#628 - scenes from Hurricane Irene

We bought an almost 30 pound watermelon.  That's larger than my 15 month old and only a few pounds from my 3 year old.

 

We bought 3 cases of water and 36 rolls of toilet paper (we actually ran out of tp they day of the hurricane.)

Pepe and Oster braving the storm...Oster wanted to wear his winter jacket.

We lost our power for 25 hours, but no damage really.  My garden was a bit blown over.  

Yes, I know my garden looks like it's a late bloomer, but I planted in in July, so it's about 2-3 months behind most.  

Do you see the pumpkin growing?!  

Ok, it's really hard to spot, but it is in the lower right corner next to that yellow flower.

Hope you are all well and safe!  

#597 - our new pool

It was really hot in DC last week and Pepe had thrown out our blue pool . . . so I improvised with a large plastic bin . . . the boys loved it!

#566 - French Breakfast Puffs from the Pioneer Woman

I made these French Breakfast Puffs (think cinnamon sugar donuts) this morning and they are delicious!  Pepe had better hurry home before they are all gone.

I only made one change to the recipe, I rolled them in Brummel and Brown instead of butter and they taste amazing!

Picture is via Pioneer Woman...I can't seem to find my camera.

#542 - IT Crowd

Our whole family loves watching the IT Crowd on Netflix...it's a British comedy about people working in the IT department.   FUNNY!  Ok, I have to admit, when I first watched it, I wasn't hooked...but hold out...it's funny!

#539 - in the crib

This video reminded me of my own husband.  Last summer when Oster would cry, Pepe would climb into the crib with him to calm him down...isn't that sweet!

#500 - the long awaited post - my boys

Remember a while back, in post #501, I said that post #500 was a special one and would come back to it...well, here it is:

Can't believe I've written over 500 posts (yep, there are lots not published yet)!

Last night as I was putting Oster to bed, I was going crazy.  He was jumping off his dresser onto his bed, jumping up and down, not wanting to sleep.

I was holding Parker in my arms, so I couldn't really lay the law down if you know what I mean.

Pepe wasn't around to help, so I was about to loose it...

Then...

As Oster was jumping up and down on his bed, laughing with a huge smile on his face and a twinkle in his eye...

Parker busted up laughing...out of no where...he couldn't get enough of his brother being wild...he just kept laughing

A deep down, hearty laugh...you know the one that makes your heart melt.

I just stopped and took it all in...

I tried to take a mental picture of this short, crazy, wonderful, precious moment in my life.

It will never happen again...that's it...take it or leave it...make what you want of it...enjoy it or __________ (fill in the blank).

Being a mom is so life changing...really puts life in perspective...

I go crazy a lot, but I'm really trying to just soak it up... and remember this will never happen again, so take it as it comes and make the best out of it.

Here's some mental pics I want to remember:

OSTER
*"I Love You" - says this a million times a day
*"Can I watch a moobie" - again, million times a day
*Dance party maniac - loves his music
*Loves to direct music (his hands are always moving)
*Loves his brother to pieces...really thinks the world of him
*Honest...he can be sneaky, but will always be honest

PARKER
*Loves to cuddle
*Love to laugh and smile...he's a happy baby
*Loves his mom
*Loves his food...he takes after me

And, I don't talk about him that much here, but I really do love my my husband...he works so hard for our family!   Life has thrown us some curve balls in the past few months, but he is there keeping me going when I just can't handle it any more.

New Year's Resolution #2 - soak up life...take more mental pictures and enjoy my boys (all 3!) because this will never happen again!

(about an hour after Oster finally went to bed, I walked by his room and he was fully dressed for they day, he wanted to go outside and play even though it was 11pm..."snap")

#532 - little boy's corduroy tie

Oster loves to dress up in "Sunday
clothes"so he can be like his dad.  So, Christmas Eve I decided to whip up a tie for Oster,  I used this patten from Purl  Bee and trimmed off about 2-3 inches (from the bottom) to make it fit.   I can't wait to make more ties!

#525 - Christmas List (for me)

blogging has been really random this month...it's been crazy here.

Anyway, I thought I would share a few things I want and need this week, so that Pepe has ideas.

1st want for Christmas 2010 (not in any particular order):

WANT
My very own hospital ice maker.  You know what I am talking about...the crunchy, airy ice that hospitals give out...you can also get it from Sonic (our nearest Sonic is 20 miles away...in a direction I never go)...I sometimes call it poop ice b/c that is what it looks like...well, like deer poop maybe...the offical name of the ice is "Nugget Ice"

You can find it here.  But with a $6,000 (or more) price tag, it's probably not feasible...ok, NOT feasible.

So, I'd settle for something I need.

NEED
I need some ice cube trays.  I do have some but they are from the previous owners of our home and that gives me the shivers (yes, I'm picky like that).  Plus, I want to make sure they are BPA free.  Are all ice cube trays BPA free?  Anyone know?

Like these.

#495 - girl scout calendar...Buenos Aires...100 kids

Did you know that I was in the 1988 Girl Scout Calendar?  

Pretty sure I was the month of October :)

It was only $1!

I need to find a copy, so that I can post it for you all.

Did you know that I lived/worked in Buenos Aires, Argentina for 3 months?

3 times for 1 month each

I love love love it there!

Buenos Aires means "Good Air" in Spanish

1st time I went my mom, my dad, Karli and my uncle were there 

Pepe went with me the last time I was there

Best decision ever!

Pepe's parents (my inlaws) are moving there in 2 months

To serve a mission for our church

 Did you know when I was little and my mom would ask me how many kids I wanted to have some day I would say, "100"?

Now that I have 2,

I want more!

They are intoxicating

Parker because he is warm, snuggly, and precious

Oster because he is SO DANG Cute!

Even when he tries to drive his car all over Parker...

Real conversation with Oster last night...

Me: We have to be quiet because daddy has to go to work in the morning.
Me:  What does mommy do for work?

Oster:  Mooooovies (I swear that's what it sounded like at least)

 Me:  What does daddy do for work?

Oster:  Moovies 

Me:  Daddy works at movies too?

Oster:  No, daddy works at church

Me:  what does daddy do at church?

Oster:  He plugs and flips the lid 

Oster sees Pepe plug his laptop in at church and open it up for his Sunday School class

Me:  What does mommy do at church?

Oster:  Plays with toys

I work in the nursery with the little kids 

#489 - busy baby feet

Life is flying by so fast...

please...

slow... 

down!

When did my newborn become a 3.5 month old?!

When did Oster learn to finally get out of his crib?!

Where did the summer go?! 

Come back!

This summer:

I was hoping to get a whole bunch of bills organized and scheduled...I didn't (I just have a huge stack of papers moving around our living room)

I was hoping to finish a few of the 5-6 wedding videos I've shot...I didn't (I'm almost done with 2)

I was hoping to lose some baby weight...I didn't really (I was down 10 lbs, then gained 8 lbs back)

I was hoping to hang up some pictures...nope, didn't happen...still bare walls

I was hoping to sew some baby blankets...nada...fall project now!

But you know what I did do:

Started making lunches for Pepe to take to work and make dinner most days of the week (huge accomplishment for me)

Talked with my mom and sister almost daily (love it!)

And most important...Loved my baby boys (and my one big boy)...just enjoyed them...gave them lots of kisses and love!

#481 - BBQ Chicken Pizza

Homemade BBQ Chicken Pizza

I made homemade Barbeque Chicken Pizza the other night, using this recipe as inspiration.

Ingredients

• 3 boneless chicken breast halves, cooked and shredded (I actually used 3 chicken breasts, that was way too much!  I should have used halves.)
• 1 cup barbeque sauce
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon molasses
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 (12 inch) pre-baked pizza crust
• 3/4 - 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
•  1/2 - 3/4 cup thinly sliced onion

If you make this, I would use the original recipe and not mine.  I didn't have all the fancy ingredients on hand that the original calls for, but mine worked.  Oster couldn't stop eating the BBQ chicken and even Pepe loved it!

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. In a saucepan over medium high heat, combine chicken, barbeque sauce, honey, molasses, brown sugar and cilantro. Bring to a boil.
2. Spread chicken mixture evenly over pizza crust, and top with cheese and onions. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

#480 - The Bib Awards - "what's the best bib?"

Most Stylish Bib with a Handmade Touch - Homemade Bibs From My Cousin Lizzy

(Lizzy, you are so talented, you should open an Etsy shop)

Oster loves wearing these bibs around the house, no need to be eating.  They are also asorbant, so they catch the spills.

Best Bib for Overall Coverage and Easy Clean Up - Dex Dura from Walmart 

(not a fan of Walmart, but this bib was only $4-$5 there)

 I first heard about this bib from her.  I love how it catches everything, including liquids.  I usually just wipe it down or throw the bib in the washer and let it air dry.

Best Bib To Get Your Kid To Eat 

or Most High Tech Bib 

or Most Expensive Bib - Think Geek Illuminated Jet Feeding Bib

Pepe bought this bib recently to get Oster to eat more...it's helped!  

It really lights up and the jet spoon even has flashing lights.  

Con - way too small and doesn't catch any of the food.

Best Message Bib - I Love Mommy and I Love Daddy Bibs from my mom

Can't get any better message than that?!

It's the perfect size for Parker and it soaks up all his slober.

The "I Love Mommy" bib was in the wash, I guess I use that one just a tad more :)

What about you?  Do you have a favorite bib?  What works best?

I really like this bib tutorial for a waterproof catch all bib.

#478 - snapping our walks

Oster, Parker and I like to go on walks during the day....

Oster gets out his energy...

Parker falls fast asleep...

I burn a few calories...

I usually bring my camera, but the pictures I take never see the light of day.

 So, I decided to shrink the pictures from one of our walks to fit on a 4x6 layout (I added white on the top and bottom to make a 4x6 print)

I spent $.09 (on sale at Costco)

Cut up the picture into mini pics

 Drew a little map of our walk in Oster's journal

Pasted the pics

 Added some commentary

And put a piece of packing tape over the pictures, since Oster likes to tear things.

On this day Pepe came home for lunch, so he drove up while we were walking.

The pics aren't spectacular,

the journal entry isn't the cleanest,

but it will spark loads of memories one day to see all the tiny details about this walk.

#475 - 6 year old love note

I was reading through my journal from 1999-2004 and I found an old love letter from Pepe.  It was just what I needed.

Let me go back up just a bit.

Yesterday I woke up tired, but I couldn't help but think how happy I was to be able to be home with my boys.

We watched home videos of their births (don't worry, it was the footage right after their births) and videos of fun moments in the past few months.

It was a good day.

Then, things took a downhill turn.  Don't worry, we're all ok, but it was a hard second half of the day.

For one thing, I'm starting to worry about what the future holds (sorry hate to be vague).

Fast forward to me finding Pepe's love note he wrote 6 years ago.  He gave it to me when I was also having a hard day.  Here's an excerpt:

"I'm so sorry you had a rough day.  I know it will get better...Things will work out for you.  Maybe it will just be in the Lord's time!"

So, if you have a chance today, write someone a love letter!  It might just help them some time in the future.

Stop by later today, I have a cute photo to share (hint above).

#467 - playing ball with the babe

Have you seen Mila's Daydreams yet?  I just saw it via 100%Cottam.  It reminded me of some photos I want to try when the boys got older.

Parker's not a great napper, so I can't really catch him while he's sleeping, but I can set up some fun photos with him while his older brother (Oster) naps.

I think it might even be fun to do pictures like this for their "ABC" book.  

This one would be, "B is for Baseball".

Here's the details of the photo:

sunshine - left over tissue paper from Oster's birthday pinata

clouds - reusable diapers from my mom

grass - my moby wrap

bases - Pepe's socks

monkey's outfit - Oster's premie outfit

Parker's outfit - a Baltimore Orioles jersey from our neighbor

ps....check back later today to see another cute photo I snapped of Parker

#462 - taking a walk in the middle of nowhere

Oster and Pepe took many walks in the middle of nowhere while we drove across the county.

And I watched from the backseat of the car as I fed Parker.

This picture was taken in Eastern Montana.

#457 - banana ice cream

Oster and I made banana ice cream in blender

We really like bananas in our family

Before I married Pepe, I really only ate bananas in banana bread

Now I eat them a lot

I've been meaning to make banana ice cream since last summer

We finally did

Here's the recipe:

slice up bananas really thin

freeze them

puree them in the blender (I added a little....very, very little...water)

eat plain or scoop into an ice cream cone 

it's like soft serve

really good 

and super healthy

#456 - busy weekend

trip to the DMV....after an 1 1/2 wait (which included one trip out to the car to nurse the babe)...denied (ugh!)

trip to Home Depot, so Pepe could make our deck (finally) usable

trip to Costco...stocked up on all the coupon items, deck chairs and vitamuffins (but really wanted to stock up on ice cream bars)

mowed the lawn (well, Pepe mowed most of it, but I was using the push mower so I got more exercise)

church, but spent most the time nursing or walking around wearing the Moby Wrap (Parker in tow)

made banana pudding (pictured above) (more on this later)

halfway cleaned Oster's room

and had an awesome cousin birthday party...(more on this later)

#449 - talking refrigerator = 2 picnics

Oster has a cool toy that talks to him in a French accent.  One thing it says is, "will you help us pack our picnic basket?"

So lately, Oster has been asking to go on picnics.  Not sure if he totally grasps the concept, because sometimes he'll just throw Parker's baby blanket on the ground and call it a "picnic".

We're enjoying packing up our picnic basket and having lunch on the living room floor (1st picture) or out in the front yard (Pepe packed the lunch above).

As the talking refrigerator says, 'it's been "mag-ni-fique"' (say that with a French accent, it's actually pretty cute!)

ps...our picnic blanket in the outdoor picture is actually an old sleeping bag of Pepe's...I just love the pattern and colors!

#447 - Happy Half Year 182.5 days!

I was listening to NPR just a little while ago and they said at noon today, we were 1/2 way through 2010....whaaaaaat??!

...noon...today...July 2, 2010...

no way
can't be
i'm in denial

How can we be half way through the year?

So, I asked Pepe and Oster what were most memorable moments in the past 182.5 days:

Parker's birth (tops the list for sure)

We built a deck (we can't technically use...yet)

My parents came to visit

My siblings stopped by too

Being snowed in for a week

The Olympics

We remodeled 2 rooms and our hallway

Oster is talking so much!

My favorite post of the past half year

What did you do in the first 182.5 days?

Here's to 182.5 more...I feel some big changes coming our way :)