Happy Birthday Noah!

The words don’t come easy, like they usually do, to explain this treasure that’s perfect and true.  His name means comfort, a tried and true friend, more loyal than the rest, with you till the end.  Deep and mysterious, with big chocolate eyes, he’s a charmer to say the least, a blue ribbon kind of prize.  Sharp as a tack, wise beyond years, you know you’ve made it in, if he shares with you his fears.  Once you’re there, nothing is the same, you’ll look through different eyes and you’ll understand his name.  In a world full chaos, fighting and hate, this little comforter will find a way to lock up the gate.  He’ll keep you safe, make you feel loved, cozy and warm, Thank You Lord for he’s my calm before the storm. 

What she loves

She disappears, not making a sound 
I look through the house, this girl can't be found
I yell out Sophia and walk down the hall
If she were a boy, I'd find her with a ball
She's quiet and gentle and doesn't make a mess
She loves to carry purses, wear bracelets and a pretty dress
She's left me a clue, a trail of some sort
I hope what I find, won't be her sport
Now the mystery is over, no more missing baby blues 
There she is in her closet, playing with her shoes.

Siblings

 Here's what Wikipedia says a sibling is:
Siblings (also called sibs) are people who share at least one parent. A male sibling is called a brother; and a female sibling is called a sister. In most societies throughout the world, siblings usually grow up together and spend a good deal of their childhood socializing with one another. This genetic and physical closeness may be marked by the development of strong emotional bond such as love or enmity. The emotional bond between siblings is often complicated and is influenced by factors such as parental treatment, birth order, personality, and personal experiences outside the family.

Here's what I think a sibling is:
A fat little, oriental looking sumo baby that was born on February 10th, 1986.  When I heard this little creature was waiting for me at the hospital, I was so overcome with excitement and anticipation  that I fainted and got a huge knot on my head.  Immediately wanting him to accept me into his life, I dug out my favorite outfit (that had been packed away, with good reason, as I'd outgrown it months ago) and found a bottle of gel to fix my hair all by myself.  At the ripe age of 6, I entered the hospital, gasped when I saw him and asked in my squeaky voice if I could "pet" him.  This little guy at only a few months old, would only laugh for me.  He was the perfect size for all of my doll clothes.  He was the perfect dance partner when I was wearing a cowboy skirt.  He looked adorable with pony tails all through his head.  He kept me warm at night when I was scared and needed someone to hold on to.  He was my constant through a messy divorce. A little buddy when I felt I had no friends.  He was a pain but only I was allowed to think so.  He was the end of a friendship, when someone else thought they could say the same.  He was my muse when I wanted to start cutting hair.  He was the victim to my many pranks.  He would accompany me to sleepovers and chaperon my dates.  He was the reason I had to stay home on the weekends and the reason I enjoyed it more than most kids would have.  He was my in flight pillow and my travel partner.  He's the reason I hold my feet up in the air as I take off on a plane.  He's the reason my favorite color has been green for the last 20 years.  He's my Happy 4th of July! I took him to his 1st rated R movie and fraternity party.  My little buddy was the youngest kid ever to stay the weekend at an all girls dorm and if I could have, I would have had him as my roommate.  He's the smartest guy I know. He motivates me to be the best I can be and inspires me to love with no regrets.  He's wise beyond years and as handsome as a movie star. He's my sibling, my Big, little brother and he's a best friend.  There's nothing complicated about our bond.  It's strong, it's true and it's one of a kind.  I can only hope and pray that one day, my kids will look at each other with the same love that I do him.  Happy Birthday Tim!

Buttons

                                     I've never worn one.
                                   I keep ordering them?
I'll be the proudest Mommy with a whole bag of buttons one day!

We're a house split.  I hope there are no tears!

What's hot

What's hot...

This little guy is called a Puffle. In the Club Penguin world, he's a pet. He requires around the clock attention, love, exercise and food. He'll dance, surf and go deep sea diving with you. Club penguin babysat my boys after I had Sophie and now, we just can't get away from it. It's a really cute, safe place for your kids to go. Here is the website. Once you're there, there's no turning back. Trust me!

http://www.clubpenguin.com/

What's NOT...

One quick and very wrong reach for my razor ended like this. It sliced right through my finger nail. YIKES!

Cousins

Cousins are friends that will love you forever!



Cherish your family
For they are your treasure
A storehouse of riches
Wealth beyond measure

My Cart Runneth Over

Treasured Rides

Some of the most treasured conversations I've had came from a car ride with my family. We use this time to get caught up on our dreams, feelings and secrets. We study for tests, practice our times tables and learn about opposites and rhyming. In the car, I've shared my love for show tunes and introduced them to favorite childhood stories. We've laughed, sang, cried and shared. From games to books on tape, family meetings to history lessons, we've used the many hours we spend in the car as an extra bonus family time. Frequently we play the "count your blessings" game. Today, I can only think of this one...

So you can see....what I see

I still can't get over this blue eyed beauty. There are times during the day that I look at her and think...who are you? Then I think to myself...I wish everyone could see this child right now! So today, I took a snap shot of this little joy eating her sweet potatoes. Just so you could see what I see every day.

Graduation and New Beginnings

Now that Noah has graduated from preschool and Sophie won't be going anytime soon...I am truly a Stay-at-home mom. I love being home with my kids. Staying at home allows me to spend precious moments with them, moments that may have been missed if I wasn't here. However, it also means that we live off of 1 income. So many times people say to me "We could never afford it!". The reality of staying at home for us meant making drastic lifestyle changes. We couldn't have afforded it either if we hadn't. I choose to stay at home, giving up the extra income that would allow us to live life a little more freely. Most days, I love being a Stay-at-home mom. Other days, when I think nothing looks good on me, I have no time to exercise, laundry multiplies by the hour, the kids are fighting, the baby is crying, I forgot how to cook, the thought of a dust rag makes me feel nauseous and school didn't start until 3pm, I temporarily change my title to Stuck-at-home mom. This pity party quickly changes when the fighting stops and I see my oldest reading a book to his brother and I think to myself...I taught him how to read! I feel a little less ugly when my 5 year old runs through the house and stops to say "By the way Mommy, I like your shirt!". I start to feel warm and fuzzy inside when I go to check on the baby and her head pops up from her pillow, she starts to kick and squeal and reaches out her arms for me. One after another, moments I share with my children, that may have been missed if I wasn't here. I think to myself...what a blessing it is to be stuck-at-home with them!

Yes, he's mine

Today I pass down my title to Noah. He is officially the king of "ruining pictures" using his creative faces. However, I'm changing the title for him. He is the king of "making me smile". Others may think the pictures are ruined but I think they're perfect. Here are a few cropped samples of this wild thing in action! I only noticed he was making faces when I uploaded the pictures today. What a nice surprise from a wonderful weekend!

Almost 5!

Noah is a very smart and interesting little guy. He doesn't let people in very easily but when he does you're in LOVE. He's got a heart of gold and loves to learn. He's the best side kick, crafty to the core and a loyal friend. I feel sorry for those that don't take the time to get to know him. He has the potential to be anything he wants to be and might be one of those people that impacts your life in a big way. I'm excited for him to round the corner and become an official BIG boy. Noah turns 5 on the 31st of March! I know there are still a few weeks left until his birthday but Mommy over here is getting sentimental. Now take a look at his pretty chocolate eyes! They will melt your heart!
!

Baby Dolls

1. This is why I can't leave Sophie alone with the boys!
2. This is why she can't ever get a good nap.

2010

WOW. It's been almost 1 year since my last post. Here's an update from 2009 to get you caught up......
WE HAD A BABY!

Yes, you read that right. We had a baby. I found out in Feb. 09' and stopped blogging in March when the sickness settled in. Sophia Bella was born October 3rd, one day after her Daddy turned 30. It's been awhile since my last blog but trust me, it was worth the wait. I'm back and better than ever. My family is complete and we wanted to share the great news with everyone. I leave you with a picture of our new little doll. Enjoy!

Boys & their music

He lost a tooth

Joseph came to me the other day, shouting "I know what tooth I will lose first!" He went on to show me his loose tooth. I must say, I was slightly emotional. I showed him how to work on it, to get it loose enough to pull. Then we talked about methods of pulling teeth. I told him of the time I pulled his Uncle Tim's tooth out with a string tied to the door. Later that week, the tooth was about to come out. I went to pull it and he declared that the tooth must go the way Tim's went. Today was the big day! We had the whole family help. I tied the string to the tooth, Noah opened the door and David filmed. After a few failed attempts, David just yanked the string sending the tooth down the hallway. It was an adventure and I can't wait to come up with other ways to get the rest of his teeth out. I wonder how much money he'll get?? He hopes it's worth $100.

I'm looking for some more creative ways to pull his teeth. Please, send me your ideas. We'll film his next tooth being pulled using the best method suggested. It won't be too long from now, there are plenty of other teeth wiggling around in his mouth.

What do your kids do for fun?

Oooh, that's nice. Your kids read to each other, talk about horses and play house. How sweet!

You want to know what my kids do for fun??

Umm, well. Let me go check on them and see what they're up to right now.


My kids put layers of clothes on their bodies and then see how many pairs of underwear they can get on their head. Do you want to send your kids over for a play date??

Big on Football

With a house full of boys, there's bound to be some football fans around. I'm thrilled with this because I love football! Here's a little something Joseph said to me today...

"Mommy, when I turn 7 I want to have a Corn Huskers party and when I turn 8 I want it to be the Panthers. When I turn 9, it will be the Pigeons!" To those of you that don't know, the "Cardinals" are playing in the Super Bowl. They beat out the Panthers and so now Joseph wants them to win....only, he mistakenly calls them the Pigeons. Maybe he knows something we don't!

Just for Tim

I thought you'd like this one! Joseph brought the ball down the court and handed it off. Make sure you're watching Joseph. He's the boy standing behind the boy with the ball. He's got issues when letting someone else take the shot. Maybe he's been playing the Wii too long!

Basketball

Joseph is finally old enough to play basketball on a team and he loves it. I already have dreams of him playing in college! They had their pictures taken this Saturday. They looked so cute grouped together as a "real" team. There were many options of pictures you could order. And of all things, I ordered a button! A button! Yes, I ordered a button! And I will wear it proudly! Go number 10!