The Normans

New Post...Get excited.

2011-11-06T16:23:00.000-08:00

So it has again been brought to my attention that my blog is very boring and people (or my mom) only get on it to check other people's blogs. That being said, I guess I should at least update it every other month or so. Our lives are crazy busy as usual. J.O. is still busy at work and I think he is really ready for it to slow down! However, he loves his job and we are very thankful for it. Trey is doing great in Kindergarten. We had parent teacher conferences a few weeks ago and he received a glowing report! His teacher said she is trying to think of ways to keep him challenged! Not trying to brag but maybe I am! Addy is also still loving going to Mrs. Chelseas. She loves playing with the other kids and Mrs. Chelsea spoils her rotten! She does tons of art projects there and has a blast. When we move she will miss her so much!

One of our pics from the photo session a few months ago. I love how much Addy is laughing here!

Trey's sweet friend Kinsley from school.

Trey's teachers.....Mrs. Hall and Mrs. Renner!

Class pic! Not sure why I didn't zoom in. There is definitely a reason that photography isn't my thing.

As for me I am still loving my job and love the school. I feel incredibly blessed to be a part of such a great Christian school but also a school that is amazing academically as well. Although when I registered Addy for K3 and Trey for 1st grade the other day I almost had a mini meltdown. Where did my babies go???

Wow...

2011-09-30T13:50:00.000-07:00

So, it has been brought to my attention that I haven't blogged in some time so if you think this is going to be the post where I have tons of pics and play catch up, I'm afraid you would be wrong. I am just hoping to bump my blog up higher on some of your blog feeds and make you think something exciting has been posted! :)

Work is going great. I LOVE the school I am at and am so thankful Trey is attending there as well. I couldn't imagine doing anything else right now. You can't beat having your child right down the hallway either! Especially since him and all his little friends still think I'm cool! The drive is wearing me out but knowing we didn't want to settle in Cabot long term makes it more bearable. Hopefully our house will sell soon and we can head out closer to school. Addy is loving Mrs. Chelsea and gets to go to school with me some on Fridays and stay with Miss Brittney. We are very lucky to have two wonderful options for Addison.

J.O. is swamped at work right now but we are just thankful he has a job he loves and it is stable. I am approaching the dirty 30 in a few weeks and I am determined to embrace it. The way I look at it, it's way more embarrassing to be 29 and drive a minivan rather than be 30 and drive a minivan.

That's it for now...I will upload some new pics soon. I will however leave a video of Addy singing a song Mrs. Chelsea taught her....somehow all she took away from the song was "Read your Bible, Forget to Pray." I told Chelsea we may have to monitor what she teaches her from now on! (Also, if you notice Addy definitely has my moves...the leg sway is awesome.)

Work and random pics

2011-08-05T16:25:00.000-07:00

So I officially started back to work this week and I am really enjoying it!! Now, ask me again in February and I may have a different answer because I will be counting down the days until summer by then! One thing I love is working at a Christian school. Our very first day of in- service was started by singing a praise and worship song and a devotion. Everyone is so extremely nice and helpful and truly cares about each other. Now, don't get me wrong...in an elementary school full of women I am sure we will have our drama but for now it's pretty peaceful!! Trey starts next Thursday and Addy starts her new babysitter Monday the 15th. I have to admit I am having slightly more anxiety about Addison being in Cabot away from me than I am about Trey being in Kindergarten. At least at school I can yell for him down the hallway! (not that I would do that!) I know Addison is going to love the woman who is keeping her but it will be an adjustment for awhile.

Random pic of a snake that was on our back porch...apparently it was poisonous and I was trying to hit it with a plastic baseball bat. Needless to say I ran away when it "stood" up and tried to lunge at me.

We had to have a redneck front yard pool party because of the snake.

Last weekend we went to the lake. It was so fun because we stayed at my grandmothers lake house so we had the convenience of going on and off the lake as the kids needed to. Trey and Addy both loved tubing and Addison even laid down on it and went pretty fast. Trey would have NEVER done that at her age.

Back to work....

2011-07-30T11:23:00.000-07:00

Well, my last few days of summer are almost officially over. So hard to believe how fast time has gone! I start back to work Wednesday and Trey starts school the next Thursday (11th). He starts a few days earlier than public schools but he should get out a few days earlier too (hopefully....if no more blizzards happen!). The few days I have been at school training have been great and I think we are all really going to love the school. Trey will be in his element next year with everything he gets to do! Starting this year the 3, 4, and 5 year olds get their own I-Pad for 30 minutes a day. He will definitely be able to show me some things or two about mine that I don't know! He is also very excited about having Spanish class. He thinks he speaks fluent Spanish because he watches Dora and Diego. Luckily, I have been able to warn his teacher that he may try to teach the class the first day.

Poor Addy on the other hand is not so excited about these changes. She keeps saying she is going to kindergarten too and doesn't like it when Trey corrects her. It is going to be an adjustment for me leaving her somewhere without me right there, but I have no doubt she is going to love Chelsea and have a blast with her. I am sooo thankful we found her!!

Our house is still for sale but we are okay with that right now. We are praying about building so I have a feeling we have a long road ahead of us regardless!!
I will post some pics of my classroom when I get it in order. I went with an owl theme and quite possibly went overboard!! They were just too cute to resist!

Beach trip!

2011-07-17T11:40:00.000-07:00

We just got back from our beach trip and I am still exhausted! This was a "first" for us because although we go to the beach every year we have always gone with family. However, this year everyone had crazy schedules so we decided to put our big girl/boy pants on and go by ourselves! We found an awesome condo in Sandestin and booked it before we could change our minds. I am so glad we did because even though I missed our family a ton, we still had a great time. We spent a lot of time at the pool because the beach was full of seaweed and both kids thought it was gross (me too!). Trey told me we need to go back to "Golf Shores" next year becuase there was no seaweed there!

Heading out at 4am!!

Before the big ride!

I have to say the most memorable experience was our bike ride we took. I really like riding bikes but I basically just stink at it. It's hard and I am pretty wobbly. But, the kids kept seeing bikes everywhere and begged us to do it so what do ya do? We rented them on what had to be the hottest day ever and I was pretty nervous at first that I would fall with Addison in the back on her seat. I got over that pretty quick and then just started praying I wouldn't die from a heat stroke. After we started riding she kept continually hitting me and telling me to "go faster and keep up." At one point, J.O. stopped to check on me because I was so far back and I started yelling..."keep going, keep going" because I knew I wouldn't be able to stop. Then, a group of girls almost walked out in front of me and I started yelling, "I can't stop!" and they just looked at me like I was crazy. The most embarassing thing though was when we had to stop to cross the street and I tried to get my speed back up to cross and almost fell. I just gave up and walked the bike across with everyone watching me. At one point, J.O. asked Trey if he wanted to ride with me and he said no because he wanted to win. Even though it sounds crazy it was so much fun and now I want to buy a bike to ride around here. I think I can improve my skills over time!!

It was a great trip and an awesome time for the 4 of us to have together!

Vegas Trip!

2011-07-01T05:11:00.000-07:00

We just got back from a quick Vegas trip with some friends and it was so much fun!! We have talked about wanting to go forever and we decided if we didn't just do it now we never would! Here are a few pics from the trip. Getting ready to leave for the beach Saturday and I'm super ready to be laying on the beach!

Where do I begin???

2011-06-15T06:02:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I had these huge plans to blog more this summer but well....you see how that has gone. So far this summer we have been busy as usual only we have added laying out by the pool into the mix as well! I am about to finish up my Fri/Sat course at school. Only 4 more times to go! The day after I finish J.O. and I are heading out for an adults only weekend in Vegas ( I guess it would be odd if I said a kids weekend in Vegas!). I am so excited for several reasons...I have never been, I am going with some great college friends, and J.O. and I are getting some quality adult time! Then when we get back we are going to begin packing to head to the beach! This beach trip is also a first in a lot of ways because it's just the 4 of us. I am a little nervous that it won't be as relaxing as when we have the parents help, but even if it's hectic at least it will be hectic on the beach!

We are about to have lots of changes around here. Most of you know I got a job teaching at a school in Little Rock and we have decided that it's gonna be super hectic living in Cabot and having a child in school out there and me teaching out there. SO....we are officially going to sell our house and head west. I am very excited about this because to be honest Cabot has never been my favorite town. Don't get me wrong. Cabot is an excellent place to live and raise a family but J.O. and I have just never felt quite "home" here. We love Maumelle/West Little Rock area so we are excited to get out that way. I think we are going to settle in Maumelle because it's right next to Little Rock with great things to do in the town. I told J.O. it seems like we have taken a crazy path to get to where we want to be. Sometimes I think we just want to make sure our life is full of excitement!

We celebrated pre-k graduation!

The Graduate!!

His favorite Bday present.....a $10 umbrella! It has lasted as the favorite too!

Our House...want to buy it?? :) (You like the shadow of me??)

New Job!

2011-05-13T14:03:00.000-07:00

I am so excited about getting a job at Arkansas Baptist in the fall! I will be teaching pre-k again which is actually a relief considering that is the only thing I know right now! I also actually really enjoy teaching that age so I am pretty excited. It has been crazy the way everything has worked out. A few years ago when I decided to go back to school I did it with the intention of finding a job in a private school to enable our kids to go there. However, at the time I was at UALR and the only thing they offered was a degree in teaching grades 7-12. I spent a semester in this program and realized I didn't really enjoy kids who looked older than me and scared me. So....I decided to keep working for James and wait until Addy was a little older to figure it out. Well, last year I found the program at UCA and figured out I could get my masters in teaching p-4. I have loved this program and am so glad I switched. When I started looking for jobs I still had private school in the back of my mind but also wanted to look at public because private schools don't have a whole lot of turnover and I thought I should keep my options open.

I had a couple of great connections at the public schools around here but just never felt great about it. I ended up interviewing at Arkansas Baptist and fell in love with the school. It was a great interview and I was praying I would get the job. Plus, I knew the environment would be GREAT for Trey.

So....it's so amazing how it has all worked out. J.O. and I know without a doubt that next year I am where God wants me to be and I guess we will see what happens along the way!!

Birthday Party!

2011-05-01T11:02:00.000-07:00

The Birthday Boy!

Trey on his throne ready to open presents!
Happy Birthday!

Trey and his friend Abbigail playing.

Trey and Cece getting ready to go!

Addison loved it as much as everyone else!

Hadley getting geared up to play!

She wouldn't be still long enough for a picture!

This is what the sleepover consisted of...lots of wii games.

Addison before church this morning that we didn't get to go to because of flooded roads!

Well, Saturday was Trey's big birthday bash and he had such a great time! There were several friends that came and he enjoyed running around and playing with everyone. He was so exhausted after the party and sleepover with Ethan that he actually came home and crashed in bed for a nap! That NEVER happens! I still can't believe my "baby" is turning 5 Wednesday! So crazy!!

We are heading to Tulsa to celebrate Hadleys 2nd birthday Saturday and can't wait!

School and Easter

2011-04-28T17:29:00.000-07:00

J.O. trying to help find the prize egg...it was worth $10 bucks so all the adults were out there pushing kids out of the way!

Addison loved hunting eggs this year! She knew exactly where to look!

On the hunt.....

This is basically the best pic I got of the kids....AGGHH!! Addison wouldn't put the pillow down and refused to look at me. She also insisted on wearing 2 bracelets, her baby ring (that doesn't fit) and a necklace. She obviously hasn't heard the rule of removing one piece of jewelery before you leave the house! FYI....Trey had new khakis to wear and they fell off of him. The child is scared of food!!!

Easter goodies!

Addy getting her new movie out....she had just woken up and isn't really a morning person.

The baskets!

T-ball game!

Playing in the dirt and rocks at the game.

Playing back catcher. This didn't last long. This position is way too slow for 4/5 year olds!

Why is the end of the year always so bad??? I know a ton of it has to do with finals but I feel like it all comes at once. Luckily, I am so close to being done I can taste it. I am only taking one summer course and am looking so forward to relaxing and spending a lot of time at the pool with the kids! I have one final due tomorrow and 2 next week and then a break! My boss is so great...I have been mildly (ha) whining about all that I have to get done and she is letting me off at noon tomorrow to work on school!

Other than school not much is going on. I registered Trey for kindergarten last week and it was awful. I am definitely not one of those moms who looks at the exciting aspect of kindergarten. I am dreading it like none other. The lady at registration asked me if this was my first and I just said, "Yes, and I don't want to talk about it." so we didn't. Luckily, I will be teaching (hopefully) and will be able to check on him when I need to. That is the glory of teaching....you can always creep on your kids when you need to!

Saturday is Trey's big birthday bash. He is so excited he can hardly contain himself. Tomorrow night Ethan is coming over for a pre-birthday sleepover and he has everything planned out....lots of wii games, popcorn and movies. He also said they were staying up all night and I quickly corrected him! Should be a fun weekend! Finals, sleepovers, bday party, quality Janelle/Andrew and Hadley time! Gonna be fun!!

My dad left for Romania today! Say a prayer for him please. He hates to travel and can't hear well....this trip should be a breeze!

Tball!

2011-04-22T13:49:00.000-07:00

Addy is a diva at the ball games. She also wouldn't look at me for a picture.

Trey played back catcher the first game.

Ready to go!

A pair of flip flops I made for Addison. Excuse my hand.

A wonderful gift from a kid in my class! Last names blurred out.

If you look closely on the left side you can see Trey's name and the right side has a T. Lovely.

T-Ball kicked off a few weeks ago and this is an interesting season to say the least. First, let me just say that Trey isn't going to take home any game balls this year with his mad t-ball skills. However, after being on this team I am convinced that Trey could be Babe Ruth compared to all of them. The coach doesn't seem to be too organized or "clued" in either. (Just so you know, I am trying to be soooo nice while I am typing this. It is taking all I have not to write what I really think).

Anyway, the first couple of games Trey was 10th in batting lineup and the guy who created the lineup had his son first. Well, if you know anything about tball you know that kids basically play to have a chance to bat. That is their favorite part. In the first game Trey only got to bat once because he was so low in the lineup and a few kids at the top of the lineup got to bat twice. So, J.O. mentioned to the coach that he may want to switch the lineup up for the next game to keep it fair. Well, game #2 and exact same lineup. J.O. went and talked to the guy who did it and mentioned switching it up to keep it fair. It was like J.O. was talking Chinese to a 5 year old Hispanic. He couldn't understand why there would be a need for that. J.O. being the numbers/practical guy he is laid it out....If 3 kids bat 3 times more over 5 games and 7 kids only bat twice that's X number of times more than everyone else...and so forth. Not surprised the guy didn't follow J.O. on that one.

Anyway, at the end of that game when HIS kid was the only kid to bat again in the rotation I think he finally understood he needed to switch it up. That and the fact that J.O. asked him if he understood now. But anyway.

Needless to say I really won't miss this team next year but Trey is having a blast and that's all that matters.

On another note, if you could say a prayer for me I have interviewed at a couple of schools and really have a hard time waiting on answers. I could use some peace of mind and patience!!

Pics!

2011-04-10T17:19:00.000-07:00

Rachel and Harper came over to play Saturday afternoon and brought a blow up pool for the kids to play in! They had so much fun until poor Harper starting shaking from the freezing water!

Harper thinks Trey is hilarious!

Addison was more worried about playing with Treys shoes.

Our trip to Fayetteville!!

A very hyper Addison at the end of the meal!

Trey with one of his favorite people!!

This has nothing to do with anything but this is a typical Addison face. She was annoyed that I was bothering her while she was eating her snack and "playing" on the computer.

Where have I been???

2011-04-04T13:39:00.000-07:00

First of all I realize this is the second post in a row without pics so I promise to upload some soon! I haven't updated in a while because of course we have been pretty busy. We went to Fayetteville a couple of weekends ago and the kids had a blast. Courtney had Easter baskets for them and hid eggs around her house. Needless to say, they didn't want to leave! We were supposed to go to the baseball game Saturday but the weather turned out to be rainy and cold so we skipped. The girls had a fun lunch date at an awesome sandwich place and the guys had lunch at Grubs! I'm down to about a month of school left!! Well, until summer session starts. However, I only have to take one May intercession course so hopefully it won't be too bad. It's one of those courses that meets 3 or 4 weekends all day Friday and Saturday and then you are done. Right now I am just on the job hunt. With Trey starting Kindergarten it is so important for me to get in a good school. Right now I am just concentrating on some schools around here and praying something works out! I have heard from a couple but I'm not the best at waiting. If I don't try really hard to restrain myself I turn into super stalker really quick. I would email or call these schools multiple times a day if it wouldn't earn me a bad reputation.... Other than that it is same ol' same ol' around here. The kids (and whole Norman clan) just got over a nasty stomach bug but thankfully everyone is getting back to normal. Trey is still gearing up for the party of the century. I just picked up all 45 (yes, 45) of Trey's 5th birthday invitations and he is sooo excited. Needless to say if you live anywhere within a 100 mile radius of Cabot you are invited (and if you live in Tulsa or Austin too! :)!!

Being Still....

2011-03-17T18:30:00.000-07:00

I'm a planner. I like to know what's happening and stick to a plan. For instance, we are going to the beach in July and I have already discussed with J.O. what time we need to leave. I have also talked to Cecily about borrowing her bike to ride but first I'm going to get rates for renting bikes in Destin to save on car space. True story. I will most likely know before we leave which nights we will eat out and which nights we will cook, when we will shop, etc. I am not someone who is compulsive about plans but I need a good plan in my head and I typically stick to it.

It's funny though because in so many other areas I procrastinate. Oh well.

However, I am going to be looking for a job in the fall and today I kinda got knocked down and had to be reminded to Be Still. I can't make big plans for the fall because I don't know where I will be teaching. I also can't stress about every little detail because I don't know what will happen. I can't "make" things happen the way I think they should. All I can do is apply to schools and wait and pray. Much easier said than done.

"Be still and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10

Swim lessons!

2011-03-12T11:38:00.000-08:00

There are some things you just know you can check off the list for your child when he/she gets older. For instance, I'm pretty sure my parents knew I wouldn't become a great athlete the first time they saw me attempt to play softball. I'm also doubting James and Cecily ever thought J.O. would take home the gold in track (he's not the fastest kid on the block) and I am feeling extremely confident that Trey is never gonna give Michael Phelps a run for his money.

The first day of lessons he did fine and tolerated what his teacher asked him to do. He understood that he was going to be safe and no one would let him drown or eaten by sharks (the child has a few irrational fears). By the 3rd lesson though he was over it. He cried when she tried to put his face in the water and he made me sit by him the whole time. He did eventually get in and kick his feet but it wasn't anything to cheer about. (although I did and other parents looked at me like I was stupid).

My reasons for putting him in lessons was just to make him more comfortable in the pool WITHOUT a life jacket (seems to be going well don't ya think) because he is around too many pools not to know what to do if he falls in. I never thought I would leave lessons with him jumping in the deep end and magically swimming to the shallow. I did hope that this would make him somehow realize he could kick his feet and put his face in the water without dying instantly. He is fine swimming WITH a life jacket. In fact, the last 10 minutes of lessons are free time and he loves it. That's pretty much what he suffers through the first 30 minutes to get to. However, I think this is it for swim lessons for me and Trey.

I'm taking a new motto and approach. If Addison can have her paci until she's in college I guess Trey can have a life jacket until then too. I mean at some point it will become embarrassing to have to throw on your life jacket before your friends push you in the pool...won't it????

To Paci or not to Paci??

2011-03-07T19:13:00.001-08:00

2 pacis at once.....

Demanded to completely dress herself from head to toe. Normally I can compromise on choices but not today. This is an iphone pic so it's kinda small, but the mixture of colors and patterns on this is pretty amazing. Lets just say people probably thought I was crazy!!

Trey did not take a paci. Ever. There were times I shoved a paci in his mouth out of desperation to keep him quiet but it never worked. He just didn't like it. Addison on the other hand has loved her paci since day one and doesn't care which make or model it is. Nuk, soothie, playtex, she loves them all. Lately though, as with all things, people seem to want to "tell" me when she should give them up. Most say around the age of 2 is time to do them in. Her pediatrician is on this bandwagon as well, but because she was so sick around her 2nd birthday she told me at her 2 year check up to hold on to them a little longer (again, this was completely unsolicited because I didn't ask!!)

So, that leads me to vent on the blog. Pacis were one of those things that pre mom I judged hard. Any kid who looked to be 2 or older I automatically silently judged and shook my head at those moms for still giving their kids a pacifier. I mean, seriously...you might as well go ahead and prepay for their counseling all the damage that was being done to them.

Fast forward to Addison...she is very logical about paci times. She doesn't have it at all at school, church or outside. She is pretty adamant about it taking a bath with her and sleeping with her. Lately, she has started enjoying the occasional 2 pacis at one time. That being said I have totally changed my outlook on it. Yes, pacis may mess up your teeth (MAYBE) however, last I checked all these teeth will fall out. Secondly, we can go ahead and put a deposit on braces cause all kids get them.

Also, have you met Addison?? She has an opinion about everything (today she actually screamed at me for not parking in the right spot...I am not kidding...she yelled at me when I parked to "move to dat one right there" when I said no she started yelling louder.) So, the paci and blanket bring some sense of calm to her life and that's not something I'm willing to give up.

She sleeps like an angel, eats like a champ and loves her some paci!! What's so wrong with that???

On another note, Trey started swim lessons tonight. Look for another post on that soon.

5 year and 2 year pics!

2011-03-01T12:43:00.000-08:00

Even though Trey isn't quite 5 yet, I couldn't imagine doing 2 separate photo shoots for the kids! My goal for this one was to get a good pic of them together so I could order a big picture of both of them. Their is a small space on the wall between their room that is perfect for a sibling pic. However, it is much easier said than done! Thankfully today though we got it!! Trey did AWESOME! He had the sultry pouty look down for the camera and followed instructions to a "t". Addy on the other hand made Amy work for her pizza!

Check out Amy's blog for a preview! www.amyaukesphotography.blogspot.com

I can't tell you how lucky and thankful I am to have such a talented BFF! (yes, I took it back to high school with that phrase!) There is no way I would get to have so many wonderful pics of my kids if not! Thanks so much!!

Uneventful Week!

2011-02-28T19:15:00.000-08:00

Not much out of the ordinary has been happening around here lately. Well, except for last night when I felt the earthquake that happened in Greenbriar while I was laying in bed! It was so odd and not really something I am a fan of! I really thought someone/something had hit our house. Our bed started shaking and I heard a real low grumble. However, this did not seem to affect J.O.'s ability to sleep at all.

This is a pretty boring post but just thought I would throw out a quick update on the kids. Addison is still doing great. She is back to being cut off quite often (from food) and throwing regular tantrums. She is picking up so much from Trey and loves to play pretend games with him. She copies EVERYTHING he says and does. For example, tonight he came into the kitchen and told me he was "Benten the Alien". Addison immediately repeated, "I Benten Alien" and they started fighting me. She has pretty much got the ABC song mastered and counting to 10 down. We need to work on potty training again cause it pretty much went out the window when she had diarrhea for a year (or maybe 2 weeks). She still loves sleeping in her big girl bed and doesn't make me lay next to her anymore and pat her back. She lays right down, we read a book, say a prayer, she demands 1 Hershey kiss and she goes to sleep. I have learned my lesson on the Hershey kiss though...one night she fell asleep holding it and the next morning it was everywhere! From now on it goes in the mouth immediately!

Trey is slowly starting to learn to read. He started by sounding out words on the bottles at dinnertime (bottles such as dressing bottles or pepper containers....!!) Then I got out the set of Bob books we got him for Christmas and he was able to sound out pretty much all of those books. These books are awesome by the way and really help kids learn to sight read. After that they are able to recognize the words in other books and associate sounds with them. They are all pretty much 3 and 4 letter words so they are awesome for very beginning readers. We are slowly branching out from these books and I have copied a Kindergarten sight word list we are working on now. He loves to do these kind of things and gets so proud when he gets a word right. The other day I heard him tell someone he was so smart. We may need to work on humility!

All is great!!

NOLA!

2011-02-21T17:31:00.000-08:00

A view from the inside of the plane!

Leaving New Orleans.....

Arriving in New Orleans...

A wedding procession down the French Quarter

I don't understand these guys...would it not be easier to get a real job than to stand here all day for a few bucks. I mean, he didn't even do anything!

Our view from breakfast one morning

The best pancakes I have ever had

So, J.O. and I just got back from a very fun weekend in New Orleans! I have to say that flying was well worth any anxiety I may have had. J.O.s big boss man (the owner of the company) has 2 private planes and he let us take one to the conference. Now, J.O. has used it before and assured me it's a jet and extremely safe etc. However, all I pictured was a puddle jumper/propeller type plane.
We dropped off the kids in Searcy and headed to the Searcy airport to wait on the plane to get there. There were all kinds of tiny planes sitting around and I really thought I may get sick. Thankfully though at that time I heard a monster flying overhead and heard J.O.'s boss say that must be our plane. When it landed I was very happy to see that the plane was indeed a small jet and not something with propellers. We landed in NOLA about an hour later and that was pretty awesome! Their were tons of big private planes sitting around and people getting picked up everywhere in black Cadillacs. Don't worry though, our orange taxi minivan whisked us away in no time! I may hate to fly, but I have decided this is the way to do it!
We had a great time and enjoyed spending a weekend away! The kids didn't miss us a bit and got to do fun things with Cece and PJ. Trey rode a tractor, gator and lawn mower all in one day! Needless to say, he wasn't too ready to see us.

Quick Catch Up!

2011-02-16T19:59:00.000-08:00

No, I haven't fallen off the face of the earth but I feel like we have been busier than ever lately (if that's even possible!). I love seeing everyone's cute pics from Valentines Day but to be honest our house didn't do a thing! I came down with some sort of odd illness Sunday that lasted until Tuesday so I pretty much stayed in bed (except for the few hours Monday I went to work and tried to keep 5 year olds from killing each other) and didn't get out. Poor J.O. ate leftovers in front of the t.v. by himself after he put the kids to bed. However, I don't feel too sorry for him since every day is like Valentines Day around here. HA!

I'm feeling much better now just in time to board a plane Friday for New Orleans! J.O. has a conference there each year (and by conference I mean one meet and greet Saturday night) so I get to tag along. He got his itinerary the other day and literally every meal is planned for and bought already. Last year we ate at some of the best restaurants I have ever been to! The one minor glitch this year is we are flying. Yes, I understand it's much faster than driving but I am terrified to fly! I have my anxiety meds ready to go (thanks sis!) I just hope they don't make me too crazy in front of J.O.'s boss man. Trey cannot wait for us to go. He keeps telling me he gets to spend 2 nights at Cece's because I'm going out of town. I will miss you too bub.

In Addison news I took them shoe shopping today and the whole process literally took about 15 minutes. Pretty awesome huh? Not when you account for the fact that Addison had 2 temper tantrums over shoes and sunglasses. She laid in the floor and screamed, "I not try that pair on, I want these!" and demanded the exact same pair of Sketcher light up shoes she had just outgrown. So, guess which ones I bought?? Then, she threw fit number 2 when I wouldn't buy her a massive pair of purple plastic sunglasses on the way out. She literally laid in the floor again and yelled, "buy me purple!" Being the good mom I am, I calmly spoke to her and talked her through her tantrum. Or, I told her whatever, I was leaving and proceeded to walk outside while she was laying there (yes, I could still see her). Trey began yelling, "Yeah mom lets go, let's just leave her here." Needless to say, Addison threw the glasses down and ran out.

P.S. Older woman at Hibbett sports who witnessed all this and kept giving me the evil eye.....I'm sure your kids were perfect angels and parents now have no control blah blah blah, but you may consider investing in some of those purple sunglasses yourself so we don't have to see you judging.

2 year check and random things

2011-02-07T19:19:00.000-08:00

Her new bedding!

Addison inspecting her feet at the doctor and determining they were "goss" (gross).

Still concerned about the feet.

These are all iphone pics....that explains the poor lighting!

There hasn't been too much going on here lately which is actually really good considering the past few weeks we have had. Addison had her 2 year checkup last week and she is doing great! One thing about Addison is that she talked extremely early and in full sentences. Trey was just starting to really talk a lot around age 2 but Addison has spoken in paragraphs for some time. The doctor was asking me if Addison was able to communicate and put simple phrases together and at that time she looked at me and said, "Doctor hurt me, I'm ready to go." Dr. Wilson just said okay and went on about her business! Addison is still in the 75% for height and weight and 10% on head. Poor Trey is in the 20-30% on height and weight and 75% on head.

Trey is doing great! He still loves doing all things "learning" and spends most of his day arguing with me or pointing out things that he doesn't agree with. J.O. and I spend a lot of our time explaining things to him and giving him reasons. He is not a child just to accept things "just because".

We are supposed to get more snow Wednesday....BOO! I'm so ready for spring!!!

Big 2!!

2011-02-01T05:34:00.000-08:00

Bunking party in Addys new bed...this lasted about 20 minutes because they just kept playing.

Hadley dominating the play ice cream cones Addy got....the only thing that made them taste better was dipping them in Bella's dog water.

Addison holding baby Lyla!!

Actually smiling while holding her!!

Hadley: "you gonna give me the balloon or do I need to take it from you??"

Presents!! Check out the precious shirt Ashley made her!! (I don't know how to add links so click on her blog to see her great stuff...http://babyeichhorn.blogspot.com/ )

Yum...cake!

Cece! Gotta love Addison's pursed lips.

I can't believe Addison is 2! It literally seems like yesterday we were at the hospital bright and early waiting for her to arrive. Dr. Marks got me settled in and of course J.O. and I were anticipating what meal we would be able to eat next.... (in our defense we had to skip breakfast!) Dr. Marks bet it would a late afternoon snack and J.O. and I had bet on an early dinner. However, in true Addison style she wasted no time in arriving in this world. I got my pitocin at 7am, epidural around 8:30am and she was born at 10:02am. I started yelling at the nurse around 9:50 that she was coming and she assured me that it would still take a bit and Dr. Marks would make it. I proceeded to yell a few things back (all very nice, just in a forceful tone!) and Dr. Marks literally walked in around 5 minutes before she was born. Addison was born screaming and hasn't really stopped yet! She is such a blessing and really keeps me on my toes all the time. Everything is done her way or no way and we pretty much have just adjusted to living in her world!

We had a wonderful family get together for her birthday and I couldn't have asked for a better day. The kids were able to go outside and play the whole time! It was a huge change from last year when we had to reschedule her party due to snow!! We decided to keep this one small for 3 reasons: 1) she's 2!!! 2) our lives have been soooo crazy with school, work, sickness, etc, I decided no unnecessary pressure 3) Trey's birthday is in May and he has apparently decided to party like its 1999. I think we are gonna have to take out a small loan for the bash he has prepared.

Big Changes!

2011-01-24T14:32:00.000-08:00

Most of you who know me know that I am a HUGE advocate for leaving kids in a crib as long as they like it and don't start jumping out. (Hadley!). The reason being, I moved Trey around 20 mths just because I was ready and he pretty much gave up naps. It became obvious that he just wasn't ready for that change yet. He also began getting up extremely early in the morning just because he could!
Well, Saturday night when we got home from the hospital Addison developed an extreme fear of getting in her crib. She still felt awful and was beyond tired. I tried to lay her in there and she immediately jumped out and landed on her head. I decided that there would be no more crib for her! (Eventually later that night we were able to lay her in there asleep and she stayed the whole night.) I have to say the transition has gone very smoothly. She has napped in there a few times and slept great last night. I pray this continues!!

In case you were wondering, Addy feels sooo much better today. Yesterday and this morning she was still very cranky and sleepy but this afternoon she has just turned a corner and become her regular sassy self. There has been a lot of hitting, yelling, and telling me NO. Ahhh...my little girl is back. I am trying really hard not to allow this behavior just because I feel so bad for what she went through because I know it will just create even more of a monster! However, it's pretty hard not to enjoy the hitting and yelling because it's such a difference in 24 hours.

Poor Addison!

2011-01-22T17:41:00.000-08:00

Headed home!!

Eating a bite of pancake....these are the first bites that started it all! I ran around showing all the nurses and we all rejoiced!

The wagon that was our BFF.

Our first taste of freedom. She felt so bad but this was actually her happy face!!

Friday morning after 4 bags of liquids...she was still so out of it and sleepy. However she had just peed so I was so happy when I took this!

Getting our first batch!

Being ticked at everyone. I couldn't really blame her.

Longest post ever......

The past few days have not been the most fun around here. Poor little Addison has been battling a diarrhea virus that finally did her in and landed her in the hospital for a few days. Let me tell you, I never doubted how hard it would be to ever see your children sick and have to be in the hospital but you truly don't understand it until you have been there. Because I don't scrapbook or anything this is going to be a pretty detailed version of what happened just so I will have it written down.
First of all if you ever told me that Addison would be the one of my children hospitalized for not eating or drinking I would have laughed in your face. Trey is MUCH harder to get to eat than her! It all started 2 weeks ago when Addison started having diarrhea. The diarrhea got worse as the week went on but she was acting fine and playing great. She ran a low fever a few days off and on but nothing serious. I really assumed she just had some sort of viral thing running through her or even cutting teeth. Well, Wednesday night I checked her diaper before bed and she threw up. Wednesday was also the first day she had stopped eating much or drinking. I think all day Wednesday she ate some popcorn, oreos, and a little oatmeal (random but it's what she wanted). However, she drank some ginger ale and water and never complained of her stomach hurting. After she threw up though I put her back in bed and she went back to sleep. 20 minutes later I heard throwing up again so I ran in and grabbed her and put her in bed with us. That's where the real fun started. She was so thirsty (knowing now, that's one of the first signs of dehydration) but she threw up every sip she took. We battled all night long because she kept wanting to gulp liquids but she was getting so sick off them. I told J.O. I feel kinda guilty for trying to hold her back because I had no clue how dehydrated she must be getting. The problem was she was throwing up so much that I was scared to let her keep gulping water. (I was giving her liquids but in very small amounts and things like ice chips thinking she would keep it down..no luck).
Finally around 6am Thursday, I put her in her crib and got ready to take her to the doctor first thing. I had NO doubt she was either already dehydrated or getting to the point quickly. After a big fight with the receptionist she finally agreed to let me come in at 9am to see our doctor. Addison slept most of the time we were there and really wasn't too interested in drinking. The doctor told us to monitor Addison for the afternoon and evening and take her in to Springhill for some fluids if necessary. She thought it was a little too early to go now but the whole time I had such a gut feeling that she was already needing something. This is where I start feeling guilty....I ignored the feeling and headed home to get Trey from school. Meanwhile Addison threw up again in the car and fell asleep. When we got home, I gave her a bath and she drank a little water and ginger ale and went back to sleep. I was still worried so I started getting on the phone. Finally, around 1:30 my brother in law encouraged me to take her to Childrens because dehydration is nothing to mess around with. We headed up there and thank goodness we did. The gave her a bag of liquids in the ER and told us they were going to discharge us once she proved she would drink and pee. Well, after that bag she finally smiled a couple of times and took a few drinks of water. The doctor came back and told us we could leave but I just still felt uncomfortable. I told him I would really rather wait until she peed. He thought I was crazy for wanting to stay longer but he hooked her up to another bag of liquids and told us he had no doubt she was about to start peeing a lot. I thanked him and told him that would be awesome.
Well, at the end of bag 2 still no pee and still no activity out of Addison. Seeing that, he said his boss recommended we move upstairs and be admitted. I agreed. We got settled into our room about 10:30pm and I mentioned to the nurse that after 2 bags of liquid there was still no urine. She told me we had until midnight and then she would be very worried. Well, at midnight still nothing so she went and called the doctor. He ordered a 3rd bag of liquids and blood work. The nurse assured me the 3rd bag would do it. She continued to check her diaper every 30-45 mins and at 3:30am when there was still no urine she got nervous again and called the doctor. He ordered the 4th and final bag of liquids and told the nurse if she doesn't pee they would have to resort to other measures. I was too scared to ask what those were! He came by the room at 4:30am to check on her and I told him I thought she may have peed. He went and got the nurse and he wanted to know immediately if it was wet. The nurse came and took it off (Addison slept through all this...that's how out of it she was) and started cheering and got so happy. I think it was at this point I realized how bad she was.
The next morning the doctors made their rounds and all of them commented on how bad they expected her to be from the comments left in her chart. She still wouldn't touch anything to drink so we had to stay another night. The problem was because of the diarrhea she was on isolation contact so she couldn't go play with toys, go down to the lobby, or even leave the room at first. It was a long few days. The wonderful news is she is feeling much better and I couldn't be more thankful for very proactive doctors and nurses at childrens (even though the ER doctor tried to send my baby home without peeing...I think he learned really quick that between me and my mom she wasn't going anywhere until she peed!) It's really such an awesome place but I hope to never go back! :)

*Here's my PSA for dehydration...DO NOT mess around! I am trying not to feel guilty for waiting until Thursday afternoon when I was worried that morning, but my doctor assured me she was fine. Next time I will trust my gut and go at the FIRST sign of dehydration which for us would have been the extreme thirst early Thursday morning. Sometimes even though they may not have all the physical signs of dehydration (my doctor did the skin test etc..) they can still be very dehydrated.

Random videos

2011-01-19T07:02:00.000-08:00

I HATE the way I sound on videos but I thought these were too funny not to post. One of them is Addison making her singing debut to "Twinkle Twinkle" on the karaoke machine Trey got for Christmas. Please excuse Trey running back in forth in front of the video. He is such a video hog.

The second is from when Trey woke up after getting his second set of tubes. We were fully expecting an irate child who had to be held down because that's how Addison and Trey both were when they came out of anaesthesia. I was not prepared for this however. He was laughing uncontrollably and talking about how he saw Claudia (his cousin) in the room when he woke up. At the very end he is demonstrating how he blew up the balloon when he went to sleep. He kept talking about how nasty it smelled. The nurses were laughing so hard and I had tears running down my face. This video really doesn't do it justice but you get the idea. He has had a tough week with a lot of tests and now tubes so we are ready to get back to normal!

I started back to school this week (boo) so expect my posts to get fewer and farther in between! Also these were both done on my phone so the lighting is a little off.

Snow Day!

2011-01-10T14:25:00.000-08:00

Addison was bored and decided to dress herself in Trey's shoes and coat minus pants.

Bundled up and ready to go! Poor Addison could barely move.

Making a snowman.

The finished product. Trey was very proud of his creation!

We all started going a little stir crazy so I pulled out past Halloween costumes for fun.

Addison concentrating hard on her cooking. Ignore Trey's finger in the corner!

Addison fake crying because she kept sticking the wand in the air filter and it would get stuck.

Princess Addy

Superwoman!

PICS....

2011-01-07T17:41:00.001-08:00

Ready for some after Christmas shopping!

He will kill me for this one day......so dorky he's cute. He loves to wear my glasses!

A thrilled Addison with Aunt Re.

Sporting her princess gear from Aunt Nell, Uncle Andrew and Hadley.

Addison giving someone "the eye..."

This picture is mostly to document Harper's mullet that seemed to fly behind her head. To say it was awesome would be an understatement.

Trey practicing with his BB gun.

Playing a game Ethan got. He was freakishly good at this.

Notice the cookie on the napkin...Addison meticulously put M&M's on it before it could be eaten.

Christmas Sunday. This is the best it gets with 2 rowdy kids.

Finally, I'm Back!

2011-01-06T18:02:00.000-08:00

I know it has been awhile since I have posted but it seems like the longer I stay away the easier it is to procrastinate! I figured I better update now while I was in the mood to. However, I am still not in the mood to download a ton of pics so that will be later. I'm not gonna give a big play by play of our Christmas because it was pretty much like you would expect with 2 kids...busy but pretty awesome. Trey got a ton of stuff this year and loved every minute of it. Addison really didn't get that into it but she is starting to enjoy all the new presents she got.

New Years Eve was a regular ole' throwdown. We went over to Amy and Josh's and celebrated with their 3 week old and 3 year old and our 4 year old and 1 year old. The best part was around 8, Amy and I starting yawning and Addison crawled up beside Amy on the couch and laid down. I knew then this party was OVER.... The only thing that sounds older than that is the fact that I actually had a really good time.

Other than that things are pretty much back to normal around here. I'm really enjoying the fact that Addison loves her baby that poops and pees that she got for Christmas. Just yesterday I found myself sitting on her floor wiping the baby dolls bottom with a wet wipe and telling Trey we needed to go to wal-mart to get more diapers for baby Lulu. At that point in time I was very grateful to Cece for buying the doll and to Baby Alive for creating one more mess for us moms to clean up.

Santa and Christmas Program

2010-12-18T09:56:00.000-08:00

Santa outfit. Not too sure about the face.

Trey is on the front row in the middle. He is concentrating hard on looking down singing "Away in a Manger."

Getting ready to go......

More concentrated singing....

Addison's group. She is the top row on the far right.

Proud momma!

Let me start by saying, Trey LOVES the thought of Santa and wholeheartedly believes in Santa. However, he is just one of those people who question everything and needs concrete evidence for everything to make sense. There is really nothing you can tell him that he will just take at face value. This makes Santa extremely hard because he questions everything about him. I don't have a problem with pretending Santa is real or playing up the whole idea but I don't like it when all his questions cause me to flat out lie. It's getting difficult but I would never want to ruin the fun for him.

Anyway, we went to see Santa last Saturday at the mall...that was an ordeal in itself. We waited in line for 45 mins only for Addison to get up there and go balistic but at this point she didn't have a choice. The money had been paid and she was going to sit on Santas lap! Or maybe I sat on Santas lap and she sat on mine screaming, "bye bye Santa Cause, bye bye Santa Cause." Anyway, so Trey told Santa everything he wanted and loved seeing him. Well, on Tuesday night Trey came up to me and asked me why Santa asked him if he had been good when he saw him at the mall. I didn't know why he was asking this but I just said because he needs to know. Well, Trey then told me that Santa already said he had been good in the letter he had written him and so why did he need to ask again. This is why this gets tricky.....I just said he was just double checking.

Fast forward to Friday at school when Santa stopped by and paid everyone a visit. All the kids were sitting on his lap and telling him what he wanted and then my son got up there. I heard Santa ask him what he wanted and Trey just looked at him and said, "remember, I just saw you at the mall and told you everything." You already know." Santa then got over his shock and said of course I remember you and have your list. I just shrugged and shook my head. I really hope he figures it out next year because I don't know how much more lying I can handle without some major guilt trips. It's also extremely hard work to keep him from figuring it out. It does make it all worth it though when he starts jumping up and down and screaming from excitement because Santa is almost here.

On to the Christmas program...both kids were in it this year and did a great job. It is such a neat production that the school does each year and we work very hard on it for sure!! Trey had a solo part in the 12 days of Christmas and he nailed it! I was worried he would get nervous when he saw all the people (the church had people lined around the walls and standing all at the back it was so full! Luckily someone who works there taped off a whole pew up front early for my family!!) but he did awesome. Addison was so cute too and swayed and sang and waved at us the whole time.

Big Winner!

2010-12-08T18:30:00.000-08:00

So, I am seriously one of those people who don't have much luck winning prizes. I know everyone says that but I'm for real. However, I am sooo pumped that I actually won a blog giveaway! It's a gift card to a CSN store and they have so many things. What would you get? I have a hard time with decisions. You can google CSN Stores to see what they have. I'm serious...I would like input. Thanks Ashley at http://babyeichhorn.blogspot.com/!

Addison and Trey update!

2010-12-03T18:33:00.000-08:00

I like to just give an update on Addison and Trey every now and then so I will have record of what all they were up to at this age. I don't scrapbook or keep a good baby book, so hopefully the ole' blog can help me out one day.

Trey is a very active 4 1/2 year old. He has become very inquisitive over the last few months and nothing is black and white anymore. He has also become very argumentative and never lets anything go! This year has been so exciting because this is his first year to really understand and get super excited about Christmas. However, because he is so inquisitive he makes it really hard. Just the other day we got our Elf on the Shelf book down and started reading it. After we read it this was our conversation:

Trey: So where does the Elf go every night?

Me: He flies back to Santa.

Trey: Well, where is the real elf cause this one can't fly he's a toy.

Me: Santa gives him magic powers to fly.

Trey: Well this elf can't talk.

Me: Santa gives him power to talk to.

Trey: Well if Santa can do all that why does he need an elf to fly back at night. He can just see for himself.

Me: Oh good grief Trey...just believe the book it's for fun.

Then he came out of his room at 9:45 that night and said, "I've been watching the elf and he's still sitting there."

It's funny though because in the morning when I moved the elf he got really excited. It's like he forgot he didn't believe the elf could go. I guess I should be glad he questions everything but sometimes it gets really exhausting. Some days I feel like all I do is argue with a 4 year old.

He's getting really close to blending some words and still loves to add and subtract. I think all of that just goes into his inquisitive nature. He wants to find out as much as he can about everything!

Addison is definitely into the defiant 2's! Everything is "NO" or "AGHH" (thats her growl/scream) and then she runs away. It's also really funny when someone she doesn't know really well talks to her or tries to tell her to do something because she gets this pouty look and just stares at her feet. She talks so much more than Trey did at her age. She talks in complete sentences and repeats absolutely everything she hears. She also loves to tattle and spends most of her time running to me telling me what "Bubby" just did.

She is slowly getting into singing songs and currently loves "Twinkle Twinkle" and "Jingle Bells." The only way I can get her to lay still through a diaper change is to either sing one of these songs or have her point out body parts. Both of which she is getting tired of. Most diaper changes consist of her yanking her leg up, yelling no and then her eventually winning and staying naked around the house. She refuses to wear panties or pull ups and for those who know Addison you know that I generally let her do what she wants!! :)

Addison and Trey are in such a fun stage together. They play together all the time and love each other so much. There are some days that they will literally play for hours together in the play room without any problems. However, there are also lots of days that they fight, hit, scream and both end up spending most of the afternoon separated in time out. I have to say though this is my favorite age for both of them by far. (I say that every time). I feel so blessed to have such great healthy kids!!

Thanksgiving and Game!

2010-11-28T06:57:00.000-08:00

Addison's post Thanksgiving snack

P.J. teaching Trey how to play Dominoes. They stayed at this table for hours playing!

Hadley: "Cmon Addison, let's go play!" Addison: "No thanks, I'm too full to move."

"Who are you texting?"

"Cheese!"

Big win!!!

It was packed!!

I really hope eventually someone stopped to help this guy. (We would have stopped but we may have been late to the game! :)

Hanging out in the most awesome RV ever before the game! (Yes, I am aware of the fact that I said awesome and RV in the same sentence and no, I am not 50.)

J.O. trying to get the inside of the RV. Not too sure what he was doing.

Go Hogs!!

I don't have much time to write so I will let the pics speak for themselves! We had a great Thanksgiving and enjoyed hanging out with Andrew, Janelle and Hadley all weekend. Now it's time to really prepare for Christmas!! Trey is so excited he can hardly stand it. Time moves so slow when you are 4!

Game Weekend!

2010-11-14T06:27:00.000-08:00

Trey demanding I get a "close up" of the toboggan.

They were both worn out!!

Cheering for the Hogs!!!

Watching everything very intently. His dad has taught him well!

View from our seats. I have decided it's the only way to watch the games!

The only picture I could get of Addison before she ripped all her gear off.

Her "cheer" pose.

Trey's masterpiece for Courtney. I don't think we have to worry

about him being too "artsy."

Saturday was the last Fayetteville home game for the season. Sad sad... We love any excuse to go up there so when the games are over it's harder for us to find reasons to get away and go visit! We decided at the last minute that we would all head up there and just drive home after the game. Last time we went to the game with the kids we stayed at Courtney's house and it worked out great, but I just needed to be at home Sunday to get things done. The plan was for Trey and J.O. to go to the game and Addison and I would shop and pick them up when Trey had had enough. Well, at the last minute someone offered J.O. 4 seats in the indoor club area, so he snatched those up and we all went.

Now on to Addison.....she would have lasted one second in regular crammed seats. The main reason being it was freezing and she refused to leave her coat/hood/gloves on, second reason being she never sat down. It really is such a good thing she's cute (even though I am biased) cause her attitude really shows when she is in tight close quarters with other people. We get to our section and luckily we were the front row so we had a ton of room for her to run around. She was very occupied with the game for about 10 minutes of the first quarter and was very well behaved. Then she started discovering that she could climb up and down the seats, take her shoes off, and yell at people sitting behind us. Luckily Courtney had given them some candy so that occupied her for awhile. After she finished her candy she spotted an older couple eating popcorn behind us. She started putting her hand out yelling, "hab (have) it now." I tried to distract her but Addison is not easily distracted. She kept on and when I turned my back for a second she actually reached up and stuck her hand in their popcorn sack. Luckily these people were very old and thought she was extremely cute. They kept repeatedly holding the sack out for her to get more. Now, I am not a germ a phobe or anything but it was all I could do not to turn around and say, SERIOUSLY??? I mean, I don't know these people from Adam and here my sweet, innocent little daughter is sharing popcorn and saliva with them. Awesome.

From there on out it only went downhill. Addison then proceeded to yell "No" to another woman behind us who continually kept trying to laugh and talk to her. At that point I decided to take her up to the top and let her run around. Luckily Trey decided around that time that he was done too and since we were killing UTEP, we all chose to leave. (By saying we all chose to leave, I really mean J.O. decided HE was ready to go and it was acceptable for us all to go out.)

It really was a fun day though. We all 4 were together from the time the kids jumped out of bed (or in Addisons case bellowed until we got her out of the crib) until we carried them to bed sleeping when we got home. I love that we are able to all enjoy Fayetteville and the football games and I hope that never changes!!

Busy Weekend!

2010-11-08T19:27:00.000-08:00

Pics will probably have to come when it's not sooo extremely late at night. Like, 8:30 instead of 9:30. This weekend was so busy but great. Friday night I went to Wicked with my aunt and cousins and it was awesome! I wanted to see it so bad because when we were in New York we missed the first half so I have always kinda wondered what happened at the first!! The play didn't start until 8 and is a very long play so I wasn't home until 11:45. Now, anyone that knows me realizes that I turn into a pumpkin/grouch at 10:00 if I'm not close to a bed. Well, to top it off I had to be back at church at 8:00 Saturday morning for a Fall Retreat. Needless to say I wasn't in the best mood when I rolled out of bed Saturday morning. However, my mood changed immediately. It helped a lot that there were 5 different types of muffins waiting on me and a candy bar complete with pretzel m & m's. It was awesome. The speakers were good too! :)

Then, I headed home to see the kids and get ready to head to a good ole fashioned boot scoot. Yes, you read that right. J.O.'s boss had a party at their house complete with t-shirts, a country band and all the catfish you could eat. I was SOOO out of my element, but I had a pretty good time. Luckily the Razorback game was taping at home so we weren't there all that long. I can't complain though...I drank about 4 cups of amazing apple cider, at a huge plate of amazing food and came home with a free t-shirt! OH...and I snuck a picture of a cowboy sporting an awesome mullet! That pic to come soon!

This is off the subject but last night Trey and I were reading his new Christmas book. I buy him a new one each year and this one was the Bernstein Bears (love them) and about the Joy of Giving. The book was really sweet about the brother and sister figuring out it was better to give than receive. After we read the book we talked about how some kids don't have money for Christmas and so forth. He looked at me very seriously and I started getting so proud thinking this big profound moment was coming. He looked at me and said,

"well mom, what should we do. I mean, do WE have money for Christmas."
Me: "Yes, Trey. You are going to be fine."
Trey: "Whew. I was scared."

I have to admit, after that he did tell me he was sad for those kids and we should take them some toys. He told me that the things he had 2 of he would give them 1. (hey, it's a start).

It really does make you so sad to think about how some kids wake up to nothing and I sit here and rack my brain to think about things I can buy my kids because they need nothing. I definitely plan on taking Trey this year to buy presents for an Angel Tree child and teach him how important that is.

Halloween!

2010-11-01T17:04:00.000-07:00

Not Halloween obviously, but I'm thrilled Addison can climb up the steps and slide by herself now!! Now it can be the babysitter we bought it to be! (kidding!)

Buzz coming down the slide at church!

Addison playing the basketball game!

Trey scoring some points too!

"If that kid gets in my way again...."

Full length outfit shot!

"I said stop taking my picture!!"

Well, once again I found myself getting entirely too into Halloween this year. It all started when Trey became very opinionated about the costume he wanted to wear. He told me he wanted to be Buzz Lightyear so being the awesome mom I am I went to the store immediately and bought it. OR...I waited until 2 weeks ago and started frantically looking for a Buzz costume and of course there were none left. So, I got online and tried to order one but the only sizes left were the infant sizes (really, what 6 month old dresses up like Buzz Lightyear) or huge sizes (again, not thinking too many 16 year olds are running around yelling, "To Infinity and Beyond!) Well, I explained to Trey that Buzz wasn't really that cool and he probably wanted to be something else. So...he decided to be Superman and I thought this was a great idea! I got online again and started hunting for a Superman costume and seriously everyone I found was 50 or 60 bucks! I mean, I love my child a lot but there is NO WAY im spending that on a Halloween costume. Thankfully Target was running a special on it and I found it for $20 bucks but the only problem was it was a small kids. Well, if you know Trey at all you know he isn't the biggest kid on the block. In fact there are only 8 measly lbs. separating him and Addison so I knew it would be too big. However, when it came in I was able to roll up the pants and it fit well enough to wear. He loved it! That is, until one day my mom and I were in Kroger and saw a rack of costumes on sale and one of them was Buzz! My mom got it for him and he was so excited. Poor guy must have just been putting on a brave face about being Superman for me! He loved his Buzz costume and carried his Toy Story bucket to match. We headed to our fall fest at church and 2 of his little friends were also Buzz so I was so glad we found him that costume! He had so much fun running around and playing. Addison on the other hand was the cutest bumblebee you have ever seen but was adamant that no one take her picture. A few people tried and she yelled "NO", cried, and ran off. So embarrassing.

It was also embarrassing when she was standing at the entrance of the jumper watching Trey jump and a man mistakenly thought she wanted to get in. He told her she couldn't go in with her sucker (first mistake) and then proceeded to touch her to help her up (second mistake). Well, she started yelling, "NO" and jerking her arm away. The man started looking around for me and I just ducked. Then when he wasn't looking I grabbed her and ran off.

When we got home Trey had a blast trick or treating in the neighborhood and then handing out candy to kids who came by our house. Once again, I found myself enjoying a night that I used to think was ridiculous. I'm still working on getting J.O. to dress up and hand out candy as a family. Don't you think that would be awesome?? I really don't know why he won't...he drives/rides in a minivan 95% of the time. Give it up J.O....you aren't cool anymore.

Christmas Pics and Baby Shower!

2010-10-30T12:45:00.000-07:00

The yummy spread!

This has nothing to do with either one of these but they were very proud of the fake teeth that came in the Halloween basket from Cece. (I realize my kids are always naked...it's just what they do.)

Baby Lyla's yummy cake!

Thursday we headed to Amy's to take the kids Christmas card pictures. I didn't have to worry about this last year because we took family pictures at the beach. When I was talking to Amy about taking the kids pics the other day I realized I better do it soon because she is about to be busy with a newborn and all the busyness that surrounds the Holidays! So, we went over and I got the kids all dressed in their Christmas gear. And then the real fun began. Let me just say that my kids are not the easiest to photograph. Last year it was Trey and this year it was Addison. Every time the camera would be pointed at her she would start yelling, "No" and run off. We finally got one or two pics by telling her she would get a package of Nerds when we got back into the house. I LOVE the way the card turned out and can't wait to send them out to everyone. At one point I told Amy that I wanted family pics done when Addy turned two and I'm pretty sure she's considering going out of business by then! Here's a link to her blog if you want to check out a few of the pics. The 2 on the card are a secret! http://www.amyaukesphotography.blogspot.com/

This morning was Amy's baby shower at our house and we had a great time. She got such cute things for baby Lyla. Now, we just can't wait to meet her!

Completely Random...

2010-10-26T18:56:00.001-07:00

Checking to see if Nana has noticed she has climbed on the ottoman.

"Woo-hoo! Go Hogs! And no one is making me get down!"

Strolling through the Promenade with Claudia and Kennedy.

Trey sleeping at school....this never happens so I had to capture it!

Addison fell asleep while eating a sucker! You know she was tired!

Shopping with the girls while daddy went to the Razorback game!

"Whew...that was close. Maybe I should listen to Nana and get off to cheer!"

That's the only title I could think of for this post because it's really a lot about nothing. This week is SUPER busy because this weekend is Amy's baby shower! I am so excited to have everyone over and help her celebrate. I just hope I can get everything done!

On a completely random note Addison has started really "telling" on Trey. It's so funny because nothing you do is secret anymore. The other day he hit her arm for knocking down his tower of blocks. Well she ran right up to me and said, "bubba hit my arm." So I went to Trey and asked him if he did that and he just looked at me and said, "Addison was able to tell you that??" I think it shocked him too and I tried to explain to him that she can tell me everything he does now!

Trey has started keeping track of everything he wants for Christmas. The list has grown to...a leapster explorer, pellet gun, microphone, four-wheeler, and pillow pet. Lets just say that I can already guess 2 of the things Santa will be leaving off. It's so funny how he has such strong opinions about things this year. We have 2 Halloween costumes because he wanted Superman and then Buzz Light Year and both were on clearance. I'm going to relish in one more year of buying Addison whatever I want her to have!

Blanket Obsession!!

2010-10-17T17:11:00.000-07:00

These pics are out of order, but I have never figured that out on blogger.

Addison crying, waiting on the blanket to get out of the dryer.

Reaching for the dryer screaming..."my banket, my banket."

What started it all....playing in the bathtub with her blanket.

For those that know Addison well, you know that a pink blanket follows her wherever she goes. It started out as a pretty strong "like" but as she gets older it is turning into an obsession. She never puts it down so when I have to wash it she stands at the washer and cries until it gets done. Her new thing is to want it when she takes a bath. I have always put my foot down and made it sit beside the bathtub until she gets out. Well, tonight she was soooo cranky so I gave in and let it take a bath with her. Then, when she got in with it she started crying saying "banket wet!" You can't win with this child. Anyway, after the bath I had to go put the blanket in the dryer and she stood there and cried for 10 mins until I got it out and gave it to her damp. She is such a mess!!

The video is Trey singing the Razorback fight song. It took me 4 years to learn this thing and Trey picked it up in one afternoon. (Excuse his lack of clothes....he prefers to run around in the buff at home and obviously, as indicated above, I let my children do whatever they want.)

Notice the serious face until he starts. He means business.

10 year reunion and Birthday Present!

2010-10-17T14:42:00.001-07:00

The camera that has changed my life!

Court, me, and Amy at the reunion.

Addison running away from the picture.

Eating at Juanitas!

This weekend was our 10 year reunion and I had a great time seeing everyone and catching up! Friday night Amy and I took Trey and Lane to the football game and they had so much fun playing and watching the game. Trey has learned a lot from J.O. cause all he kept saying is 1st down and Boo Cave City! It was pretty funny! Lane just wanted to run out on the field and play. At one point he escaped and made it on the track before his 8 month preggo mom caught him. Saturday we went to the park with the kids and let everyone play. Addison really showed her true colors there! She got hungry and cranky towards the end and didn't want to sit down with the other kids to have her picture taken. Out of all the kids she was the ONLY one who kept getting up immediately and running out of the picture. Then she yelled at a poor girl who tried to help her get into the swing. She made me take her back out and redo it with only me helping. Last night we went to Sticky Fingers and had a ton of fun getting out of the house with no kids! J.O. and I went out to eat with Amy and Josh before to watch the game and eat some good food. I thought J.O. and Josh were going to start throwing things at the T.V. because the game turned bad so fast!! At least the food was good!

My birthday is tomorrow and I have been asking for a small digital camera that I can take anywhere with me. The one I have is not very big but it's too big for me. It also was an after Christmas sale and it has pretty much been worth the $100 bucks it cost me 3 years ago. It's just not that great. So...I pretty much gave J.O. free reign to get me whatever small digital camera would be good with the kids. I have to say, I want to marry this new camera. It's the new Nikon Coolpix and it's the most awesome thing I have ever seen. It looks like a phone its so small and it's all touchscreen. It also has an HD video camera. However, one of the coolest things I have found is called auto smile. You can turn it to this setting and it will automatically take the picture when the person smiles. Trey (and J.O.) had a blast playing with this today. Trey would make the worst face and then smile really fast to see if it would catch him. I have to say the camera won every time. That sucker is fast and would snap the photo in like half a second. It also lets you put the picture in black and white by just touching a button or you can blur out the background or write on the picture with your finger! Seriously, I am in love with this thing. It was the best birthday/anniversary present I have gotten in a very long time!

Tomorrow starts the last year in my 20's! My sister has been very gracious to point this fact out to me a lot today. Maybe I should do something really crazy to mark my 29th year. Like stay up until 10:00 3 nights a week. That sounds super crazy to me!

Baby fever.....

2010-10-13T17:07:00.000-07:00

Not so much......

I guess Addison is getting to the age where it is common for people to ask me a lot if we plan on having more kids. I completely understand this and have to admit I have been the guilty party asking people that before. However, I think the thing that gets on my nerves is they really don't want to hear what I have to say. The fact that I am so breathtakingly young (for 5 more days) makes people assume that I should have 1 more. The last person to jump on this bandwagon was a random person at the doctor. She told me she was done at 2 kids because she was almost 35 but since I wasn't 30 yet I should definitely have one more. She said this so matter of factly that I almost felt a need to mind her. People also feel the need to give you the opposite side of the story...a woman told me just this week to not have a 3rd because that child is what almost put her over the edge emotionally and financially. Um okay.

I mean, don't get me wrong. I don't mind at all when people ask me if we plan on having more kids. Ask either one of my sister in laws and they will tell you I am all about THEM having numerous babies. The thing that really drives me crazy is when people try to convince me to go with their plan for my life.

Just so you know...this is the stock answer that everyone receives...

ME: "No, we don't plan on having more children but if something happened and we did, we would be fine with it."
J.O. "Absolutely not. End of story. I don't know about her but I would not be fine with it."

Since J.O. is so busy at work, I know he never reads this anymore and my most fun thing to currently do is act like I have baby fever. I will randomly look at baby pictures of the kids and talk about missing it, or I will talk about Amy being pregnant and say how much I miss that. The other night he got so worked up I had tears running down my face I was laughing so hard.

Pumpkin Patch

2010-10-10T16:29:00.000-07:00

Lovin the boots she borrowed from her friend Lane!

Ready for fall and fall temps!

Hot and sweaty in 90 weather!

He was yelling, "My head is stuck...help!"

Pics are small because they are taken from phone..I changed the size to large.

Well, like everyone else in the world we headed to a pumpkin patch this weekend. Last year the pumpkin patch we went to advertised really awesome things. It said there was a hay maze, petting zoo, hay ride and so forth. Well, we pulled up and I kept thinking there had to be more that was just hidden. We got onto a tractor and it literally pulled up 2 feet and told us we were there. The hay maze had been dismanteled (to feed the horses of course) and the petting zoo was pretty much a stray dog and cat they had found to put in a cage. Okay, maybe there were a few animals but not many. When I finally got up the courage to ask the guy about the hayride he told me we had already experienced it. Oh, how could I miss the ride out to the barren field.

Anyway, so I was hesitant to go this year but Amy went first and assured me this one was pretty good. She was right. We went this weekend and both the kids had a blast. Trey even rode a pony which shocked us all. They had a great hay maze and even pig races. I have to admit though the pig races kinda made me laugh. I mean, wow....talk about living in Arkansas. But at one point I found myself laughing and cheering before I knew what was happening.

If you know me at all you won't be surprised at this comment....I forgot my camera. Yes, I realize that all you super moms out there that document every single detail would never do that but for some reason my camera is usually the farthest thing from my mind when I walk out the door. However, this time I told myself all morning, "grab your camera, set it out and don't forget it." When we got there I was so embarassed because everyone else had cameras out and I kept yelling, "J.O. get your phone and take their picture, hurry!" At one point, a woman looked at me funny when I kept snapping pics on my I-Phone so I just whispered "he forgot the camera." and then rolled my eyes for extra effect. Just kidding J.O., I would never do that....

It was so much fun and I have to admit I may be slightly looking forward to Halloween this year...only a little though.

When it rains it pours...

2010-10-06T17:14:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I think that saying is extremely corny, but I wasn't sure how else to describe this week! Trey woke up in the middle of the night (or maybe 10 pm) Sunday night saying his ear hurt. So, being the good mom I am, I went ahead and went to work and took him to school. By 9 am he was in my room laying on my couch saying his ear hurt. So...I left work early and took him to the doctor and of course he had an ear infection. While we were there we knocked out the kids flu shots and I went home feeling pretty good about things.
Yesterday, Cecily stayed home with the kids until 12:00 and just let them play and rest. Trey acted 100% fine yesterday afternoon and I thought everything was great. However, this morning he woke up at 6am burning up. I took his temperature and it was 100 and he said his ankles and legs hurt. Great. I called into work and me and the kids stayed in pajamas all day. Poor guys fever hasn't gone much below 101 or 102 all day even with mucho Motrin and a bath. Thank goodness for Cece this week (and always!) cause shes heading back over here tomorrow so I can go back to work. I have decided that it's definitely ridiculous to ever expect a mom to work 5 days a week cause it's not going to happen. My average has been around 4 since I started this job. Thank goodness for a Christian school and a workplace of all women because they pretty much expect this stuff! Hopefully we will all be healthy soon cause a trip to the pumpkin patch is supposed to happen Saturday!

Blessing Shower

2010-10-03T10:48:00.000-07:00

"I'm going to act like I'm looking off in the distance while she takes my picture."

One of the ONLY pictures I have of this child smiling!!!

And back to the scowl that is so normal for Addison (please notice the hot pink nails and baby ring she is wearing....she is 20 months going on 20.)

Trey is loving life and Addison just wishes he would walk away. You can even see her teeth are gritted here. I'm sure he was close to being pushed off.

Last night we went to a blessing shower at my in-laws for some people who have been friends of their family for as long as I can remember. Now, you may be wondering what a blessing shower is because I know I had NO clue until I had one when we got married. I will admit that when I first heard about these things I had several thoughts..

1) I was nervous that I would have to stand in the middle of the room or something while everyone circled me and said things.

2) I also wondered if these blessings came in the form of tangible gifts, like my toaster I needed or coffee pot.

Yes, I know this sounds selfish, but I had never heard of this before so I'm just being honest.

However, what it turned out to be is a really neat way for people to give advice and bless a couple getting married or having a baby. When you take away all the "stuff" all that is left is the important things anyway. We got so much great advice from the couples at our shower that we still remember. Now, they also take everyones picture and make a scrapbook with the advice so you will always have it.

So...anyway, last night was a blessing shower for a couple who had a baby and everyone had great advice for them. Mine and J.O.s advice was to not stress about the small things...they will outgrow everything. I remember stressing about when to take the bottle away, when Trey would potty train, etc, etc. I remember the silliest thing I stressed about with Trey was him going to bed with a cup of milk every night. I mean, after all the dentist assured me this would rot his teeth out. HELLO...he only had 4 teeth until he was 2 1/2 and even then I'm not sure if you are aware of this but baby teeth fall out. I finally quit caring so much and realized that he wasn't nearly as attached to it as I thought he was and he just quit taking it.

It's so nice not caring about the fact that Addison has a paci that must go everywhere, or the fact that she demands to have a cup of milk in bed with her, or the fact that she hits me randomly sometimes (okay, maybe I should worry about that one). I have just decided that they grow up so fast that I refuse to stress about every little thing.

J.O's advice was also to take time for each other. I have to admit that J.O. is the one who helps me with that. He loves to travel (with or without kids) and he is so good about making sure we take a big vacation and go little places throughout the year (even if it's just a weekend to Fayetteville!). I have come to love these times away and we have so much fun.

I think it's so funny to see the difference a second child makes. Trey was kinda an experiment on what to do and what worked as a baby (and now child). I didn't think anyone else could do it as well as I did and a schedule was so important! Addison is just a ton of fun because we are so much more laid back and don't let things bother us. If she stays up until 9 or 10 at a certain grandparents house (you know who you are! :) we just know she will come home and take an awesome nap for us!! Everyone wins!

Anyway, I'm no expert but that's my 2 cents and if anyone ever wants to give you a blessing shower don't be afraid. They really are awesome!

Tubes!

2010-09-29T09:45:00.000-07:00

On the way to the doctor this morning. Addison enjoys early mornings about as much as I do. However, she was very cute in her rain jacket. She kept putting the hood on saying, "Lub my jacket."

When we got home from the surgery and she had finally quit screaming. She still wasn't too happy with me.

Well, today was the big day for Addison. She finally got tubes! Her ear infections were so different from Trey's. She got her first one at 3 months and then didn't have another one until she turned 1, however she has had one each month since her 1st birthday. I finally had enough of trying to force antibiotic down her throat and scheduled an appointment with our ENT doctor. The procedure went great and it was over before we even knew what happened. She screamed bloody murder when she woke up but she took a 2 hour nap when we got home. Hopefully her tubes will work as well as Trey's did and we won't have to deal with this again!

On a different note, I think I mentioned before that Addison likes to slowly let milk or water dribble out of her mouth onto the floor/people's feet. Poor Trey would be sitting in a chair watching T.V. and minding his own business and she would just walk up and spit out her drink all over him. Well, she was being sent to time out every time she would do it and she HATED going to time out and so she stopped. Or so I thought....today I was mopping while she was sleeping and kept finding random dried puddles on the floor. Apparently instead of stopping she just got smart. She quit doing it where I could see her and started going in random corners and rooms. This child is going to give me a run for my money in 10 years. (And yes, I mop often...I think she must have just started back.....at least that's what I'm going to tell myself).

This weekend is J.O.'s 10 year reunion and mine is coming up in 2 weeks! Hard to believe that we have been out of high school for 10 years!

Our Life Lately....

2010-09-20T16:20:00.000-07:00

Well, I have officially been teaching pre-k for over a month and I haven't lost my mind just yet. However, I have to say that eight 4/5 year olds is a lot different than 1!! One thing that I noticed immediately is that these kids aren't afraid of adults at all! I mean, they pretty much do whatever they want without any fear of what may happen. It's crazy!! It makes me so thankful for the way Trey acts at school and that he actually respects adults! Other than that though it's going good. I will be honest and admit that I am still adjusting to going to work every single day. (I realize some people who have done that forever have no sympathy, but it's a huge adjustment for me!) However, the fact that I get off at 3 is great and the fact that my job ends in May is another plus!

Addison has adjusted great. She loves being on the go and doesn't cry at all anymore when I drop her off. She gets right down and starts to play. She has also shocked me at how well behaved she has been. She never gets in trouble and every time I "spy" on her she is doing just what she should. Her vocabulary has gone crazy since she started there. She pretty much communicates everything she needs to and is doing great potty training. She actually takes her diaper off when she gets home and wants panties on, but I'm just not 100% there yet! Maybe if I would just take a long weekend and commit it would be different but not yet!

Trey is loving school too. He loves his teacher and has made a lot of friends. I also love being with him outside and at lunch and occasionally when I just go in there to hang out with him! I'm starting to worry though that he won't know what to do when I'm not there next year! Well, actually I'm sure he will do just fine, it will just be me that won't know what to do! Anyone know of a school that needs a kindergarten teacher!! :)
Trey makes his teacher laugh all day with his stories and imagination. One day he had her draw his leg bright red on a picture because it was when he broke it. The child has never even had a sprain. He also wouldn't sleep today (or ever) at nap because he was laying there "pracpicing Japanese" (in his words).
Anyway, it's a hectic life but I really like it. I do miss my part time schedule but I am loving what I am doing. These kids are so eager to learn and such sweet kids. Even if they do make me want to pull my hair out!

Pics as promised!!

2010-09-08T18:03:00.001-07:00

The famous Mickey Mouse pancakes for breakfast!!

200 piece puzzle that Trey and Courtney worked on together. (mostly Court!)

Addison's get the camera out of my face look. This baby became her best friend for 24 hours.

At one point we were walking around Old Main and J.O and I started talking to some people and we looked over and realized Trey was pushing Addison off the sidewalk and watching her roll down the grass. This is how we found her. Parenting at it's finest.....

Kids on steps of Old Main lawn. Again, Addison was thrilled to have her picture taken.

It's hard to make out J.O.'s name, but Trey is sitting right above it. So proud!! Kinda cool to see all your hard work (well, work) put down on a sidewalk!!

Trey making sugar cookies at 8:30 in the morning.

Family on steps of Old Main. At this point Trey started asking where he would live when he was here and so we started pointing out different places he may live and go to class. I seriously think the child will probably think this is the only place on the earth to go to college.

Yay Court for having your camera ready all weekend!!

Weekend in Fayetteville!

2010-09-05T15:12:00.000-07:00

I realize this is another post without pics (which is boring) but I will have some pics to put up as soon as Courtney sends me some! This weekend we went to Fayetteville for the first Razorback game of the season. In this house football season is like the first day of hunting season for some. There is excitement, anticipation and sheer joy coming from J.O. on the first game day. I have to say though this year was a little more nerve wracking. I came down with the stomach bug on Friday and Addison got it too. Our plans were for everyone to head to Fayetteville Saturday morning and for Trey and J.O. to go to the game. Trey was just as excited as J.O. was. Well, being the good dad J.O. is, he felt too bad going without us on Saturday if we were still too sick or if Trey came down with it. He said he couldn't imagine having to tell Trey he was going without him.

Well, on Saturday morning I was feeling much better and Addison was 100% which is good because I noticed J.O. started getting excited and ready to leave even before we had talked about it. I'm just going to assume he knew we were going. Anyway, we headed up there and and had a wonderful time. Courtney let us stay at her house and let me tell you she spoiled the kids rotten. Especially Trey. She had a 200 piece puzzle waiting for him, a pirate patch for his eye, and bath toys. She also had all her old cabbage patch dolls waiting for Addison.

However, I also think she realized just how hectic it is with 2 kids. Saturday morning we woke up, made Mickey Mouse pancakes, decorated sugar cookies, got dressed to go to campus and the park and Courtney realized it was just 9 o'clock in the morning. She also handled it well when Addison spit out her mouthful of milk on the floor (just for fun) and screamed bloody murder when Courtney dared to tell her no. (This has become a huge problem...Addison will spit her milk out of her mouth and thinks it's hilarious when she actually gets some on people. I'm talking full mouth fulls too. Time out has been enforced a lot lately.)

Courtney may be in trouble though because J.O. and Trey are dying to go back and stay with her. Trey got pancakes, puzzles, and cookies and J.O. got football, free place to stay and bacon made for breakfast.

It was a great weekend and I can't wait to go back again! We took Trey's picture by J.O.'s name on the sidewalk and I hope one day we can compare their names side by side!!! (I have a feeling we may slightly annoy our kids one day with all the U of A talk.)

Pics coming soon! I promise!!!

Busy Busy!

2010-08-16T18:37:00.001-07:00

Well, I started work today and let me say I am exhausted!! It has been almost 4 years since I was required to be somewhere before 9 in the morning! I am working at a daycare teaching Pre-K because I desperately need experience before completing my masters in teaching next year. I had originally planned to just substitute, but wasn't really able to work it out because of Addison needing childcare. This way, I am able to get a year of experience and also have the kids there with me.
I was really nervous about Addison starting daycare but she did great today. She even took a 2 hour nap! We will see if that continues.
This may be the most boring post ever, but my eyes are closing at 8:45. I need to get to bed so I can get ready to do it all over again....is it too soon to start a countdown to summer???

80's pride......

2010-07-28T05:47:00.000-07:00

Below are the shoes Trey demanded yesterday for his "back to school shoes" and then a picture of J.O. sporting a similar pair in the 80's.

Let's just hope that sweater doesn't come back in style!! (sorry J.O.)

All about Addison....

2010-07-26T05:13:00.000-07:00

1st wall done!

work in progress!

Constant sight around here! Addison digging food out of the pantry......

Does it get any cuter than a baby with a mullet and Minnie Mouse "drawers" (as Trey calls them)

All of these pics were taken with my phone, so the quality is terrible. Her room is my latest project that my dad helped me with. I have always felt it was too plain and I finally got around to doing something about it! My wonderful dad added the chair rail and I am painting the stripes. I hate to "toot toot" but I love it! (for those unfamiliar with "toot toot" it means tooting your own horn. Amy and Josh got J.O. and I hooked on that phrase.

I feel like Addison is in that stage of doing new things all the time so I need to do a post on what she is up to! I'm sure Trey will creep into here somewhere too though!

She will be 18 months old on the 29th and I really CANNOT believe it. To say the second goes by much faster than the first is an understatement. For one thing, I think they are just carted around so much more from the start that you always think of them as being older. There's not as much time to just focus on them when they are infants because you still have "life" going on even from the beginning. I mean, don't think Addison was deprived or anything though. According to her and the way she acts, we all live in her world. One thing that I have always heard is that girls are more mature than boys from the start and do things earlier and I have to say that is true!! Addison talks as plain as day and can pretty much say whatever she wants. Trey didn't start talking like this until much later. She also has an interest in potty training but I'm just not sure I'm ready yet! It is to the point of embarrassment though because we will be in public and she will start bellowing, "PEE-PEE, PEE-PEE" and I will just say ok and try to ignore her. (she won't go on big potties so I really don't have a choice!) Then she starts trying to pull her diaper off so I try to distract her with other things until she forgets. I'm going to have to start working with her though because she hates being wet and I simply can't change her diaper after every single times she pees! (I mean, diapers are expensive and I am unemployed here.)

Another big milestone we reached was that she sat in her chair and watched a complete Baby Einstein movie without getting bored!! I actually got to load and unload the dishwasher and clean the kitchen. She has never had an interest in cartoons or movies and I really wish she would every now and then. I know there are awesome parents out there who don't let their kids watch t.v., but I'm not one of them. (These parents also probably don't let their kids eat sweets or hot dogs and that's not happening around here either.)

Addison still loves to sleep and gets so grumpy is she doesn't get lots of sleep at nap or a good nap during the day. Just last night she was ready for bed at 6:10 and is still asleep at 7:30. She just requires a lot of sleep and I have a feeling I know who she gets that from! I could sleep a ton if I was able to.

Addison is a very girly girl too. I think we could be in trouble when she starts picking out her own clothes. She wants her toes painted all the time, loves to carry purses and demands a bow when we walk out of the house. She also has 2 or 3 babies at all times and never leaves the house without "Rosie". I see lots of baby strollers and doll houses in our future.

I am finishing up my second summer session of school and it's awesome. I love doing homework in my free time and late at night when the kids are in bed. I also love being in class until 9 two nights a week. Not really (obviously), but I know I will be glad when it's over!

St. Louis!

2010-07-09T18:51:00.000-07:00

The Stadium
Not too sure about Treys smile here....

So excited to go!!

We went to St. Louis over the 4th weekend and had such a great time. J. O. has been wanting to go see the Cardinals play for awhile and we decided to take Trey and make a weekend of it. We also decided that Addison would appreciate staying with Cece and PJ better and having their undivided attention. I have to say that although I missed Addison while we were gone, she wouldn't have had fun at all. Trey LOVED watching the "carnibals" play. He even begged me to go back outside when I was trying to kill time in the air conditioning. Thankfully a guy J.O. does business with got us seats in the club section so we could run in and out to snacks and bathrooms fairly easy. The next day we headed to the zoo and that place was awesome. I am not a big zoo person because I just don't see what all the excitement is about. It's a bunch of stinky animals that sometimes come out of hiding for a few seconds. Plus it's a million degrees outside. However, the St. Louis zoo was pretty great. It was also free. Little Rock could take a few hints from them.

That night we went down to the arch to watch the fireworks. Supposedly there were 100,000 people there and I'm gonna guess that 99,000 of them were drunk. We stayed there looking around for a few seconds but when a woman came and stood directly in front of us wearing a bandanna for a shirt I decided it was time to go. I looked at J.O. and asked if he wanted to go watch the fireworks from the comfort of our hotel parking lot. He agreed very quickly. (the woman was pretty close to him and dangerously close of busting out of the bandanna...) So, we headed back and plopped in the back of the 'ole van to watch the show. (If you remember, my back seats fold down like a couch...won't find that in a Tahoe) We headed out the next morning and were all ready to get home and pick up Addison. Trey told me Monday morning that he was ready to go home and get his baby and dog!

The only bad part about our trip was our hotel. I wouldn't even really say it was bad, but not what I thought it would be. Apparently the hotel remodeled one section downstairs and then took a ton of pictures of that space at different angles and posted pictures of it. It was very nice in the lobby but the rooms were terrible! We requested a space for 3 people to sleep. I even had a specific conversation with the clerk about getting a room big enough for all of us. She assured me one bed and couch was plenty big enough for 2 adults and a child. We had a king bed and a couch bed which was great except for the couch bed was literally at the foot of our bed. The room was tiny! Also, the patio door was broken so we couldn't go on our patio. This wouldn't have been a big deal except we needed to move some of the furniture from the room out there to have walking space! Then, there were NO sheets to be found to make up the couch bed. I called to the front desk and they were going to send some right up. Well, 45 mins later there still weren't any. I called again and the guy asked if it was an emergency. Um, well yeah. So then, I marched down to the front desk and he assured me they were being taken up there right now. Nope. So I started stalking housekeepers until a very nice lady found what I needed.

Addison is doing good and growing like crazy. She is currently obsessed with baby dolls and carrying them around everywhere. Today when I was getting Treys haircut she found a disgusting old baby in the toy bin and immediately snatched it out. She wrapped her pink blanket around it and put it on the floor patting it's back. It was really cute if you could look past the infested baby she was handling. Her temper tantrums are still in full swing. Last Sunday I made her put the baby down when it was time to leave the church nursery and she let out a huge blood curdling scream and laid on the floor to throw her fit. I'm so used to these that I just started to walk out but I noticed all the teachers jumped and stopped what they were doing to look. So then I tried to act shocked at her behavior and like I had never seen it before. Her and Trey fight all day but if one of them isn't around they miss each other so much. Trey spent the night with Cece and PJ not too long ago and Addison walked in his room the whole time he was gone yelling, "bubba and Tey."

My first semester of grad school is behind me and I have found that my study habits haven't changed much. The only difference is in college I procrastinated because I wanted to sleep in and be lazy and now I procrastinate because I am so busy all day. However, it hasn't been too bad and J.O. has been such a great help. I am looking forward to having it behind me though!

College Student Again...

2010-06-14T17:10:00.000-07:00

Summer school has started! Woo hoo! Let me tell you, the second time around is not nearly as much fun as the first!! I actually have to listen hard in class and try with my homework cause it doesn't come nearly as easy. Surely it's because I have so much more on my plate this time around and not just because I'm getting old???
J.O. has been very supportive though. The first night of class I took the kids to him and he asked me if I was wearing a Jimmy Buffett t-shirt to try to look young. Thanks. Appreciate it.
Then my dear, wonderful, best friend in the world texed me to find out if there were "other people in class like me...." I texed her back and asked what she meant....like old and drives a minivan??? Seriously, I am very thankful for the "older" people in my class. It makes me feel better. However, there was the one girl who told me she went to UofA and so I asked her when she was there to see if we knew the same people. She told me 2006-2008. I just replied oh and changed the subject.
Then, there was the guy who sat by me in the first class and kept looking at my paper for answers. I'm sure he thought I was older and wiser but it was really annoying. Then, we had to make up a creative short story and share them with our neighbor. I just based mine off a cartoon Trey watches about a little bear, owl and cat playing in the woods. He based his off basketball players I had never heard of and looked at me like I was INSANE when I read him my story.
All in all, it's going okay. I have decided I am just going to push through and get done ASAP. Hopefully I won't forget and wear any old college tshirts to class.

Stay at Home Mom

2010-06-03T05:32:00.000-07:00

My new way of wearing Trey out and keeping Addison occupied.

A few months ago, J.O. and I decided that now was the best time for me to stop working for James (FIL) and start back to school to finish my Masters in Teaching. I was pretty excited but also very nervous at the same time. I have always thought about being a teacher but the time was never right to go back to school. I started once when I was 7 months preggo and that was the dumbest idea ever. After I had Addison I had no desire to leave her and finish school so I decided I would finish when the timing was right. Well, a year and a half later I think I'm ready.

I have really enjoyed staying home with the kids but I have learned quickly that if our kids ever want a shot at going to college one day I really need to work. I have to admit the part I love best though is the mornings. When I was working we were so rushed to get up and out of the house at a time that I consider early! Now, we can lay around in our pajamas and not rush to go anywhere! However, I think Trey probably busts me out on this one though. The other day we were playing with his stuffed animals on his bed and he had a mom, dad, Addy, and Trey (they were very manly stuffed animals, J.O.) and he acted like he was "Trey" waking up in the morning. He said, "I'm going to go in the kitchen and see daddy while he's getting ready for work and then I will go in the bedroom and see you still sleeping." Thanks Trey.

I start classes next Monday and already have my first assignment due Friday. Can't wait to see how this goes with 2 kids at my feet all day!

In Addison news she is getting so big. She says pretty much anything and is definitely in full temper tantrum mode. She throws fits all day long if something doesn't go her way. They aren't small grunting fits either. They are full out throw yourself on the floor with huge tears until the second you pick her up. I swear this kid can produce tears on a dime. Her favorite game at the second is scooping big piles of Bellas dog food and throwing it in the trash can. Poor Bella is dropping weight by the second. She also enjoys bringing me food out of the pantry all day long. 99% of the time the "food" she brings me is oreos. What can I say? She has her moms sweet tooth for sure! She is learning where her body parts are and she loves to lift my shirt up and show off my belly. Pretty embarrassing when you are walking into walmart and your belly hasn't seen the light of day since high school. Oh well. Maybe that should be some motivation!

We plan on spending the summer swimming and getting ready for Trey to start Pre-K in the fall. Addison is also starting MDO in the fall and I already feel sorry for her poor teachers. She is following in Trey's footsteps at the school and I have a feeling the teachers will see quickly how different they are!!

Memorial Day Weekend

2010-05-31T17:55:00.000-07:00

We had a great Memorial Day weekend around here. We went to my grandmothers lake house Sunday and had so much fun. We decided last minute to spend the night and Im really glad we did. My aunt and uncle and their kids were staying too and Trey is obsessed with all of them. However, all of their kids are 18, 17, and 12 so when they heard a 16 mth old and 4 year old were crashing the party Im sure they were pretty nervous about how early they would be woken up. The only bad part is we had Addison in our room with us and that did not go so well. I put Trey to bed and Addison was sleeping soundly on the other side of her room in the pack n play. Then J.O. went in there to "quietly" tell Trey good night and suddenly Addison was standing up in her bed staring at us. I knew then that we would have a problem. I made Trey leave the room until she fell back asleep and then we were going to sneak him back in. However, 30 minutes later when I tried to take him back in, she shot up again and was staring at us. So, I made him army crawl into the room and I hid him in our bed where she couldn't see him. (the room is really large and has a trundle bed on one side and queen bed on the other) Well, that seemed to work so they both fell asleep. I left the room and felt really good about us all sharing one big room. Yeah right...when I came to bed an hour later Addison shot up again staring at me and basically told me that I was crazy if she thought I was going to sleep in the big bed and watch her sleep in the crib. So, what did I do? I spanked her and told her that she would sleep where I made her.....

HA! OR, I grabbed her quickly so she wouldn't wake up Trey and allowed her to do whatever she wanted. It was the longest night ever. She would sleep on me for a minute and then decided she wanted her bed. Then she would wake up crying and decide she wanted our bed again and on and on and on. At one point when we were "sleeping" she just leaned up and head butted me in her sleep. It was one of those hard ones where tears come to your eyes and you can't really see straight. At that point I actually started praying for the Lord to come back right then. In case you don't know me very well I become very dramatic and cranky when dealing with lack of sleep. Eventually Addison did fall asleep for a few minutes at a time and we got up and enjoyed a great day on the lake. It just made me extremely thankful for the separate bedrooms we all came home to!

2010-05-16T12:17:00.000-07:00

Here is a little video of Trey playing on the beach with his new friend. This is what they did 99% of the time unless they were digging holes with their shovels. Apparently, according to Trey, the water was the monster and they had to run from it.

P.S. No, J.O. did not stand by them like a bodyguard the whole time, but for some reason he was right here!!

Beach Trip 2010

2010-05-16T11:46:00.000-07:00

Trey with the "crossbite" smile.

...and again.

Addison trying to figure out where to go next.

Gearing up for round number 2 on the beach.

Fun night out on the town!

Wow, another beach trip has come and gone. It's so hard for me to believe that this is Treys 4th beach trip with the "Norman" side of the family (5 total because my family went one year), 2nd for Addison, 10th for me, and gazillionith for J.O. We have loved the beach tradition each year and plan to try really hard to keep it up.

This year though may have been my favorite year yet. Trey made a friend the first day and played with him all week, so I actually got some laying out time and it was so much fun to watch them play together in the sand and water. He was also old enough to stay out on the beach and at the pool all day. Normally, J.O. and I get very limited beach time but this year we were able to be outside all morning, take a quick lunch break and then head to the pool. Luckily, with so many people someone was always in the house if Addison needed a break or nap. Addison however, did not enjoy it as much as Trey did. She didn't hate it with the passion that Trey did his first year, but pretty close. She would get a grain of sand on her hands and just hold them in my face until I had wiped them completely clean. She also wouldn't let me take her hat or sunglasses off the entire time she was outside, so she was pretty much just a little diva who wanted to lounge in the chair. The other girls loved the sand and pretty much couldn't understand what Addison's fuss was all about. Luckily, Addison did enjoy the pool so every afternoon after nap we would go to the pool to try to get her really worn out for bedtime. At one point Addison was in the 1 ft kiddie pool and I turned around and Addison decided to dive in the water. I yanked her up and after a few minutes of sneezing and coughing she was good to go again.

We are so thankful for another fun year at the beach and just hope to continue the tradition each year. It's really something we look forward to year around!!

T-ball, birthdays and more...

2010-05-03T10:42:00.000-07:00

She has it rough while watching games.
Trey with King Candy at Hadleys party!

The siren in our backyard that almost caused our death.

Hadley carefully placing cake in her mouth.

Let's go Red Sox!

Wow, I have been a terrible blogger lately. I'm so sorry to keep everyone on edge about what our family has been up to. This weekend was so busy. Friday, we about got wiped off the map from the tornado, Saturday, Hadley had her 1st bday party and Sunday, Trey had his 4th bday party. It was a super fun but hectic weekend. It all started on Friday night when Trey and I decided to go to my parents to escape our tornado siren from going off all night. The siren is literally in our backyard and pretty much scares the mess out of you when it goes off. It's like someone with a bullhorn is screaming in your ear..."you are about to get hit by a tornado, you may die." over and over again. So, I had the great idea to just run Trey out to my parents super fast and he could get a peaceful nights sleep away from the siren. My parents have lived in their house forever (literally) and tornado's never come by their house. Well, halfway there J.O. starts calling and telling me to hurry because its coming close. I start freaking out and yelling at the person in front of me going 35 to move over, etc. I whip into my parents and my dad tells us we should probably get into the bathroom. When my dad says this I'm pretty much convinced that it's about to wipe their house off the map. They NEVER get in the bathroom for tornado's. Meanwhile I talk to J.O. and he is hanging out at home with hardly any rain. Sweet. Long story short...the tornado missed my parents and we will never leave for sirens again. We will wear ear plugs and deal with it.

On to T-Ball. We are full force in the middle of t-ball and it's been fun so far. Trey enjoys getting out there and playing in the outfield and hitting the ball. His running though has a lot to be desired. He pretty much walks/jogs/prances about as slow as humanly possible. I mean, I'm not Jackie Joyner or anything (I think that's her) but seriously. It's almost painful to watch.

Now to birthdays. Hadley and Trey both had their parties this weekend and they were lots of fun. Hadley had a candy land themed party complete with a visit from King Candy, and Trey had a baseball party. Thankfully the weather was clear on Sunday so they were able to spend most of the party jumping on his new trampoline and playing outside. It was a lot of fun and I am having such a hard time believing he is 4. His actual birthday is tomorrow and he gets to celebrate by going to the dentist for a teeth cleaning!! Fun huh?

Lastly, the beach. We leave Saturday to head to Gulf Shores with the whole Norman crew (minus Adam...boo) and Trey is super excited about this too. I however, am a little nervous about the oil spill situation. I am picturing J.O. walking out of the water with a dead fish on his shoulder and all of us running around with masks on from the smell. My mom's suggestion was just to throw a match in the water and see what happens if we get bored. Hopefully it won't be as bad there yet, but you never know. I'm counting on the pool and a little section of sand that we can play in. Should be interesting!

Easter and T-ball

2010-04-08T09:37:00.000-07:00

Addison's dress to support Trey and the Red Sox!

Addison is very determined to find the eggs. (She had already changed clothes...she didn't wear this on Easter Sunday!)

Addison going limp to avoid Aunt Robbye from getting a good picture.

Trey getting a head start on the hunt.

Easter was very fun this year and the kids came away with about as much as they did at Christmas!! Luckily, I prepared for this and only bought them a few things each. (I say this at every holiday, so I'm not sure how much longer I can let this be an excuse.) My parents met us and went to church with us and J.O. was lucky enough to have the 2 year old nursery class on Easter morning. He was pretty wiped out when church was over. Then we headed to Searcy for lunch and an egg hunt. Trey had a lot of fun and was pretty good at finding the eggs. At one point, his basket was full and overflowing but they (J.O.) kept looking because there was a rumor some of the eggs contained money!

T-Ball games start this weekend and we are all very excited. I'm not so sure Trey even realizes how games are different from practices, but the adults sure are ready for them. I have Addison's dress ready to go and the camera battery charged. I'm still anxious to see what will happen if he gets thrown out because they haven't really prepared for that in practice yet. There was a lot of talk of candy in the dug out to bribe the kids to come in. (I know a lot of people think that's dumb because they have to learn you can't always win, but I don't care. I will have Trey a package of M&M's every game if that's what it takes.) Anyway, expect more pics to come from that. It should be a fun and interesting couple of months.

P.S. Dear lady from Target.....I don't need you to stop and say, "wow, she (Addison) already has quite a temper doesn't she?" Clearly, when Addison is throwing her head around and yelling because I won't let her stand in the top part of the cart it's no secret she has an attitude.

Addison and Trey

2010-03-26T05:24:00.000-07:00

early morning pic-notice the wild hair!!

Addison ready for spring!

Trey taking pics when no one is looking!

It's been awhile since I updated on the kids so here it is! As you can see in the picture above, Trey loves to get my camera and take pictures. Most of the time I have no idea he has done it until I put the pictures on the computer. He is still very much into electronics. His favorite thing to do is help us play the word game on our phones (words with friends) and solitaire on J.O.s phone. I came in the kitchen the other day and he had pulled a chair up to the computer and plugged the video camera into the computer (correctly) and was working away. Trey is still smart (I know..I'm partial!). He can count to 100 with little to no help, knows all his letters and the sound they make and can spell simple words and recognize them in books...mom, dad, Trey, Addison, Bella. He also has J.O.'s memory for numbers and amazes me how his mind can already wrap around math concepts. For example, one of his favorite games to play is this...

Me: "how many people are in the room"
Trey: counts whoever is there..."3"
Me: "how many people would be in the room if Nana and Papa came over"
Trey: recounts us...then points off in the distance to count new people.."5"

Then we do it with people leaving, more people coming...etc, etc. It amazes me that he can grasp this concept so early but not only can he do it, he loves to play it! J.O. and I joke all the time that he may not be the coolest kid in school but at least he will be able to support us when we get older.

On to Addison. She is my strong willed child for sure. She still loves to be carried around all day and prefers to "help" me do everything. There is seriously no activity that I can get her to do for longer than 5 minutes if I am not in the room with her. Oh well. I keep telling myself that one day she won't want to talk to me, let alone play with me. She is finally sleeping through the night with no bottle!! YEA! It was actually very easy to do and only took a few short nights of early morning crying. She goes to sleep around 7pm and gets up around 7-7:30. It's a perfect schedule for us! I plan to keep her in her crib until kindergarten because I imagine she will be one to get out of bed anytime she wants.

She loves playing with her cousins and loves to terrorize cousin Hadley. I actually saw her put her foot out to trip Hadley the other day because Hadley dared to "talk" to her. Both her and Trey love music and anytime a fast song comes on in the car she dances her little booty off in the car seat. She already knows how to work her daddy so I'm sure he's in for a rude awakening as she gets older. This morning she didn't want him to leave so she laid her head on his shoulder and he stayed around an extra few minutes. This never works for me!! Addison is so much fun and adds a lot of excitement to our house! I never realized how laid back boys were until Addison came along!
We consider ourselves so blessed to have 2 healthy kids and love every minute of it!

Warning...Politics!!

2010-03-23T14:21:00.000-07:00

I have NEVER posted about politics because I usually don't try to get into that with people but this week with the whole healthcare issue I just feel like writing about it. Now, let me start by saying I have no idea who reads this blog but I can't imagine I have a huge following or anything so I also can't imagine that I will tick too many people off with this.

Obviously, if I have to give a disclaimer you should be able to tell I don't agree with the healthcare reform bill that passed. Now, I am not one who just sits around and watches CNN or Fox News (that would be J.O.) but I try to keep up with what's going on. Plus, since J.O. watches these channels I usually pick up a few things here and there. That being said.....WOW..I really cannot believe that the healthcare bill passed. Well, maybe I can since people seem to have lost their mind lately. The thing that drives me absolutely crazy is that 59% of the people don't like this bill and 14 states are currently suing the government over it. Seriously?? The main issue I have with this bill is the fact that every single person will be required to have healthcare and if you don't, you will be taxed. I'm sorry, but when did I wake up in China and not know it?? Who's business is it if I CHOOSE to have healthcare or not? The great part about living in a free country is the power to choose. I always intend on having healthcare for myself but if I wake up one day and decide I'm ready to live life on the edge and drop it, it should be my choice and not the governments. What's next?

Don't get me wrong. I'm all for some change in healthcare. I don't think insurances should be able to drop you for preexisting conditions you didn't know you had and I'm sure Trey and Addison will be thrilled they can stay on our insurance until they are 26, but there are just some major issues with it. The cost is another thing. States are going to be forced to raise college tuition a ton to cover the cost the states are going to incur. Maybe the Presidents girls don't have to worry about this but I know of 2 kids that will. Maybe we can start working on their trade now...I'm sure Addison will be just fine with a hammer.

I know a lot of people disagree with me but I just can't stand the thought of the government being involved in every aspect of your business. However, I have never liked being told what to do so maybe that's why I get so ticked. Anyway, just remember to wear your red shoes on Monday and only walk on the right side of the road or you will be taxed...Obama said.

Easter Pics and P90X

2010-03-17T10:13:00.000-07:00

Perfect example of trying to get their pics.

There are more really good pics on Amy's blog: http://www.amyaukesphotography.blogspot.com/

No, these two things have nothing in common but I am still going to talk about both of them.

Yesterday, Amy and I took the kids to Wye Mountain to take their pictures. Surprisingly they turned out great because my two kids were in no mood for pics. Poor Amy and Lane were unsure how to handle Addys "temperament" on the way up there. Its about an hour drive and Addison cried from about NLR on. I am very used to this and know that if you ignore her she will just fall asleep. Amy on the other hand is not used to this anymore and tried her hardest to keep her happy. I noticed in the rear view mirror that Amy was growled at more than once by my sweet innocent precious girl. Then Lane would start yelling every time Addison would cry that she needed her BLANKIE, or PACI or GOLDFISH.(all caps for the emphasis on Lanes yelling!) I don't think Amy was able to sit and relax once the whole hour. Needless to say she was falling asleep when we pulled in (Addison, not Amy) so I was prepared for grumpiness. It was Trey though that had a very hard time. He would not cooperate at all. It's not like he was doing this on purpose he just couldn't physically sit still. If he did happen to sit still he had his hands wrapped around Addison's neck pulling her down too. I started getting so frustrated and before I knew it I was bellowing at him to pay attention and sit still. Seriously??? He is almost 4 years old in a wide open field...what in the world did I expect??? So, feeling a bit guilty I let him choose our lunch place. He wanted Mexico so we headed to Mexico Chiquito with 3 kids and 2 adults. That's a whole different post. However, I have learned if you are ever feeling guilty about the way you talk to your kids just bribe them...it will make them happy and you will feel tons better. It's really parenting at it's best.

Now onto P90X. I have had it for about a week now and have been sore for a week. It is seriously the most hard core thing I have ever ATTEMPTED to do. It has successfully made muscles hurt that I didn't even know existed and made me look like a complete idiot while doing it. However, I don't think I have ever felt so incompetent than when doing Plyometrics. This is a combo of jumping and agility moves and I am terrible at all of them. The worst part though is there is someone on there with a FAKE leg and he does all the moves perfectly!! You have never known what it means to feel out of shape when someone who has a wooden leg can jump higher and faster than you. I was also trying to do the Yoga video one day when J.O. walked in. This particular part was having you balance your entire body on your elbows. I just started laughing but J.O. gave it a try and did it immediately so I thought I should be able to do it too. I mean, I don't know why I thought that considering he is much stronger than I am, but I didn't want to look dumb. So, I hiked my elbows on top of my knees and then tried to push up with my hands. I immediately fell forward onto my head and my old school clippy that was holding my hair back smashed into my skull. This was the exact moment Tony Horton (video instructor) said, "if you fall forward skip this move until you are stronger because you will fall on your head." Really Tony??? You couldn't have said this 5 seconds ago and saved my head from being crushed and the clippy that I have had since 1985 from being broken??

Anyway, I'm determined to stick with the videos and see what happens. Pretty sure I will do them all and then STILL put on my tankini to go lay out. Oh well, I can dream.

Target...

2010-03-13T15:59:00.000-08:00

Okay, so I have posted plenty about Wal-Mart but never about Target. Since this is my second .
home away from Wal-Mart I figure I should post about it too. Thursday I stopped by Target to grab some things and when I was checking out the cashier started talking about a bug bite she had gotten. Okay, cool, whatever is what I was thinking. Well, then she proceeds to show it to me and talk about how bad it itched etc.. It was all I could do not to go, "Sick! Please remove your infested hands from all my items immediately." I mean, who does that? What if it was something more than a bug bite? I seriously considered running to buy a can of Lysol and spraying everything down quickly. Instead, I just mumbled something about spring being right around the corner and sometimes these things happen and grabbed my things really quickly.

It's so strange to me how open people feel the need to be sometimes. Some things should really be left between you and your doctor and odd growths on your hand should be one of them.

Vendor Booth....

2010-03-11T08:56:00.000-08:00

I have been a terrible blogger lately. I could blame it on 2 kids, starting t-ball practice, working, cooking, cleaning (ha!) or I could just be honest and say I haven't really had much to talk about lately....until now.

Janelle and I put our tutus and dresses on display at a consignment sale in NLR and Amy put her photography. Now let me be honest and say that we didn't pay much for this booth and perhaps we should have known you get what you pay for.

I also have to admit I haven't been super excited about this from the start. I just haven't been looking forward to the time commitment of sitting at a table all day hocking my items. Well, right before the sale started I got a little more excited thinking about making some extra cash....HAHAHAHA! This is the biggest joke of a consignment sale. I mean, granted this isn't Rhea Lanas or Duck Duck Goose. This one is a smaller more affordable one but the owner made it sound so much better than it is.

However, let me kinda explain the way this one is set up. To start, it's in an old building that has absolutely no sign hanging above the door to let you know the sale is inside. The way they have advertised is from the street by using a chalkboard with the name on it. I was very worried about the rain last night washing the chalk writing off and then people would really be confused. Then, we got there Tuesday night for the pre-sale and people had to pay $5 to shop early. Seriously??? They advertised food and drinks as an incentive to shop early, but I hardly call grapes, bottle water and wine served out of a dixie cup a good enough incentive.

There is hardly anyone coming through it and the people that do make comments like this:

Lady looking at my dress: "This is like the one I sewed but she made her arm holes purtier, but look how much money I saved by making my own."(while showing people our price tag)

Teenage girl she was with who picked up a tutu: "I don't understand tutus. I think they are nasty. I mean, who wears them. They are so gross."
At this point sarcastic me had to say, "So I'm guessing you aren't interested in one?"

Please keep in mind these people were directly in front of us and knew we were sitting there. We could have spit on them we were so close.

I mean, the best part about doing this is definitely the people coming through. It's just amazing to me what people say, do, wear, don't wear, smell like...etc. I think we have all learned a lot through this experience. Don't set up booths at sales that advertise by using a chalkboard and serve wine out of dixie cups to the people that shop.

T-Ball Practice!

2010-03-01T09:20:00.000-08:00

Well, it has officially begun....t-ball practice. We met yesterday for the first time and I was very nervous that Trey would be a lot smaller than everyone and way behind everyone else since he is so young. (the big kid in the picture is the coachs son and not on their team!) Luckily though there are 5 three (almost 4) year olds on the team so he fit right in! I feel kinda bad for the couple of 5 year olds because they were out there for business and the other kids obviously were not. The bigger kids would step up to the T and slam the ball as hard as they could. Trey would go up there after being called numerous times and then swing a few times and dance around. However, he did hit it pretty good a couple of times.

I didn't take my camera because I was unsure of how the parents would be. I decided to feel it out the first practice and then if their were other crazy moms, take my camera to the next practice. I don't think I should have worried though. There were cameras everywhere and at one point I thought someone had hired a professional photographer. She was following her son around like the paparazzi and even got down on all fours at one point to get him at a better angle. I also found out that t-ball is no joke. We are practicing 2x's a week and the league would prefer you practice 3x's. Wow....

This is how serious Trey thought it was....at one point he stood up in front of a kid and started dancing and the other kid got up and did it too until the coach told them to sit down. Then, I heard Trey asking a kid if he wanted to go play tennis because he was really good at tennis. I think Trey has seen tennis being played maybe once and that was on the wii.

All in all we are very excited and just really hope he enjoys it. Their team is the red socks (or cardinals, I can't remember) so I see a red dress with Treys number in Addisons future.

New Orleans!

2010-02-22T12:54:00.000-08:00

J.O. and I just got back from a very busy trip to New Orleans and I have to admit, I am exhausted!!! He had to go for work and so I was invited to tag along. I told J.O. after we got there though, that whoever invented this "work" trip is a pure genius. J.O. had one meeting on Saturday morning and the rest of the time was spent being taken out to lunch and dinner to amazing restaurants...all on company dimes! (Obama may need to look into all this frivolous spending.)

Anyway, it was a lot of fun and J.O. and I enjoyed spending the time together. We were both so ready to get home to the kids and our own house though! Addison has literally been on my hip since I got back. Trey and I spent a lot of time catching up last night since he was up sick the whole night....

I don't have any pictures because I forgot my camera. Yes, I realize that probably sounds horrible to some people but you should have seen what all it took to get 4 people packed and out of the house. I'm just thankful I didn't forget a kid at home.

Wow....

2010-02-16T17:15:00.000-08:00

So, I posted a week or so ago about how people really make you scratch your head sometimes and go.."wow". You know, like when they say something dumb in public, or leave their kid in the car alone while they go get ice cream at Cold Stone, (not me, but I did see this recently), or you walk outside and see the door to a vehicle wide open with no one in it.....

Well, unfortunately this last one is something I apparently do regularly. Right after Addison was born, Cecily and I ventured out to the mall to do a little shopping. Addison was probably only a couple of months old so I had soooo much stuff to get out of the car with her. I finally got her hauled out and Cecily got Trey ready and we were ready to go. It was also the first time to really use my double stroller and I was very preoccupied with how much space I was taking up just by having this sucker out. We went into the mall and made it almost an hour before we needed to leave. (This also included a short nursing break for Addison.) Anyway, the melting down started and I told Cecily I thought we should leave (I noticed Cecily didn't argue too much, but I also noticed after we got into the car she ran back into the mall alone.)

So, we walk out of the mall and I get closer to my car only to notice that the back door is wide open. For a second I freaked out thinking that someone was in my car and trying to steal it. Then, I just assumed it wasn't my car so I started looking around the parking lot for it. Lastly, I looked at Cecily and she looked at me and I just said "wow". Luckily, no one stole anything and I really didn't feel too stupid because after all I had just had a baby.

Fast forward to today. I went to the "big gym" as Trey calls it and hauled both of them inside. Only this time, I didn't have strollers or diaper bag or anything to go along with it. I simply unbuckled Addison and told Trey to get out. I got into the gym and was running so fast on the treadmill that I was about to pass out, (or walking briskly) when I noticed something out the front window. Some idiot had left their door wide open. Yes, it was me again. I don't understand why I can't remember to close my doors.

I guess I shouldn't question someone only putting a "y" on a pillow anymore. It seems a lot less crazy now, huh?

Few Pics...

2010-02-13T05:37:00.000-08:00

This is the official pic of Bailey. Notice there is a baby doll on each side. She really is very girly and carries dolls around with her everywhere. (I don't know why Addisons eyes look so odd. I deleted red eye and it made them kinda creepy.)

Trey all bundled up to play!!

Yes, this really is our snowman we built. Kinda sad huh??

Trey loved the snow!! Addison loved to eat the snow off her mitton (or sock that I threw on her hand).

I just love this picture because it is classic Addison...cracker in one hand, bottom lip poked out and eye on whatever she is determined to get.

Cabbage Patch Kids

2010-02-11T09:16:00.000-08:00

This is not her exact doll because I don't have a picture I can upload.

Our computer has been broken for 5 days. Talk about fun snow days at the Normans!!

Addison got a cabbage patch kid from Cece for her birthday and it's the cutest thing. I am a big fan of cabbage patch dolls and can understand why kids love to play with them. They are very real looking and you can dress them and undress them. However, whoever invented the cabbage patch doll really wasn't very considerate. I mean, you take a life size doll that is dressed in a snap up Carters preemie outfit and wearing a diaper and what 3 year old wouldn't think that's fascinating. Trey latched on to this doll immediately and started carting it around. Then he figured out he could undress her and take her diaper off and the fun really started. I mean, I didn't even put Addison in snap up outfits for too long because they annoyed me. We usually stuck with the zipper ones. Well, every time I turned around yesterday "Bailey" had pooped in her diaper and he had stripped her down, dumped the nasty diaper out in the trashcan and needed help putting the diaper back on and redressing her. This was cute the first time, but the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th,......etc. it got a little old. I will give him credit, he tried really hard to redo the diaper on his own but really what 3 year old can do that? I know you are probably thinking, "why didn't you just tell him to stop? I mean, you are the parent." Well, that's really a great idea. However, if you have ever met a determined 3 1/2 year old you know that just doesn't work. After all, Bailey would cry really loudly until he changed her so what choice did he have????

So...that's why the inventor of the cabbage patch hates moms. At one point I was in the middle of changing Addison's real life diaper while trying to assure "Bailey" that everything would be okay and I would change hers in a second. I have to give it to Trey his imagination is amazing but I'm really hoping the new wears off quick with the doll. Of course by that time Addison will be wanting to change her diaper and we will go through it all over again.

P.S. For all of you wondering...no J.O. was not overly thrilled that Trey loved playing with Bailey, but I just reminded him of the cabbage patch his mom said he had growing up and he got quiet.

Also, am I the only one so ready for the snow to go???? Seriously, yesterday I resorted to mimicking dances that Trey was teaching me to help occupy him. It was a great workout.

Really???

2010-02-03T13:50:00.000-08:00

Do you ever wonder what people are thinking? I mean, I wonder this all the time but sometimes you really just scratch your head and go "huh". The other day I got Treys new bedding in the mail. I figured after a year he should probably have some sort of cover to sleep with. So, I decided to quit being cheap and order him a really cute quilt that would grow up with him. I even paid $6 extra and added his name to his pillow sham. I mean, what if he woke up in the middle of the night and couldn't remember who he was??? He could just take a quick glance at the sham and go back to sleep.

Well, thats not exactly how the pillow sham returned to me. I was so excited to see the package outside and I ripped it open to find all it had on it was a lower case y. Seriously??? Don't get me wrong. I am all about initials. A lot of Addisons shirts have an A on it and Treys backpack has his initials on the straps. However, this was simply a lower case y in the center of the sham. It really made me wonder about the person who was in charge of monogramming. I wonder if she came across that and maybe stopped for a second and said, "I wonder if this is right?" I mean, it wasn't even uppercase. It was like you look at the pillow and see a single y floating in the middle of the sham.

So, of course I called "the place" (name omitted in case J.O. happens to read the blog) and asked the guy for an exchange. He told me he saw on the slip that the pillow should have said "TREY". Hmm...maybe there is another pillow sham floating around with TRE on it???

Party Time!

2010-02-01T13:01:00.000-08:00

Well, the snow and ice forced us to move Addison's birthday party from Saturday morning to Sunday afternoon. Luckily when I broke the news to her she didn't seem to mind too much. We had such a great time and are so thankful for the friends and family who braved the weather to come help us celebrate. Addison received a ton of great gifts that Trey is pretty excited about too! Of course when it came time to eat the cake, I was not surprised that Addison dove right in. This year, I decided to go with a jumbo cupcake for her and I have to say it was awesome. It was so cute and just the right size. I am embarrassed to say that this morning when I was throwing laundry in the washer I caught her on the floor eating some crumbs that had fallen off the shirt she had been wearing. (that may be the longest run on I have ever written..I'm too lazy to fix it though so just try to pause in appropriate places.)

Anyway, it was a great party and thanks to everyone who was able to come!

1 year ago today...

2010-01-29T08:12:00.001-08:00

The day she was born

Well, its here! Addison is a year old today. It just doesn't seem possible that at 10:02 a.m. last year I was listening to her scream her head off! It seems like ice is going to follow her birthday each year. I remember last year worrying sick that we wouldn't be able to make it to the hospital and then trying to waddle in the hospital without falling on the slick spots. Addisons birth was so easy. I think the Lord knew I needed an easy birth to prepare me for the child Addison would be!!

We had to be at the hospital at 5:00am on the 29th and I was a nervous wreck. I was so worried that it would take forever to be induced and I would end up sitting in the room for days waiting for her to come (sorry Janelle!). I wasn't induced with Trey so I had no idea what to expect. I prayed all night the night before that I would go into labor on my own so that I wouldn't be as nervous. Thankfully that started happening and when I got there Thursday morning I was already entering the early stages of labor. We made bets with the doctor about what meal we would get to eat that day. My doctor thought it would be mid afternoon lunch and J. O. and I thought dinner. Well, Addison had her own plans. They started the induction around 7 and about 7:30 I was crying from the pain. Now, I have a really high pain tolerance so this was a shock to everyone. (HAHAHA). I finally got my epidural around 8:30 and that was very fortunate for everyone involved because I had already begged the nurse to end my life, yelled at J.O. for breathing too loud, and sent him out a million times to yell for the anesthesiologist. After they started my epidural things really didn't slow down. I told the nurse it wouldn't be long and she told me we were okay. Around 9:45 I told her I really needed my doctor and she told me he would be here soon. I think she got my point after she checked me and started paging him. He walked in at 10:00 and literally caught Addison at 10:02.

When I was pregnant 2 things I always specifically prayed for was that she would be born crying and that she would love to eat. Trey has never liked to eat and it's such a battle to feed him anything! The funny thing about Addison is she cried during delivery and for an hour afterward. She has also never met a food she doesn't enjoy. It's so much fun to feed her because every meal is like her last.
She is such a fun baby and I am so excited to celebrate her birthday even if it's just me, JO, and Trey in the ice!!

Britney Spears....

2010-01-25T14:58:00.000-08:00

I realized something terrible this weekend...I was allowing Addison to act like Britney Spears. Remember when she went crazy and there were all these pics of her coming in and out of public places barefoot?? Well, that has been Addison and I just now realized it.

Friday we had to run a few errands so I loaded them up and headed out. Our first stop was to a very classy expensive salon to get Treys haircut. Now since this was a very classy expensive salon I was shocked to walk in and find out that they were running a special for $4.99 haircuts. (please sense the sarcasm...if a salon is running a "special" on haircuts in the first place they probably aren't too classy.) Anyway, Trey was getting his haircut and Addison became restless with me holding her so I went to the front and let her walk around. Now, at this point I noticed she was in her sock feet but really didn't pay that much attention to it. After all, with the haircuts costing so much I'm sure they were able to pay for good housekeeping.

Fast forward to the next errand which was the vets office. We have to buy Bellas dog food from a vet because she has such special skin needs. It's not annoying to me at all that I have to make a special trip to a vet and pay more for dog food than groceries for my children. (again...total sarcasm). I hauled the kids inside and Trey immediately started making a scene by gagging. He can't stand the smell of grooming places or vets and I really have to agree. However, he has no idea that you ACT like it doesn't make you want to vomit and he proceeds to yell out how bad it smells and gag every 2 seconds.

I get that under control and tell the woman at the front desk that I need dog food and she wants to know if we had been there before. I said no and she says she doesn't know if she can sell it because it's a prescription food. For a second I really think she may have things confused and maybe she thinks I want food for Addison or something. This is the point I put Addison down because I can tell this lady isn't going to budge anytime soon. The lady and I go back and forth and finally she agrees to ask the vets permission and I act like this is such a great idea. I'm thinking that this lady should be in charge of security at the airport because no one would ever get past her.

This is the moment I look over and notice Addison walking barefoot (socks) among the dirty vet floor. It was almost like she started walking in slow motion (probably because she does) and I was appalled. Needless to say I ran home and put shoes on her immediately and she acted like they were the craziest things she had ever tried to walk with. She ripped them off and growled at me so I am just hoping she doesn't start running out of gas stations barefoot. That may be worse than the vet.

I have an addiction....

2010-01-22T06:44:00.001-08:00

I'm not ashamed to say that I'm addicted to Patty. I will find any excuse to use her and whip up some cool homemade items. The other day I found myself sewing tulle on a shirt just because I didn't have any other material to use. Yes, I have caught some grief about not only driving a minivan but also loving to sew but again, I don't care. Luckily for Trey and J.O. I can't find anything to do for boys but if I come across something they better watch out. I mean, lets face it...J.O. would look great in a shirt that has patches all over it.

For now Addison is my guinea pig and she seems to like my creations! We went to the mall the other day and I'm proud to say she wore her new dress and received tons of compliments. Okay, maybe nobody actually commented on the dress but they kept saying how cute she was. I'm sure it was because of the dress. Anyway, next time you see me don't be surprised if Addison looks homemade from head to toe because she probably is.

Birthday Pics!

2010-01-19T09:24:00.000-08:00

Cake and a boa can make any girl smile!!

Addison has Uggs and I don't....I really have a problem with this!

She loves the camera!!

I know I have said this before, but where has the time gone?? Seriously it seems like Addison was just born and now I am having her pictures taken for her 1st birthday! For some reason I want Addison to stay a baby so much longer than I did Trey. I think with the first you are so excited for things to happen and can't wait for them to start crawling/walking/talking and you sort of push them along to do these things. With Addison I just want to sit on her and keep her a baby forever! (not really sit, but you know what I mean) However, she has proven that she will do things no matter how I feel about them or what I think.

J.O. and I have so much fun with her because her personality is so strong and funny. I mean, yesterday in a restaurant she threw a temper tantrum at the table because I wasn't shoving cheese dip in her mouth fast enough and so she banged her head against the high chair to prove a point. Obviously, this hurt and she started screaming bloody murder. With Trey I would have been so flustered and not known what to do and also been very embarrassed. With Addison though I started laughing and picked her up and hugged her and then gave her what she wanted. I have found it works much better this way! I have also found if you don't make eye contact with anyone in the restaurant they can't glare at you for having an unruly baby.

Amy took her pictures and I am so excited with how they turned out. She has more on her blog....www.amyaukesphotography.blogspot.com

Stomach Bug!

2010-01-15T09:58:00.001-08:00

If there is one illness I despise more than anything it has to be the stomach bug. It is such a helpless feeling and absolutely miserable. We have been hit with the stomach virus this week and I am ready for it to pass! Trey woke up Sunday with it and was so pitiful all day. He laid on the blowup mattress in the living room all day and finally begged to go to bed at 5:15. Thankfully he woke up fine the next day. It hit me in the middle of the night Wednesday and I was miserable all day Thursday. It was one of those things that I woke up and told J.O. I didn't care who took the kids but someone has to. Thank goodness Cece stepped in and still has Trey today!
Then of course, around 11:00 last night it hit J.O. and he is still miserable in bed right now. He is a very big germ a phobe when it comes to getting sick and last night before he came into the room he actually stopped and Lysol'd me but it still didn't help. (Do you like how I completely made up 2 words in that sentence??)
I am really hoping that today is the end of it and Addison is able to stay away from it. Trey had the stomach bug when he was Addison's age and it is the most awful thing for babies to deal with. Here's to praying it doesn't happen!!

Patty and Victoria

2010-01-11T10:01:00.001-08:00

So, my sister in law has a great post about the sewing class we took Saturday(http://www.thenormpop.blogspot.com/) complete with pictures but of course I have to throw my 2 cents in. I knew we would have fun taking the sewing class but I had no idea how much fun it would be. The class started with a video on sewing machines. I figured it would be about the basic parts of the machine, but oh was I wrong. It was basically a plug for the machine they carry and how all other machines stink....especially the ones you buy at big retail stores. At this point I was desperately trying to cover up the word Sears on my sewing manual. Then they started talking about how some of these machines wiggle and don't have a metal casing on the inside. Janelle started trying to peek through holes in her machine in case the teacher started checking.

It may help if I explain our teacher. She was not what you would call the "grandmotherly sewer." She had a gruff voice with a smokers cough and cursed on more than one occasion so you can see why we were fearful.

After the video she proceeded to ask Janelle to borrow her thread. I was excited that she was being used as the example of the class, but things went downhill quickly. She started demonstrating how easily it was to break her string because it was so cheap and terrible and bought at Wal-Mart. She then told us to go out to the store and pick out one of the threads they sell. Again, I was very excited because I thought maybe this was included in the cost of the class, but when we got back in there she told us to save the barcode so we could pay for it. Needless to say, I don't enjoy paying as much for thread as I do a fast food meal.

Then, on to sewing. Apparently if you own a manual machine like Patty you are so far down on the sewing totem pole. The teacher never failed to let everyone know that my machine wouldn't do as much as everyone else's and that Janelle and I neither one owned a Janome (the only good brand like they sale...duh!). I was the example for the class more than once but not in a good way. When the class was over she suggested that a lot of people put their machines in seat belts if they don't have a carrying case (which of course we didn't) so we were so pumped to get outside and seat belt ours in. Since Victoria was a little fancier she was able to ride in Hadley's car seat (we figured Hadley could handle just wearing a seat belt) and I buckled mine in next to hers.

Janelle and I were the only ones in class without cases for our machines, only one in there who commented on how "pretty" certain machines were, and the only ones who had a camera out modeling our work. It was the most fun thing I have done in a while and I am so excited to take more classes. The teacher, I'm sure, will cringe when she sees us coming.

*Obviously Hadley wasn't with us. Wouldn't want to get Janelle in trouble by all the millions (3) people who read my blog.
Also, my sewing machine is Patty and hers is Victoria. The names describe them perfectly.

Addison and Trey

2010-01-09T18:32:00.001-08:00

So excited to give me my coffee mug!
The chairs Santa brought! (Addy had just woken up!)

Helmet, knee pads and elbow pads were required to ride around house!

Addison wondering what the big deal was. She may take after her momma in the morning.

I realize I haven't really posted much on Addison and Trey lately so I thought I would put some new pics up of the kids. Most of these are from Christmas at our house because I haven't posted them yet.

Addison will be a year old in a few weeks. It seems absolutely impossible. This year has gone by faster than any other year and I really don't see it slowing down anytime soon. She is such a mess. Her personality is already so strong and she is not afraid to show you what she is thinking/feeling. She is the perfect second child because she is pretty tough and able to handle a lot of things from Trey that most babies wouldn't handle too well. I also haven't "babied" her nearly as much as I did Trey and it's amazing the difference that can make. I can basically tell her goodnight and lay her down and she will play until she puts herself to sleep. Trey was still being rocked to sleep at a year! One thing I do have to admit I give into is holding her. She crawls and pulls up on my legs all the time so I carry her around a lot. I have mastered a lot of things one handed. She is taking about 5 or 6 steps at a time but she goes so fast that she usually falls. I love her little personality and wouldn't take her strong will away for anything!

Trey will be 4 in a few months. That also seems impossible. This year we will start preschool, t-ball and a lot of other things. He is still very laid-back and can entertain himself well, but he is also not going to be pushed around (if that makes any sense!). He has a specific way he likes things done and gets really upset when things don't go his way. He is very smart and knows all his letter sounds and is working on spelling things. He loves learning all that he can about everything. His favorite thing to do is play the wii and his Nintendo DS. He really never missed a beat when Addison was

born and loves doing things that make her laugh.

Well, if you are still reading this and you aren't my mother or mother in law I am very impressed! I usually don't write things like this, but if I don't one day I will forget it all!!

The blanket with sleeves....

2010-01-07T18:46:00.000-08:00

Whoever is in charge of the Snuggies marketing should be fired. These blankets are the best thing to ever be invented however, since they made them look so ridiculous everyone is too ashamed to "rock" the Snuggie publicly. I mean, all they had to do was show a woman eating ice cream in the recliner while wearing the Snuggie and all would have been fine...or maybe even get a celebrity to promote a Snuggie and everyone would have ran to buy one. But since they went out of their way to make the most ridiculous (gayest) commercial ever, everyone is too embarrassed to publicly admit they wear one.

I may or may not own one of these things and I may or may not be wearing it right now, but the reason I will never fully own up to it with pictures is all Snuggies fault. After all, no one wants to be thought of as the person who would really wear one to a ballgame even though I'm sure it would keep you very warm.

Snuggie...if you are reading this, call me. I have some really good ideas. It includes me, my Snuggie, and my minivan. It will be a hit.

Well here they are...

2010-01-06T13:59:00.000-08:00

Before

After

Well, here it is. The finished product. I haven't been satisfied with their bathroom since we moved in, but I really didn't know what I wanted to do. We went to Lowes one day and I found a vanity that I really liked. I had J.O. all on board to replace their vanity with the newer updated one and then the wonderful worker from Lowes mentioned that you could stain the cabinets yourself and save a ton of money. I tried really hard to change the subject and started praying that J.O. hadn't heard her but it turns out he had. Actually, I think he heard..."blah, blah, blah, blah, save a ton of money." So, J.O. had her show us everything we would need, asked a ton of questions and then came home and asked me if I understood how to do it. I just nodded yes and got to work.

After it was all said and done I was very glad we did it this way and I think they turned out pretty good for my first time staining anything. Do not be confused...staining and painting are COMPLETELY different. I feel like I could paint the White House after staining these few doors. They were not easy and they are definitely not professional but as long as you stand back and just quickly glance at them they look pretty good! What do you think???

Martha Stewart I am not...

2010-01-04T18:52:00.000-08:00

But I just may be the next Bob Villa. I have some exciting pics to come of the kids new bathroom cabinets. I have been sanding, staining, stripping, re staining to correct mistakes, cursing some, and lots of other things but their bathroom cabinets are almost done. I plan to put the final coat on the last drawer tomorrow so I hope to have pics soon. I know you will all be sitting by your computer.......

Happy Birthday Lane!

2010-01-03T05:51:00.000-08:00

The Birthday Boy!!

Lane got this rocking horse that was the hit of the party!!

Addison playing at the party!

Yesterday was Lanes birthday party and we all had a great time. I know it sounds so cliche to say but I can't believe he is already 2! Time flies with your own kids but it flies just as fast with everyone else's! Lane LOVES Addison. I mean, seriously. He is always hugging her and holding her hand (who can blame him, have you seen her???) so I think we may have to watch these 2 as they get older. All 3 of them play together really well, but what did we expect? Amy and I are pretty much on the phone or together as much as possible so our children have been thrown together since birth! It's really fun to watch them though. I hope they will always get along this well and enjoy being around each other.

Talking about parties, I just started planning Addisons first birthday! It seems so crazy to think about that. Trey's first year flew by, but Addison's is going with record speed. I think it's because we are so much busier now and everything just goes by so fast. It's crazy!!

NYE 2009

2010-01-01T09:43:00.000-08:00

Last night J. O. and I got dressed up and I made hors d'oevres and we sipped on expensive champagne waiting to toast the New Year.

Or, I fell asleep in the rocking chair wrapped up in a Snuggie drinking hot chocolate.

You decide.

Oh how times have changed! Happy 2010!

The Uncomfortable Stare...

2009-12-26T18:44:00.000-08:00

This picture has nothing to do with staring, but she is actually smiling so I had to post it.

Addison has the uncomfortable stare down pat. You all probably know the one I am talking about. Like, when you are at a restaurant and a baby starts staring at you so you respond by waving, talking or smiling. Then you look down and go about your business only to feel eyes still bearing down on your back. You look up again and the baby is still just staring. You wave and smile again and try to look away but don't really know what to do. More than likely the baby staring at you is going to be Addison if you live anywhere close to us. However, it's not only uncomfortable for the person being stared at, but it also makes me uncomfortable because I'm not sure what proper protocol is in this situation. Do I try to make her quit staring or will that make the person she is staring at feel more awkward? Do I ignore it and act like I don't see it? I mean, after all she is being quiet and allowing me to eat. Do I apologize to the person being violated? I just never really know what to do. Usually I do nothing and hope it will go away. Tonight, she was staring extremely hard at the restaurant and the person (man) she was staring at was playing and talking back. Finally after I did try to distract her I apologized because he was very close to our table and ignoring him any longer was out of the question. He assured me he didn't mind, but I can just imagine that if he had a blog he would be writing about how he couldn't enjoy his pizza because he felt pressured to keep talking to a baby that wouldn't leave him alone. I'm sure he was very glad to see us go because towards the end of the meal staring had turned into the least of my problems. Trey was getting pretty rowdy and Addison was removing every article of clothing that she physically could. I was quickly reminded why we usually eat at home!

Christmas Part 2

2009-12-26T07:08:00.000-08:00

We had Christmas at Nana's and Papas the other night and we had a great time. We always have to leave and go look at Christmas lights so Santa can come deliver all the presents. We crammed into the vehicle and went out searching for lights. However, this year no one had lights put up so we basically drove around aimlessly in the pouring rain trying not to wreck. When we got home the kids were so excited to see that Santa had made it in the rain.

As you can see, Trey got drums this year. Needless to say I am ecstatic about this. Santa must have known that's exactly what we needed. (Hopefully you can sense the sarcasm here.) Trey however truly does love them. He kept yelling all day yesterday, "Oh thank you, thank you, thank you Santa." Addison loves them too. She also got a big ball pit that she loves to close her eyes and dive out of. I really think Santa thought we lived in a mansion because everything he brought this year was huge. Either that or my mom has it out for me. I'm not sure which one. Right now I am so thankful that we turned our dining room into a playroom.

We continued Christmas yesterday at home and Grandmoms and they both racked up there too. I love Christmas but I'm also really glad it's time to get back to normal.

2009-12-23T05:32:00.000-08:00

"If Hadley would just bring that doll a little closer I could get it."

Trey is surprisingly good at playing the trumpet!

"Yes mom, its a purse and it's cool. Now please get the camera out of my face."

Last night was Christmas at P.J.'s and Cece's house and we had such a good time. I am so blessed to get along so well with my in-laws and have a sister in law that's my age to hang out with (I have 2 my age, but Rachel is in Virginia and we miss her!) The girls are so much fun to watch and it's fun to see how different their personalities are. Hadley is smiling while she is crying and Addison has the pouty look down to perfection. Trey enjoys going behind them and taking everything from them because it makes him furious when they put "his" things in their mouth.

Janelle and I also learned how to make homemade cinnamon rolls last night. I have to say, I am just not a baker/cooker. I wanted to learn how just in case I surprised myself but it just really stressed me out. I didn't get any pictures of the final product but let's just say Janelles were much prettier than mine. I think everyone will be in major trouble when the holiday meals fall on me. Cece is a master baker also and she tried to save me by making my batch the example she would work on but it still didn't really help. At one point Trey came up and said, "WHAT are you guys doing??" and I TOTALLY understood how he felt. At that point I wasn't so sure myself. However, it was tons of fun and I laughed a lot so it made it worth it. Plus, Cecily didn't make us eat my batch so I still got to enjoy some she made herself. We are going to my moms tonight for more Christmas and I can't wait to watch Claudia, Ethan and Trey get excited all over again!

Santa

2009-12-19T14:00:00.000-08:00

I have been a bad parent this year. While most people take their kids to the mall or boutiques of some kind to see Santa I haven't taken mine anywhere this year. I haven't wanted to deal with the hassle and crowd and also the dirtiness that goes along with 10,000 kids wiping their hands and faces on Santas laps. So, I avoided it all together.

Well, this morning we were at Home Depot with Addison because Trey was with Cece and I spotted a Santa station. I thought I could at least redeem myself by having some proof that she saw Santa on her first Christmas but when I saw the pics I knew that there would be no fooling people that I didn't take her anywhere cool. Her outfit was not very Christmasy to say the least and after I looked at the picture I noticed Santa had put lipstick on his face for rosy cheeks. However, I guess you get what you pay for. I will just have to hide Treys pics on Santas lap from the last 2 years because if she sees those she will know for sure she wasn't at the mall. I don't think it's too cool to run around and show your pic from Home Depot. I'm just guessing.

I love the glare she is giving Santa. I don't think he knows who he is messing with.

Paparazzi.....

2009-12-19T06:33:00.000-08:00

Trey had his Christmas play at school the other night and I was "that" mom for sure! When it came time for his class to sing I ran down to the front and sat in the aisle the whole time and took tons of pictures. I was really surprised at myself. I caught myself waving uncontrollably the entire time he sang but for some reason I just couldn't stop. It was almost like I saw myself waving and knew I should just stop but was physically unable. At least he's only 3 1/2 and still thinks that I'm cool. I have a feeling if I try to pull that when he is 16 he won't think its as cute.

However, he did do an awesome job. He had the hand motions down great and can sing a mean Away in a Manger. It was so fun to watch him with his classmates and get so excited to sing for everyone! This year has been my favorite year by far for Christmas because he is so excited about it. We have our countdown going and I can't wait for him to open his gifts that Santa is bringing him. However, the main thing he is asking for is a rock and roll chair and I haven't quite figured that one out yet!
Yes, Trey is covering his eyes in the first picture on purpose. He kept telling me we were going to be late (which we almost were) and that he didn't want anymore pictures. This is a product of me telling him to get over here and smile. I said it really sweetly of course.

Wal-Mart

2009-12-15T13:37:00.000-08:00

It seems like I always have a lot to say about Wal-Mart! Maybe it's because most of my life is spent there. I would normally never go to Wal-Mart with both of them (for big shopping trips) but today I was desperate. I usually go on Wednesdays when I only have Addison or Saturdays when they are both at home with J. O. However, today I needed things that we couldn't go without so I loaded them both up and hoped for the best. They are usually very well behaved when we get out and shop but I knew today would be much harder since it would take awhile. Even I wasn't prepared though for the way both of them would act! It started in the parking lot when a 1980s van about rammed me so he could get a parking spot that was a milliliter (don't even know if that's a real measurement) closer to the door than another one. I never saw the person but I would guess this person doesn't do too much walking. Then when we got in the shopping cart I wouldn't let Addison have my keys so she started throwing her head around and banging it on the metal shopping cart. By this point people were obviously looking because it's not every day you see an infant banging their head on metal and acting unfazed. She was also letting out little screams/growls to show me how mad she was. I ignored that and pressed on. Then Trey kept "accidentally" throwing things out on the floor and telling me his friend "Edgar" was doing it so I couldn't get on to him.
After that I was letting Addison chew on an empty bottle of Tylenol because the rubber top feels good on her gums and a woman proceeded to stop me and ask me if I knew she was chewing on it. I almost said "Yes, I'm hoping she will drink enough and pass out in the cart so I can finish." But instead I just said, "Oh, thanks for letting me know." and waited until she was out of sight and gave it back.
We made it a little bit longer and then Trey (Edgar) kept mashing things up and Addison was pitching another fit because I wouldn't open ALL the food in the aisles and let her have some, so I picked up a few necessities and left immediately. Needless to say, it was a great time. Now I get to go back tonight and finish.

Parade

2009-12-14T08:04:00.000-08:00

Well, yesterday was the Christmas parade in Cabot and we decided to go last minute. We knew Trey would enjoy it but we were not really wanting to get off the couch in the cold nasty weather. We decided to brave it and headed out in the cold. I have to say, I don't remember the ole' Lonoke parades lasting this long when I was growing up. It lasted a solid hour and apparently ANYONE can enter the parade as long as you have a truck (or Mustang) and 35 bucks. Seriously, at one point a truck was driving down the street playing rap music (Eminem) and there were guys skateboarding beside the truck. I think they had a tiny sign on the truck advertising something but you couldn't even read it. Someone else apparently rented a semi (I prefer to think they don't just own one for pleasure) and rigged it up with trees and lights. I thought parades used to be about cool floats and bands? I mean, I didn't expect Macys Parade or anything I was just a little surprised. Needless to say, Trey thought they were all cool and especially loved Santa waving at him. Addison enjoyed her Teddy Grahams to keep her still and playing in the back of the car.

Oh, just a cool fact about the minivan...and yes, I just used cool and van in the same sentence. The seats flip upside down and make seats that you can sit on in the back so while everyone else was sitting on tailgates or blankets we were sitting on the comfort of our heated vehicle. Take that SUV.

Also, yes Treys hat is an infant size but I thought his was in the car so I didn't have one for him. It only lasted on his head during this picture and then he yanked it off. Pics are from cell phone. Forgot the camera of course.

The Curious Wal-Mart Shopper....

2009-12-10T08:53:00.000-08:00

Dear Curious Wal*Mart Shoppers,

I realize Addison is very cute and you just want to squeeze her when you see her. I also realize that she is a little rolly and it makes you want to go out your way and maybe pat her little arms or legs. Trust me, I do this all day at home. However, since I am unsure of where your hands have been or if you are going to try to pick her up and run out of the store with her please refrain from touching her. I am all for a friendly voice or even a little baby talk done to her as long as it's from your basket. Also, please keep these to a short "hello" or "isn't she cute" because I do not have the luxury of coming to Wal-Mart and hanging out in the aisle for as long as you want to visit with my child. We are usually in and out quickly and we have a purpose. And the last thing, if she is wearing all pink, riding in a purple shopping cart cover, and sporting a bow she is most likely a girl.

P.S. Yes, people talk to Trey also but it is very rare that I shop with both of them. I usually go when he is at school.

On a different note, I became "that" parent last night. I threatened my child that if he didn't go to sleep the elf might not have a good report for Santa. I went against everything I stood for with that move. However, it worked like a charm so I have a feeling that elf may become my new best friend.

2009-12-07T09:55:00.000-08:00

It seems like yesterday I kept getting tons of bad news from people. One of my good friends was dealing with her friend's newborn getting staph infection and being pretty sick, another friend was dealing with some pretty bad news about her soon to be father in law, and another family was having to make the choice of taking their 4 year old daughter off life support. I just got really down in the dumps thinking how I didn't understand why these things happen. Then I started thinking about how glad I am that I don't have to try to understand these things because I am not in charge. If I was, I can tell you things would be pretty messed up. I have really never been one of those moms to worry too much about SIDS, car wrecks, or other uncontrollable factors. I figure I just have to give my kids to God and pray they are safe. If it's up to me to keep them safe the rest of their life it won't happen. Obviously, I do my part along the way. I mean, I don't let Trey ride down the road unbuckled out of his seat with the door wide open and pray he won't fall out. That would just be dumb...

Right now I am just really thankful for my 2 healthy kids that we have been so blessed with. God has seen their future and knows what it will be and I just have to trust that He will help me along the way.

Few pics!

2009-12-07T09:42:00.000-08:00

I posted a while back how difficult it was to get out of the house for church and Treys face in this says it all. He was griping because I was taking his picture but didn't have time to let him use the camera and take ours. Addison is wearing her classy new coat that I love. I wish they made one in my size because it feels so soft (maybe without the bunny ears)!

Computers...

2009-12-04T06:42:00.000-08:00

Trey has always been very good with all things electronic. He has been playing a Nintendo DS with his cousins since he was about 2 and has had his own since about 2 1/2. When I got a new watch for my birthday this year I couldn't figure out how to program it or make it show the right time so I handed it to Trey. In about 5 seconds he had the right time displayed and now has somehow set the alarm to go off like crazy at 8pm every night and beep every hour. I have no clue how to turn that off. Well, recently he has decided that the baby computer isn't enough anymore. He begs to play on ours so this morning I pulled out the old laptop and let him play on it and Addison decided to try out Treys. I have to say Trey is pretty good at solitaire. His PJ has taught him pretty well.

I'm not too sure where this love of gadgets comes from because Im pretty sure J. O. and I still read a manuel inside and out when we are trying to program the remote control. Hopefully he will put this talent to good use one day and not just be a lifetime employee of Best Buy's Geek Squad (not that there is anything wrong with that).

Christmas Time!

2009-11-29T13:07:00.000-08:00

I love getting ready for Christmas and putting up decorations. I decorated way earlier than normal this year but it doesn't really feel like Christmas time until after Thanksgiving. Last night we busted out the matching pajamas (for the kids...not J. O. and I) and I tried very hard to get cute pics of the 2 of them. They both wouldn't sit still and then Bella kept trying to get in the picture too.

We started reading our Elf on the Shelf book last night and I have to tell you I think I'm the only person in the world who finds this book a little creepy. I mean, seriously how scary is it to tell our kids that each day a little man watches over you and at night flies away. Then he somehow breaks back into your house and hides somewhere new each day to make sure you are behaving. Call me crazy but I just find this a little disturbing. However, Trey got a big kick out of it and when he found him this morning lurking on his little tool box in his room he didn't seemed alarmed at all.