Our apartment smells amazing! We have a seasoned Greenberg Turkey(from Tyler Texas..little tribute to our East Texas roots) going in the oven. Im so excited to eat it!!! In a couple of hours, when it has finished cooking, we are heading to our friends(the other E family) to enjoy Easter dinner together. We bought the turkey they are buying the sides, perfect trade off! The kids will get to hunt eggs, and in general just hang out and have fun together! Should be a great afternoon!
What are your plans today? How does your family celebrate? What do you eat?
Hopefully Ill have some cute egg hunt pictures later!
Sunday, March 31, 2013
My Review of Youtuber, MyDomesticatedLife
A few nights ago, I was watching a video of someone I am subscribed to. At the end, it always pops up suggestions for other things to watch. The mom I was watching promotes a lot of natural parenting topics. So at the end of this particular video, a video popped up that I decided seemed interesting. It was a girl of about 19 years who had been homeschooled growing up. She just answered some questions from her perspective of going through it. I enjoyed listening to her talk about it. At the end of that video I noticed she actually has a couple of channels with multiple videos.
MyDomesticateLife and MissSunshineGirl100.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiQjFA06Dog&feature=share&list=UU6SoYALqGCMR3c3pJAbj8PQ
As I tried out watching a few videos from each of the channels, I began to really like her. The first channel is just what it sounds like, she is a housewife, she's pretty crafty and organized, she works part time from home. She talks about products, foods, organization tips, sometimes recipes. She is a vegan, so she often shares information on her grocery shopping and cooking. She hasnt always been though so she knows about meats and things too. What's more is she is refreshingly conservative. Now, Im not neccessarily, Ill watch Family Guy and I have to consciously watch my mouth but I like to step outside that sometimes. It's nice to be watching something, that I dont have to be worried about my kids being in the same room. The other side of her videos is talks on her personal Bible studies. She goes through her devotions and shares them with her viewers. You can see that she and her husband are admirable Christians but also not in your face, do this or you'll go to hell either. It's done how Im comfortable with, for sure. There is one video that included the terms Bible Devotion and Trekkie in the same video. So they arent Bible snobs, they are simply simple Christians themselves and arent afraid to say so. When she talks about it, its simply touching on what they do and offering information should you want it.
Now, I do think she could improve how she conversates with the camera, some but she really is just herself in them. I think its just a matter of getting experience as she goes. It's funny to occasionally watch her get the giggles over something and see that she isnt afraid to show the real her. So many youtubers go edit crazy that they can seem like they lack personality. Not with her, you can tell she is a quieter person naturally and somewhat reserved but that she does have a sense of humor and confidence in herself.
So anyways, I just wanted to give her a shout out here, I have been watching her stuff the last few nights, and have genuinely enjoyed her video content(even though Im no where near being a vegan.) I thought if anyone is looking for something like this to watch you would want to check her out. The second channel is her beauty channel. Pretty self explanatory.
That is all Good Night!
Oh and Happy Easter to you all!
MyDomesticateLife and MissSunshineGirl100.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiQjFA06Dog&feature=share&list=UU6SoYALqGCMR3c3pJAbj8PQ
As I tried out watching a few videos from each of the channels, I began to really like her. The first channel is just what it sounds like, she is a housewife, she's pretty crafty and organized, she works part time from home. She talks about products, foods, organization tips, sometimes recipes. She is a vegan, so she often shares information on her grocery shopping and cooking. She hasnt always been though so she knows about meats and things too. What's more is she is refreshingly conservative. Now, Im not neccessarily, Ill watch Family Guy and I have to consciously watch my mouth but I like to step outside that sometimes. It's nice to be watching something, that I dont have to be worried about my kids being in the same room. The other side of her videos is talks on her personal Bible studies. She goes through her devotions and shares them with her viewers. You can see that she and her husband are admirable Christians but also not in your face, do this or you'll go to hell either. It's done how Im comfortable with, for sure. There is one video that included the terms Bible Devotion and Trekkie in the same video. So they arent Bible snobs, they are simply simple Christians themselves and arent afraid to say so. When she talks about it, its simply touching on what they do and offering information should you want it.
Now, I do think she could improve how she conversates with the camera, some but she really is just herself in them. I think its just a matter of getting experience as she goes. It's funny to occasionally watch her get the giggles over something and see that she isnt afraid to show the real her. So many youtubers go edit crazy that they can seem like they lack personality. Not with her, you can tell she is a quieter person naturally and somewhat reserved but that she does have a sense of humor and confidence in herself.
So anyways, I just wanted to give her a shout out here, I have been watching her stuff the last few nights, and have genuinely enjoyed her video content(even though Im no where near being a vegan.) I thought if anyone is looking for something like this to watch you would want to check her out. The second channel is her beauty channel. Pretty self explanatory.
That is all Good Night!
Oh and Happy Easter to you all!
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Absentee Excuse!
OMG! Totally disspeared, sorry! This post will be short too as I just wanted to say we are alive! So it is my husband's responsibility once a month to stop by our internet provider's office and pay our bill. It is located right next to his workplace and is ridiculously easy to do on his lunch. He has kept up with it in the past, so Ive never had a reason to give it much thought. We;; this past Friday, I woke up a little before the kids and sat down to peruse my facebook/emails, like I generally do...it's like my coffee and how I wake up...I came to find, no internet access! Upon asking my husband, it turns out that for 2 months, he had blanked on taking care of this. Of course, the man never checks his voicemails(an ongoing conversation in itself, as I often leave important things on it) or he would have noticed multiple reminders from the company.
At the time of finding out this, we were coming to the end of the pay period and werent in a position to pay the fees caused by this. Luckily, today is payday so I went when the office opened and took care of it. I also put it on automaic withdrawal, so this doesnt happen again! Although, I wasnt completely cut off, since I have a phone with internet, I was missing the things that are much easier to do on a full sized computer, like writing my blogs. In a way, though, it was also nice to have kind of a mind cleanse from it all. We have a smart TV, which also doesnt work without internet. It doesnt have cable. We watch Netflix and listen to music on it. So it was kind of an electronic cleanse for us. The kids were still able to watch DVDs in their room occasionally when I needed to do chores(which by the way were done a lot more without distractions, haha). Otherwise, it was quality time with them. We spent a lot of time playing, coloring and just whatever we were drawn to. We would have spent more of it outside had it not been cold most of those days. I do feel we made the most of it, for sure!
So that is the reason for the abscense. I look forward to catching up on the blogs I like to read! I will probably be posting a few picture only blogs, just to show what we have been up to. I am glad to have all this back. I missed my full sized pinterest page and the ability to look up things in preparation for our Disney trip! The kids and I are about to be back out the door. Finn needs a hair trim and Stephen needs cheesy Dinsey shirts!
At the time of finding out this, we were coming to the end of the pay period and werent in a position to pay the fees caused by this. Luckily, today is payday so I went when the office opened and took care of it. I also put it on automaic withdrawal, so this doesnt happen again! Although, I wasnt completely cut off, since I have a phone with internet, I was missing the things that are much easier to do on a full sized computer, like writing my blogs. In a way, though, it was also nice to have kind of a mind cleanse from it all. We have a smart TV, which also doesnt work without internet. It doesnt have cable. We watch Netflix and listen to music on it. So it was kind of an electronic cleanse for us. The kids were still able to watch DVDs in their room occasionally when I needed to do chores(which by the way were done a lot more without distractions, haha). Otherwise, it was quality time with them. We spent a lot of time playing, coloring and just whatever we were drawn to. We would have spent more of it outside had it not been cold most of those days. I do feel we made the most of it, for sure!
So that is the reason for the abscense. I look forward to catching up on the blogs I like to read! I will probably be posting a few picture only blogs, just to show what we have been up to. I am glad to have all this back. I missed my full sized pinterest page and the ability to look up things in preparation for our Disney trip! The kids and I are about to be back out the door. Finn needs a hair trim and Stephen needs cheesy Dinsey shirts!
Monday, March 18, 2013
Here, There and Everywhere!
Last week was pretty busy for us. We spent time with family and friends. Stephen had a couple extra days off so we could go visit family. He was off Wednesday through Sunday. He returned to work today(Monday, still today for me even though its technically Tuesday now.) Just had a fun few days catching up with our friends and family.
This past Thursday the 14th, Lorelai officially turned 15 months. That meant not only is she growing way too fast, but also checkup day. I happen to be a horrible mom because something happened the day of her 12 month checkup, I cancelled and forgot to reschedule. A few weeks ago, I was catching up on baby books and realized what I had done. Next morning I called the dr office to see about getting it taken care of. I do vaccinate my kids and didnt want to miss something important. The nurse in the office said that since I had waited as long as I did waiting until the 15th month and combining would not be hurtful. So while it turned out nice and convenient it meant extra shots that day. I felt so terrible when they said it would be 5 shots when she would have only needed one. Made me feel so bad and guilty. I guess at least she only had to feel the pain once. She weighed in at 24lbs and 9.4oz and is 32in. long. She is following a nice growth curve and even seems to be steadying a little as she has become so active. Doctor deemed her healthy and maybe too big for her britches. All in all clean bill of health. The nurse made the shots nice and quick and Daddy held her for them. She cried for a couple minutes but by the time we were to the car she was smiling again.
When we left, we met my friend Lucy and her kiddos to eat nearby and then headed over to the Botanic Gardens to spend the rest of the afternoon. It was lovely weather and the gardens have lots of running room. It was a nice late afternoon playtime.
My ever curious boy
He loved his friend's boots
All kiddos minus Finn, kid cant sit still for nothing!
Lorelai and her friend giving kisses
Her "dont let me fool you look"
This past Thursday the 14th, Lorelai officially turned 15 months. That meant not only is she growing way too fast, but also checkup day. I happen to be a horrible mom because something happened the day of her 12 month checkup, I cancelled and forgot to reschedule. A few weeks ago, I was catching up on baby books and realized what I had done. Next morning I called the dr office to see about getting it taken care of. I do vaccinate my kids and didnt want to miss something important. The nurse in the office said that since I had waited as long as I did waiting until the 15th month and combining would not be hurtful. So while it turned out nice and convenient it meant extra shots that day. I felt so terrible when they said it would be 5 shots when she would have only needed one. Made me feel so bad and guilty. I guess at least she only had to feel the pain once. She weighed in at 24lbs and 9.4oz and is 32in. long. She is following a nice growth curve and even seems to be steadying a little as she has become so active. Doctor deemed her healthy and maybe too big for her britches. All in all clean bill of health. The nurse made the shots nice and quick and Daddy held her for them. She cried for a couple minutes but by the time we were to the car she was smiling again.
When we left, we met my friend Lucy and her kiddos to eat nearby and then headed over to the Botanic Gardens to spend the rest of the afternoon. It was lovely weather and the gardens have lots of running room. It was a nice late afternoon playtime.
My ever curious boy
He loved his friend's boots
All kiddos minus Finn, kid cant sit still for nothing!
Lorelai and her friend giving kisses
Her "dont let me fool you look"
Friday was pretty run of the mill. I did some grocery shopping. We cleaned and took care of laundry, ridded the kitchen cabinets of things that aren't getting any use. We dont have a lot of storage in our kitchen, so it's gotta be kept to things that are being used.
Saturday, we woke up and loaded our van up. We took a trip to my sisters about 3 hours away. Her 2 boys have birthdays a day apart. One turning 1 and the other turning 10. They have a sister in between whose birthday is later. We had a party for the little on Saturday and the big on Sunday. Each got to have their own special time and day. Baby had a super cute Minion party. He loves the Despicable Me movie! It was all rather adorable, complete with minion Twinkies(which are now cloud cakes apparently but taste the same to me.) The older had a cookies and ice cream party. He just wanted a normal party, his only request was to have an ice cream bar. Everyone had fun putting all the toppings they wanted on the ice cream. All in all it was a great weekend celebrating and seeing my sister!
If I read or play on my phone in the car, I get carsick. So I entertained myself this time by coloring!
Being cheesy!
Cousins(3months apart) playing!
Our nephew wanting to drive
We got home late Sunday evening and all went straight to bed. It was hard to be up for our normal day routine on Monday. By bedtime tonight, the kids were pretty worn out and so was my husband. Im in awe that he survived work today, around here we were all a little sluggish. The parties consisted of a lot of sugar and I feel like my body is really trying to recover from that. I tried to feed the kids lots of healthy things today. Just want to get them back on track and send the message to not expect that normally.
Thats how the last half of our last week went. Now we are home again and back to normal life. In 3 weeks we will be loading up again for our even longer drive to Florida!!!
Our fact of the day: Phineas and Ferb took 16 years to make it to TV. The director and the creator left Family Guy to work on it full time.
Thought this info was pretty cool. Family Guy is something my husband and I watch after our kids are tucked in bed at night. We find it humorous(and dumb at times, yes) and just like the show. I think Seth McFarland is a fun creative guy. I also appreciate knowing that the show has a few tie ins to Gilmore Girls.
Anyways, that is all, goodnight!
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Germany Folklore: Lorelei, Lorelai and Black Forest Cake
Today I am sitting here quietly while my littles are suppose to be napping. I hear them in there giggling, which is mostly what they do everytime lately. I let them, I still enforce a minimum of 20minutes of quiet time in their room. What they choose to do with it is up to them. If they sound to be playing nicely a little longer I let them. I think its important for them to have that time everyday. Im hoping it will help them learn independence as well as playing together. Its the only time they really want to socialize with one another. Also for my own sanity, the 20 minutes is nice to have in the middle of the day with 2 toddlers.
We spent a lot of the day at a city thrown picnic. They had a fun music group playing, Vocal Trash. All the kids loved them, they were super upbeat and fun. They make a big deal about promoting recycling and being green. We just relaxed with some friends who have kids the same ages and enjoyed our lunch and music. It lasted a couple hours. On the way home Lorelai could barely keep her eyes open, but somehow woke up again when we got her out of the van to come inside.
Now as I sit and listen to them play, I am perusing around my blogger page. As I have said in the past, it always fascinates me to see the countries viewers are from. It's cool to think I had even a tiny connection with someone so far away. For even a split second we have a connection. What I enjoy doing the most is seeing what countries show up and using that as inspiration to research the countries. Its always countries Ive heard of and probably even learned about in terms of history in the textbooks in high school. That's not what I want to know though, I like looking up information on cultures beyond stereotypes you may hear.
For example, today, I am reading up on Germany. This place is pretty commonly spoken about but never in any sort of depth about their culture and such. So I spent time reading different sites about common culture facts and even folklore from the country. In my findings, I was actually pleasantly surprised to find some interesting information about my daughter, Lorelai's name. I knew it was of German origin(although it is originally spelled Lorelei). I knew it had something to do with sirens. I also remember my pediatrician bringing me a poem in German when she was born. It was in German though so I had no idea what it said. In my findings today, I was able to find an indepth story. One being from Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lorelei.
It speaks of the rocks in a narrow space of river, and how the way the water gushes over them makes a murmuring sound. They took that and turned it into a story of a siren on the rocks singing and drawing in the boats, causing them to crash on the rocks. They make the personified version of her into an almost mermish creature.
What's funny to me is that Lorelai is kind of that way. She is sweet and bubbly, wants hugs and kisses and fools you into thinking she is always that way, but there are times she can be so purposefully rotten. In the way she will do things like take a toy from her brother because she knows how mad it makes him. I can absolutely see her taking a piece of this story and it making up some of her personality. It almost confirms it should have been her name all along.
So thank you to my German visitors for encouraging me to not only read and learn some things about your culture today but for also making it possible for me to learn something about my daughter. It will be fun to have this story to tell her about her name.
Also if any of you can figure out how to send me a piece of your Black Forest Cake that was specifically noted in my findings, that would be great! We have cakes with that title here but usually what we have never compares to authentic food of their home terf. So I would really love to try what you guys make, ha!
We spent a lot of the day at a city thrown picnic. They had a fun music group playing, Vocal Trash. All the kids loved them, they were super upbeat and fun. They make a big deal about promoting recycling and being green. We just relaxed with some friends who have kids the same ages and enjoyed our lunch and music. It lasted a couple hours. On the way home Lorelai could barely keep her eyes open, but somehow woke up again when we got her out of the van to come inside.
Now as I sit and listen to them play, I am perusing around my blogger page. As I have said in the past, it always fascinates me to see the countries viewers are from. It's cool to think I had even a tiny connection with someone so far away. For even a split second we have a connection. What I enjoy doing the most is seeing what countries show up and using that as inspiration to research the countries. Its always countries Ive heard of and probably even learned about in terms of history in the textbooks in high school. That's not what I want to know though, I like looking up information on cultures beyond stereotypes you may hear.
For example, today, I am reading up on Germany. This place is pretty commonly spoken about but never in any sort of depth about their culture and such. So I spent time reading different sites about common culture facts and even folklore from the country. In my findings, I was actually pleasantly surprised to find some interesting information about my daughter, Lorelai's name. I knew it was of German origin(although it is originally spelled Lorelei). I knew it had something to do with sirens. I also remember my pediatrician bringing me a poem in German when she was born. It was in German though so I had no idea what it said. In my findings today, I was able to find an indepth story. One being from Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lorelei.
It speaks of the rocks in a narrow space of river, and how the way the water gushes over them makes a murmuring sound. They took that and turned it into a story of a siren on the rocks singing and drawing in the boats, causing them to crash on the rocks. They make the personified version of her into an almost mermish creature.
What's funny to me is that Lorelai is kind of that way. She is sweet and bubbly, wants hugs and kisses and fools you into thinking she is always that way, but there are times she can be so purposefully rotten. In the way she will do things like take a toy from her brother because she knows how mad it makes him. I can absolutely see her taking a piece of this story and it making up some of her personality. It almost confirms it should have been her name all along.
So thank you to my German visitors for encouraging me to not only read and learn some things about your culture today but for also making it possible for me to learn something about my daughter. It will be fun to have this story to tell her about her name.
Also if any of you can figure out how to send me a piece of your Black Forest Cake that was specifically noted in my findings, that would be great! We have cakes with that title here but usually what we have never compares to authentic food of their home terf. So I would really love to try what you guys make, ha!
The Odd Primate
About a week ago, I was walking through my favorite thrift store in search of a shelf for our bathroom. The store is always stuffed with lots of stuff, which means when I push a buggy of kids through they can reach things. If its not breakable, I let them check out what they pick up. Nothing in the shop costs much so if I had to pay for it, I wouldnt go broke. I figure it is good for them and their vocabulary to check out things that stand out to them. Normally it hasnt been an issue. Except on this one particularly day. Lorelai got her hands on this guy,
I have no idea who he is or where he is from. All I know is he is weird looking and Lorelai loves him. When we were ready to leave the store that day(after finding the perfect shelf for a buck), she would not let go of him without melting down. She was uber attached. I dont know what it was about him but she wasnt leaving without him. I know I could have let her have her fit and use it as that kind of parenting moment, but I decided to pay for the 10cent toy, because getting a quiet kid had never been that easy.
So now this little dude lives here with us in there heap of already accumulated toys. She still holds him and carries him around. When she sets him down she always remembers where. It's totally her thing right now.
Do your kids have a toy like this? Do they hold onto it for a long time? How much time is the appropriate time to let it naturally end up in the donate box? I've actually contemplated putting it up and having the story to tell her when she is dealing with her own quirky kids. I'd love to be linked to any similar stories!
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Learning and Productivity of My Tots:Colors, Ordering and Counting
This week in the life of my kiddos, we have added new words and skills.
Lorelai is broadening her vocabulary at a rapid pace. This week she has added Melmo(Elmo), yellow, purple, blue, green, cracker and clouds. We have been adding talks about colors and weather to our daily life a little more. They have a xylohphone that they lost the stick to. Its nice and colorful, so I have been improvising and using it for teaching colors, instead. Finn also discovered it makes awesome sounds when you drive your matchbox across it. So it has evolved into fun and different lessons for sure.
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=549049545118160&l=7328810205564331185
This is a video of Lorelai saying yellow..I just love how she says it.
Finn went from using small cars to big trucks. He discovered while its nice and bumpy it doesnt make the cool noises the car did.
While we were on the subject of colors, I pulled out a stack of paint chips(yes a stack, I was naughty at the store) and laid them out for them to see all the colors. We talked about each color and then I showed Finn how they could be matched up for color. He thought that was pretty fun. Lately he has been taking like things around the house and lines them up perfect and counts them. So when we had them matched by color he took it upon himself, to make them all nice and neat. Of course, you cant line them up nice and neat and not count them. So we got to work on that as well. It was awesome to make such progress with one activity!
Lorelai is broadening her vocabulary at a rapid pace. This week she has added Melmo(Elmo), yellow, purple, blue, green, cracker and clouds. We have been adding talks about colors and weather to our daily life a little more. They have a xylohphone that they lost the stick to. Its nice and colorful, so I have been improvising and using it for teaching colors, instead. Finn also discovered it makes awesome sounds when you drive your matchbox across it. So it has evolved into fun and different lessons for sure.
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=549049545118160&l=7328810205564331185
This is a video of Lorelai saying yellow..I just love how she says it.
While we were on the subject of colors, I pulled out a stack of paint chips(yes a stack, I was naughty at the store) and laid them out for them to see all the colors. We talked about each color and then I showed Finn how they could be matched up for color. He thought that was pretty fun. Lately he has been taking like things around the house and lines them up perfect and counts them. So when we had them matched by color he took it upon himself, to make them all nice and neat. Of course, you cant line them up nice and neat and not count them. So we got to work on that as well. It was awesome to make such progress with one activity!
Now that Im on a productivity high, I think its time to let my tots play on the patio, while I clean out our entry closet. This past weekend we spent a lot of time out there straightening, sweeping and putting some heavy wire netting around the railing. They have been loving going out and playing. It is perfect weather today. So, being able to have the door open and them being able to go in and out is really nice.
Anyways, gotta go before I get to comfortable sitting here and lose my high!
Mom's Night Out
Last night I was able to partake in a fabulous night out with my friend Lucy. It had been way too long since I got out like that. I always do these nights with her. We have a lot of fun and talk non stop. However, right now she is pregnant with #4 and was sick for a little over a month. On top of that right before she got sick all 3 of her earthside children got hand-foot-mouth. So. yeah, it had been waaay too long.
I had the kids bathed and playing in the tub when Stephen got home from work. This made it easy for me to slip out with out anyone crying at the door. That breaks my heart everytime. It makes it easier on him, too, if they are still happy when I leave. I met up with her at The Cheesecake Factory over in Arlington. Love that place. This time I ordered the meatloaf. It was pretty good. I didnt love it as much as the salmon I had ordered the time before or the shepard's pie from before that. It was good though. I think if I had asked for a substitution to the corn succotash, I would have enjoyed it more. The succotash included bell peppers..definetly not a fan!
Anyway, we were there a good 3 hours, and were the last table to leave. She and I are opposites in most of everything we do, Somehow, though, we still have so much to talk about and always have fun while doing so. We have just enough in common I suppose. We of course, finished our meal with some cheesecake. It doesnt matter how full you may be after the large portions they serve you, you gotta order some. They offer a nice box it up service, so you can eat it later if need be. I always leave with half my meal and half my slice of cake boxed up. It makes for a nice lunch next day.
It was nice to be away from kids and catch up with my probably best friend. Even after eating we sat in her car talking for about another hour. It was the perfect girly date. Only thing better will be when she has given birth and we can have drinks again! We use to go to Applebees often after kid were in bed and have a couple drinks. We would spend hours talking there with our drinks and appetizers. Im not a big drinker but it does make mom's night out a little more fun.
I had the kids bathed and playing in the tub when Stephen got home from work. This made it easy for me to slip out with out anyone crying at the door. That breaks my heart everytime. It makes it easier on him, too, if they are still happy when I leave. I met up with her at The Cheesecake Factory over in Arlington. Love that place. This time I ordered the meatloaf. It was pretty good. I didnt love it as much as the salmon I had ordered the time before or the shepard's pie from before that. It was good though. I think if I had asked for a substitution to the corn succotash, I would have enjoyed it more. The succotash included bell peppers..definetly not a fan!
Anyway, we were there a good 3 hours, and were the last table to leave. She and I are opposites in most of everything we do, Somehow, though, we still have so much to talk about and always have fun while doing so. We have just enough in common I suppose. We of course, finished our meal with some cheesecake. It doesnt matter how full you may be after the large portions they serve you, you gotta order some. They offer a nice box it up service, so you can eat it later if need be. I always leave with half my meal and half my slice of cake boxed up. It makes for a nice lunch next day.
It was nice to be away from kids and catch up with my probably best friend. Even after eating we sat in her car talking for about another hour. It was the perfect girly date. Only thing better will be when she has given birth and we can have drinks again! We use to go to Applebees often after kid were in bed and have a couple drinks. We would spend hours talking there with our drinks and appetizers. Im not a big drinker but it does make mom's night out a little more fun.
Sunday, March 10, 2013
Crossing Another Item Off Our Trip To Do List
With Disney a short(but feels like a long time due to us being so excited) 28 days away, we spent today giving our van a little TLC. We all slept in a little late, as it is a Saturday afterall. We had breakfast at IHOP. Then, on our return home, I entertained the kids upstairs while I did some house cleaning. I have been on a big spring cleaning kick. I keep cleaning out spaces, and getting rid of more and more things. It feels awesome!
As I was upstairs doing my work and watching the children play, my husband was downstairs, ridding our van of trash, toys, bags and whatever else had collected in there. Once it was all cleared out, we put in a nice sized Goodwill load and ran it to our local store. Afterwards, we took the van for an oil change using a Groupon I had purchased. That means we only paid $15 for an oil change and all the checks they do along with that. It felt nice to get our van a clean bill of health before we make such a long trip in it.
Once that was taken care of, the kids and I came home. Stephen, on the otherhand, took the van to finally be washed and vaccuumed. So now it's all shiny and clean. Tomorrow, Im hoping to purchase a luggage holder to go on top of the van. We already have the rack up there, just want a nice weather proof way to load stuff up there. On our trip, we are hoping to move the kids to our third row. We are planning to remove one middle seat and make a pallet. That way one person who isnt driving can get rest. Two will be awake. Not exactly legal but its honestly the best way to make an overnight 16 hour trip. Ill be taking first driving shift since I stay up late anyways. Then who ever feels up for it will take it from there while I get rest. The other person awake will be responsible for keeping the driver company so they can stay alert. They are also responsible for kid needs. I think it is the most efficient plan to get us there safely and timely.
It is so very nice to cross such a big thing off my list and know that our van is safe to make this trip.
Disney Fact of the Day:
Mickey Mouse(the one you meet) has over 290 outfits. His styles range from a Tuxedo to Scuba gear.
Minnie Mouse has over 200. Ranging from her own princess attire to a cheerleading outfit. They are set for any occasion.
I only wish I had that many outfits, and a place to keep them!
As I was upstairs doing my work and watching the children play, my husband was downstairs, ridding our van of trash, toys, bags and whatever else had collected in there. Once it was all cleared out, we put in a nice sized Goodwill load and ran it to our local store. Afterwards, we took the van for an oil change using a Groupon I had purchased. That means we only paid $15 for an oil change and all the checks they do along with that. It felt nice to get our van a clean bill of health before we make such a long trip in it.
Once that was taken care of, the kids and I came home. Stephen, on the otherhand, took the van to finally be washed and vaccuumed. So now it's all shiny and clean. Tomorrow, Im hoping to purchase a luggage holder to go on top of the van. We already have the rack up there, just want a nice weather proof way to load stuff up there. On our trip, we are hoping to move the kids to our third row. We are planning to remove one middle seat and make a pallet. That way one person who isnt driving can get rest. Two will be awake. Not exactly legal but its honestly the best way to make an overnight 16 hour trip. Ill be taking first driving shift since I stay up late anyways. Then who ever feels up for it will take it from there while I get rest. The other person awake will be responsible for keeping the driver company so they can stay alert. They are also responsible for kid needs. I think it is the most efficient plan to get us there safely and timely.
It is so very nice to cross such a big thing off my list and know that our van is safe to make this trip.
Disney Fact of the Day:
Mickey Mouse(the one you meet) has over 290 outfits. His styles range from a Tuxedo to Scuba gear.
Minnie Mouse has over 200. Ranging from her own princess attire to a cheerleading outfit. They are set for any occasion.
I only wish I had that many outfits, and a place to keep them!
Saturday, March 9, 2013
Disney Fact of the Day
In the spirit of the number of days until our trip falling under 30(29 days to be exact), I decided to come share a fun park fact, I learned while working there. We have a fun Minnie Mouse expo board I have been making a countdown on. Each day I add a fact just to help us build our excitement. Today's fun fact:
The Liberty Oak, which is the focal point of Liberty Square in Magic Kingdom, is the proud parent to more than 500 young trees throughout Disney property. They all started as acorns harvested from the majestic oak.
As we fall to just under a month before our trip, I am trying to make sure we have everything on our list. It has gotten considerably shorter. There is another in our playgroup that are there now on Spring Break. Reading her facebook statuses is making me more anxious than ever! Im so excited to take my family to my favorite place to be. Stephen have been trying to make it out there since we first met. We often joke that due to some drama from our wedding, we should have just spent the money on a trip to Disney. Just got married at the court house and invested in the trip. If we had to do it over again, I would do that instead for sure.
The Liberty Oak, which is the focal point of Liberty Square in Magic Kingdom, is the proud parent to more than 500 young trees throughout Disney property. They all started as acorns harvested from the majestic oak.
As we fall to just under a month before our trip, I am trying to make sure we have everything on our list. It has gotten considerably shorter. There is another in our playgroup that are there now on Spring Break. Reading her facebook statuses is making me more anxious than ever! Im so excited to take my family to my favorite place to be. Stephen have been trying to make it out there since we first met. We often joke that due to some drama from our wedding, we should have just spent the money on a trip to Disney. Just got married at the court house and invested in the trip. If we had to do it over again, I would do that instead for sure.
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Afternoon Play
The kids and I had a good afternoon together. I was really in the mood for us to get out while Daddy was working. We originally planned to do the park but it was extra windy today, making the air super chilly. Cold air=runny noses and ear infections. So instead we invited our friend Mia and her mommy to go to the playground in the nearby mall with us. It made for a fun afternoon. Mia is a year like Lorelai and they have so much fun together!
We all started in the food court and had some late lunch together. For some reason, though, Finn isnt wanting to eat today. Every once in a while every couple of months, he'll have a couple days in a row where he just doesnt have an appetite. It's weird but never lasts long enough for me to truly worry. Im guessing its a couple days for his metabolism to catch up from how much he eats all the other days. He still drinks and eats small snacks, so I just let it go. I figure once he is hungry again he'll come around, and it always happens to be true.
After lunch, we took a nice stroll around the mall and got in some nice exercise. We finally got to the playground and the kids wore themselves out having a good time. Now that they both fully walk and all, they have so much fun at these places. Its always fun to see the favorite things of each. Finn loves to slide over and over. He giggles the whole time and thinks its a complete blast. Lorelai is a little more interested in all the people. She loves to walk around and talk to all the parents sitting on the sides watching their kids play. Occasionally she tries to steal the other kids' shoes. The girl is obsessed I tell ya.
Before leaving the house today, Lorelai seemed very interested in helping pick her clothes out. So I opened their closet door and asked her what she wanted. She pulled out a tutu, a shirt with a puppy on it(that barely fits) and snow boots. I had forgotten about the boots. Someone bought them on clearance and gave them to us. They were way big when we first got them. So I put them up. until she could. Today she found them and pulled them out. Wouldnt you know, they fit. However, its March and chilly. Definetly no snow anywhere. I offered other shoes but she refused me putting them on her feet. So ill fitting shirt, tutu and snow boots it was! She was proud though, so I guess thats what matters.
Here is a picture of her ensemble, with her crazy brother.
My two playing with our friend Mia.
We all started in the food court and had some late lunch together. For some reason, though, Finn isnt wanting to eat today. Every once in a while every couple of months, he'll have a couple days in a row where he just doesnt have an appetite. It's weird but never lasts long enough for me to truly worry. Im guessing its a couple days for his metabolism to catch up from how much he eats all the other days. He still drinks and eats small snacks, so I just let it go. I figure once he is hungry again he'll come around, and it always happens to be true.
After lunch, we took a nice stroll around the mall and got in some nice exercise. We finally got to the playground and the kids wore themselves out having a good time. Now that they both fully walk and all, they have so much fun at these places. Its always fun to see the favorite things of each. Finn loves to slide over and over. He giggles the whole time and thinks its a complete blast. Lorelai is a little more interested in all the people. She loves to walk around and talk to all the parents sitting on the sides watching their kids play. Occasionally she tries to steal the other kids' shoes. The girl is obsessed I tell ya.
Before leaving the house today, Lorelai seemed very interested in helping pick her clothes out. So I opened their closet door and asked her what she wanted. She pulled out a tutu, a shirt with a puppy on it(that barely fits) and snow boots. I had forgotten about the boots. Someone bought them on clearance and gave them to us. They were way big when we first got them. So I put them up. until she could. Today she found them and pulled them out. Wouldnt you know, they fit. However, its March and chilly. Definetly no snow anywhere. I offered other shoes but she refused me putting them on her feet. So ill fitting shirt, tutu and snow boots it was! She was proud though, so I guess thats what matters.
Here is a picture of her ensemble, with her crazy brother.
My two playing with our friend Mia.
Sunday, March 3, 2013
Mommy-Son Date
Today, was lovely. Finn and I had a mommy/son date. The Bedford library near us was having a big festival to celebrte Dr Suess. He and I checked it out. It was so nice to just have one kid, no need for a stroller. He loved having undivided attention. We were able to check out each activity and really enjoy it. We colored, played with at the kid area there, listened to a couple of stories, watched about 5 minutes of the Lorax(he is 2 after all), and hung out with a couple of friends who met us there. Our friends were also having some Mommy/son time so it was really nice to enjoy together. At the end of our fun there, we Finn and I shared a cotton candy cone. After all that sugar, I thought some good lunch to soak it up would be nice. We invited out friends and turned it into a lovely foursome. We took advantage of Applebee's 2 for $20. Just enjoyed time with our boys and some nice conversation.
Overall it was a great afternoon with my Finn. I love the times I get to have these dates with each of them. Lately though with Lorelai hitting milestones and constantly wanting hugs and things, I fear him feeling left out. So I like being able to let him know how much I still love him.
Overall it was a great afternoon with my Finn. I love the times I get to have these dates with each of them. Lately though with Lorelai hitting milestones and constantly wanting hugs and things, I fear him feeling left out. So I like being able to let him know how much I still love him.
Saturday, March 2, 2013
A List of My 14mo Old's Vocabulary
Lorelai's Vocabulary at 14 months old:
Mama
Daddy
Quack, Duck
No, No
Puppy
Woof
Vroom
1,2,3
Repeats each letter after I say it. O, A & H, she randomly says on her own
Shoes(socks and shoes are both called shoes)
Bite
Awww
Baby
Hi
Bye Bye
Peek, Boo
Yay
Wee
Stinky
UhOh
Belly
Booty
Beep Beep(she likes to beep noses, wont say nose simply says beep beep)
Friday, we had a few errands to run. One being car registration. I dropped my husband and son off for that and took Lorelai with me to run another errand nearby. We knew they were gonna be in line for a while, so knew splitting up was the most efficient. After they finished, Stephen had to take care of something at work and was able to, again, take Finn with him. I needed to take care of an eye exam( I just went to the one in Walmart, since thats where he was going to be) so I took Lorelai with me. Finn is far too curious, busy, and stubborn(just like his Daddy, no fault of mine..teehee) to take to a dr office where Im gonna have to sit and be examined for a few minutes, without the ability to get him out of things every 10 seconds. Lorelai, is a really good listener, still busy and curious, but listens when told no.
In all this splitting up and things, it gave Lorelai and I quite a bit of one on one time. I hadnt realized until really spending this time with just her how many words she was picking up and knew. This list doesnt include all that she chooses to repeat but doesnt reuse. There has even been one incident, that has us watching our mouths a little closer. I am truly continuously surprised by her want to conversate. She points to things and waits for me to tell her what they are. She just wants to be social. Don't get me wrong, there is still plenty of babbly I dont understand, but sadly I dont think it will last long. I really fear the day, there is no baby left in her. Im excited too, but there will definetly be a sense of sadness.
Luckily, Finn is taking his stubborn streak right into talking. I know this kid has a vocabulary and he follows what I say, so he has plenty of comprehension. He just doesnt really care. Unless Im engaging him in an activity that he truly cares about, he doesnt care if we talk. He is a total in his own world kid. Dont get me wrong, he isnt socially awkward or anything, he just gets so absorbed in what he is doing at any given time, sometimes he forgets, social time is happening. My husband is actually exactly the same. If he is concentrating on something, he wouldnt notice a plane landing in our parking lot! All I can say is I hope Finn's future wife is a patient woman. I thought I was, until I married a man who forgets to listen to what I say half the time..haha. I really dont believe or feel anything is wrong with his speech. When he decides to talk, its always understandable and clear. He just doesnt want to pointlessly babble. When it means something he speaks up. For example, the other day he very clearly told his sister "No ma;am." These moments are how I know he pays attention and knows exactly what to say. If he didnt repeat and talk so clearly, I would be more concerned. For safe measure, I had his hearing checked. No issues and dr. doesnt seem worried. He actually knows all the words up there and plus some. He has occasionally said them all. He just doesnt talk as often.
Anyways, I just wanted to get this post down, for myself as much as for others. It will be fun to come back and look at this a little down the road and see the progress for the both of them. What does your family do to work on speaking and language skills? Do you have a stubborn talker as well? Have drs or other reliable sources offered you good tips or advice?
Mama
Daddy
Quack, Duck
No, No
Puppy
Woof
Vroom
1,2,3
Repeats each letter after I say it. O, A & H, she randomly says on her own
Shoes(socks and shoes are both called shoes)
Bite
Awww
Baby
Hi
Bye Bye
Peek, Boo
Yay
Wee
Stinky
UhOh
Belly
Booty
Beep Beep(she likes to beep noses, wont say nose simply says beep beep)
Friday, we had a few errands to run. One being car registration. I dropped my husband and son off for that and took Lorelai with me to run another errand nearby. We knew they were gonna be in line for a while, so knew splitting up was the most efficient. After they finished, Stephen had to take care of something at work and was able to, again, take Finn with him. I needed to take care of an eye exam( I just went to the one in Walmart, since thats where he was going to be) so I took Lorelai with me. Finn is far too curious, busy, and stubborn(just like his Daddy, no fault of mine..teehee) to take to a dr office where Im gonna have to sit and be examined for a few minutes, without the ability to get him out of things every 10 seconds. Lorelai, is a really good listener, still busy and curious, but listens when told no.
In all this splitting up and things, it gave Lorelai and I quite a bit of one on one time. I hadnt realized until really spending this time with just her how many words she was picking up and knew. This list doesnt include all that she chooses to repeat but doesnt reuse. There has even been one incident, that has us watching our mouths a little closer. I am truly continuously surprised by her want to conversate. She points to things and waits for me to tell her what they are. She just wants to be social. Don't get me wrong, there is still plenty of babbly I dont understand, but sadly I dont think it will last long. I really fear the day, there is no baby left in her. Im excited too, but there will definetly be a sense of sadness.
Luckily, Finn is taking his stubborn streak right into talking. I know this kid has a vocabulary and he follows what I say, so he has plenty of comprehension. He just doesnt really care. Unless Im engaging him in an activity that he truly cares about, he doesnt care if we talk. He is a total in his own world kid. Dont get me wrong, he isnt socially awkward or anything, he just gets so absorbed in what he is doing at any given time, sometimes he forgets, social time is happening. My husband is actually exactly the same. If he is concentrating on something, he wouldnt notice a plane landing in our parking lot! All I can say is I hope Finn's future wife is a patient woman. I thought I was, until I married a man who forgets to listen to what I say half the time..haha. I really dont believe or feel anything is wrong with his speech. When he decides to talk, its always understandable and clear. He just doesnt want to pointlessly babble. When it means something he speaks up. For example, the other day he very clearly told his sister "No ma;am." These moments are how I know he pays attention and knows exactly what to say. If he didnt repeat and talk so clearly, I would be more concerned. For safe measure, I had his hearing checked. No issues and dr. doesnt seem worried. He actually knows all the words up there and plus some. He has occasionally said them all. He just doesnt talk as often.
Anyways, I just wanted to get this post down, for myself as much as for others. It will be fun to come back and look at this a little down the road and see the progress for the both of them. What does your family do to work on speaking and language skills? Do you have a stubborn talker as well? Have drs or other reliable sources offered you good tips or advice?
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