Sunday, February 28, 2010

Sunday Snippets

First things first....Happy March!  I am praying it comes in like a lamb and goes out like a lamb! 

I just got home from a book club meeting...and my to do list is just growing....but I wanted to post at least some pictures from some of what we have been doing this past week.

I'm pretty excited to start some Easter baking and crafts around here....so I thought I'd better get a head start on St. Patty's Day!




Last Wednesday afternoon... this is what I caught Joseph doing... at the dining room table, nonetheless....



Yep, he is practicing what he had learned in music class that morning with his sticks.  It was pretty cute the way he was so intent on getting the ends of those sticks to tap tap tap together....just like Miss Trilla.


But then when he started singing to the beat too....well.... that was darn cute!!!



Then the creative juices just started to pour.....he started building towers too...and boy was he

PROUD.... Forget that they fell on the dining room table a few times....so I guess the itsy little scratch will always remind me of how much fun he had playing musician and builder!


Friday, I got to be the Mystery Reader in Sophia's class.  I chose to bring one of Sophia's favorite books at Yiayia's house.  The book is about a dinosaur named Edwina and a little boy, Reginald Von Hoobie ( I think is his name) who tries desperately to get his classmates to see that dinosaurs are extinct.  The class does not believe it because they love their friend Edwina the dinosaur.  Another selfish reason I chose this book.....Edwina also loves to bake chocolate chip cookies.....so guess what I brought along with the story????


Yep.....   I always love a reason to make a fresh batch of warm chocolate chippers!!!  Sophia was surprised to see me (thank goodness...daddy didn't spoil the surprise.....he almost let it slip out at breakfast!!!)




With the weather being so cold for so long... I decided that it was time to do some outside activity ...inside!  We needed some good exercise, so I pulled out the hula hoops late Friday afternoon.  I can hardly do it, but Miss Sophia is the queen!  My stomach still hurts tonight!!! Guess I need to dig out my old abs of steel video!


And last but not least....the outdoor ice skating rink closes for the season at the end of February.  We had been promising Sophia all winter....so we finally made it there on Saturday.  With my bad knee and Joseph still a wee bit small....Daddy got to be her lucky escort on the ice.  Sophia had a GREAT time...and did pretty remarkably for her first time ever on ice skates.  She was thrilled that they gave her a RED pair!!!  

So....she started out with a few falls....but still smiling!



Then she got a little brave...and ventured out on her own...


But it was sure nice to have daddy to fall back on when times got tough....


Now...here she is doing some Olympic moves...




Whoops.... guess she couldn't quite execute triple axle... 


Here is the spectator....not very happy...can you tell?  All I heard all morning.... "I ice skate too!!!!!!!" (I'm so embarrassed to post a pic with so much glare.....oops.... I need some photography help from my experts.....guess I wasn't supposed to forget that my flash was on.... it was already bright and sunny!!!!)



Here is the happy camper after her first ice skating adventure!  Too bad I didn't get a picture of her grumpy face when she found out we weren't going out for lunch!  








The rest of the weekend was spent learning all about lactose free diets.  Mr. J's trip to the allergy doctor revealed that he may have either
1.  horrible seasonal allergies
2.  enlarged adenoids
3.  lactose allergies

I cringed when the doctor told me to try taking away milk, cheese, CHOCOLATE, etc.  WHAT??????  not to mention BUTTER????? This has been very difficult for me.... J has been a trooper... he is drinking his lactaid milk well....but I haven't quite yet had the heart to deny him his chocolate chip cookies that he loves.  We will see how this works and if I notice any difference in his tummy troubles and allergies.  I now have a new appreciation for all those mothers who have children with gluten and dairy allergies.

And last but not least....the little guy continues to melt my heart with his new words and phrases....
For some reason he has decided to make a switch from calling me "mama" to "mommeeeee."  It's pretty cute.  He's still pretty into telling us that he "ate things all gone," and he loves to say  "heard that??? mommeee??? when he hears something and wants to know if I heard it too.

I smile just thinking about him!

Monday, February 22, 2010

In Joe terms....

My little guy is becoming quite the talker.  Whether we understand him or not....he always has something to say.  At the end of the day I try to remember all the cute little "J" isms he has said....but by the end of the day....I've already forgotten many of them.....I really need to write them down when I hear them so I don't forget.  His latest one is when he eats all of something....he always tells me... "I ate my cookie all gone!"(p.s. I LOVE the way he says "cookie")  or "I ate my apples all gone!"  It's so cute how proud he is of himself when he finishes something "all gone."  Yesterday we were coming up from the basement and he touched his nose and said... I smell cookies.... (and sure enough some cookies were baking in the oven).  He's got a good sniffer like his mama!  Oh and another one I remembered tonight.....every night when we brush teeth...I've never quite been able to understand what he is saying for a "toothbrush," but tonight I think I got it...  He calls it a "teeth stick."  Well, that works, doesn't it???

I was worried about this guy all day today....he just wasn't his wild and crazy self....lots of wanting to lay on the floor and play cars and less of wanting to run around the house like nuts.   I thought maybe he had an ear infection, but no fever.  I'm guessing it is just allergies....poor guy.....seems like he always has something going on.  I finally scheduled him to see an allergy doc this Thursday, so we will see.  I didn't think it was anything too serious till I came home tonight from picking up a prescription and found this...


Here is my little mother taking care of this little guy.  As I walked in the door she immediately informed me that Joseph told her he had a "headache."  Now I've heard him complain of a tummy ache or tell me that his ear hurts, but never a headache.  Sophia quickly took charge in my absence (apparently Daddy just couldn't be a good enough doctor) and began "doctoring" him.  She covered him up with her fuzzy pink blanket and pulled out the books and began reading.  Each time he would lift his head to look at a page... she would say, "No honey, you shouldn't try to read if your head hurts.  I will read to you."  What a good mommy she is.  Here are some more pics of her nursing abilities:


Soon after my "sick" boy was laid up on the couch...this is how I found him...



And here is the nurse....who obviously had a miraculous cure....



Remember these?



Seven $1 picture frames from the Dollar Store turned into something a bit more colorful for the playroom.  I'm not sure I like the way they turned out....but I don't have the heart to make the hubby take them down and cover up the SEVEN nail holes he put in the wall.  So...I'm hoping they grow on me....


Is it Friday yet????

Friday, February 19, 2010

C'est Magnifique!

We pulled out the paints this week....I think I just might have two little artists here.  They had such fun.  Sophia painted a house with pretty amazing architecture.....hmmmmm.....is she following in her daddy's footsteps or what?  And J...well, he was just pretty thrilled that he got to partake in the colorful fun.  He was so thrilled to report to daddy later, "I painted!!!"






Sophia only had three days of school this week....with both Monday and Friday off.  I thought it would be an easy week...but for some reason it seemed long and a bit exhausting.  Whew... I'm ready for the weekend.

I'm  feeling a bit of guilt tonight...okay... an awful lot of guilt....  My 5 1/2 year old daughter has decided to give up ice cream for Lent.... and I couldn't even give up my m & m 's.   Not setting a very good example for her I guess.  I must admit, though, that I was pretty shocked when I found out that she had to complete a page at school explaining what she was giving up for Lent.  While I do see the importance of learning about the huge sacrifices Christ made for us.... I sometimes wonder if it is equally important to be teaching that it is okay to want to do something MORE to become a better person.  It shouldn't necessarily be just about "giving up."  Don't get me wrong...while I am HUGELY proud of Sophia for her sacrifice and ability to maintain it thus far....  I just want her to understand that it's less about ice cream and more about trying to be a better person from the inside....something that even for me, as an adult, can be a difficult task.

Another major event this week....Sophia and J had their first ever "movie theater" experience.  Can you believe Missy is almost 6, and never been in a movie theater before???   There have been many times when I have wanted to take her to a Disney or princess movie, but have always had to be very cautious.....  She is so sensitive, that even the tiniest thing can seem scary to her.  So rather than make her upset about something so piddly...we have opted to forego the movie scene.  However...this year she has become quite fond of Alvin and the Chipmunks after watching a tv movie at home with these cute little critters.  Since Christmas we have been wanting to take her to see their newest flick.  And finally today.....we were able to go.  Even J sat through the movie...well... most of it....and even better???? No scary parts!!! Yay!  A very cute movie.... And hey, it must have been pretty entertaining if even I was able to sit through it... ( I admit.....I enjoy a movie here and there....but sometimes it is painful for me to sit in one spot for more than an hour!!!)

Tonight Sophia asked me what I want to be when I grow up????  I love that she doesn't view me as a grown-up yet....because lately I have been feeling EXTREMELY old.  I said... "I don't know...what do you think I should be?"  Her response.... " A Mommy."  My thoughts exactly.  I am far from winning the world's best mommy award.... I make many many mistakes....I try to learn from them.....and I will continue to have a lot to learn....but I must say... I am humbled that she sees the magnitude of this job.  She's so young...but she get's it already....there's nothing more important.  There is nothing more difficult.  But there is nothing more satisfying.  For her occupation report at school this past week...she chose.......yep... a MOMMY (which by the way...was not even one of the careers mentioned on her choice sheet....hmmmmm).  And in her words... a mommy's duties:
1.  Taking care of her family
2.  Feeding her babies (do cookies count??? :)
3.  Reading to her children

I get frustrated and overwhelmed at times with my job... I make mistakes... I question my own decisions...but I think I do all of her above requirements... so I guess I'm doing the best I can, in her eyes at least!

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

A New Favorite

So... this is what Mr. J has been up to this past week.  During a trip to Borders to buy Sophia a birthday gift for one of her friends.... we came across a Cars BARGAIN book.  But even better than the cost...was what came inside... a large map of the town in the Cars movie with all of the Cars characters in mini form.  These cars are tiny and plastic and don't even have moveable wheels...but Joe can't keep his hands off of them!!!  They have taken up permanent residence on my coffee table I think, and I'm not sure if there is any going back.

It is quite a sight to watch him manipulate these tiny cars and a bit scary to see how neatly he meticulously lines up the cars in perfect form.  The concentration on his face is truly remarkable.






I have other pictures to post tonight but frankly.... I am pretty frustrated with my blog.  I am trying desperately to "better" my blog so the pictures are bigger....but I am NO computer smartie....and having to change "outer" "main" and "sidebar" html codes is pretty much beyond my realm of capabilities.  I have had to change my template...which I'm not sure I can ever do again right now because my layout (page elements) page is NOT a pretty sight.  A HUGE thank you to Nance for walking me through the improvements I have made.  She has answered all of my "begging for help" emails and taken the time to figure out nit-picky numbers.  THANK YOU THANK YOU NANCE!!!!!   I hope we can schedule a "date" with ourselves and my computer to clear up my page elements page.  Maybe we should invite our expertise photographer as well....I'll bake some yummies for us...any requests???

Monday, February 15, 2010

Valentines and Princesses

The last few days have been filled with Valentine's fun. On Friday, I got to attend Sophia's Valentine's Party at school,and plan the craft. I think the kids had fun making their "You're Unforgettable" Elephants. Next they played Valentine's BINGO, followed by a game where each table had a few minutes to search for as many "hidden" hearts as they could find. Sophia's table found the most!!! Wow!!! And every good party has to end with a cupcake with LOTS of sprinkles and frosting!

I made heart shaped cinnamon rolls for our Valentine's breakfast, and we decorated the table with our love bug presents and lots of hearts. Joseph was pretty thrilled about his musical valentines and Sophia seemed to enjoy her Ruby doll and Fancy Nancy book.

Sophia enjoyed her day off today (President's Day) with a few games of hide and seek and Conversation Hearts BINGO. Joseph occupied himself by sorting all of the extra hearts into their appropriate color pile ( I was pretty proud of him) while trying to sneak as many as he could into his mouth. (Of course just to lick them only....he didn't really want to eat them). Sophia spent the afternoon at a princess fashion show/ dress up party for a friend's birthday. When I picked her up... I hardly recognized her....her hair was styled and her nails were painted....oh my.....5 years old going on 25. She really did look like a princess.

Both of these babies are growing up way too fast for me. I can't even stand it...that I catch the little Missy reading Junie B books in her bed at night with her flashlight on. I can't stand that she will be a FIRST GRADER before I know it. I can't stand that Mr. J has decided to tell me he is not a baby anymore...

Just the other day when I was putting him down for his nap... I commented that he was still my baby and he said... " I not baby.... I JOE!!!!!!!" So today I asked him.... well are you still my baby sweet? He said, "no, big boy." I asked well can you be my big boy baby sweet, to which he responded.... "no...just boy!!!"

He's hilarious.... He's all about letting everyone know that he is a boy these days. Sophia's party this afternoon was at Shear Madness....and Joseph remembered that this is where he gets his hair cut. He was extremely disappointed to find out that he was not getting his haircut today. He also informed me (when I asked if I should get my hair cut) that only boys get hair cuts. HA! So funny that I can have these cute little conversations with him now!

So.... I just grouped all my pics together tonight..... I am trying using Flickr as my host to see if I see a difference in my pictures. Thanks, Nance, for the tip!

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Thursday, February 11, 2010

One at a time...

I was running around like my usual crazy self tonight and the hubby said....okay...from now on...only ONE new project a night. I can't understand why he thinks I can't juggle 4 or 5 at one time....life would just be way too boring... So...okay...maybe I would be a little more calm at times and maybe I would feel a little less frazzled, and maybe I would learn to sit down while I was typing this instead of standing up,....and maybe I wouldn't overlook some of those important little details (more on that later) if I adopted his way of thinking.... but I'm not sure I'm quite ready to be "that" person....so the "frazzled" me is probably what you will get.

Some of the little projects I've been juggling:

1. A little valentine's surprise for my own little love bugs....


Since it's just Valentine's day... I didn't go crazy with gifts....just a few little "Max and Ruby" dolls, a book ( of course...always something educational) and. without a doubt, a box of chocolates... all wrapped up in a cute "love bug" themed box. The only problem... I made them both the same and before I attached the initials... I realized I didn't remember which box contained Max and which contained Ruby....oops....one of those times where I overlooked the important details... (Note to self: NEED TO SLOW DOWN!) So I guess we will see if I got the initials on the correct box when the kids open them on Sunday.

2. COOKIES... OF Course...

Couldn't decide between x's and o's or letters to spell LOVE. I chose the latter....and tried to make them look a bit like scrabble squares.






3. I found this darling idea at www.twigandthistle.com....and even found some wonderful wax lined cookie bags online for a pretty good deal. Was so excited to download this valentine template for the label on the bags to house my LOVE cookies. As I was printing... I realized the label was for home-made chocolate brownies...oops....another example of me missing the minor details. Oh well... the label is too cute to pass up....and the bags will definitely keep my cookies fresh!!



4. The valentines we sent to our family members...





I was a little disappointed with my pictures of the kids.....that's why I just stick with the best photographer around....www.blog.jcooperphotography.com!

5. I signed up to head up the valentine's craft for Sophia's school Valentine's Day party. This is the craft I chose to make with the kids....we'll see how it goes tomorrow... (the boys are making blue elephants and the girls?....PINK, of course!



6. These are for an idea I have for my next project....hmmmm....wonder what it will be??



And because I have written all of this without mentioning the real LOVES of my life...I have to post a picture!! I guess I didn't get too many of Sophia this week because she is back in school. But this little guy will surely put a smile on your face. He is getting so big.....and oh my is he exhausting! He's decided to play during naptimes and bedtimes this week (or maybe it is his antibiotic behind all of this). While I really enjoy the work I can get done when he actually sleeps.....I must admit.... I do enjoy listening to him sing ...." I see you... I see you....tra la la la la la" (Thanks Miss Trilla :)) on the monitor!!!