PTO and a random picture dump

Yesterday Cindy needed to get out of town so I just took the day off of work and stayed home.  It. Was. Lovely.  It made me miss being a SAHM so much.  First Luke and I had a nice breakfast, then I dropped him off at school (which I haven't done since walking him in on the first day!) and then Evan and I went to Target. 

Yes, I bought her some sunglasses.  As if she couldn't get any cuter, I added that little accessory.  After Target we went home for her nap while I added to my garage sale pile (I'm having one tomorrow).  Then it was off to pick up Brother and we headed to the park with Shae and Taylor. 

Evan and Vera decided to buddy up.  Evan thought the swing was the BEST. THING. EVER. And Vera laughed at Evan's insane cackling.  Oh babies.  Finally it was back home for another nap and a quiet evening at home. 

I can't remember what else really happened over the last week, but luckily I've got some pictures on my phone to remind me.  Sunday night at the Raymond's for Life Group Luke decided to join the adults visiting in the kitchen.

By making a bed in the middle of the walk way.  Oh yes, he laid there for a good 5 minutes too. 

One morning he was in QUITE the mood and refused to put on a shirt before heading to Cindy's.
  

He was determined to be grumpy.  But by the time we got there is was asking nicely to "peas wet me put on my shirt before we go inside." I think he finally felt a little self conscious.  Thankfully that isn't his normal face or mood.

That's more like it.

And not to leave the girly girl out, Evan got some styling new red skinny jeans thanks to a Nana who finds Old Navy sales. 

Gah.  Perfection.

What isn't perfection?

Why? Why little girl? Why must you make a mess while I'm being nice and fixing your dinner?

Post Easter weekend

Well, we've made it to the present.  I did forget to mention that Saturday night I was not about to cook, so I loaded the kids up and we headed to Fuzzy's Taco's for dinner.  We had a fourth member of our party.  Luke's plastic electric guitar that's long run out of batteries (praise Jesus) (when it was dying it was even worse).  First when he wanted to bring it in the car I thought, no big deal, by the time we get there he'll be over it and it will stay in the car.

Wrong.  He insisted on bringing it in.  I said "I think it might be happier in the car.  It doesn't like to get dirty.  I think it might safer out here."  To which he said "I think I'm just gonna take it wif me."

Who can argue with that logic?  Well, most people could, but I was hungry and this didn't feel like a battle I wanted to fight at the moment.  Two kids alone is trouble enough, having one melt down in the middle of a parking lot is exhausting.  So.......

Yeah.  That would be Luke giving a concert complete with made up words on the patio of Fuzzy's  The embarrassment was totally worth not having to deal with the confrontation. 

Also I forgot to mention that I bought Evan a swimsuit on sale at Target.  A size 12 month swimsuit.

Excuse the blurry face, she's not so still anymore.

That sucker is vacuumed on.  I don't think she'll be able to wear it.  Which is so sad, because how cute is that belly?!  I love the floral print.  Yesterday I ran to Old Navy and found another little tankini for her.  In a size 2T.  I weighed her last night and she's 22 lbs.  Remember that one time that she's only 10 months?  Esh.  It's the reason her legs look like this, even when she's sleeping belly down.

I. Love. Her.

Monday night I unfortunately had to run to Walmart at 7:30 in the evening.  This is normally the time I start baths/bed time routines, but if the childrens wanted breakfast, to the store we had to go.  Lucky for me, Luke always wants to ride inside the basket. 

Unlucky for him, his sister has learned the joys of pestering.

She has this thing where she reaches around behind her (sometimes looking, sometimes not), gropes for his head, then bats/scratches/pulls his hair.  It's kinda hysterical to watch.  He gets so mad at her and shouts Evan! Stop that! 

At first I didn't think she was doing it on purpose.  I mean, the girl is 10 months old.  But after a few minutes, a few re directions, and several strolls where I had to walk with my arm around her to keep hers to herself, I realized she wasn't.  She was TOTALLY doing it on purpose. 

How?  How does she know how to irritate him already?  Do you see how fast his arms and head were moving to try and swat her away?  Heaven help me. I do believe life is going to get even more interesting very quickly.  Even as we were checking out and I was trying to get one last picture of my precious baby girl being sooooo innocent.....

she starts in on him again.  Without even looking.

Last night Shae and the boy's came over for dinner.  I grilled us some turkey burgers and the boys played and played.  It is so funny how Luke and Dakota fight like brothers.  Is that normal?  Tonight is church, and I have to tell you, the book I'm leading a study on is kinda beating me down.  I chose Bringing Up Boys.  We are half way through it and apparently I'm doing everything wrong.  Working outside the home.  Single mom.  Living life at a fast pace.   Maybe tonight I can convince the girls to drop the book.  Yes?  That kinda goes against everything I stand for though.  I can't stand flakiness and will hold my commitments even if it's painful.  We'll see what happens tonight.  At least I set the location at Starbucks, so I'll get a cup of coffee out of the ordeal.

Easter Weekend

I was so glad to have off on Friday.  It was a beeeee-utiful day.  So what did we do?  Piled into the car and headed down the the arboretum.  Grandy was in town, we asked Grandmother to go, Ashley was off of work, so Mom and Dad got full use out of the 7 passenger Pilot.  It was the perfect weather.  SOMEONE was a giant grump all the way there, but once we got out in the sunshine she perked right up.

The under 29 crowd.

We enjoyed a picnic lunch on one of the greens.  Luke love love loves to eat outside.  PLUS he got a treat after his sandwich.  He got to choose between a Hostess cupcake and a Rice Crispy treat.  He chose the cupcake.  Before I relinquished the sugar, I teased him by telling him that I wanted that one.  His response?  "Oh.  I think you want the wice cwispy tweet instead."

All of the gardens were so beautiful.  I just love that place.  A perfect marriage of beautiful nature, yet neatness that this type-A girl really relaxes to.  I tweeted that I was pretty sure this is what heaven will look like when I go home.  Lindsay told me "Wrong. There will be more Pepsi and chocolate and kettle cooked potato chips."  Can you tell she's a tad pregnant?  ;)

Saturday morning was a pancake breakfast at church.  There were games, crafts, an egg hunt, and...

the Easter bunny.  I don't think Evan quiet knew was to do about the Easter bunny.

She did know what to do about the eggs that Luke found after the hunt.  And I don't think he was too thrilled with it. 

Two pictures after this one she full out tackled him to the ground to get his basket.

Bubs and his two friends, Dakota and Zane. They were missing Jadyn, who had to stay home with a cough.  They missed their friend!

Finally we got to Easter morning.  Luke DID. NOT. want to put on his Easter outfit.  He brought a navy gingham oxford and a pair of olive plaid shorts to me and declared that his outfit for the day.  Needless to say, it didn't go over well when I told him sorry charlie.  There was a matching blue striped newsboys hat to go with the vest, but he wouldn't wear it.  Even when I told him it was kinda like a train conductor's hat.  He wasn't fooled.  I believe his exact words were I AM NOT GONNA WEAR DAT HAT! as he chunked it hand over head into Evan's room. 

Flash or no flash? Whatdaya think?

*sniff sniff*

Good news.  That's the end of my Easter barrage of photos.  After church we went over to Mom and Dad's for lunch, let Luke "hunt" eggs one more time in the living room since it was raining, then went home for a nap.  That night we went ahead and had small groups, everyone was in town so we figured we might as well have. 

Before Easter Weekend

'ello.  I didn't think I had that much to catch up on, but then I realized that I've got two weeks worth of photos on my phone that I haven't posted, so I figured I'd break one post into, you know, three.  So this one got titled before Easter. 

Over the last two weeks we've just been truckin through life.  Last week a giant storm swept through the area that caused 14 tornadoes in the area.  Thankfully it missed all of my loved ones, but it left some serious damage in surrounding towns.  I was at work, the kids were with Cindy, and it was not fun not being together.  It was interesting watching the storm roll by through the glass wall of our ninth floor office though!

What it didn't impede was my creative bug.  My goal is to have the kids paint a Christmas ornament each year, and I started in 2010 with Luke (Evan won't start for another year or two).  I had the ornament early and everything, but I just never. got. around. to letting him paint.  Yes, I'm aware that it's April.  Of the next year.  But he finally has a 2011 one.

And for the girl I whipped up a little clippie.  Now that her hair is getting longer, I think this is so stinking cute.  I'm having a hard time not making one in every single color.  No one ever said I under do things.  :)

That hair that's getting longer is also getting curl to it.  In the picture above I've combed it down, but if I don't.....

How awesome is that.  I can't wait to see what it looks in a few months! She's been waking up crying in the middle of the night lately.  It's kinda exhausting.  I don't want to go in there because the minute I do she won't let me leave her alone until she nurses, even though I know she isn't really hungry.  But letting her wail is just painful.  You know what else is painful?

That's really what you want to roll out of bed and realize has been happening.  At least one of us got good rest.

Tomorrow- Easter weekend!

Ten Months

Evan.  I command you to stop growing.

For. Real.

I woke up this morning and realized that in exactly two months you will be one.  ONE.   And that's just not possible.  Didn't together we just learn the ropes of nursing last week?

Girlfriend, your little personality has really started to show up this month.  And I thought your brother was spunky.  When something happens in your vicinity that you don't like, you aren't afraid to shoot the perpatrator a dirty look.  If someone (including me) invades your personal space, the little arms come a swingin' until you've batted the offending face away.  But you still shriek and smile and babble and are pure lovliness.

What else have you picked up this month?  Only how to be mobile.  You don't crawl just yet, but you get up on your hands and knees and rock back and forth until you flop down on your belly.  Then ya just push yourself backwards or roll around until you get where (or what) you wanted. You're really trying to pull yourself up, but as you can see from the picture, there is a lot to pull up so your little arms aren't quite strong enough for you to make it all the way up.  You wave, clap, and give kisses with the best of them.  You will sit and watch your brother's shenannagins all the live long day.

And when that brother turns his attention towards you?  Heaven. It's a good thing he loves to lavish it on you.  You are the first thing he asks about in the morning and relishes his "special job that God gave him" of being the big brother- making sure you are okay when Mom isn't around.  It's been told to me that when you fuss in other people's car he will speak loving and gentle words to comfort you. "It's okay Evan.  Mom will be back soon.  It's okay.  You're a sweet girl."  Does this Momma some good.

Evie girl, you can eat with the best of them.  Sometimes you even out-eat Luke.  You will eat just about anything put in front of you: fruit, veggies, bread, pasta.  I need to start you on meats, I've just not been in any rush.  The only- and I mean ONLY- thing I've ever seen you turn down was steamed broccoli.  We were at a restaurant for lunch after church last week and I accidentally got only broccoli as a side.  Being a selfish sneaky mom, I thought I could unload some of them on to your plate.  You took one bite, scowled, and scraped that broccoli off your tongue as fast as you could.  It was the funniest thing!  All that food has kept your poundage up.  I'm guessing you are at least 21 lbs now.  You wear size 12 month clothes, size 3 diaper, and still nurse about 5 times a day.  That number will be going down soon though.  I started you on milk in a cup yesterday, and you loved it.  This is a good thing, I am not able to pump as much in the afternoons as I used to, so the milk will be a good afternoon snack.  With everything else you eat.

Baby girl, I love you.  I'm trying to be better about stopping at night to sit with you, rock you while you nurse, and just freeze it all in my head.  This has gone by way to fast, and I know that next time I look up you will be too big to sit with me.  I can't wait to see who you become, but the rate at which it's happening is alarming.  Hurts my momma heart, but such is the bitter sweetness of raising children.  I love you, my girl.  All the live long day.

At the grocery store.  I still enjoy wearing you.  All 20+ pounds of you.

The bluebonnets!

This weekend was a kind a busy one.  Saturday I did a whole lot of playing and laying out.  Sunday a friend came over and helped me organize my garage.  The improvement is miraculous.  Once I have a garage sale in the next few weeks I'll show you the before and after.  Did you see that?  I'm having a garage sale. 

I think.

I just have to find a day.  And plan it.  And get all the stuff  together.  And convince people to come.  So, that will happen, right?

Oh, and Friday I got a hair cut.  I think I've turned into a bi-yearly trim kinda girl as opposed to a yearly trim kinda girl.  Yet another improvement for this old gal.  Also, yesterday when I ran to Target I was sorely disappointed that they no longer carried my hair color any more.  I picked a new one that I thought was going to be the same, but after a late night color session last night, I've realized it's a bit darker.  More like my natural color, less like the dark red of the last box.  I liked those reddish tones.  I've always secretly wanted to be a red head (well, I guess it's not so secret now).  So a hair cut and new color is kinda a big deal for me. 

What else did I do last night?  Took bluebonnet pictures!  I probably should have colored my hair BEFORE taking these, so my roots wouldn't be so shiny and grey, but whatevs.  I have never in my life taken bluebonnet pictures before, which is utter madness given my fierce Texan pride. 

My very favorite so far. Makes me so sentimental every time I look at it.

The only problem was Sister Friend did. not. like sitting in those plants.  She was already tired and hungry and sitting in a field of wild flowers did not better her mood.

Eh?  Look at that face.

These are all from my phone, somehow I left my house yesterday morning knowing FULL WELL we were going to take pictures and I STILL forgot my camera.  I also forgot a bottle for Evan, but that's a whole other story.  Thankfully Mom and Dad and Ashley were coming with and Dad just holds down the shutter button on his camera, so Mr. Photographer should have at least one decent one over at their house. 

This little boy LOVED the field of flowers.  People had made these mazes through them in other quests for perfect pictures and he followed them all over.  When we left to get dinner he wanted to "go get food and lets come back to the fow-wers."

What's your motivation

So, apparently I've got a new soap box.  Are you ready?

On Sunday morning in bible class, there was a prayer request asking that the Lord would help this individual be a better Christian.

For some reason it struck me as off.  Like, bothered me enough that 4 days later I'm still thinking about it. And, I think I've finally figured out why.

I understood what she meant.  I get that when people say "I need to be a better Christian" they mean make better choices for themselves, for the witness that they are putting out there by labeling their life Christian.  It's the motivation behind it that bothers me.  Just "trying to be a good Christian" takes the whole point out- Jesus.  When you look at your actions through the lens of Jesus, then it changes how you think about doing things.  Suddenly you aren't stuck facing everyday with a looming field of sin obstacles just waiting to trip you up.  There isn't a need for Jesus and His unmovable love in that field.  It's just you and your thoughts and your actions.  Not cussing because you're not supposed to.  Listening to the right music because it's the thing to do.  No need for the relationship that saves you because you got this.  Just gotta be a good Christian and I'll be alright. 

Oh, how those in that mind set miss out.  Because Jesus?  He takes that burden off of you.  When you love him, I mean LOVE Him, suddenly you get the "why" behind all the do's and don'ts of Christianity.  Your relationship is much more important than the joke that you tell or places that you go.  The thought of disappointing Him causes all the luster of sin to evaporate.  And so does the obstacle course.  Sure, your personal strongholds will still crop up and try to bring you down (and sometimes down you'll go). But instead of painting warrior stripes under your eyes and tightening your shoelaces, you'll huddle under the saving grace of Jesus until you are both on the other side.  The sorrow of failing Him will weigh deeply on your soul, but His mercy will be new every morning. 

How I yearn for people "just trying to be good" to know their Father.  How I wish they could see the distinction between trying to save themselves through their actions and letting a love greater than they will ever know save them.  And please don't think I think I've got it all figured out.  Believe me.

Beh-leave meh.

Sometimes I'm a terrible Christian.  I'm judgemental, I get stuck in pity parties, I don't read my bible like I should.  But I don't ever want to be a better Christian.  I want to love Jesus better.  I want my relationship with Him to grow deeper so that those strongholds lessen.  I want people to see his grace and mercy in me, not just the list of activities I refrain from.  I want the things that I do or don't do to stem from my desire to be pleasing in His sight. 

So there you go.  I'll step down off my box now. 

And just so you know it's still me, here's me and my adorable girl with the curls that keep growing....

St. Patrick's Day

This is not a day I typically get into.  I didn't make any green foods.  No small tokens were exchanged.  Instead, I totally blew off everything to make way for sword fights, book reading, and other things. 

This included wearing floppy hats (while Brother mowed in the background.  I'm telling you.  Kid loves to mow.)

A picnic lunch

Driving around said lunch when he didn't want to sit on the blanket anymore

Figuring out Brother's cup is way better than your own.

And of course, wearing some green.

(I promise her dress really does come down to her knees, it's just the way she's propped up and being held back that makes it look so short.  But on the plus side you get to see her awesome mid-thigh roll.)

I'm not a total Scrooge.  Can you use a Christmas reference in March?

The weather was a lovely mid 80's kinda day, I went back out for more sun during nap time.  Don't be fooled by Sister Friend's long sleeve night gown in that first picture (no, I wasn't going to waste an outfit and add to my laundry just so she could have something else to wear outside).  The long sleeves and covered legs were my attempt at keeping that gorgeous baby skin protected.  Hence the floppy hat.  Which, to my delight, she wore for the whole 2 hours we were out there with hardly any fuss. 

Whilst taking the joint pictures, I got an idea.  I've got a little copy of one of my baby pictures on my dresser, and I thought it would be fun to get Evan with it.

Whadaya think?

Tonight Ashley, the kids, and I went to The Village.  I am so enjoying the lessons over Galatians right now.  Before the service started Ashley and I were cracking up at how much green was in the room.  I get all the women wearing green, it seems typical.  What really got us were the men.  Moreover, the SINGLE men.  Because what man wakes up and says "Hey, it's St. Patrick's Day, I think I'll wear green?" Would any of them be caught wearing pink on Valentines?  Orange on Halloween?  Red on Christmas?  Doubtful.

More conversations

So, I've had these notes jotted down at home for a few days now of funny conversations that I've had with Luke.  But I write on here at work.  See the problem?  I finally managed to remember to stash the notes in my bag last night, so now they finally get to be immortalized in the great, vast blogland. 

*eating dinner at the table*
L: Mom, my throat hurts.
Me: Where?
L: Right here.  Is this my throat?
Me: No, that's your shoulder.
L: Well its sick.
Me: Hm.  You know, sick little boys need to go to bed so they can rest and get better. Do you need to go to bed?
L: Yeah.  Just for a little bit, then I'll come eat some more.
Me: No.  When you go to bed you can't get back out.
L: Oh.  I'm not sick right now.


*in the car driving*
L: Hey look Mom!  It's a Charger!
Me: Ooo! I see it! But I think that is a Camero.
L: No Mom.  I think it's a Charger.
Me: I'm pretty sure it's a Camero.
L: Okay.  But it's a Charger.
*10 minutes later*
L: Hey look at that Camero!
Me: Oh. That is a Camero.  So the other car was a Charger. Sorry Son. You were right, I was wrong.

He insists that his boxers be pulled up all the way.

*sitting down at the dinner table*
L: So how was work today Mom?
Me: It was good baby.  Just worked fast so I could come get you.  How was school today?
L: I cried for you at school.
*sad face*


*when getting picked up before work one morning he tooted*
L: Sorry, I've got the gasoline


*in the kitchen*
L: Worms are gross, Mom.
Me: Not they're not silly.  They're good.
L: Good for us to eat?
Me: No. That's gross. They're good for the ground.
L: We should get food for them to eat!
Me: Actually, they eat dirt.
L: Dirt? *gets down from the table to look out the back door* But we don't have any dirt!
Me: It's under the grass.
L: Oh. It tried to trick me.


He's also got this funny yet incredibly polite habit of introducing people.  On more than one occasion he's been known to introduce my mom (Nana) to his sister Evan.  And apparently on Monday when Cody's sister was home from college he introduced her to Grandad (aka- her own father).

Otherwise we've just been super busy.  I've gotten to go both the Star's and the Maverick's game in the last week.

And both have had pretty good seats. The Mav's were the best though.  That picture isn't even zoomed at all, we were 6 rows behind the Mav's bench.  I was even on tv!

On Saturday Evan got her 9 month milestone picture taken.

Sorry for the crummy phone picture of a picture, but while they still look similar, I think Evan is starting to get her own look.  Which is good, because I don't want my girl looking like a boy.

Speaking of that girl, she's growing up so fast.  Now she does BIG baby things.  Not little baby things anymore.  *sniff sniff*

Last night I did yard work.  Evan wouldn't take a little nap (the stinker!), and she thankfully still barely fits in the bumbo.  She watched me pull weeds and mow while Luke "mowed" with his little mower (literally on my heels behind me. If I had to back up for any reason I had to wait for him to get out of my way.) and in his little black truck.  I only was able to lure him in from the great out doors with a promise of a trip through the car wash. 

Oh, ya'll.  That car wash.  It was a typical endeavor for me.  I had rolled down the window to punch in the code given to me when I topped off my gas tank. Then, I pulled forward into the machine while rolling up the window.  Correction.  While trying to roll up the window.  For WHATEVER reason, the motor got stuck.  So there I was trying to get the car in position and figure out why it wasn't working all at the same time.  It would get half way up and the roll back down.  And then, AND THEN, the water turned on.  With my stuck window.  Ya'll.  I panicked.  Bad.  Fumbling around, I found myself in reverse and back the heck out of there.  I finally (by pushing the button and manually pulling on the window at the same time) got it back up.  So, heart thumping, I pulled back into the machine.  But it had shut down by then, sensing my car had already left, and wouldn't come back on. I had to pull up to the convenient store of the gas station, explain what happened to the dude, and get a new number.  Which then put me in the same predicament of having to roll down my window to enter in the new code.  Yeah right.  I stopped early enough to just get out to punch it in.  I was not touching that roll down button again. 

Only me.