bumberide giveaway.

So I just found out about this giveaway here, and I'm crossing my fingers because this stroller looks so, so cool. Wish me luck!

my sheep.

Kate has a new favorite stuffed animal. She calls it "my sheep". So when I was looking at this blog (one of my favorites), I found this blog (a new favorite for Kate). She liked all the pictures, and I reallized if those little guys can make it through winter, so can I.

a fly on the wall.

I frequently say, "I really would like to be a fly on the wall in so and so's house". Fill in the so and so with whoever might pop into the conversation at the moment. Not because I'm nosey, or weird, but because I genuinely would like to know how other families make life work. I want to know if we're the only family on the block that have crazy mornings, evenings, holidays, etc.

Last night was just such a night that would have been fun to watch from a cozy little perch on the wall. Let me tell you about it.

It started with a doctor's appointment with Gavin. I came home with a prescription to fill for his constant spitting/throwing up. I reallized that by the time I got home, I was running behind on dinner, which was not only for us, but also for a couple who just had their first baby. So this dinner was a little more stressful for me. So picture me stressed out in the kitchen cutting up chicken that I'm really scared might make the new parents sick, because I'm not sure it cooked long enough, finally deciding to make dinner a little late to give it some more time to cook. Then, throwing fettucine noodles on to cook. All the while making Jared call Blue Cross to get the patient ID number for Gavin so I could eventually go to Walmart and fill his prescription. As this is going on Colin is carrying around a fussy Gavin who had shots and wouldn't let us put him down. Kate is whining in her room, because she didn't get a good nap, and Maddie is nowhere to be seen (probably watching a little t.v. she knows when to stay out of the way).

Jared finishes up on the phone, takes Gavin, then proceeds to instruct Colin in unloading and loading a dishwasher.

I finish with the noodles, they are done earlier than the chicken alfredo, and now I'm stressed that the noodles will be too hard by the time I get the rest of the dinner ready. Jared is still helping Colin with the dishes, still holding Gavin.

I start a list for Walmart, Colin finishes the dishes, and Jared fishes a sock out of the sink (Gavin's cute blue sock is now soaking wet with a few food chunks from rinsing the dishes).

Thankfully the dinner turned out, and I took it to the new parents with the cutest baby girl with perfect skin. Then with list in tow I traveled to Walmart, filled the prescription with the most detailed instructions on how to give the medicine that's supposed to melt in your mouth to a 4 month old that drools so fast the medicine would be on his chin in two seconds flat. On the way home I drop off movies, and finally by 7:15 we sit down to eat our own dinner. Which we happen to eat in front of American Idol, which has become a favorite in our family. I know it's a little silly, but we did eat together.

So my question is, is this similar to anyone else's evening, or are we just a little crazy? Maybe we make life harder than it needs to be.

winter is keeping us busy, well a little busy.

So here's what we've been up to.

Kate's helping Gavin take naps, well sort of. It was a little too quiet, so I searched the house for Kate, and finally found her here, waking Gavin up. I let him cry, while locating the camera for a few pics. Does that make me a bad mom? Kate is the culprit under the blanket in the purple sweats. And no, I don't let him sleep with the Care Bears, that was Kate's contribution.

She was pretty proud of herself, and by the way, we don't let him sleep with the booger blaster either, another contribution from Kate. Maybe that's why he's crying, nothing like having a two year old shove that up your nose!

In case you're wondering how she got into the crib in the first place, I give you exhibit A, the rocker ottoman. I guess it has other great uses.


Also, on cold winter nights, turn off the lights! This little toy was a Christmas present two years ago. It entertains the kids every so often, I think it was Kate's first time to use it.

And lastly, I'm really not liking the cold, but I am loving this hat!

Happy winter everyone!

genetics.

I was told by my aunt that Gavin looked a lot like my dad as a baby. So, I asked my dad what he thought, and he sent me this picture. Their chins are different, but there are a lot of similarities. They are both adorable babies, and if Gavin turns out anything like my dad- loving, intelligent, humorous, hard-working (the list could go on and on), I'll be happy.

they make me happy.

Just a little humor provided by Kate. She is my first child to say please, thank you and even your welcome without me prodding, or suggesting for her to say it, so I thought it might be cute if I could teach her to say "my pleasure" when someone told her thank you. So I was getting her lunch, and she asked for more juice. After filling up her cup, and hearing her say "Thank you, more like danks mom", I replied, "Your welcome, it was my pleasure!" She then said with a slightly annoyed look, "No mom, it's my juice."

After laughing, I said, "yes it certainly is." And that was that. My kids take me so literally. They make me happy, and yes for those who really look at the pictures, those are spaghettios. They are a favorite for Maddie and Kate. I like them every so often too, preservatives and all.

This is a happy and very slobbery Gavin enjoying some time in the Jumperoo thingy. I love it because it frees my hands, he loves it because now that the springs are a little loose, his feet touch the floor, and he can jump to his hearts content.

Thanks Santa, Gavin loves his gift!

thanks.

So, I was feeling a little disconnected today. I don't know if it's because my kids are back in school, my parents left to go back home on Sunday, the holidays are over, or if it's just because I'm hiding in my house to keep warm, but I was getting a little blue. So I read all of your blogs, then checked my facebook, and as a last resort, I checked my own blog, and saw your comments. Simple, but they pulled me out of my gloomy winter state, and I decided I should say thanks! I'll try and return the favor sometime.

new year, new experiences, new goals.

Kate draws a smiley face. I don't know if this was a first, or just the first time I noticed. I've been a little on the slow side lately.

And then she attempts to stab it! Just kidding.

Gavin gets a new hairdo, we were thinking Edward, white skin, wild hair, what do you think? If only the camera had given us some red eye to work with.

Gavin has his first taste of oatmeal. I think he likes it!


And now that school's back in, we're back to just us for a little while each day.

Now to the goal setting. Here are a few: get Gavin on a schedule, get Kate away from the T.V., get my laundry done, use the sewing machine I had Jared pull out of storage, read the Book of Mormon, get outside a little more even though its's freezing, and enjoy life as it comes.

Just a few things to start my year off right.