Repost

I saw this on Mandy's blog and thought it would be a great blog to re-post ... If it is italicized, then I have done it in my life!

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars (in a tent?)
3. Played in a band
4. Visited the Bahamas
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Solved a Rubix Cube
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Went inside a pyramid (only in Vegas :)
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Performed a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Flown a kite on the beach
14. Met a US president
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty (I was 4...not sure but I remember being there)
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitchhiked
23. Taken a sick day when you were not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse (I remember partials, but not sure if there was a total?)
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person (once again, I was 4 and all I remember is the stinky raincoats they make you wear)
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors (one of them, England, not Norway yet)
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo's The David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling (snorkeling, but I don't like to be underwater)
52. Fainted
53. Drove over 100 mph (mom don't read this)
54. Visited Grauman's Chinese Theater (outside)
55. Learned Sign Language
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Watched a space shuttle re-enter the Earth's atmosphere
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Earned an Eagle Scout award- Girl Scout when I was little
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason (and I think the only time was from a guy I didn't even like...)
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial (once again I was 4)
71. Eaten caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle (motorcycle yes, speeding?)
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person (mom did we go there too??)
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper, does the Cougar paper count..what was that called?
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House ?
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someones life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Totally copied a post from someone else's blog to your own (isn't that what this is?)

Happy New Year's Eve

So, it is taking me some time to realize that our lives are different now. I have always loved NYE...it was my favorite holiday. I haven't done anything remarkably exciting in I don't know how many years....The year C and I got engaged, so that would have been 03- so NY04, we went out. We got in a fight. I saw a guy I liked in college which made me mad because my fiance and I were fighting and I should've been happy. In 04 we got married, so NY05, I remember I was sick. In 05 I was pregnant, so NY06 I was pregnant...we went to dinner with my parents. In 06 I had AM, so NY07 C and I did get to go to dinner while my mom babysat. In 07, so NY08, I was pregnant, we fell asleep on the couch at about 10:30, I woke up to fireworks at 11:58, tried to wake C up, he wouldn't budge. I went to bed. And now, NY09, I have two little ones and we're staying home. I'm sure we'll be asleep by 11...and that's late for me! C said he wants to set the alarm for 11:45 so he can wake up and watch the festivities on tv. We'll see how that works out :) Anyway, I'm old. I have always dreamed of having a fancy NYE party. When my friends and I were younger we gave out holiday responsibilities when we were older, mine was supposed to be NYE. Maybe when we move to a bigger house and the kids are a little older, I'll start having annual NYE parties, they may not be blacktie like I always wanted, but I'll have some cheap champagne and some good food and people can dress up. Sounds good to me. Hope ya'll can make it to my party in a few years :) XOXO Happy New Years!

Christmas pictures

I posted the Cougar gear ones just for my fellow cougs that have been so disappointed with my children wearing Husky stuff. Uncle Dale and Auntie Jenn thought this Christmas they would donate to the Fowler Cougar Cause and TC and AM got matching shirts, her a Cougar and him a football :) It will be interesting to see where they choose to go....C is rooting for Seattle U for AM now?! And for TC, anywhere he can play some kind of sport. Time flies, but I'm hoping not that fast! My little man is already sitting up on his own, and working on his 2nd tooth. AM is talking in sentences...it's almost 2009 and soon I will be 31. Where does time go?

An addition

So, I looked back at my blog and realized I hadn't said anything since Christmas, so it seems unhappy, but Christmas itself was wonderful. We all got over the sickness, had a wonderful Christmas Eve with C's family and a wonderful Christmas dinner with mine. I will post pictures soon :)

Bah Humbug?

So I love Christmas, I look forward to it, I love to have my house decorated, I love the family gatherings and the presents, and this year the kids were so much fun. I am officially over it. I have never been over Christmas before, ever. I hate when it's over and I love that we get to leave the decorations up until after New Year's Day. This year...ugh. I already took down a bunch of things because my house is too cluttered. Maybe because we got tons of toys this year, maybe because there is one more of us this year, we just don't have as much room...obviously we live in a small house but it was never as annoying as it was this year. Maybe it's because we were snowed in for 2 weeks, I couldn't drive, I had to depend on my husband to take me anywhere...and we had to bundle up and pile the whole family in to just do the smallest of errands. Maybe it's because the garbage man hasn't come in weeks and we had Christmas wrappings and toy boxes and recycling and and and...everywhere. However, we started to clean up yesterday and I started to feel better. I couldn't stand the mess anymore. The snow is gone, the garbage will be gone after the garbage man picks it up today, I can drive. However, I am so tired and the rain is so yucky...I just want to stay inside.

So much for fun in the snow

Okay, so I guess I was wrong when I said the sickness is gone. TC is feeling mostly better. AM was better but is now not. C is worse and I go up and down. Right now I am up, only because I took Aleve cold and sinus about 3 hours ago and I'm now having a glass of wine. HAHA. Anyway, these snow days are killing me. I have only been out of the house to another destination 3 times in the past week. I am going to go crazy I think. Makes me think of that movie with Jack Nicholson (sp?) where he is stuck at that scary hotel and he goes crazy. Anyway, I'm not that bad :) But having C home since Thursday at noon...we've been bickering alllll day today. Super fun. We were going to take the kids out to look at Christmas lights tonight and then to dinner, but with the new blizzard that has started, AM not feeling well, and our moods...we might not attempt that fate. Can't even believe this is the week of Christmas...the snow, the cold temperatures. It doesn't feel like we live in Seattle. Weird. I hope all of your weekends were more productive, more exciting, and more merry than mine. I so usually look forward to the weekends, getting out, doing things, having help with the kids, seeing my mom, running errands, going out to dinner, having some drinks...this weekend has been a lot different. Although my kids are still adorable and AM has had some fun in the snow too. Hopefully we're all better by Christmas though. I guess that's one way to look at it...we got the sickness the week before. And we got some beautiful snow too.

Snow Day!

Well, we are all getting over the sickness...kind of. But at least the kids are happy :)

Oh arctic storm

It's freezing. I don't drive in the snow/ice. I think we'll be stuck inside for the next week. AM doesn't have snowboots, can't drive to get any. TC is sick, can't take him out b/c he's miserable. Switched from upstairs to downstairs for a new environment. AM took off her clothes and I know she's freezing but she doesn't want to get dressed. TC smells like baby vicks. I was entertained by taking a picture of AM putting my bra on.....

Guilty

So I felt guilty yesterday after writing "horrible" child stories, so I decided I needed to turn over a new leaf. I swear every night I pray to be a better mother, but everyday frustration grows with the terrible twos and I wonder why she doesn't listen. Anyway, after getting them both to nap overlapping about a half hour, I was re-energized and thought the afternoon would go well. It started with waking her up from her nap and telling her I loved her, she gave me a big hug and we did fun things in the afternoon. Then when C finally gets home, I tell him how frustrated I am and I cry and he feels guilty for not being home more and I feel guilty for feeling overwhelmed. I mean they are my kids, why do I need time for myself? Ha. So, my thought was, that's exactly what I need. I need some time for myself. How am I going to get that though? I have no clue. Anyway, here I am writing more depressing things when my point was to be happy :) Today is starting out much better, but obviously we aren't visiting a preschool so obviously it's much better! I love my kids and they do make me happy. How could they not? So cute!

The pics are from Thanksgiving and the one from my grandma's birthday...cute stuff.

One of those days

Yesterday I was in a great mood, we had a long weekend full of fun times with family and friends. Thanksgiving with my family, day after shopping w/mom and TC, leftovers with C's fam. Saturday a bday party for Tanya (30-yeah!), and Sunday a bday lunch with the whole side of my dad's family for my grandma's 88th birthday! It was very tiring, but lots of fun. And yesterday was just a nice Monday...don't know if I've ever used that together?! TC had his 6 month dr appt, 16 lbs 2oz- very cute with chubby legs :) He did really good getting his shots and even AM was soooo good and she got a flu nosespray.

Today...hmm, first of all, TC slept through the night except once at about 3:45 I had to give him his binky, however, he slept until 7! Which would have been wonderful considering he usually gets up at 5 or 5:30, but today C decided he wanted me to help him get out of the house for work. I do, I'm nice, I get up, I make his lunch....he is just standing in the kitchen telling me what he likes to do for his lunch and how he likes to make his sandwich...well, since you're just standing there telling me, wouldn't it be easier if I was in bed sleeping and you did it yourself? Just a thought. I didn't say it..well kind of, but not so snotty. I asked what time did you need to leave (looking at the clock it's almost 5:45 at this point), thinking maybe he was running late and needed help for that reason, oh not for another 15-20 minutes? Great. Good for you.

So, both kids up at 7, AM got dressed without throwing a fit. We're going to visit a preschool today (most registrations start in Feb so it's time to start thinking about this for fall!). We go. The school/church is under construction so I leave the stroller for TC in one building and carry all 16 lbs 2 oz of him (plus clothes!) and hold AM's hand to get to the classroom. Well, she immediately wants to play. Fine, but we're just visiting. Too bad, trying to leave, the heat is on, I'm sweating. TC is HEAVY. All I can think about is that stroller. Wondering why all these kids are like a foot taller than AM...they're only supposed to be 3?! Everyone is well behaved and quiet...luckily the teacher tells me 3 kids are out and they are unusually mellow. Some kid tries to play with what AM is playing with...small fit. Move on to another area. Finally we have to go, I am sweating profusely in this heated room and TC is weighing more like 30 lbs, dreaming of the stroller in the other building, how am I going to get her out of here? I drag, pull and then carry her, with TC in the other arm (poor baby is being flung around like a rag doll), I have my purse and AM's coat too. Such a sight. On the way out I did mention to the teacher that there sure was a big difference between 2 and 3...she then tells me the cutoff date for their birthdays is Aug 1st, so AM can't even go there next year. GREAT. Could've saved me 30 minutes of hell. And mind you, I'm in a private religious school and I don't know how many times I whispered bad words on my way out of there. Oops. Needless to say she won't be going there because she will be starting preschool at 3. They said she would start at age 4 in the three year old class, um no way in hell lady. Maybe that's why the kids were so big???

So, today is one of those days that my mood has been depleted and I wish for a minute here and there that I had my kids in daycare so I didn't have to deal with them. Of course I don't really because I would miss them after 10 minutes (okay a half hour). And it's just one of those days.

Tomorrow will be better.

Compare

I ran across the pic of AM when I was showing her baby pictures of her on the computer. Even though this outfit was super short on TC for Halloween, I put it on him to hang out in and I decided to compare the pictures. Super funny. They don't look alike to me, but I see something in their smile that is the same....or similar or something. Very cute. At Halloween she would have been 2 1/2 months and he was 5 months.

Being a mom...not in heels

So, I find myself always wanting to buy my kids stuff. Which is fine, but I wonder why I no longer am obsessed with myself? I mean that sounds wrong, but do you get what I'm saying? I will make sure my kids are dressed absolutley adorable and I try not to head out in sweats...that's my idea of getting dressed nice. Terrible. I do wear makeup and do my hair, so I'm not one of those moms that has completely lost touch with herself. But I used to wear cute stilettos and make sure I was all done up, accesorized, and ready to go. No longer. Not that I don't have my cute purse with me when I leave, because I do, always. But I no longer can throw on heels to go somewhere...those are saved for special occaisions! HA, I can't believe it. Luckily, or unluckily, however you want to look at it. After I had AM, a ton of my heels and cute little shoes no longer fit the same...I gave them all away (still very sad about that part), but I do have a few left here and there that sit in my closet waiting for a night out (which rarely happens). In the summer it's flip flops, it the winter it's Uggs and tennis shoes. Even for family dinners I have been to lately, it's ballet flats or something. Which are very cute, but not heels. Tomorrow I have a baby shower to go to...I'm wearing heels. Maybe.

Something that was on mind

I was reminded about some thoughts I had the other day by reading my friend Mandy's blog. It almost shocked me when I read it, but I'm not certain why. I mean obviously there will be people who are upset. I guess in my way I am blind to that because I could not possibly understand what is wrong with Barack Obama being our next president. But as she said, it is the south. I guess I just do not understand the thoughts...or more like I cannot comprehend how they could feel that way.

However, here are the thoughts that went through my head~

I was walking with the kids the other day and I was thinking about how in the "old" days when the country had a vision of hope. I never knew what those days were like, or how everyday people could be so wrapped up in these people that brought them this hope and they didn't even know them. I guess in my mind, these visions of hope came from people like Martin Luther King, Jr. and John F. Kennedy. People that were gone before my time and still to this day hold a place in people's hearts...even though they didn't even know them. And as I walked in the wind and drizzle pushing the stroller...I realized I had this very same feeling for our future President. Maybe not to the extent of those in the past although I cannot attest to how they felt, or how the country felt as a whole, because I was not there. But I feel something for this future we hold and I feel like he will take us there. I have never cried over politics, but I cried when he won. I cried when I watched him speak...it moved me and it made me happy to see how our country has changed and I hope to God that our country will grow stronger and be better off than the last 8 years. And in all reality...that's part of what makes me so happy, I have faith and hope in this man...whom I do not even know.

I'm addicted

to vacuuming. Everyday I vacuum. I don't even think I go 24 hours. I can't stand stuff on the rug, I can't stand dog hair on the floor. I vacuum.

I am also burning candles all the time. I used to only light them in the evening, but now I have to have them going by the afternoon, sometimes in the morning too. It all started after going to my sister in law's candle party she hosted. I didn't even buy that much, and I actually haven't even started burning the candles I bought there. I just want it to smell nice and be warm and cozy all the time now.

I am going to be a "single mom" of two kids for the first time. I mean I usually do most of the stuff anyway ;) but seriously when C gets home after work...the smallest bit of relief usually helps. He is gone for work for 2 nights and 3 days. (hopefully I don't have any info on here for some psycho to figure out where I am....anyway...) Luckily my mom is going to join us for dinner tonight so I won't be so bored and feeling like I only talked to kids today. And tomorrow we're having lunch with some friends- it will break up the days and give us fun things to do and look forward to. But we will miss daddy....

Oh, the difference!

New carseat...only 2 days in the car and the baby already hasn't cried. I'm talking he must have hated his infant seat, I don't know if it smooshed him or what, but he always cried. He loves his new carseat! And AM does too, she says it's soft. Cute.

The stroller...Mandy, it's prob the same type you had, Maclaren twin triumph. Love it. SOOOO much easier to get in and out of car, I don't have to put it all together like my old train I was pushing and AM and TC just sat together while we went to the mall- he stayed in it the ENTIRE time and AM would sit and talk to him and hold his hand and tell him about things they were seeing. Oh, it made me smile. Love it. Anyway, my life is officially easier I think :)

I had dinner with a couple girlfriends last night, that was fun. I sometimes feel like I never go anywhere, so it was fun to get out, even if it was just up the street :)

We are going to our niece's soccer game this afternoon, should be fun- hope the rain holds out...the sun has made an appearance!

My daughter is smart. Yes, I am biased, but I think she really is. First of all, Sesame Street does wonders I swear. That's where she started to learn the alphabet and now we probably say it 20 times a day. Now she is also practicing counting. The other day she's watching SS and I hear her in the other room repeating the numbers after the count or whoever. All the way up to 9. I smile. Then two days ago I'm with her and she's picking up these stacking blocks she has, well only a few were in the living room and the rest in her bedroom. She says nine. I wasn't paying attention and she goes momma, nine. I look over and she's holding the block that has a nine on it. I was like, crap, you're good. Then she picks up another and says five..it's the five. So, she can pick out certain numbers by seeing what they are, the 2, 3, 4, 5, 8 and 9. Why those, I don't know...we're working on the rest though. So, I am biased, but she's a smart two year old I think :)

TC started eating food...he's loving it. I think he's going to be one of those teenage boys who eats you out of house and home. He's only had rice cereal and peas...which stink, yuck. But I'll move him onto some squash tomorrow and see how he likes that. I think he just likes food. If you have something to eat while holding him...he watches EVERY bite and gets all excited and giggly. It's super funny.

Tomorrow we're getting together with family for a bday dinner, which is always fun. Hope ya'll have a great weekend.

Oh happy day

That's all I have to say. Thank goodness for the change.

Happy Halloween!

These are not their costumes :) I will send those pics out later, but these are cute little devils aren't they? Today we followed the past two years' tradition of trick or treating at my mom's work and then going out to lunch. She used to work on Halloween night so we did that, but this year we are going to C's grandmama's for dinner- she has it every year but we always did our own thing. This year we decided it would be way more fun for the kids to go there and see all their cousins. We don't get any trick or treaters at our house so it will be more fun to do that.

I sold my double stroller to a lady who bought it for her daughter who is having her second baby. It made me laugh because she said her daughter is a baby gear nut. I love it...finally someone else like me. (However, I find that we aren't that rare....many moms I have met have a bunch of strollers just like me..but i will be consolidating very soon!) I bought that double stroller when I was like 5 months pregnant with TC, had it waiting for us. We used it for the past 4 months, but I decided it was too big to just have in my car and it didn't just pop up for a quick trip in the store. If I had TC in his carrier and stuck it in his stroller for that then AM would get mad and want to get in the stroller. If she said she wanted to walk, I end up carrying her or her having a fit screaming upppppyyyyyy. So, I ordered a new double stroller, a side by side that is half the weight of my previous one, folds up nicely and pops up in a second, throw both kids in and I'm off. I cannot wait until it gets here. Plus when you find things cheaper here or there it makes you happy you found a good deal. I also ordered them new car seats. This is annoying to some I'm sure...like my mother who thinks I'm being ridiculous. TC is not too big for his carrier, but I will tell you...he is getting dang heavy to carry in that thing. Plus he hates it, he cries in it. I did lots of research on car seats, we needed to get two for him- one for my car and one for C's. We have a cheaper one in C's car for AM. So, anyway, AM's carseat in my car is annoying in the fact that the bottom clip in part digs into her legs. And she's got skinny little legs..it's just not high enough or something. So, I decided to put that carseat in C's car too (they hardly ever ride in there) so the two spares are in and I get the two nice matching carseats for my car for each of them. The funny part is I just couldn't buy him the nice carseat and leave AM in the other one. So, I justified it to being fair since we had to buy two anyway. C agreed with me on the whole thing...except I didn't really explain that it wasn't fair to AM to leave her in the uncomfortable seat. I know he would agree with me on that too though b/c he spoils her rotten, he wants her to have the world.

That being said, I love both my children more than anything, I can't even explain the feelings I have for them. But they are so different. I remember being pregnant and I worried about sharing my love and blah blah blah. I seriously cannot even explain how it works. Or how I can look at my baby boy and feel such joy and feel a completely different but similar love and joy for my little girl who I know so completely in a whole different way. Anyway, for anybody who ever went through that or will go through it, it's weird and definitely unexplainable.

And last but not least...my big 5 month old boy rolled over for the first time today. Yeaaahhh!

Happy Halloween!

Be careful what you wish for...or not

So, we almost lost a member of our family yesterday. Don't get all emotional, it wasn't one of us humans. But still, Raven ran away. And not so much she ran away, as she likes to get out of the yard and go play. She is usually found within a few minutes, at the most an hour. She is usually down the block or at the park or the school messing with the kids. Now, I have had many issues with her since having my first baby. I now HATE dog hair and vaccuum constantly. Our house is too small and she follows you around and is always in the way, because she's a big dog. C and I have told ourselves we will never have a big dog again. Obviously our future house hunt is in part to having two kids and two dogs. Anyway, yesterday Raven decides to get out. I can't find her. After the baby wakes up from his nap, we walk, can't find her. After the kids afternoon naps, we drive, can't find her. She's never been gone this long. C gets home, rides his bike around the neighborhood, can't find her. Comes back, puts AM in the car with him, they drive around, can't find her. C bbqs steak for dinner and everytime he goes outside he whistles...no Raven. At this point I have actually shed a few tears even though I have been driven crazy by this very hyper, half psycho, half retarded dog for the past 5 years. I realize she is still part of our family and I am going to miss her. C isn't hardly talking to me, I know he thinks I willed this with my mind since I have been so irritated by her. I am thinking he will resent me for the rest of my life....what really broke my heart though, everytime AM asked Sasha? (that's what she calls Raven...no idea where it came from?)

Fast forward...4:30am. A bark. And who is at the back door? A very tired dog named Raven. Let me in daddy. C is so happy. I smile and go back to sleep for 15 minutes until the baby wakes up.

Fast forward....10:00am. Back from our walk, get the dogs out of the kennel (sidenote: many of you are probably wondering why the dogs don't get to walk with us...reread the hyper, psycho, retarded part and times that by 100, that's Raven on a walk. I can't do it. Only C can.) Anyway, kennel...what stinks? Oh, Raven had rhea in there. Great. Leave the garage door open to air out. Clean up crap. Yell at dog. Call C, yell at him. He says she probably got into something when she was out. Oh, you think? She should have stayed out then. Stupid dog, I was a lot more calm when she was missing, sad, but calm. Now I am irritated once again.

But, she's family right? Damn dog.

Been awhile

I feel like time just flies by. I have been spending most of my time when I'm on my computer checking email and selling baby stuff on craigslist. Doesn't sound too exciting, but it makes a little extra money here and there. However, I haven't been on to blog in awhile. Some updates about TC, he is now 4 months old and at his checkup he weighed 14lbs 7oz and was 24in. He is smiley, cuddly, lovey, and absolutely adorable. Update on little AM, she is totally into being a little mommy, let's just hope she is satisfied with dolls and doesn't take a teenage plunge. HAHA, totally kidding. Anyway, she loves her babies, carries them, feeds them, burps them, puts them in TC's swing, has them do tummy time on his mat, sits in his bumbo. It is adorable. She is the best helper and big sister. And she is just sooo sweet.

Oh, and C had his birthday over the weekend, the big 33. We had a nice dinner just the two of us on Saturday and then the 4 of us went to Red Robin on Sunday and much to his dismay I had them sing happy birthday, but it was mostly for AM, not him :)

Another thing we've been doing, I got a double jogger with a raincover, so I have been getting out for a nice walk everyday, rain or shine, this way the kids get out, but don't have to get wet! Watching them through the little top window is so cute because AM and TC sit next to each other and she rubs his little hand and talks to him and points things out on the walk. It's fun to watch because she doesn't know I am....how many times can I say my kids are adorable and cute? Anyway, it does give me a little fresh air and exercise, which is nice.

Hope all is well with all of you! Til next time.

Edit, DVR, napping and a home

So I must put in a note about the previous blog, I didn't read it before I posted, which usually I do to make sure I spell things right and I'm not saying super dumb things. However, AM wanted to go upstairs and I was blogging with her in the room, so I had to oblige. Anyway, I just noticed that I said I won't have to do those things until Mom's Weekend....I must edit that because I will not be doing all those things listed, at least the thinking about who I will be making out with that night. HAHA. Oops.

I always contemplate getting rid of our DVR because I hate paying for it. And when we switched from our tivo to the dvr with comcast it was a good deal. Comcast then turned into bastards and raised the price super high. So, I think about this a lot. But then fall comes and I think, ohh, we will not get to watch any of our shows at all if we didn't have the dvr. We only get to watch things when the kids are sleeping. It's just too loud and chaotic when they are up. Not to mention I can't stand commercials anymore, at least not when I'm really watching a show and paying attention.

Not much else is new. I feel like our day to day lives have changed somewhat since TC is getting bigger. I need to make sure we're home more now because of his naps. I got so used to AM just napping in the afternoon and we could take off for the whole morning. Not that he won't nap in the car or whatever, but I know he sleeps better when he's in his bed. Like today I decided his morning nap had to be outside the house b/c I was going to take AM to the park and blow off some energy. He only slept on the way there and the way home (which is like 6 minutes). Then everytime he started to go to sleep today, AM was loud. This happens often when we are trying to get him to nap during the day. And when we're trying to get him to go to sleep at night. Now, the main reason this problem occurs is because we live in a small house. His room, her room, the living room and the bathroom are all in a very close radius.
Which brings me to my next story...we are selling our rental, which will in turn put money back in our savings, which will in turn give us the option next spring to put our house on the market and move. We have been discussing this a lot lately and we have decided this is what we will do. Hopefully the rental sells sometime within the next few months. Then we can focus on some little details around here and get it all ready to go and when spring comes, we can fix up the yard a little more, throw some beauty bark and flowers in and we're good to go. We have looked a lot online to see where we want to go, what we can get for what we want to pay, what's best for commuting for C, and for me when I go back to work someday, what school districts we like, and we think we will be moving back to our previous stomping grounds- Mill Creek or Bothell. That's our plan. We are very excited about it. It's hard to wait so long once you've made up your mind about what you're going to do, but that's okay. We'll be ready when the time comes!

Getting old

So, I realized this morning that I am really getting old. It wasn't the fact that I have two kids. It wasn't the fact that I'm 30. It wasn't the fact that I realized C and I have been together for 7 1/2 years already, or that I've already had my 10 year high school reunion. I realized, I like to watch the news. When I was in college, I would come home and hate to watch the news, I would watch anything else (and we didn't have cable so that wasn't much). Now I love to watch the news, the Today show, world news shows, presidential debates or speeches. What? That's crazy. Anyway, I'm getting old. I also realized this was the first year as I watched college football that I didn't think it would be fun to be in the stands like all those drunk college students. My actual thought was, ugh, I am so glad I am not there. (not that I don't enjoy the drunken tailgate, but that's for older kids :) It was the drunk in the stand wearing your college sweatshirt, knowing that it was a full day of drinking, bars, and thinking about what you and all your friends were going to do that night and who you were going to make out with :) HAHA Anyway, not that those times weren't extremely fun, but I am glad for the memories and glad I don't have to do it now. Just in about 18 years for Mom's Weekend :) And please just imagine my kids are in the above pictures wearing Cougar shirts! Although C does say by then I will probably want them to go to UW so I can have them closer....he's probably only half right.

90210 and pics from the week

I love it. I was so in shock seeing ads for this and I didn't know what to expect. However, I watched part of it the night it started and just finished watching the second half on my dvr. I love it. I love that Brenda is on it. I love that Kelly is on it. I can't quite figure out everything yet...obviously Silver is a nickname for her little sister..what was her name, like Emily or something? Silver, as in David Silver's dad..Mel, right? Wasn't he married to Kelly's mom and they had a little girl. Okay, now who's kid is Kelly's? Maybe Steve's? He looks like it, with curly blonde hair...that would be weird though b/c Kelly never got back with Steve as long as the show was on. And now I'm trying to remember back to the last episode....I wish I could see it again to remember how it all ended. Anyway, now I am hooked on yet another rich young tv show (ie the hills....). Oh well, I love it.

And there are a couple pics from our fun week with grandma!

This week

It was a great time in Yakima. Much different with babies and Kelly being pregnant. I think we were all in bed by 11. My only drinking partners were the guys, and that's just not that fun.

A baby that sleeps almost through the whole night almost everynight now.

A fun week with grandma, out and about. Naps are off, but it's been fun. We've been to Target, to Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, the Super Mall, and tomorrow we are taking AM to the locks to see all the boats in the water (her favorite!). I will post pictures soon, we've had lots of fun.

C and I have been trying extra hard for each other, and the kids of course. But things are looking up. We just decided we needed to make an effort to be nice and get along. It's been a good week so far.

This weather is gorgeous, but I was kind of getting in the mood for fall....oh well, it will be here soon enough!

Ups and downs

So, C and I have had ups and downs each day I swear. One minute we're having a good time and the next we are fighting and po'd. He has been trying to contribute more, but then he'll do or say something to throw me off and make me mad! I thought my hormones would subside and we would be one big happy family, but of course the stress always catches up. That's marriage for you I guess. I did tell him on our anniversary though, that no matter what, I don't have any doubts that we'll get through everything. At one time a few years ago I did. Now I don't. We're married, for better or for worse :) I remember my sister in law said things will get so much easier after the baby turns 3 months.

Well....yesterday TC turned 3 months :) We'll see if this turning point she mentioned exists! However, I think so far things are looking up! TC sleeps completely in his crib now. A few nights he slept from about 10-4 or 5. A few other nights he goes to bed a little earlier and then wakes up at 3 for a snack and goes back down until 6 or 7. Napping is in his crib too. He cat naps, the longest he goes for is about 30-45 minutes. Which when that was what AM did when she was little it seemed like no time at all. However now, if TC gets a nap in that long, I am like supermom that can accomplish a million things in 35 minutes!

This weekend is a long one, which will be nice. We are heading over to Yakima to visit some friends, a long awaited trip that we are all excited about! Monday we are working on the rental because it's time to sell it and no longer worry about it. We just want to put our money back in savings and focus on what we're going to do with our family....getting big for such a small house.

Then next week my mom has off of work, so we will be spending some fun quality time with grandma. I think AM will enjoy it a lot!

As for my 2 year old and my 3 month old....they are growing and adorable and I love them soooo much! I cannot believe how time flies.

Oh what a day

I am in a terribly good mood today. I'm not sure why, but I do know it has a lot to do with my beautiful babies. We had a fun morning, AM was just cute and funny. TC took a nap in his bed. We went to the grocery store to pick up a few things we needed for dinner and AM was so good and cute and helpful, and she talks about all the stuff and wants to know what everything is. She amazes me, I said we had to get meat and she says meat and points to it. It's little things like that, hearing her say a new word, that make me smile. It's things like that that make me happy I get to stay at home with them. Even if I have rough afternoons or shopping trips go to hell and back, there are some days that I am so grateful and happy that I get to see them every second. It's actually a big turn of events from yesterday. Well, wait, let me clarify. AM was an angel last night, so cute, playing and running around, then when it was time to calm down and get ready to go to bed, she sat next to me on the couch as I fed TC and she watched the olympic diving, which she seems to really enjoy. Anyway, the turn of events would not be me enjoying the kids, it would be my mood, last night it was annoyance! My husband to be exact. Luckily he doesn't read this, but I was soooo irritated. First of all, the night before last, he says he doesn't feel good...he has this huge bug bite on his side and it's super red and swollen and itchy, he takes benadryl (sp?) and he lays on the couch all night saying he just doesn't feel good. Okay, I go with it, I take care of the kids, bath time, play time, bed time, everything. Then last night, he's feeling better, bug bite has gone down, he's no longer thinking he is going to die from some crazy allergic reaction, but he lays down on the couch and is sleeping by like 7:30. Are you kidding me? Once again, I take the whole night's duties into my own hands. As I mentioned before, thank goodness AM was so good. Okay, now mind you some husbands/dads do lots with their kids, and he is very good with AM. Sidenote: Not once though has he done a midnight feeding with TC (or AM when she was little), not even on the weekends. Fine, I figure it's my duty to take care of my kids. Help...it would be nice, but I'm not going to beg. However, when he gets home from work, I like help, I like breaks. I don't get them. Ever. I do get help with AM usually when he gets home, but never with the baby. My break is making dinner or taking the baby only with me to run errands instead of both of them. Another sidenote: Can you imagine my disappointment that our one girls' night that was to happen in Sept, has just been cancelled? The only reason I was even going to get away with that was because it has been in the works for 6 months. Anyway, long story short I was annoyed with my husband. I just thought I'd share since I read the Parenting magazine and there is always this thing about Hot Dads in there and the ladies always write in saying how wonderful their husbands are and they do all things for them and the kids and I'm thinking, are they lying or am I just not the norm? I like to think they are not the norm...but I'm having my doubts. Maybe I should suggest to Parenting magazine to have a Reality Dads section and I can write in weekly and maybe make other moms feel better not worse :) HAHA

AM turned two this weekend, we had a fun party on Saturday, even though it was 100 degrees and we had a fun day on her birthday (Sun)- we went to two different parks, we went to the beach, we got her ice cream. It was really nice. She is now 2. I can't believe how fast the time flies. I'm trying to remember to enjoy every second of their little lives because I was reminded yesterday that this is my last go around with baby time. Are you serious? My last cuddles, my last coos and smiles...since we aren't having any more kids, I need to enjoy all of it as it will soon come to an end and I'll have two teenagers!

PS: I don't mean to sound like C is horrible. Trust me he isn't. He is a wonderful father. He just has his moments and I must complain somewhere!

Getting so big!

So my little munchkin is in his own bed! Such a break through! After our weekend away, being held the ENTIRE time by all the family, and myself (baby bjorn is the best for taking him everywhere!)....Monday was very trying. He did not want to be put down for one second. Not even in things he usually loves, like his vibrating chair or his crib to watch his mobile. And I had a ton of laundry to do, so he screamed a lot that day. However, that night he passed out, so I put him in his crib, and that's where he slept for a good 3 hours before waking up! And each night since, he has been in his crib. I am up more because he doesn't sleep as long as when he slept with me, but it's getting better each night and I am soooo excited! He is even napping in there right now...where he went to bed awake and I snuck in to check on him and there he was, eyes rolling back and him falling asleep! AMAZING! So, my little guy is growing up. He is getting so big I asked him today what he did with my little skinny boy. He is turning into a little chunky monkey.

Speaking of growing up....AM is turning 2 on Sunday. I cannot even comprehend that. I took her to the park today and I saw a little boy who the mom said was 1 and I was thinking back to last year when she wasn't even walking yet, she had her first birthday party (we're about to have her 2nd on Sat) and she was my little muffin. Now she is growing up. It's amazing to watch. And sometimes frustrating with her terrible twos. However, she is such a doll and she gets cuter everyday!

So my two little ones are growing up before my eyes. Crazy to see.

On another note, we enjoyed our annual trip with C's family over the weekend. We didn't get to go to Penticton this year which I know there was a lot of disappointment, but it was still really fun. Different but fun. Anything is fun with his family. We spent lots of time relaxing, reading magazines, eating, drinking, playing in the water, throwing rocks in the water (AM) and just hanging out with everyone. And yesterday we visited at Grandmama's and Granddad's house with C's sis and her kids so AM could play and of course they all love to see the baby whenever they can...even if we did just spend the entire weekend together :) Oh, and the best thing about the weekend, which I didn't capture on my camera because I never had it with me on the speed boat....AM loved the boat. She wore her little lifejacket and loved it when they went faster! It was fun. She spent all spring and summer going to the beach and seeing the boats wawa (boats on the water) and she finally got to enjoy going on one...very fast. She just loved it!