang this in Ian's room.

9-10-11

2011-09-10T19:49:00.002-06:00

Kind of a cool date, huh? I know someone who got married today, taking advantage of having a notable anniversary date. Man, that would be a good birthdate, too... I'd love to be able to just rattle that one off at the pediatrician's office when they ask me the kid's birthdate, and I try to decipher with my dilapidated mom-brain which kid they're actually talking about while trying to keep one kid from jumping off the chairs while hushing the fussy one and keeping an eye out for the coughing kid in the corner, hoping she doesn't interact with mine, and oh, they've finally called our name, but now my kid says he has to go potty, and come to think of it, I'm glad nobody was born on 9-10-11 because that would mean I'd have a NEWBORN to add to this craziness and well... I digress.

9-10-11 is a Saturday... and ours was pretty uneventful. I mean, Seth was fussy, I'm feeling sick, John worked on his car, and Ian pestered his brother for most of the day. (Clearly mom-brain has got me again... I can't even use consistent verb tenses in the same sentence. I guess I'll blame that one on the sinus-headache, medicine-induced fog I'm in right now.) OK, so we did have a couple pleasant moments of the day, and I actually took videos of them. Total screen time is 132 seconds, and I think that about sums up the total time of brotherhood nicety that occurred today. (Phew, at least I can still do simple math.)

In this first video, I would like to point out that when I took a kiddie pool video at the beginning of the summer, Seth was barely able to stand. Now look at him!

The Neverending Sleep Saga

2011-09-09T21:25:00.001-06:00

When we were in college, we would have the occasional need or even desire to stay up all night long. However, there was usually the hope of coming home after class (after handing in the paper or taking the test that had kept us up the night before) and crashing. Even if the day's schedule didn't allow for that, we could probably count on the opportunity to sleep in until noon the following Saturday.

It might be safe to say that I have not had a full night's sleep on any consistent basis for the past four years (since my pregnancy with Ian). I sometimes wonder why I could manage those sleepless nights while in college, but can't seem to tolerate them well now. Am I getting old? Well, I suppose that's part of it, but I think lack of sleep can have a cumulative effect. (There is such a thing as sleep torture, you know.)

In all honesty, we are at a better stage now than we have been in a long time. Seth sleeps through the night on most nights... he may wake up once in the night once during the week, and that's usually related to illness or teething. Ian is actually on a good streak, too. He'll occasionally get up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night, and for some reason, he insists on having help with this process. (He's been potty trained for a year now, and can definitely handle things on his own... but apparently only in the daytime.)

Even though we are all sleeping better these days, I still feel tired all the time. Perhaps it's because these restless sleepers in my house also have relentless energy when they're not sleeping. Perhaps since I haven't had decent sleep in four years, I need four years worth of sleep to make up for it. Or perhaps it's just parenting... the part that people never warn you about or even if they tell you what to expect, there's nothing quite like feeling it for yourself. Sweet sleep, I will never take you for granted again.

Yawn. I think I'll go to bed now.

MPM: Taking Labor Day Off

2011-09-05T18:05:00.001-06:00

We didn't do a craft today because we rolled into town around 3 p.m. from our weekend travels visiting family. Shortly thereafter, Ian went to his first gymnastics class at the new gym, and now we're settling in for the evening and gearing up for a busy week ahead. BUT, I do have MPM updates for you... I can now post our projects from the past two weeks that I wanted to keep secret until we gave them away as gifts!

Two weeks ago, we made t-shirts for our cousins.

This kid really loves to paint.

Ian's shirt for Caleb

Seth's shirt for James

One thing I've learned is that when the paint comes out, our crafts usually evolve as we are doing them. In other words, what else can we cover with paint besides ourselves? In this case, I had put the paint on paper plates, and there was no sense wasting what was left. I instructed Ian to paint the entirety of the plate, and then we stuck some fun fuzzy craft balls on there.

So then the next week, we busted out the paint yet again. This time we were making picture frames out of popsicle sticks.

First we painted the popsicle sticks.

This is practice for gluing. Hmm...

More supervised gluing gave us these.

Add magnets to the back and voila!

We made several of these to give to Ian's gymnastics teacher and some family members (with a picture of the brothers in it). And since the paint was already out, we had a grand time with it. Thankfully this time it was washable finger paint and not fabric paint, so cleanup was easy. Seth enjoyed it, too!

Two Year's Time

2011-09-02T06:00:00.001-06:00

Just about two years ago...

We took a fun family vacation to the beach. In this picture, Ian is a little older than Seth is now. And my nephew Caleb is about 8 months old in this picture, and now he is talking in full sentences... scratch that, full paragraphs!

Shortly after the beach trip, we moved to a different city when John took a new job. Shortly after this shot was snapped, I announced to John the results of a certain test I had taken that morning. Nine months later we would welcome Seth into our family.

So, two years later we now have these little monkeys added to the bunch... Seth Evan and James Elliot.

I'm excited about getting the crew back together again for this guy's first birthday. It may not be a beach vacation, but maybe we'll see something in small-town Arkansas this weekend. Happy Labor Day, y'all!

The End of the Beginning

2011-08-30T04:00:00.000-06:00

About a year ago, Ian started taking gymnastics classes. At the time, I wasn't necessarily considering anything that structured for my 2 1/2 year old, but after attending a few open gym play times, their staff encouraged me to do so. I guess they noticed he had a knack for it... and I started to notice it, too. The real selling point for me was when a male coach told me gymnastics would be great for building coordination and flexibility for sports later on.

So, I'm sure you're thinking that they tried to convince me to put him in classes as a marketing ploy, right? Well, I suppose that's possible, BUT the same staff members who noticed his aptitude for gymnastics also recently recommended us to another gym... one that has a boys' team and coaches who are former Olympians. Several weeks ago, we did a trial class there, and next week Ian will be making the switch.

Let me interject that yes, we realize he is only three, and we are certainly not counting on a budding 2028 Olympian here. He is also a few years out from anything remotely serious like their competitive boys' team. But the truth is, he's turning cartwheels and doing flips on the bars, and he LOVES his gymnastics classes, so let's go with it!

So last night, we bid farewell to Gym Kids and Ian's teacher, Miss Ashley. When we started going there, he called her "Miss Asha-wee," and he talked about her all the time. In the past year, Ian has learned to make the "l" sound plus do flips on the trampoline (and couch...and bed...), do a penny drop from the bars (hang from your knees, swing, and drop to your feet), and walk the length of a balance beam. John usually takes Ian to his classes, so whenever I have a chance to see him in action, I am always so impressed! Maybe aspiring for the 2028 Olympics is not so far-fetched, after all. (Wink, wink.)

Thanks, Miss Ashley, for a great year!

Little bro watches from the sidelines.

The other crazy kids in Ian's gymnastics class

By the way, we did do our MPM craft today... we made a little gift for Miss Ashley. However, we made the same thing for some family members we'll be visiting this weekend, so I won't post about that until next week. And if you are a family member whom we won't get to see over Labor Day, rest assured that there is a lot of crafting going on around here, and you will be a recipient soon enough!

Seth's Room

2011-08-27T21:39:00.001-06:00

Well, Seth's room looks a lot like Ian's room did once upon a time. Yes, the poor kid gets all the hand-me-downs, even my nursery decorating ideas. However, there is one thing I never got to do in Ian's room... paint! This is one reason why I love Seth's room so much now... it's like the nursery I envisioned when I was pregnant with Ian is finally complete!

By the way, the metal truck on the wall is new. I hope it's secure enough that Seth won't get too curious about it... this room has already been rearranged once because he started pulling on his curtains where the crib used to be positioned. I think I actually like this arrangement better than how we first had it when we moved into this house... which is why I'm posting pictures about it now.

Also, we have the drop-down crib which they don't manufacture anymore. I'm really hoping it lasts another year for us until we can bunk the boys together. I just saw this post on what to do with your drop-down crib (she calls it a "cot," she's in Australia) since you can't technically sell it. I don't know if we would actually do this, but it's a neat idea nonetheless!

3 1/2 and 16 Months

2011-08-26T15:05:00.000-06:00

Sunburn Grief

2011-08-24T08:15:00.001-06:00

First of all, let me just say that I am so thankful that the worst thing I have to be grieving about right now is a sunburn. I certainly hope this doesn't offend anyone who is truly grieving. However, I imagine the stages of a sunburn to be similar to the five stages of grief.

1) Denial - Someone says, "Wow, you look red!" You think, "No, I don't. I'm just flushed. I put on sunscreen."

2) Anger - Dangit, why didn't I put on more sunscreen!?!?!?

3) Bargaining - If only I had a different brand of sunscreen or a stronger spf. I'm so glad it's me and not my boys, though. Why did I remember to put sunscreen on them but not myself? Well, at least John can relate with his sunburn. Hey, I'll scratch your back if you'll scratch mine.

4) Depression - It hurts! I can't lay on my back. I can't get comfortable. Oh man, now it's itching.

5) Acceptance - Well, the fact that it's peeling means it's not going to turn into a nice tan. Just went from red to white again. Sigh. Well, at least summer is almost over.

MPM: Shhh, Don't Tell!

2011-08-22T19:57:00.001-06:00

For this week and next week's Monday crafts, I won't be able to post pics just yet because we are making some gifts for family members whom we will see over Labor Day. Don't worry... in a few weeks, I'll catch you up to speed on our artistic antics! Meanwhile, here are a couple more photos that my neighbor took at the lake. Their dogs also came along for the ride. It's always nice to borrow someone else's boat... and their dogs, too! All the fun, none of the upkeep!

See today's earlier post about our end-of-summer adventures.

Summer's Full Circle

2011-08-22T11:39:00.000-06:00

Well, our area schools started today which doesn't really mean much for those of us with preschoolers (except more traffic coming in and out of our neighborhood). My boys will finish up their summer session at Mother's Day Out this week, take a week off, and start back up again after Labor Day. However, since everyone else is in back-to-school mode, we are feeling it, too. And even though it is still hotter than blazes outside, summer activities are coming to an end.

Toward the beginning of the summer, we enjoyed our first outing to the Y's splash pad. We've spent many a hot day there just trying to cool off these past few months. On Saturday we bid farewell to the splash pad as they've closed it for the school year. Some friends were able to join us, too.

Seth says, "Bye bye splash pad!"

You gotta watch out for these three!

Also at the beginning of the summer, we took a family day trip to Canyon Lake. That was a fun little "beach" experience, but we were stoked when our neighbors asked us if we wanted to go out on their boat this past weekend. Ian actually rode on a boat when he was five months old, but clearly doesn't remember it. We all had a lot of fun on this little "back-to-school" (for the big kids) boating adventure.

Seth basically snacked the whole time!

Ian spent a lot of time at the stairs.

Ian and Daddy get to drive the boat!

Pretty tuckered out after this fun day in the sun

Peachy Keen

2011-08-18T19:54:00.000-06:00

One of the definite perks (among many) that came with our new house was the peach tree in the front yard. We actually harvested peaches right after we moved here last July, and we've been waiting to see if they'd come back this year. Well, the tree did NOT disappoint!


Our first flowers budded back in March

Little green fuzzy peaches, April 21

Starting to turn peachy colored, July 1

Getting bigger, won't be long now, July 13

We finished picking our peaches on July 18

We did have a little scare with our sweet tree earlier this year. The city sent us a notice that it was encroaching on the sidewalk, and we either needed to trim it back, or they would come and "take care of it." So, John gave it a little pruning job which meant we lost some branches (and lots of peaches), but thankfully we got to keep our tree! So, since we get so many peaches, we gave some to friends and family, ate a bunch (the boys LOVED them), and froze the rest waiting for a good opportunity to invite the neighbors over and enjoy peach ice cream.

Ian loves to help out in the kitchen.

Ice cream man in action

Neighborhood shindig last weekend

MPM: Felt and Floss

2011-08-17T09:43:00.001-06:00

This week's craft was a little crazy, but I totally love the result. I'm not really sure why I decided to let my three-year-old SEW, but sure, why not? Let's start with showing the end result, and then I'll tell you what all we did along the way.

So I have some felt on hand in cute prints... Ian chose the monkeys because he said they were the "Bobo Brothers" which are characters on his current favorite cartoon, Diego. He then helped me pick out buttons, and he sewed on three of them while I did the rest later. I actually found it easier to use some super sticky tape to put them on first, and Ian loved cutting the tape with my super sharp scissors. He really felt this was a privilege because I NEVER let him touch those scissors.

Playing with the embroidery floss... love his concentration!

Putting tape on the buttons before we sew them

Hurricane Seth having a diaper for a snack?

Ian practices writing his name on the felt

So I cut out the letters for his name, and once Ian saw the Sharpie come out, he also wanted to give that a try. I also NEVER let him touch Sharpies, so basically, Ian was in hog heaven playing with all these taboo tools. He's actually getting pretty good at writing his name these days.

Seth saw the mess we were making and offered a trash bag...
or seven.

Sorry for the weird orientation of the photo. I take most of my MPM pics with my phone, although I'm not sure why I don't just use my regular camera. While I did most of the stitching on the letters, Ian actually helped on a portion of each letter. We did this part in spurts throughout the day, though. I mean, he does have the attention span of a three-year-old, you know. And here's a MPM first... a video!

Yes, I do realize that sewing can't really compete with gymnastics in this little boy's world. But you know what? Whenever we would say that it was Monday, Ian used to say, "Yay, gymnastics day!" But this week? He came in my room Monday morning and said, "What day is it.... are we going to do a craft today?" Hooray for Mod Podge Mondays!

It's Monday, but...

2011-08-15T22:25:00.003-06:00

I'll have to take a minute to interrupt our regularly scheduled program (Mod Podge Mondays) to bring you this... I have recently been oh-so-lucky to enter a contest and WIN! My friend, MAB, presented us with the challenge of picking interesting drink combinations at Sonic. Here is her initial blog post if you are interested, but you can't enter anymore since I've already won, neener, neener!

Since I commented oh, like 20 times (to increase my chance of winning, of course) I promised MAB I would try the winning drink with her. Below is her video reveal of the winning drink followed by my own late-night attempt at video editing which ended in frustration with the software, a silly song stuck in my head, and the desire to go out and get another Dr. Pepper after it was all said and done! This one's for you, MAB!

As I continued drinking, I did catch a hint of watermelon every now and then. I found the drink to be well, drinkable, but certainly not my favorite. And Ian just came up with his own concoction... I should have enlisted his help when I was entering the drawing! By the way, my phone is just propped up on my steering wheel, hence the weird angles and such. Hmm, we stay-at-home-moms must have too much time on our hands.

Sethisms

2011-08-11T19:59:00.001-06:00

So, it's time to do a similar post about Seth. I guess he's not saying much, yet, but he sure is doing a lot! He is one busy kid... and pretty expressive, too, for being a boy of such few words.

He does say "mama" and "dada" but has altered these slightly to "mah-meee" and "dah-deeee." He says "ba ba" which could mean his bear, pacifier, baby, bye bye, who knows? "Bye bye" is usually accompanied with a wave of the arm. He also says "tigoo" when I've handed him things which I think is "thank you." And I think "Uh-na" is his word for Ian, so we have some work to do on that one!

He points a lot... at what he wants and what he wants to show you. It's fun to see how he notices things like the other day he points at a bird outside the window. "Da!" I say, "bird." "Da!" "Bird." "Da!" Well, like I said, still a boy of few words.

But just because we can't understand the words, doesn't mean he's not saying something. He jabbers all the time. It almost sounds like a conversation sometimes, like with inflection and everything. When I'm in the car with both boys, Ian and I usually have pretty constant conversation going. Seth just sits, listens, observes, watches out the window. But if it is JUST Seth in the car, he likes to have his own conversation with mommy, too.

When Seth dances, he used to just kinda bounce. Now he stomps his feet and turns in a circle.

He doesn't do it as much as he used to, but he still needs his little "mom check" every now and then. This usually means he comes and sits in my lap if we're playing on the floor or he raises his arms to me to be picked up if I'm standing. He just wants to be held or sit for about a minute, and then he's off playing again. Also, if you ask Seth for a hug, he kinda backs into you (almost like he's going to sit in your lap) and just stands there until you hug him.

Seth is also pretty possessive of his mama. Doesn't like for her to give much attention to Daddy or Ian. He'll have to learn to get over that.

When he's not seeking comfort from mom, he's usually toting around his green bear/blanket and sadly, there's often a darn pacifier in his mouth. Even if I take it away or hide it from him (for use at night/naps only) he somehow finds the spares or ones we've lost! I even witnessed him pointing at it on the bookshelf so that Ian would get it down for him. This pacifier and bear attachment has grown in just the last few months and will probably be a hard bond to break.

Even though he's been teething like CRAZY lately, he's actually been a pretty happy kid. He's loving mobility and explores ALL OVER THE PLACE! He has an obsession with unrolling the toilet paper roll... and a radar that seems to know when we accidentally leave the bathroom door open! And we're in that phase where he loves to open and close things and put things in and then take them out.

Seth got pretty tickled when we were watching this video on another blog. I replayed the video, and took our own video of Seth's reaction. This one's for you, Tricia!

He loves pictures and videos of babies. He loves looking at himself in the mirror. All in all, pretty typical baby stuff going on here... but he's our one and only sweet and silly Seth!

Ianisms

2011-08-09T20:38:00.000-06:00

I loved Lydia's recent post about conversations with her son, Caleb. I do enjoy TALKING to my little man, and he makes me laugh pretty much every day with the things he says. So, it's time for another round of Ianisms.

Ian STILL talks a lot about when he gets bigger. Poor kid, don't try and grow up so fast! So the other day he says, "When I'm 20, I'm going to college." I said, "Oh, OK.. what is college, Ian?" "It's a big school where you read lots of books."

"Someday when I get bigger, I will be in charge." (In response to one of us telling him to do something. Why? Because we're in charge.) "And then YOU will get smaller and not be in charge!" (Sorry, kiddo, it doesn't work like that.)

Ian is usually pretty good about saying "please" and "thank you." But then he always like to announce, "I used my manners!" And if he doesn't get what he wants, he pouts, "But, I used my manners!"

When we get to the intersection just past our neighborhood, Ian announces, "If you go that way, you go to my school. That way is to the Y. And that way is to gymnastics!"

He's started making some very boyish comments like, "Let's go to the neighborhood POOP." (instead of "pool") and then he's so tickled with himself.

So, Seth is learning to talk. So we are asking him a lot of, "Can you say..." questions. Well, Ian makes an appoint to tell us that HE can say whatever it is. In fact, anytime Seth does anything that catches our attention, Ian wants the same attention too, of course. Like when Seth climbs up on the couch, "Good job, Seth!" Then Ian says, "I can climb on the couch, too!" But what's funny is that he acts like it was SO hard for him to do, almost mimicking Seth's struggle to get up there.

And on that note, this one simply takes the cake. I accidentally bumped Seth's head when I put him in his carseat today. "Oh, I'm so sorry Seth!" Then, Ian says, "I can bump my head, too!" And he proceeds to hoist himself up so that his head touches the rim of the car. Seriously, kiddo?

We have these 100 calorie packs of pretzels that we tote around for a quick snack. But because the packaging kinda looks like his fruit snacks, Ian calls them, "pretzel fruit snacks." I don't imagine that would taste good. Ian has also proposed that we put ketchup and salt on ice cream. Ew!

Ian wanted to play on John's computer tonight. "I really really really want to type on your computer." John repeatedly says no. So then Ian says, "I really really really want you to not say no."

And so here is what happens when Ian takes a video on my phone. Yeah, I have no clue.

MPM: Space Scenes

2011-08-08T20:30:00.000-06:00

Supplies were: black paper, white crayons, holographic space stickers, space-themed foam stamps, and glitter-glue. We started out drawing stars and shapes with the white crayons, but once Ian found out stamps and stickers were involved, the crayons lost their allure fast. We've done stickers before, so that also didn't take long... but the stamps, oh, Ian LOVED those. We basically squeezed out some glitter glue onto plates to put our stamps in... and Ian would keep reciting what I told him, "OK, push this down, now lift up, and push on the paper... look, Mom, a spaceship!" The stamps would probably work better with actual stamp pads, but I didn't have any in white, so we'll do that another day, especially since he enjoyed that part so much.

And then there was the Seth factor. Hmm, what to do with Seth? Clearly, he is too little for our crafts. I tried to distract him with toys, but he soon wandered over to the table to see what we were doing. I tried letting him color on plain paper, but he kept knocking the paper off the table and dropping his crayons. Then, I taped the paper to the table, and he just ripped it up. Then he started eating the crayons, so I just gave him a snack and continued helping Ian.

You want me to just sit here and play with THIS?

Nope, I'd rather see what you guys are up to!

Next week I may try and see if Ian and I can do our craft right when Ian gets up from nap and Seth is still down (usually). This was actually my plan LAST week, but Ian took the longer nap that day for a change (of course, when I have plans). Next week's craft may actually involve SEWING, so that will definitely require a lot of mom-Ian interaction. Ooh, I'm already excited! OK, here are more pics from today...

You can't go wrong with stickers!

Ian loved stamping, though!

So then Ian gets REALLY creative.

So, what's interesting about this last photo is that Ian had the idea to stick the two pages together (after rubbing one on the glitter-glue plate) to make the mirror images. That was something we did on our first craft day. Ian was so proud of his idea, and I was proud that he actually remembered the technique we did several weeks ago. Just when I was beginning to wonder if this was just too much work or that my kids were too little to appreciate it, I get this confirmation. Ian was also excited to tell his Daddy about our space scenes. He made sure to report that Seth ripped his paper, too. Oh, brother!

John told me that he thought our weekly crafts were pretty cool... like something you would read about and say, "What a great mom!" Well, that made me feel good, too, since most of the time I feel like I'm either drowning or just treading water with this mom thing.

The finished products

Oh, and by the way, I buy a lot of the craft supplies on clearance at Hobby Lobby. I think the stamps, stickers, and glitter glue (set of four) were all $1 each. The Target dollar section is another great place to find supplies.

Alright then, until next week...

Momsense

2011-08-06T20:18:00.003-06:00

I have recently taken on a fun new project. I started attending a MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) program at a local church earlier this year. They break for the summer, but will soon be back in action for the school year, and they were in need of a publicity coordinator. This basically means that I do their newsletter. Well, I've been known to do a newsletter or two... so here we go again!

The theme for this year's MOPS (as set by the overarching national organization) is "Momsense." We'll have all kinds of things that pertain to that theme... a Bible verse, small group names, decorations, weekly discussion topics, etc. Oh... and a similarly themed newsletter, too, I suppose! (I better get to work on that soon.)

However, for this blog post, I'd like to talk about my own "momsense." To me, that means the set of skills, knowledge, resources, instincts, and know-how that makes momhood WORK in the day in and day out. Some of it I acquired from books, blog posts, family and friends' advice, and good ole Google searches every now and then. Some of it I guess I was just BORN with or BLESSED with, because I don't know where it comes from most days!

I have this deep desire to simply help other moms... especially moms who are in a situation that I have been in or am currently dealing with. For example, the mom who just moved here with two small children, just trying to get her bearings in an unfamiliar city while dealing with disappointment in their housing situation, the difficulty of husband's new job and work hours, the adjustment (read: no sleep) her children are experiencing, and the plaguing Texas HEAT that she is not used to.

Because there was a time when I moved to this city during the "drought summer," found out I was pregnant, spent the next few months throwing up while also trying to unpack and get acclimated only to realize that we'd be moving again in a year anyway for which I was thankful because the rent house was kinda dumpy, and Ian wasn't sleeping well, and so on and so forth...

Or the mom whose baby starting fussing a lot at age six weeks, and she wasn't sure what to do or what was causing it. Yeah, Ian just kinda decided he hated the world at age 6 weeks, and let's just say we learned a trick or two. And since Seth had his own set of tummy issues, I was able to add even more tips to my bag o' tricks. I made sure this mom actually wanted my advice first, because well, advice, especially when unsolicited, can be overwhelming and annoying.

I never want to be annoying... and there's a fine line between offering advice and being an intrusion. While momhood and even "momsense" can be a communal thing, and it's important for us moms to stick together and help each other out... there are SO many personal decisions involved as well. And some people take things very personally. What I have learned through my own experience and by watching others' reactions is that we are all so unique and individual and SO ARE OUR CHILDREN, that what works for me may not work for you.

And so I recognize that. I will tell anyone who wants to hear what works best for us, but I don't expect anyone to do things my way. Because each mom has her own "momsense," and while she may be reaching out for help, when it comes down to it, only SHE knows what is best for her kids, herself, and her family.

Busy Week

2011-08-05T20:23:00.000-06:00

It's been a busy week around here, and I've taken a bunch of photos. Here are a few slide shows of our trip to The Jumpy Place (an indoor play place), some pics around the house, and our Brunch-n-Buddies (a monthly playdate that I host).

Look Ma! I have teeth!

2011-08-03T20:53:00.003-06:00

Um, Seth has a lot of teeth. In fact, I noticed his last one-year molar just below the surface of the gums this morning. He's gotten four new teeth in the last two weeks! (Sorry, facebookers, this is redundant.) And I think that makes eight new teeth in two months! Hmm, let me see...

Bottom right molar: noticed today
Bottom right canine: July 28
Top right canine: July 25
Top right molar: July 10
Bottom left molar: July 1
Top left canine: June 1
Bottom left canine: May 24
Top left molar: May 21

OK, so my calculations were a little off, but I feel like every time I look in that kid's mouth, he's got a new tooth! So, needless to say, it's been a snotty, drooly, and fussy couple of months. I was thinking this seemed crazy to get so many teeth in quick succession (but better to get it over with, I guess) but I pulled out Ian's tooth chart, and he did the same thing in July/August 09! Seth is just doing it a little earlier, but he's gotten most of his teeth earlier than Ian anyhow.

Speaking of August 09, THAT is when we moved to SA. We've been here two years! Crazy!

Speaking of comparing my boys, I remember Seth being bigger than Ian (when compared at the same age, of course) through most of his first year... he was probably level with him around 9 months, Ian had a few ounces on Seth at 12 months, but by 15 months, it would seem that Seth is slimming down. At Seth's age, Ian weighed 1.5 lbs more, yet was 1/2 inch shorter. Well, there's no doubt about it. Ian is certainly a big boy now!

Yes, sorry that was a completely uninteresting post. I actually wanted to post something more insightful, but I am tired and have a headache. I think it's the heat. Goodnight, then!

MPM: Ice Painting Pictures

2011-08-01T20:48:00.000-06:00

Seth was like, what is this? Ian complained it was cold.

Ian had the idea to put it in his mouth, not Seth!


Then Ian decides to throw the ice, and Seth is off to the toy bin. Ice painting lasted about 5 minutes.

This is the idea, though, that it would leave fun colors/patterns on your fabric.

Ian requested "more paint" which he squeezed out in big globs, and then Seth crawled through it.

Yes, Seth, the hose is a great idea for you, son!

The cardboard was under the fabric, so we painted that.

Ian called it a "rain storm" so I helped him add in lightening and sunshine.

So the ice painting itself was somewhat of a bust, and the other painting became an absolute mess, but nothing that a good spray-down with the water hose couldn't fix. I was hoping to keep our colored fabric, but the boys basically coated it with black paint. I am the one who brought out the other paint, so I shouldn't be too disappointed in the end result. And I still have some of the colored ice, so maybe we'll just watch our drinking water turn fun colors with it or mix them together to see what happens.

MPM: Interlude

2011-08-01T08:28:00.000-06:00

If anyone is willing to attempt crafting with your budding one and three-year-old artists, here are some words of advice.

Count on a mess. No matter how much you try to contain it, it will be messy. And someone almost always needs a bath (or spray down with the hose) at the end.
Be flexible! You never know how supplies or attention spans are going to pan out, so you may have to switch gears quickly!
Don't plan on it taking long. At most, our crafts last 30 minutes. For the amount of prep work, it may feel anticlimactic, actually. But you do have a finished product at the end.
Speaking of finished product, things may not always turn out how you envision.
Have an exit strategy to avoid meltdowns at cleanup time. Ours is usually either the promise of a snack or cartoon after our craft is done.
Count on your kids having fun and looking forward to it! Which makes it all worth it.

I will post pictures of our ice painting adventures later!

MPM: Preparation

2011-07-31T19:42:00.000-06:00

MPM= Mod Podge Mondays, our weekly craft 'round these parts. Around the time that I decided to start this little routine, I was browsing blogs like this which gave me the ice paint idea, and I've been wanting to do it ever since. But I knew it would take some prep work, and once we had a free weekend, I knew I could enlist SOMEONE to help me. So, we're gearing up for ice painting in the morning, hopefully before it gets too hot... or well, because it's hot, I guess.

Squeezing in drops of food coloring

Stirring the colored water

Mom did the pouring, Ian did the rinsing

Fun colors for tomorrow's project


What Seth was doing in the meantime

So, thankfully Seth will be able to participate in our painting tomorrow. That kid is into EVERYTHING these days. I can hardly take my eye off him for a SECOND! He's lucky that he's so darn cute. OK, well, until tomorrow!

For the record

2011-07-29T11:20:00.003-06:00

Seth is a stinker!

He had his fifteen month well visit today and checked out just fine... he says 4-5 words, can throw a ball, and can throw a temper tantrum... all normal for this fun age. Well, OK, he IS pretty fun for the most part.

His stats are: 22 lbs. 5 oz. (20th percentile), 31.5 inches long (75th percentile), and 18.75 cm around the head (75th percentile). So, tall, skinny, and top-heavy. No wonder he falls so much. Today Seth is not very happy, though, because he got THREE shots, and he has THREE teeth coming in at the same time (two canines and a molar). Hopefully he'll sleep some of it off during his nap... it's his first time to use a pillow! (It was something the doc mentioned that I hadn't really thought about.)

Rethinking Some Things

2011-07-26T22:09:00.002-06:00

Lately I've been realizing some of my own underlying prejudices that I wasn't acutely aware of and now that I am, I feel the need to reevaluate some of my thinking. I've always considered myself a somewhat open-minded person... or at least I am willing to try and see things from another perspective. However, sometimes I am ashamed at the thoughts that pop into my head or the words that come out of my mouth. Where do these things come from and how do I change this about myself? So, part of this realization process means that I need to write these things out, and see where that takes me. You may or may NOT want to go along for the ride.

First of all, I was part of a conversation recently where the person said something like, "Well all those men in that family just found themselves a wealthy woman and haven't worked a day in their lives." She kinda trailed off, and I said something that I felt like she was implying, "So maybe it's a cultural thing." My husband across the room rolled his eyes and called me on it later. And he's right... laziness is NOT cultural (and by culture, I essentially mean race). There are plenty of lazy and hard-working people alike from all different backgrounds, and it is certainly not fair for me (even in just assuming that's what the other person was talking about) to label entire groups of people this way!

So, a couple of week ago, I got a tattoo. And lots of completely normal people have them. From what I gather, this is somewhat of a paradigm shift from when our parents were young, and my generation has embraced it more as an art form. However, some of my own assumptions about people who get tattoos still lingered. For some reason I thought a lot of people got them when they were drunk... as a heat-of-the-moment sort of thing. Come to find out, most tattoo parlors require appointments, and it is technically illegal to tattoo a person who has had a drink (not even necessarily drunk). Also, the tattoo artist said something like, "The hardest skin to tattoo is that thick, tanned biker skin." I said, "And those are the folks wanting the tattoos, right?" She said, "No, my most common clientele are women between ages 18 and 35." Well, whaddya know?

I recently had a dream where Ross the Intern (a gay guy from a Tonight Show skit which I haven't seen in years) was our pediatrician. I was arguing with him about scheduling an appointment, and the annoying high-pitch voice was enough to make this a nightmare. I told John about it the next morning and added, "Plus, I don't think I want a gay guy treating our boys." Um... why not? Why would a person's sexual preference make them any less capable as a doctor? Our pediatrician is heterosexual, has a wife, and therefore obviously prefers females, but I wouldn't think twice about him treating my daughter. I myself saw male OBGYNs, all of whom were married, and there was NOTHING sexual about being cared for by those doctors. So how would having a gay doctor be different, really?

Last week I was trying to schedule a meetup with another mom at a movie theater. A few different options were mentioned (this was being "discussed" on facebook), and I voted for a certain location because that other one was in a "bad part of town." Another person commented, "Just because an area is older and lower income, doesn't mean you should be fearful." Well, honestly, I wasn't afraid of going there, I was mainly concerned about cleanliness... I have a toddler who likes to wander around and pick things up off the floor which then usually end up in his mouth. (By the way, these are "free family movies" designed for moms like me to do silly things like take babies to them.) But why would I assume that a theater in an "older, lower income" part of town would be dirty? And maybe part of me IS fearful, but not really in a sensible way where I am looking out for my kids, but in a prejudiced way... because we live in a bubble and mix with only those who are like us.

So, wow... those are my thoughts. Not really sure what to do with them now that they're out there for all to see, but just some personal rethinking is in order, I suppose. And a good dose of humility. The root of my problem here is that I probably think too much of myself.

Mod Podge Mondays: Glue and Tissue

2011-07-25T20:45:00.000-06:00

Well, we were back in action today with another craft. The past few weeks we had been doing them in the morning. This time we waited until the afternoon. Ian woke up from his nap and came into Seth's room where we were playing. He was all bleary-eyed and sweaty and he got real close to me, hugged my arm, and said, "Mommy, let's do our craft." So, we hopped right to it!

So little wads of tissue and glue make great bluebonnets. Ours kinda turned into a bluebonnet blob, so I tried to draw in some leaves to help make them more distinct.

There is often the question of what to do with Seth during craft time. Well, he liked playing in big brother's room with no interruptions.

But then he got a little fussy, so I relocated him for some snack time.

After we finished our bluebonnets, we made a stained glass window with tissue pieces and glue.

Ian mixed up our "mod podge," which is water plus enough glue to get the right consistency.

Inked

2011-07-24T10:03:00.000-06:00

Here are answers to the most obvious questions.

When did you decide you wanted a tattoo?
Hmm, about four weeks ago. The idea just kinda popped into my head one day, and when I get an idea stuck in my head, there's usually no turning back.

When did you actually get one?
Two weeks ago on July 9.

Does it mean anything?
It means I wanted a tattoo.

What are you going to think when you're old and wrinkly?
The tattoo artist put it well, "I'll be thankful to be alive."

Did it hurt?
Well, it's wasn't the most pleasant sensation ever, but it was certainly bearable. And I would do it again. (Not saying that I will, but who knows?)

Does John like it?
He likes it a lot. I think he used the word, "sexy." Woohoo!

What does your grandmother think?
Well, we've gotten mixed reactions from family members, but no one has disowned me and quite frankly, there's nothing that can be done about it now!

How long has it taken to heal?
I am two weeks into the healing process, and it has been super easy! It only hurt a day or so afterward, and I've experienced minimal itching and peeling. No oozing or sticking to my shirt or anything like that!

What surprised you the most about getting/having a tattoo?
The cost... but it is custom artwork, I suppose. And also how many people I notice now that have tattoos, too!

So, here are the photos...

My friend Jana went with me.

Tara in action

I'm still smiling!

Right after it was done

A few days later

Mod Podge Mondays: Simple Scrapbook

2011-07-18T20:26:00.000-06:00

We were out of town for the weekend, so I wanted something relatively simple for our Mod Podge Monday project today. I always have scrapbooking supplies on hand, and I found a cute little scrapbook on sale last week, so that became today's crafting effort.

So the name of this scrapbook is "Two Little Monkeys." I recently printed a bunch of photos for my own scrapbooking, so I pulled out a selection that featured my two boys together. Ian loves using all my tools... tape, scissors, paper cutter, and the Cricut! So, here is how it went down...

Gotta tape down the photos!

Ian always picked blue for the matte paper.

Wait, what is Seth up to? Ugh...

Trimming the paper... into small pieces!

No worries, we can use those small pieces, too!

Seth has brother's toy and blanket... haha!

Creating letters on the Cricut!

So, as you can see, this activity couldn't really involve Seth, and well, that boy took advantage of mom's attention to Ian and got into things! Ian also got a little bored with the scrapbooking after a while probably because, well, it's pretty repetitive stuff, and he's done it before. We got about five pages done today. I haven't decided if we'll continue the project together throughout the week, wait until next Monday, or if I will just finish it myself. I have some fun stickers we can use, too, so maybe if I do the pics and mattes, Ian would enjoy adding stickers.

I'm sure I'll learn a lot doing these little crafts... about what works, what doesn't, and how long I can keep kids occupied whether they are doing the same thing, doing different things, or left to their own devices!

Product Reviews

2011-07-13T20:42:00.000-06:00

Well, here are some products that I have come to know and love this summer, so I thought I would share them with you.

First of all, I am totally digging this tank top from Old Navy. It's called "Jersey Stretch," and it is super soft cotton, a little stretchy, and wears long on the torso. The straps are a little thin, so it requires a strapless, ahem, undergarment if you want to wear it in public. I mostly wear these to sleep in, actually. They are comfortable, cool, and the "stretch" gives you just a little bit of support. Ever since my nursing days, I kinda like having a little support, but John doesn't really like me to wear a, er, complicated tank top. These are also good for working out! The website doesn't seem to have many colors available, but the stores have tons of fun colors.

For the kids' clothes, I LOVE Children's Place. In fact, I've bought most of the boys' swimsuits there. Their clothes seem very true to size, and they just fit my boys well. They are also very budget-friendly, and they send/give you tons of coupons not to mention they run lots of sales. This summer, the boys are not only wearing their CP swimsuits, they're cool and comfortable in their coordinating cotton shorts and tank tops from there.

Two other summer necessities are sunscreen and bugspray, but don't you hate the way that stuff feels on your skin? Sunscreen always feels greasy, and you usually smell like coconut. Bugspray makes you feel sticky, and the scent is usually pretty yucky. This summer, we have actually found options that we like... not crazy-scented and both feel very sheer on your skin.

And in the summer, you gotta stay hydrated. We just recently consolidated all of the boys' sippy cups down to one kind: the Playtex Twist-n-Click. We try to do blue cups for Ian and green for Seth (they usually come in a 2-pk of one blue, one green). We have found these cups to be the best at withstanding the elements (frequent washing, being thrown, tossed, chewed on, etc.), and we very rarely have problems with spills EXCEPT...

I also bought the ones with this different kind of lid... supposed to help the transition to a real cup, but still offer the spill-proof feature. (Ian CAN use a regular cup, by the way, but I don't trust him with it in transit.) These lids, however, are more difficult to screw on right, and tend to have more problems with leaking.

So, there you have it. Happy summer, y'all!

Mod Podge Mondays: Fun With Finger Paint

2011-07-11T20:33:00.000-06:00

We started out our official Mod Podge Mondays with a little finger painting. Well, the paint was labeled "finger paint," but Ian isn't too keen on getting paint all over his hands. But I knew someone around here might enjoy it...

While Seth was busy, I helped Ian with a neat effect you can do with marbles and paint. Put your paper down in a plastic bin and squeeze drops of paint on it. Then add some marbles (also works with balls, cars, Easter eggs, anything that will roll around in there), and shake it around! It makes a cool effect, although most of our crafting today ended up turning brown when all the colors mixed together!

It wasn't long before Ian requested paint brushes, though...

Ian had a tendency to put big globs of paint on his paper, so we also tried pressing papers together to get mirror-image paint splatters. Below is a sampling of the finished products.

Announcing: Mod Podge Mondays!

2011-07-10T19:39:00.002-06:00

I have recently decided to establish a weekly craft activity with my boy(s). (Depending on the project, Seth may or may not be able to participate.) I really enjoy doing crafts in general, and I think kids' crafts are lots of fun. And if it involves paint, glue, scissors, markers, glitter... Ian is ALL about that! I've decided to call these weekly crafting adventures "Mod Podge Mondays."

Why Mondays? Well, coincidentally we have done crafts the past two Mondays. Above Ian has cut up a snake skin we got in the mail from Great Grandma and is making a "collage" with it. After we discussed how the snake loses its skin and all, Ian's first question was "can we cut it up?" Um, sure, why not? And we even mod podged it afterward! (Homemade mod podge is equal parts glue to water, by the way.)

Above is our fireworks craft we did last Monday on the Fourth of July. Another reason Mondays are good is because we generally need to have a low key day on Mondays especially if we had a busy weekend before. So, this is a nice stay-at-home activity that will keep us occupied since the outdoor temps of 100 degrees often keep up cooped up inside.

Did you think MESS when you saw the glitter project? Yep, that was a hangup for me... I don't really like messes. But we bought some of this plastic sheeting that I use on the table, floor, and probably on the back porch, too, to help contain our messes. When the craft is over, just fold it all up and throw it away!

And of course, we have to display our art projects! I just bought this fun wall cable system from Pottery Barn Kids (on sale, thank goodness!), and Ian is pretty excited to see his pictures on the wall, not to mention the fun little airplanes to match his room. I plan to post about our Mod Podge Monday activities... so stay tuned for tomorrow's report! Hmm, now I just have to decide what to do!