And So It Goes...

Last week I posted my 700th post and this previous Saturday was my 3 year "Blogivesary." I honestly can't believe it's been that long and that many posts. Pretty cool, huh?

But today I write to talk about how I'm going to slow down here a bit. It's time to take a step back from my laptop and concentrate on things at home.

I feel strongly that my children, especially my sweet baby girl and the toddler oh, and the five-year old with homework, yeah ALL THREE OF THEM, need more of my time.

And attention.

Sometimes they get my time but NONE of my attention. We'll be in the same room and they will speak to me and I have NO idea what they just said.

Yep, it's confession time. I occasionally ignore my kids to read other blogs and keep up with my own.

And that has become unacceptable.

Am I going to quit?

Oh gosh no, but for now, I just need to spend more time with my family. I'll probably still post a few times a week or maybe even only once and the ole blog is certainly NOT going away.

I hope you'll all still come by when you see me in your reader and I hope to visit my bloggy friends as much as I deem possible.

But for now, The B Man, Little G and Baby K need me more. And MOST.

Oh and maybe that man in my life that works so very hard for us all and "brings home the bacon." Yeah, I need to spend more time with him too...

***********************************************************************

On a lighter note, we had a wonderful time with our friends Chandler, Claudia, Ethan and Christian that were here from Texas for the holiday. No one is crying in the picture below and I consider that somewhat miraculous. These kids wore themselves OUT, lemme tell ya!


And here is my Thanksgiving table. Before we chowed down.


I hope everyone had a great holiday. Ours was full of family, food (PIE!) and friends so yeah, it was GOOD. And I am so very thankful for ALL of it.



"See" you when I "see" you...

WW - Bathing Beauty

I am keeping this one fairly "wordless". But not completely of course! What do you think this is anyway, silent-ville? PSHAW! The day I'm truly wordless is the day that pigs fly and H.E.double-hockey-sticks freezes over. See? I just CAN'T do it.


Anywho, this baby is most happy when she's getting clean. I have a feeling she's going to request "spa days" at an early age...

Our friends are here now, visiting for the holiday so let the pie and turkey eating commence! (not necessarily in that order but I'd be okay with it if it was...)

I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving!

(and to my Canadian friends who already celebrated, how's the weather up there?)


Seven Clown Circus - WordFUL Wednesday HQ!

Laughter That Makes Tea Come Out of Your Nose

As we approach the holidays I've been thinking about my family.

And when I say "my family" I mean my parents and my brothers. The people I grew up with, the ones who raised me and that I was raised with.

I cried like a child earlier at the preview episode of the show Find My Family. For some reason (and I honestly don't know why) the whole subject of adoption and people being separated from their siblings and parents makes me bawl every time. It's the reunion part that really gets me. I truly cannot imagine the feeling of coming face to face with the parents who gave you up and looking into the eyes that are also yours, for the very first time as an adult.

It's completely heart-wrenching to me. I suppose because my family means SO VERY much to me.

When I think about my childhood I remember Friday night fried chicken, fun birthday parties, visiting my grandparents a lot, loving school, shopping at the mall with my mother, sleep-overs with my best girlfriends, holidays with lots of food and presents, going to church with my parents and so MANY other good memories.

But in a way, as I got older (and so did my brothers - who are all several years older than I am) I was sort of like an only child. Therefore, the earlier childhood memories I do have with my brothers are pretty special.

I remember my middle brother Chris comforting me one night after my mother and I fought. He surrounded me on my bed with stuffed animals and made me laugh instead of cry.

When I was in high school my brother Larry would still occasionally eat dinner with us and most nights it would end in crazy laughter. There were many times that my mother could not control herself and as things escalated one evening, iced tea came out of her nose. All four of us (me, my mother, my father and my brother) were laughing so hard that we could hardly catch our breath.

These are the kind of memories I want my children to have. I want them to remember laughing around the dinner table and happy times together.

I may even be willing to make tea come out of my nose to make it happen.


And just for the heck of it, here's an old little joke/rhyme my mother used to tell that still makes me giggle. Partly because I can hear her say it and picture her as she starts to laugh before she even finishes the second line...

"Farmer Brown went to town with a bale of Hay
Mr. Martin came a fartin' and blew it all away!"

Your welcome... ; )


P.S. My mother would probably be mortified to know that I shared with the internet that she likes to recite that little ditty with the word "fart" in it.

P.P.S. Okay, she probably wouldn't be "mortified" per se but she might think I acted in poor taste.

P.P.P.S. Or, she might laugh so hard that tea would come out her nose (the woman DOES love her iced tea!)

Is There a Two and Half Year Old in Da House?

Oh Good Golly IS there!

And this particular one is QUITE a handful these days.

I think even he would admit it.

Many times when we address him in a stern way he replies "YesSir!" to all of us. Meaning Me, Tim AND The B Man.

He's frequently in time out lately for hitting, kicking or punching his big brother. Or me.



In the last few days he's busted his lip and bloodied his nose on the bathroom floor (all at once), made his forehead one with the floor in a certain store with a bull's eye as a logo, smacked his whole face on our living room floor and burned his finger on a pan when I repeatedly told him NOT to touch it. Yes, he cries at first but he quickly gets over it and is off again, as if nothing ever happened.

My sofa has blue crayola on the arm. The fireplace hearth has blue marker and the French doors that lead into the office were recently cleaned of green. And I can tell you this did NOT get done by the 5-year-old OR the infant.

He can go from zero to face-full-of-tears in 5 seconds flat. And that's probably because I did not let him strap himself into his car seat or put the lid on his milk cup himself. Or any number of other reasons.

He's fighting his nap and doesn't take one every day anymore (although he does stay in his room the whole time, singing and playing). And he has absolutely NO interest in potty training AT. ALL.



Of course despite all of this, we love the guts outta the kid and his father and I comment every day on how stinkin' cute he is. Because he REALLY is.

I also PRAY for him every single day. I pray that he's getting it all out at 2 and that 3 will be better. Please God. (andplease,Iknowthisisprobablyapipedreambutworkwithme,k?)

I have to say, he's done remarkably well with his baby sister (so far) and that he gives wonderful hugs and kisses except when he accidentally heat-butts me at bed time.

Yes, right now THIS boy keeps us on our toes for sure. But would we change him? Nope. okay, maybe I'd adjust the tantrum-o-meter down just a tad but otherwise, no.

And yes, my hair is RED. I figure it'll help me have the fiery spirit I need to keep up with this boy! ; )

P.S. I love you like crazy my sweet G, but you are welcome to chill out ANY time, alrighty? XOXOXOXOXOXOXO

PSF - Prettier Picture - UPDATED*

I can be kind of sensitive at times. Perhaps it's because I grew up with three older brothers that "messed" with me on occasion. Or maybe it's just part of who I am no matter what.

I've NEVER gotten and snarky or rude comments on my blog before. EVER. And I still haven't (knock on wood or veneer, whatever is on the table next to me...).

However, on my You Capture post from last week, I got this little tid bit from "angelina"

"You have such a beautiful girl that perhaps you should put a better picture of her on your page. Just a thought!"

I wasn't quite sure how to feel about it because well, there is a sweet compliment in there but I also took it personally that she did not like the pic of Baby K in my sidebar. At least I assumed that is what she was talking about.

I couldn't respond to angelina, except perhaps in my own comments, which I never do, because she apparently does not have a blog and there was no email address linked to her name.

So, I just took it in stride and today I'm changing it - to this pic.


This one's for you angelina. I hope it's more to your satisfaction.

Come back and visit any time. : )

*If you don't remember or are a new visitor and would like to see the pic that was there before go to this post - it's the last picture.


Hosted by Cecily and Sue

* Angelina and I have since been emailing and she wanted me to know that she did not mean any offense by her comment and was nice enough to apologize for any hurt feelings. I really appreciate that she took the time to say so and there are certainly no hard feelings here. I meant what I said that she is welcome here anytime and as I told her, I just posted how I felt. Thanks Angelina.

You Capture - Sunrise, Sunset

This is often what it looks like from our backyard, which obviously faces West, at sunset. I adore the blue and pink. And the shadows of the trees and bushes. Oh and the fact that we have a screened-in porch in which to sit and watch this beautiful show...

If you have some photos on the topic of Sunrise/Sunset, link up to You Capture at Beth's place.

WW - When I Used to "Work"

I've been having memories in the last couple of days of when I used to work outside the home after The B Man was born. Perhaps because I have another little baby and can't even imagine having to leave her soon...

I went for my six week post-op check up at the doctor on Monday and started chatting with a young lady in the waiting room (not too different than myself 6 years ago) who was pregnant with her first child and there to confirm said pregnancy.

Our conversation made me think of how I, after three months of being sprayed with poop and pee and spending many a day looking into my baby boy's blue eyes, had to go back to the office. She said she would do the same, especially since she makes more money than her husband.

It wasn't easy for me to go back but it was best for our family at the time. It was actually best for ME at the time and probably my little baby too. I was not in the right mind set back then to stay home. I knew it and so did Tim.

People change and times change. Both happened with me. And now, here I am. And yes, there are days that I would trade with those who choose (and HAVE to) work a paying job. But most days I wouldn't - not for the world.

My friend Erin wrote this post and it got me thinking even more... go check it out. She said it better than I can.

This photo was taken back in 2004 one morning before dropping my baby at his in-home day care and making the commute to "work"...

Some days I wish I had spent ALL of those early days with him. But again, it had to be the way it was then but I thank God it's the way it is now...


Seven Clown Circus is WordFUL Wednesday headquarters... go there!

BEHIND...

...on the laundry

....on the grocery shopping

...on the dishes

...on watering my plants

...on showering (yes, myself...)

...on reading blogs

...on MY sleep!

...on Christmas shopping (haven't even started)

...on scrapbooking

...on creating a family Christmas card

...on talking to friends/family back 'home'

Yep, I'm behind on a lot of things right now. You might say I'm just a tad overwhelmed. I'm actually ready for the Thanksgiving break next week since our friends will be here and will sort of 'help' with the kids, etc. (meaning more hands to hold the baby and other kids to play with our kids).

Of course we are NOT behind on love and hugs and smiles and the boys new favorite game is when I make the baby "talk" by moving her chin up and down (kinda like the baby on the Etrade ads). The B Man thinks it's hilarious and well, I do too. And it kinda makes me forget how terribly BEHIND I am, so that's good. I think.

So, what are you behind on? Can you think of just one thing to make me feel a tiny bit better about my ever lengthening to-do list? Pretty Please?

Blog Friends & Babywearing

I occasionally find myself thinking back on BlogHer and missing my friends that I spent time with and met there.

My roommate from the conference was Haley, whom I'd met back in January when she came for a visit back when we were still in Texas. And although she's like a decade younger than me, (you shoulda SEEN the look she gave me yesterday when I mentioned the movie "Better Off Dead" - she had no clue what I was talking about - oh and she was in the FOURTH grade when Kurt Cobain died, I was a Freshman in college YES SHE MAKES ME FEEL A LITTLE OLD) she's a fun, sweetheart of a lady and for some crazy reason (tee hee!) wanted to meet the sweetness that is my baby girl.

ANY. WAY....

She came for another visit to do just that over this past weekend and we had fun just chatting it up and letting Tim cook for us. : )

We intended to do some scrapbooking but it just didn't happen and we were both sacked out in bed by 11 p.m. on Saturday night. Yeah, we're party animals.

But, it was really good to see her and she got some good snuggle time in with the wee one.

And yesterday as I was going through some pictures we took, Little G was near my laptop and said "There's Miss Haley!" I'm pretty sure he enjoyed having her here too...




Do you like my ring sling? This is the one that Kim from Prairie Mama made for me. Isn't it gorgeous? And Haley was SO helpful in helping figure out a good way to carry Baby K in it because she's actually watched the video that Kim has on her blog that gives instruction and tips. Me, I started it but got distracted a couple of times and gave up. But now I know and it's great! Plus, that part that hangs down has an awesome pocket that is big enough for a diaper and keys and a burp cloth, etc. Not to mention it has padding on the part above the ring that goes on your shoulder area.

And let's just gush over the pretty fabric too, shall we?

Anyway, if you need a pretty, comfortable ring sling you should definitely contact Kim, she's fast and easy to work with and So talented. Did I mention the darling leaf-motif stitching that's on the sling as well? Yeah, totally cute.

Email her if you need one, serioulsy (they'd make great gifts too and NO she did not ask me to say any of this, I just love her and met HER at BlogHer also and she is the sweetest, most geniune person and I love supporting people like that...)

So, we had a good, pretty relaxing weekend.

The B Man even got to go to his first birthday party since we moved here - a friend from school invited him. I'm so glad he got to go (Tim took him) and be with friends and bring home a treat bag with mini pb cups in it.

Having Visions of that Graphic of a Clock with Wings (in other words, Time Flies...)

Time is a funny thing.

I remember when I ran through the dorm trying to get my laundry done and when I passed by the t.v. room a TON of people were in there watching some show called "Friends."

After I loaded the dryer with my acid wash jeans (oh kidding, I NEVER wore those...) I came back and sat and watched it and laughed my butt off. And now, that same show has been off the air for several years (btw, I still miss it...)

I have a photograph of my parents that sits on the shelf I pass by every time I enter the kitchen. It was taken in 1992 on a trip to Colorado, the LAST vacation I took with them, just my parents and I. I love their smiles and the background.

But they are older now. And every time I look at that photo, I see it. I see how time has marched on.

I see it when I look at my children.

Even the baby. But especially The B Man.

I bought new pajamas for him the other day and was just sure the pants would be too long. They were not.

I remember the first moment I held him, my first baby.

They didn't give him to me right away after I birthed him. I came to find out he wasn't breathing. A lot was going on during his delivery (A LOT, with us both.) and it didn't even register that I hadn't heard him cry.

While everyone was fussing over him and my doctor was stitching me up, and Tim was over there making sure our baby was okay, I just kept saying to myself, "Why haven't they given him to me, why, why, why?"

It was several minutes later that I finally held him and breathed him in and that time, THAT time right there.... seemed like an eternity.

Since then it's been 5 and half years of all kinds of new experiences because he's my first at everything, from being born into my life and making me a mother, to the first to have homework.

Time has marched so fast that my first baby has homework now.

Tonight I looked into his blue eyes (he got those from his Daddy) as he came over to kiss his baby sister, who I was holding, and I came to a realization.

Time will continue on, there's no stopping it. And before I know it, Baby K will NOT be a baby anymore either. I will have memories of when I had her too and I heard "here's your baby girl" and I cried because she was perfect and healthy and ours for the loving and raising.

I will blink and she will be doing her laundry, at the dorm.

But, God willing, I will always have these memories, good, bad and all the in between. Memories of my children that carry on as they grow and change.

And just to remind myself, my three babies on their BIRTHdays. Three days in the time capsule of my mind that I will NEVER forget, no matter how fast time flies...

The B Man

Little G

Baby K

You Capture - Your REAL Life

This week Beth challenged us to get pictures of our Real Life for You Capture.

Here's a few shots from my every day.

Well, unfortunately the cookies aren't part of my "every" day... but, that's probably a good thing.

Oh, but this sweet, sweet baby is part of it, and THAT is a absolutely FABULOUS thing...

Alseep in my arms, for REAL yo.

My REAL" coffee" table, that's actually a toy, bowl and marker table.

Cookies that taste REAL good.

The stack of REAL magazines that I have yet to read...

You Capture is so fun, you should join and check out what others have captured this week.

WW - Caption It (The Dinosaur Edition)

Here's mine...

"So... THAT'S how the dinosaurs came to their demise!" Groan, I know.

Poor T Rex.

Got any better captions for me?

If not, a regular comment will do. : )

Yesterday was kind of a crazy day and today the 5 yr old has ANOTHER day off from school and well, life is moving at a rapid clip these days so this is all I've got.

P.S. Thanks to everyone for the sweet and supportive comments on yesterday's post. You sure know how to make a Mommy feel better and that's one of the many reasons I love ya!

Angie's got the 411 on WordFUL Wednesday so make a bee-line to her place, Seven Clown Circus.

Perhaps I Jinxed it

I bought bottle brushes before Baby K was born.

I felt I didn't get the best help in the hospital.

I guess I didn't work hard enough with the nipple shield and other apparatus.

I posted early on that it wasn't working.

And it's STILL not.

I cried the other day, and HARD.

My little girl shows no signs of ever getting the hang of nursing, even though I continue to try and it just breaks my heart.

I know I said I wouldn't stress about it but that doesn't mean I'm not sad.

My cousin suggested I take her to a chiropractor to see if perhaps they can help with some sort of procedure.

Am I willing to try it?

I don't know.

You would think I'd be willing to try anything at this point.

But part of me just wants to accept it and move on.

I'm not sure what to do...

Of course she's precious and wonderful no matter what.

But I have such good memories of how natural and beautiful and free it was with Little G.

I wish...

that it could be that way again.

But perhaps it cannot.

And I'll be okay and MOST importantly, SHE'LL be okay...

Thanks for reading.


P.S. I am still pumping, so she is still getting breast milk from me, just not in the preferred way.

Let's Recap

Our night out on Friday to celebrate our anniversary was quite lovely. We left the boys in the extremely capable hands of our sweet neighbors (a grandparent-like couple) and I knew it when she took Baby K right out of Tim's hands and started to coo over her. Not that anyone in their right mind wouldn't do that but still, it made me feel so comfortable. And that was worth SO very much.


And the boys, well they were all set for bed and were apparently perfect angels. That's it - I'm getting a babysitter every night.

But back to our evening.

We had dinner at Ruth's Chris, probably the best steak place in town. And before we even ordered our food I noticed Tim getting a little nervous. Like the same nervous he did the night he proposed. And before I could decide on my salad selection the waitress brought a little black box to the table that was surrounded by the chef's fancy creation of spun sugar and sliced strawberries.

And inside?

A beautiful, gorgeous "what-I've-always-wanted" ring. I tweeted and facedbook-ed about it on Saturday because I couldn't keep it to myself. Although, it's NEVER coming off of my finger, so I AM keeping it to myself!

It's absolutely beautiful AND means so very much to me.

Now, I'll be honest, I kinda knew something like this was coming because we did talk about it a little do to the fact that rings cost money and as I mentioned in my anniversary post, that's sort of a big deal in a marriage when you are not millionaires or anything (which we are not, by the way...)

However, I didn't know what it was going to look like and how much effort my wonderful husband would put into getting the perfect ring for me. And it IS perfect.

After our dinner (where I couldn't take my eyes off of my left hand or my husband) we went downtown and hung out for a little while with a co-worker of Tim's and her boyfriend, at a... BAR. I hadn't been to a full-fledged bar in quite a while. Like it had smoke and everything (gag.) {p.s. wound't have typed 'gag' 10 years ago} [would have tried to bum one instead].

I mean, This was a bar in the middle of a college town. Although probably not the oldest people there, we were certainly the most over-dressed.

We came home to a good report from our neighbors and he was holding Baby K and she was unloading my dishwasher. They are SO hired!! (and yes, we paid them, in wine).

It was a fabulous evening!

On Saturday Tim didn't feel very well but we still made a trip to Target as a family where we purchased the boys a little bowling set in the toy section and they proceeded to spend the rest of the weekend making strikes and spares. Best $9.99 we've spent in perhaps, our life.

And then Tim grilled on the the new grill I gave him for his anniversary gift.

Then on Sunday we made it to church all together.

And while there (and feeling most unwelcome - yeah, we still haven't found a church...) an elderly lady that did actually speak to us, asked if Baby K was a boy or a girl while she was dressed in this:

Yeah, this woman was pretty old, but I'm pretty sure she could see and REALLY LADY, IS THERE ANY QUESTION??? Because if someone is dressing their boy in this, well, I just don't see it happening.

Anyway, for dinner Tim grilled (again!) burgers and did quite a few chores around the house so he could go out and watch the Cowboy game. Hey, I can't complain. He did dishes and laundry.

Yep, I think I'll keep him for at least another 10 years...

A Decade

Today, Friday November 6th 2009 marks mine and Tim's 10th wedding anniversary. An entire decade of wedded bliss.

Did I just say bliss?

Okay, I know what y'all are thinking, certainly it hasn't ALL been that fantastic. And of course you are right. Marriage is wonderful but it's hard and challenging and even though I love the man to bits it doesn't mean there haven't been days that I've wanted to smack him. And hard.

But the good days have certainly out-weighed the not-so-good ones and honestly, I wouldn't change a thing...

Anyway, I thought I would list 10 things that I've learned about marriage - one per year, get it? I am SO original! And then I'll get all mushy, K?

Alrighty, here's my list (with past pictures of us...)

1. You have to be willing to give and take. Some days you'll give more and some days you'll take more. That's just how it goes.


2. Sick husbands can be uh... 'challenging'. But you still take care of them because you love them (and you know they would do the same for you, at least mine does!)


3. Trust is paramount. If you don't have that, you don't really have a good foundation for a relationship, at least in my humble opinion.


4. The person you marry MUST have a good sense of humor. 'Cause if you can't laugh together, all bets are off.
5. Make sure you know who is supposed to take out the trash (it's HIM by the way...)


6. After kids make sure you still spend quality time together ALONE. Yes, they'll miss you when you're gone - although you may miss them more. But they will appreciate you more when you arrive back home and you will appreciate each other more as a couple as well.


7. When your significant other tells you that you are probably moving to Louisiana because he has a good job offer there, go ahead and cry it out, it's okay. But then remember that wherever you are with him is HOME.


8. When he says he'll fold the towels, let him, even if he folds them WRONG (and you have to go back and re-do them...)


9. There will be fights and issues about money because that's just the way the world works but DON'T let it get between the two of you because that's just STUPID.


10. When you marry someone named Tim that turns out to be the love of your life (of course you already knew that because that's why you married him in the first place!), you are lucky, LUCKY, LUCKY!!!


I always say that I felt something between Tim and I from our very first meeting.

Ten years ago, during one of the VERY best days of my life, I told him that I would be his forever and he did the same for me.

We were surrounded by our family and friends and we had a great party afterward and a wonderful honeymoon to follow. The memories are with me always. But what really mattered the most is that at the end of the day I was married to him, the man I always wanted and needed in my life. My Tim.


Happy 10th Anniversary my Love. You are my heart and soul.

And by the way, this song makes me think of you and OUR love every time I hear it...