What all good Clone Troopers are doing on Christmas Eve...

White Elephant Fun

OK, I have to confess...the White Elephant party is a favorite Christmas tradition. We usually get invited to at least one a year and they are always hilarious fun. It goes way back for me....my family has done these parties off and on since I was very young. I have owned a screaming plastic chicken...twice!

So, you know it is coming. This one, I do believe is the best. WHAT ARE THESE THINGS??? and yes...those are giant tassels hanging from their faces!!Just in case you can't see the faces really well...here's a close-up...

Trust me, they are way freakier in person! Actually, the kids think they are funny. They kept Brooklyn entertained all the way home last night. Nothing says Merry Christmas like these crazy things hangin' on the tree!

Trees and PJs

This year we went with a whole new experience for the Christmas tree! We usually find a lot, or Home Depot/Lowes...something like that...pick out a nice tree and cart it home for decorating. This year, we hiked out into the forest and chopped down our own. Well...sort of...we went to a Christmas tree farm, not a forest...we rode in a hay trailer instead of hiking...but Robbie did chop it down with the saw they provided!! It was very overcast and getting a bit late when we found the perfect tree, so the pictures are a little dark.

NOOOOOOO Daddy...not the Charlie Brown tree!

We didn't get that one...but once we got it home I sort-of wished it were that small! Here's the real one...

Yeah, that's nearly 6 feet of man dragging approximately 8 feet of tree!!!! OOOPS! Good tip for when you're going to cut down your own...bring a tape measure!! We ended up having to tie it to the top of the van!

The evening was so much fun though. The kids loved getting to ride in the trailer and pick out our tree. We went home and decorated the tree for hours. Will finally got too tired of Brooklyn pulling off all the ornaments as fast as he put them on (quite honestly even I lost a little patience on that one)...so he went off to bed before the Christmas pajama box got opened. There's just something about new pajamas...shiny clean kids in new Christmas pajamas...it gets me every time! I love it!! One of the simple joys of motherhood I guess. So, here are 2 of the 3 in their Christmas pjs. We'll take a picture that includes Will soon enough. I'll also post a picture of the monstrosity of a tree in all its decorated glory...but for now...time to be productive while B is napping...

It's Been Forever!!

Yeah, yeah, I know, I know! No blogging in, like...forever. We packed, we moved, we started new projects and new friendships in the new neighborhood...basically, we've been living life!

In the time I haven't been blogging, the kids had their first neighborhood trick-or-treat...and LOVED it! Brooklyn even had the hang of it by the time we were ready to head back home. And hey, it is December and they still have candy left over, so I'm feeling pretty good about not letting them overindulge!

What else has happened...Jackson turned 8 and Brooklyn turned 2! Unbelievable!

Here's the big 8 year old!

And here's Brooklyn's in all her 2 year old glory!

So, the house is "mostly" done...there's always something to be done really. I'm already cleaning out closets again. To those who really know me...I'm sure you are not surprised! I'm not a real "stuff" person...and when the stuff starts accumulating (like we all know it does)...I get anxious to give it all a new home...outside my home!All that really has me thinking about Christmas. We've never been crazy over spenders. We just haven't had the resources in the past. Now, the resources seem to be there a little more often...but is that really what I want my kids to learn. It already seems like we're always giving the kids some lesson on "consumerism"...and we don't even buy them that much stuff! Just a little food for thought. I'm chewing on this daily this season...so I'm sure you'll see me write about it again!!

For now...I did it! I'm blogging again. I know I left out lots of details from August to December!! So, I'll fill them in when I can.

She HAS a name!!

OK, I've been waiting to say this for nearly a year. Finally, bunny has a name!! For those of you who don't know...bunny is a little, well, bunny that Brooklyn carries around/snuggles at bedtime, etc. We have a bunny and we have a back-up bunny...yes, bunny is that important! I'm actually considering a third-string bunny as well...just incase the other 2 see too much action and need to be benched! (my brother got me started thinking on that one...his daughter has bunny, back-up bunny and clipboard bunny!)

Anyway, I digress. Bunny is now called Bubbles! Brooklyn just started pointing to it and saying Bubbles. Very cute. I'm sure she was somehow trying to say bunny and just doesn't quite have "n" down...but still adorable. So...in honor of her name...here are a few pictures of Bubbles!

This one is from when Bubbles first became the "lovie" of choice! This is B in her crib with Bubbles when she was around 11 months old! Wow....looking at that picture may just convince me we need a 3rd string for Bubbles...she isn't nearly so fluffy now!!

And this is Bubbles now. She's still lookin' good! I've been wanting to post this picture. I really just wanted Brooklyn in that pretty dress sitting in that cool chair by the tree without Bubbles....but she had different ideas! I'm so glad. What a sweet, innocent picture. Good reminder that sometimes if I get what I really want I'm missing out on something even better!

Well, I need to get going...we're off to the pool in about 30 min. and none of the kiddos have on swimgear or sunscreen!

Daddy, who's that lady?

So I came to the sudden realization that is exactly what my children might say if I were no longer around when they are adults and they came across the rare photo of me! I have almost NO pictures of me with the kiddos...except when they were born!! Robbie asked me to email him pictures of me and the kiddos (he was having dinner w/a friend he hadn't seen in several years)...got tons of photos of the kids. None of me and the kids since...ummm...the yearly Christmas card! Not true. Really, my mother-in-law was awesome...she took some just before father's day. I wanted a good picture. She tried to get a good picture. In every one...someone...is doing something...ummm...weird. Don't believe me....OK, I think everyone may be doing something weird in that picture! The key to a good picture...a one child per adult ratio. Minimum. Seriously!

So, my lack of pictures inspired me to teach my kids to use the camera. Here are the results...

Jackson took this one. B was being a bit of a stinker, so I kept having to throw her in the air to make her laugh.

The one to the right here was taken by Will!

This one is by Will as well. (obviously...I mean, come on...I'm not crazy enough to let B use the camera and Robbie is in NY)!

The sun didn't totally cooperate on this one...but I still like it. I can't be too picky, I mean....come on...a 5 year old is taking it!

Love the one to the right here with Will. I was telling him a knock-knock joke! Oh...and the rock by his foot was from B. She kept bringing them and laying them all around our feet when we weren't taking her picture!

Will even took one of just me...B kept running off and I guess he just decided to take the shot whether she was there or not!

So, now I vow to stop giving my own mother a hard time about how she isn't in any of the photos from when my brother and I were little. Yeah. That's humbling. Thanks! I also am going to try to do better about giving my kids and Robbie the camera sometimes too!

Thanks for indulging me. We had a fun "photo shoot"!

Do the happy dance with me! You KNOW you want to!!

So, today was spent doing a little furniture shopping. WHAT? Well, you know...we sold our house! And bought a new one! WOOOHOOOOOOOO!!!! Come one now...you know you want to do the happy dance with me!

OK...now sit down and keep reading my blog!!

We'll be moving in September. So, I've been searching craigslist for furniture, paintings, etc. This morning I was cruising around and saw a "too good to be true" type ad, but I called about it. Well...here's what happened.

45x36 framed print 40x35 painting 42x30 painting
chairs for our classroom table...they only had 3, but I snagged the stool my cutie pie is sitting on for our 4th chair. These are a little scratched...oh...no...ummm...guess I'll have to spend a few bucks to paint the scuff marks!

and an armchair that everyone may hate...but I fell in love with...

I tried to upload a close up of the fabric, but blogger is really tired of uploading pictures for this post and keeps giving me an error. The fabric is covered in "old world" style postcards.

So...all this essentially new (it was from the closeout of a few model homes) furniture for the bargain price of...

$80!!!

It was just $10 per piece I bought. (yes, that means I did leave some for other bargain hunters) The stool still has a price tag on the bottom from Linens n' Things for $39.99 and the paintings have price tags on the back that are from $59.99 to $119! You should have seen me cramming this in my van! The lady that helped me was amazingly spatial...thank heavens!!!

So, in honor of my bargains, and, of course...my sold home...scroll back to the top of my post and join Snoopy and me in another happy dance!

Lolly....Lolly....Lolly....

There are only so many times an adorable toddler can beg for "lolly" before it drives a mother completely mad. I'm not sure of the specific number...but we came dangerously close to it yesterday! Brooklyn kept running around the house begging "lolllllllly...loooooollllly". I tried any and everything I could think of. Nope. They were all wrong.

Wouldn't you love to know what it is?.......WATER! Yep. My child can enunciate "Where's my bow"...as in, Mommy don't you know I'm a perfectly girly girl and I have misplaced my beautiful hairbow...but water, no...the word water comes out "lolly"! Once I figured it out I got her a big sippy cup of water and she sucked it down, looked at me, smiled and said "lolly"! Just one more thing designed to keep me humble. Just when you think you have it all figured out....

July...ummm...gone!

Yep. That's pretty much all there is to say about it. Virtually gone! I guess that is to be expected. We spent half the month gone as well. We had great fun on our travels to Mimi and Poppy's and to Nana and Pepaw's! There are lots of cute pictures...I'll have to narrow it down to my favs.

There is no way I could catch you all up on everything cute the kids said and did in the past month. So, I'll post a few pictures and we'll start fresh...back to the posting more often...I promise!Here's one of Will racing down Mimi's driveway on the green machine!!! Does this take you back to childhood?

Ahhhh...this is the life!! Brooklyn is actually sitting in the "cooler holder" in the middle of this float!! Too much fun.Ahhhhh....I couldn't resist this photo! Will was walking to the pool in Nana's neighborhood(and yes he does have shirts that match his swimtrunks and no he does not wear them together). He is making funny noises with the "noodle" float...and, of course, wearing goggles (what all good superheros wear...even when not actually in water). Hey, the goggles match the noodle...does that count?

I know there are more photos, but for now...at least I gave an update...look for more soon...maybe even later today!

Here I am!!

WOW! I cannot believe it has been so long since my last posting! Things have been a little wild for us the last few weeks. We had VBS for a week after we got home from Mimi and Poppy's house. That was huge fun, but very exhausting. Robbie did some repair work on the computer, so I still don't have all my photo editing software up and running. But, I've decided that doesn't matter...enough is enough and I need to start posting again!

We've spent some time at the pool lately and the kids have so much fun in the water. Brooklyn is not afraid of the slide at all! She climbs up the stairs and waits to be sure I'm there to "slow her down" in the middle of the slide (otherwise she flips onto her belly and she doesn't like that). Anyway, she will slide 100 times when there's a female lifeguard at the bottom of the slide...but as soon as the shift changes and a guy is standing there...nope, no way! The first time she went down the slide (last week) I didn't slow her in the middle and the "guy lifeguard" at the bottom caught her and helped her off. WOW!! She totally freaked out. So, I knew she would remember all of that day...but the trend has carried on every time we are at the pool!

Here are some pictures of the kiddos enjoying the water. We're going to watch fireworks with some friends tonight and I'm sure I'll have pictures of July 4th celebration before the end of the weekend! Enjoy your holiday tomorrow.

A Poem...

One of the sweetest ladies on the planet (my Gran) said of the blog..."Do you think we might see poetry there sometime?" Hmmm, Gran...was that a hint! For those who haven't known me quite as long as my Gran, I like to write the occasional poem. Sometimes they've been very good...you can all decide about this one...mainly, I'm inspired by a less than perfect picture I wanted to post..

Rub-a-dub-dub, three kids in a tub

One little sister and two big "bubs".

The first one let out a gleeful scream.

The second one looks like he's having a dream.

The little one, she's just glad to see...

Boys are sillier than she can be!

I know, I know...Goofy!!! I hope you have someone in your life that you love so much you will write goofy poems about them!

Well, it's been another week...

With an extreme lack of posting!! So sorry!

I had been holding off on a post thinking we had some news on our housing situation/upcoming move...but not yet. Stay tuned. We should know something very soon!

Well, I could post again how I am grateful for sinks. But I'll spare you the details. I will say I wish the mall would have a bathroom that is NOT upstairs in the very back of a department store! Talk about a long way to go with an exploding diaper, a screaming child inside that diaper, and 2 boys who are fascinated that you have...well, poop everywhere! And, yes...that is sparing you the details...but that was nearly a week ago and all is well now!

I could also have another post about things shoved in places they should not be. Today...oatmeal in the ears. That was breakfast. Tuna cakes in the ears...that was dinner. Hmmm...I can't remember what she had for lunch...she must have liked it!

But, my post is going to be about my inlaws! They are awesome. (you guys probably already knew that). AND...they are in their new house!! Yipppeeee. It was really neat to see everyone come together and help out. I always love to see that! People bring food, people pack boxes and lift heavy furniture...it is just great to see everyone reaching out to help someone else make a house their new home. Every time I thought of the many memories on the tree swing out front...or the stories they tell of the "clubhouse" outback and the neighborhood kids...so many memories...when I would think of those things I remembered...WOW...we have a whole new house to make tons more memories! I didn't get any picture taking done this weekend (duh...they were moving)...but we go back on Sunday and I plan to get some shots of the boys screaming down the driveway on the brand new Green Machine!

I'll leave you tonight with some tree swing pictures...sorry, I know they will make some cry (I cried putting them together)...but happy tears for happy memories and hopeful tears for all the new things to come!

An overwhelming lack of posting...

So, life has happened this week and posting has not. We haven't exactly had "beans-up-the nose" type events...so you haven't missed much!

This is Jackson's final week of school this year. We will work off and on through the summer to keep the skills sharp, but for the most part...tomorrow afternoon starts summer!! Wohooo!!! I'm not sure which of us wants it more! Tomorrow we will go to Sonic for a chocolate shake (.99 right now...yippeee) and celebrate!

Brooklyn has a new phrase.... "goo grrr...I, gooooo grrrr" Translation: "I'm a good girl"....uses...mostly when she isn't! She is certainly working on the princess presentation of herself....you know, the..."I'm always adorable...even when I'm stuffing the silverware in the battery drawer" (today's activity of choice) It is still amazing to me that someone who cannot say many real words can absolutely communicate her will!

Speaking of will...Will is...well...Will! I'm learning more and more I can count on him to just be himself. There just isn't much that sways him. Although, he has left his secret identity of Batman and can now be seen spinning, jumping and saying "wooohooo" like Mario! Thanks Wii. Will isn't always a superhero/galaxy saver...he's learning to read now too!

So, there's a slight chance I will post tomorrow...and after that we'll be away for the weekend...so nothing new until...probably Monday. I'm sure we'll be back with more interesting stories!

Where is....

....Aunt Jennie's birthday gift??? Card??? Phone call???

Ummm...the boys didn't find it behind the sofa cushions (....I actually already know it is in my purse, waiting...and waiting...and waiting to be mailed, but my sofa is nice and clean now...all other treasures unearthed)!

Anyway, Jennie...we just wanted you to know (a day late) we haven't forgotten about you! We'll bring your gift this weekend when we come to help with the move. We are really sorry it is late...but I promise we got you something completely cool that is nothing like what your brother would give you and totally like something your very-hip sister-in-law would give you!! (just kidding...I'm not that hip...but your gift is completely cool) :)

Beans & Tweezers

Well, it was a fun night! The guys from our church are on a men's retreat and I asked the gals from our small group to bring their kids over and hang out. We had excellent nachos while we talked and all the kids played. Good times...really good times. Here's how Brooklyn looked at the table....
I can hear your sneers...that's not a messy baby. Where are the spaghetti stains, the oatmeal rubbed in the hair...we've all seen her messier than this. What's all the fuss?

Well, the smudges on her face are from an absolute favorite food...black beans. This girl LOVES the beans! This girl may never, ever eat beans again in her entire life!

So, tonight she is poking them in her mouth as fast as possible. My friends and I are having a wonderful conversation...but we sort of all looked over at Brooklyn at the same time and noticed something looked strange. As we stared at her, B started laughing and a bean shot out her nose!!! AHHHHH!!!!!! Three children...three...and I've never had one poke beans in their nose! Well, the bean that shot out wasn't really the problem...it was the one still in!

So, I'm off to the bathroom to get tweezers. Everyone was joking about me not getting to eat because I kept having to get up to get something for my children. "Mommy, I need a fork/You forgot to get me milk/Where's a napkin/Can you surgically remove a bean from my nose please"!!!

Remarkably, she sat completely still for the legume extraction...but I'm still not sure I got the whole thing out! I mean, this bean was cooked...not at all hard. Those things smush. So, maybe she'll still be blowing bean chunks out her nose tomorrow...or next week. Well, at least that is one more talent I could list on a future resume. I can remove objects from the nose of a small child. Helpful. I think that question is reserved for the non-existent interview to claim the job-title "MOM"!

Look what I learned to do...

It is called digital scrapbooking! Cool! Not much time to write today...we are out of the house for a showing, errands, and then kiddos to the babysitter so we can have a movie night for our anniversary! 9 years today!! WOW! Enjoy your day and I'll try to write again tomorrow.

Baseball Gloves

Is there anything better (to a little boy) than a brand new baseball glove? When he's a teenager, Jackson will probably want to disown me for that photo! Oh well...from what I know of teenagers, that is inevitable...so I might as well have some fun now!

Robbie brought home brand new gloves for the boys a few days ago. I got out the camera and went a little crazy. "Photo-crazy-Mom" and "Ball-chasing-sister" don't make for a great game of catch with Dad...so we skee-dattled out for a stroller walk. When we got back, Jackson showed off his skills! He had gotten really good in a short amount of time. He was throwing it right to Robbie every time and was catching it most of the time. Will would do an awesome job in right field!

See what I mean...totally cracks my up! If there were daisies in our grass, he would be kicking them! He would just hold his glove out...expecting the ball to just hop in there! When we got back he was "observing" on the patio!!

I did get one good "action" shot of him trying to catch grounders. Of course, what this shot does not show is him watching as the ball rolls right past his left foot!!! Oh...it was amusing alright!!!

All in all...a fun afternoon of watching the boys learn...well, to be boys!

Wii would like to play?

Couldn't resist posting this...

For those not savvy on Wii, that's a Wii remote in his hand. You can see Robbie's legs in the background and the remote he's playing with. Will still looks exactly like this on the floor...I haven't moved him yet. I just had to take the picture! OK, three posts in a day. I'm sure that will be a record. I'll try to take tomorrow off!

Thanks to the inventor of sinks!

I generally won't post twice in a day. In general, I'll probably do good to post once or twice a week...but the idea for this blog has been running around in my head for awhile, so I wanted to get started.

Yeah, today I'm thankful for sinks. Seriously. Have you ever thought about how great a sink is? Well, here's what made me start...

Yesterday I had a little time to kill between 2 services at church. Robbie was at the church studying for his upcoming return to school. On the way to Sonic (many great sentences start with that...don't you agree)...Brooklyn fell asleep. It was shaping up to be a great afternoon! So, we sat at Sonic drinking our sodas. I caught up on my calendar/organizational stuff and had a nice phone conversation with Mom. We drove back to the church and Brooklyn woke up. Wow, perfect timing! I was excited about having relaxed a bit, gotten a bit of stuff done...and I would still be on time for the evening service. Somewhere in the midst of that thought, a smell overwhelmed me. I looked down to find the horror of...well, what smells coming from a baby!

We go to race mode... "run, boys...RUN". To the bathroom we go! It took a semi-prepared Mom, 2 very cooperative boys, an extra 15 minutes, a lot of soap, and not one...but 2 sinks to clean up the mess!! I say "semi-prepared" mom because I did have a change of clothes, a fresh diaper, and wipes in the bag. I did not, however, have the Hazmat suit that should be required to clean up such a mess. I also did not have the Hazardous waste disposal container which should be required to bring home the clothing (fortunately, the ladies from her class found me a plastic bag). But, ahhh...the sink. I cannot imagine what I would have done if I couldn't find a sink. And now, the offensive clothing is soaking in the sink (yeah for sinks)! After several rinses and tons of soap...she might just wear that outfit again some day. Come to think of it...I'm thankful for sinks...and soap....and disposable diapers...and....plastic bags...and the imminent arrival of potty training!

Why I'm Blogging...

I honestly don't know much about it...I'm just going to dive off into something new and see what happens. The main "why" for starting the blog is because I cannot possibly keep up the website! Obviously. Once Brooklyn arrived, the site hasn't been updated. It is just too hard to convert all the photos and make that happen. The only other reason...I love to write. As a child, my favorite thing to get was a new pen and some fancy paper. I wrote stories constantly. I rarely write anymore...except the occasional email. I also don't always use proper punctuation. I do this..... alot! If you are going to read my blog, you have to promise right now not to be the punctuation police! Oh, and I can use !!! as often as I like. I write excited!! :)

Now. About the name. We now have a Wii. If you don't have one, I recommend them. I never thought I would recommend a "toy" that expensive. They are fabulous fun. Unlike any video game you've ever been bored by! (ok, for my brother and other "game crazy guys"...better than any video game you've loved). On the Wii you create a Mii in order to play. This is you on the Wii. Confused yet? So, I created my gal...she looks quite a bit like me and that is fascinating and frightening all at the same time! She needed a name. Through the input of my guys (Jackson, Will and Robbie J)...she is momda'bomb. Yeah, I had to smile. So, for Mother's Day, the boys really wanted to make me a Build a Bear with sound inside. Unbelievably, Robbie managed to get all the kids to cooperate and the sound chip (you push the paw on the bear) says "Mommy" (in Brooklyn's voice) "I love you Mommy" (in Jackson's voice) and "Happy Mother's Day" (in Will's voice)! Super cute. The bear also has a name... momda' bomb da' bear!

So...