Happy 5th Birthday, MJ!

It is so hard to believe that my little baby boy, my first born, is five years old today.  I mean, wasn't it just yesterday that he looked like this?

And this?

Happy Birthday to my energetic, free-willed, smart, funny, loving, amazing little man!



Photo Challenge: Eyes

It has been a while since I submitted a photo over at the paper mama.   Busy!  Busy! Busy!  But when I saw the theme this week was eyes, I had to enter.  I think Allie has some of the most gorgeous eyes!  I wish she was smiling in the picture, because I think her smile her pretty darn cute too!  But this is about the eyes, right??

Elf Yourself

Yep, I did it.  I couldn't help it!

Check Lists

Birthdays check list

Decide on a theme for MJ's 5th birthday party - CHECK! (Spongebob)
Decide on a theme for Allison's 1st birthday party - CHECK! (cupcake)
Book venue for MJ's birthday party - CHECK!
Make wish list for MJ for family - CHECK!
Order cute personalized shirts for both birthdays - CHECK!
Buy MJ's birthday gifts for family party - CHECK!
Send out invitations to both birthday parties - CHECK! (he is having a family party, and a kids party)
Order themed party supplies for both birthdays - CHECK!
Send MJ's picture off to local news station for birthday announcements - CHECK!
Order cake for MJ's home party
Give final count to MJ's venue
Buy additional, non-themed party supplies
Send Allison's picture off to local news station for birthday announcements
Order cakes/cupcakes for Allison's party

Thanksgiving check list

Order carpet and have installed in time for Thanksgiving - CHECK!
Decide on a menu - CHECK!
Decide who is bringing/making what - CHECK!
Buy turkey for an awesome sale price - CHECK!
Buy rest of items needed for meal
Clean house
Finish entertainment system
Finish trim after new carpet is installed

Christmas check list

Order professionally personalized stockings for four - CHECK!
Make wish lists for kids - CHECK!
Order cute personalized shirts for pictures with Santa - CHECK!
Buy presents for MJ - CHECK!
Schedule appointment for birthday/christmas photos - CHECK!
Buy outfits for photos - CHECK!
Get Christmas tree
Decorate tree and home
Create annual DVD of photos of the kids
Buy gifts for Allison's first Christmas
Buy gifts for everyone else

Ok, I think I am going to stop now.  I think I need to get through Thanksgiving and MJ's birthday before revisiting the Christmas check list.  Since I am a full-time working mom, I only have a few hours each night to get stuff done, plus the weekends.  So now you know why things have been quiet around my blog!

3 Weeks

Evidently that is how long I am able to stay on a diet, before falling off the wagon - HARD! 

3 Weeks. 

I was doing so well, too.  I had lost 10 pounds in those 3 weeks.  Five in the first week, three in the second, and two in the third.  But I must say that I am actually happy about lasting as long as I did.  I really thought my diet tolerance was only 2 weeks, so I made it a week longer than I expected.  Especially when Halloween happened at the end of week 2.  But amazingly enough, I was not tempted at all by that huge bowl of candy.

My downfall all started with a doughnut.  A delicious, Amish-made, pumpkin cake doughnut, topped with cream cheese icing.  See?

I mean, how could I resist that??  I couldn't. 

I had no idea that when I was photographing this doughnut, that it would be the beginning of my fall.  It was followed with chips & salsa and a chimichanga for lunch, real mashed potatoes for dinner, french fries the next day, and finally the Halloween candy binge last night.  Ouch!  I didn't step on the scale this morning - the first time in 25 days.  I just couldn't do it.  I know it would have been ugly. 

Hopefully I can jump back on the wagon next week.  I want to lose a few more pounds before the Thanksgiving binge!

Busy, busy. busy!

I feel bad that I am not posting very often here.  However, that does not mean there is nothing happening.  In fact, it's the opposite.  At work, I have been going through an internal audit, and this week is month end close.  At home, we are preparing for the holiday/birthday festivities.  There is lots of planning going on, with Thanksgiving, MJ's 5th birthday, Christmas, Allison's first birthday, and New Year's, all happening within 6 weeks of each other.

This year we will be throwing Michael his first "friends" birthday party.  In the past, we have always held his birthdays at home, with just family and godparents, which we will continue to do with Allison too.  But this year, we will be having 2 parties for him (3, if you count a small celebration at daycare): one at home with the family, and one on location with friends.  We are excited about it, and so is MJ!  If you are local friends of ours with children, look for an invite from MJ soon!

So, I hope to update here more often, but for now, I am busy, busy, busy!

Halloween Weekend

Our city held it's Trick-or-Treating on Saturday, and then we were invited to a Halloween party on Sunday.  So we had a fun-filled weekend!

We also took our last trip to A-Mazing Acres on Saturday afternoon to go on a hayride, and get some last-minute fun in!  So without further ado - here's the pics!


First up: A-mazing Acres:

Saturday night:  Trick-or-treating in the hood:

 

MJ the Magnificent

Our Little Flower 

Sunday night,  Halloween party at our friends' house, and t-n-t in their hood:

A couple of the awesome things Jess did to make a Halloween themed buffet.  This was ketchup and mustard for the kids' hotdogs - a cool spiderweb design!

jack o' lantern cornbread

The kids before heading out for trick or treats

This guy was great!  He was standing on his porch, singing songs for the kids.   

The kiddo's in their matching PJ's

Hope everyone had a great holiday!  Don't eat too much candy!

Allison at 10 Months

Holy Cow!  Can it be???  Double digits already?  I can't believe Allison is 10 months old!  Let's see...what is our little girl up to this month?

Boy, does this girl like to talk!  She has been babbling for quite some time now.  But I think she is understanding the words, and attempting to say them.  Words I swear I have heard:  ball, hi, Busgy, good, and bye.  She says da da and na na all the time, but not sure if she knows what she is saying.  But the cutest thing she has started doing verbally is saying "Uh-oh!" We started saying it when she would throw things from her high chair.  When it hit the floor, we would say, "Uh-OH!"  Now she is saying it on her own when she drops things.  Too stinking cute!

She seems to be getting better at attempting to crawl and stand.  I see her try to reach for things out of her grasp, and she gets to all fours, and then gives up.  We purposely place things farther than arms length from her, to coax her to crawl to it, but no luck.  I just don't know what else to do to encourage her to try harder.  I am sure she will get it in her own time. 

But nothing stops her from wanting to stand.  If you are holding her by the waist (in a sitting position), she will reach down and grab your thumb, pull your hands away from her waist, and try to stand up.  I mentioned last month that she will walk across the room holding your finger or thumb, and that hasn't changed.  But we haven't been able to get her to walk with her push toy, or pull herself up using the furniture.  But like crawling, all in due time.

No more new teeth, but man is she teething like crazy!  So I imagine those top ones will be showing up soon.

She got over her cold from last month, just to get another one at the end of this month.  Poor girl's nose runs like crazy!  She was kind enough to pass it along to mommy - what a sweetheart.  But we are both still plugging along.  Not much else you can do!

I am not sure if it is a result of having the the sniffles or what, but she decided to be a snuggle bug with me again!  I am eating it up, and taking all I can get before she changes her mind again.  We snuggle and rock at bedtime, while listening to lullabies.  Love it!

We have discovered her tickle spots!  Every night when I take off her socks at bedtime, I tickle her feet, and she just cracks up!  I have done it enough nights in a row now, that she anticipates it coming.  Sometimes she starts giggling before I even touch the bottoms of her feet.  Another good spot is her neck.  All I have to do is wiggle my fingers and come towards her, and she shrugs her shoulders up and starts laughing.  Adorable!

Allison and I have a special little head butt thing we do too.  I will bring her towards me, and she will lean her head in, and I lean my head in, and our foreheads and noses touch.  She opens her mouth while she is doing this too, and says "aaaaahhh" and then she squeals with laughter when our heads touch.

She has now mastered the sippy cup.  She loves to have some water with her snack, and at dinner.

Well, I could go on and on, but I will end it there.  Until next month!

Photography Class, 4th and final week

Two words:  Complete failure.

I did not even attempt to do my assignments last week.  Several times I thought about it, but I just could not find the inspiration or motivation.  I want to complete them, and hopefully I will.  Soon.  But I am sure if I wait any longer, my opportunity to get feedback will be gone.  I know she kept it open an extra week with the last class, so maybe she will be doing that again with this class.  I will share pics when and if I do them.

Operation Warm Christmas and a giveaway!

A friend of my asked me to help spread the word about a fantastic cause, and I am more than happy to do it!  It is called Operation Warm Christmas.

What is Operation: Warm Christmas?  Operation Warm Christmas 2010 is a charitable effort to enrich the lives of premature babies, still born babies, and parents during their stays in a Newborn Intensive Care Unit.  The pledge of Courtney Bock designs is simple.  They will donate 100 receiving blankets specifically designed, sized, and weighed appropriately for premature infants.  After that 100 blankets, they will continue to donate one preemie receiving blanket for every one Classic Receiving Blanket sold  from their children's textile collection. 

(information taken from Operation: Warm Christmas promotional pamphlet)

My friend Jessica is also hosting a giveaway to help create awareness of this great service.  Head over to her blog to find out how to enter, and to learn more about this great project!