Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! I hope you have a blessed day filled with fun times and great memories!
I am busy preparing some rolls for our Thanksgiving feast (well...actually for our Thanksgiving dinner, a dinner at our church for families in the area and for our Advent dinner coming up on Sunday). The ones for Sunday will visit the freezer once they cool. I don't know if I have mentioned these garlic knots before or not, but if not, you are seriously missing out on some completely wonderful dinner rolls. Generally I follow the recipe and make eight huge rolls, but for today's sake (needing so many rolls), I used the dough to make 16 rolls each batch. My second batch is about the come out of the oven, and I have one more to go. Even dividing the dough up into 16, the rolls are quite large. I may just do that in the future instead of 8 giant rolls. Oh, and those of you scared of using yeast, this is super friendly recipe. I am sure you will be successful if you give it a whirl.
This afternoon we will head to my family's house to celebrate Thanksgiving together. This is a holiday we rotate families each year. It makes it far less stressful this way. I am bringing pumpkin cheesecake (made it for the first time), garlic knots, and some smoked salmon our neighbor brought us bake from his trip to Alaska (a thank you for watching his house for him). It should be a fun afternoon together.
I am thankful...
I am married to a wonderful man who adores me and loves our children.
We have been blessed with three delightful boys who fill my heart with joy.
We have family that lives nearby.
I have the ability to stay home and raise my children.
We were able to refinance our home because not only will it save us money each month, but it will allow us the option to purchase a larger house for our growing family.
We got in contact with James' and David's older siblings and started a relationship with their families.
And much, much more!
Showing posts with label Family. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Family. Show all posts
Thursday, November 22, 2012
Monday, October 15, 2012
A Family Renunion of Sorts
This Saturday we were fortunate to meet and spend several hours with the two families that have James' and David's adopted brothers. The other two families have been in relationship for a few years now, so they know each other quite well. We were not only new to the group, but we are also the family with the most and youngest of all the children...as well as the youngest set of parents which the oldest set felt the need to point out.
The night before our meeting, we sat with James after Sam was in bed and talked to him about his brothers and how we would be seeing them at a park the next day. We used the term "faraway brothers" to help with James' understanding. He liked looking at their pictures of his brothers, and he wanted to see where they lived, so my husband pulled up a map and showed him. We left plenty of time to ask questions, and mostly James wanted to know why his brothers lived faraway. He said it wasn't nice that they lived far away. James is excited that one of his brothers has a farm though. Some day in the future, we will have to try to visit them at their home because James would really enjoy that.
At the beginning on Saturday, it was a bit awkward all the way around. Here we were trying to converse with the families that have our sons' brothers and at the same time trying to pull James and Sam out of the shy shell they had hidden in. I would say for the first half hour or so, James just did his own thing and didn't care to interact with any of the new people.
Thankfully we had thought to bring along the boys' two Tonka dump trucks and one cement mixer because this is what bonded James and his older brothers for most of the day. It was amazing to see them all interacting together. James didn't want to leave when we finally said goodbye, but it was getting late, and nap time had passed a long time ago.
James has already been asking when he will see his brothers again. He recounts part of their day together, and it is very sweet.
I am so happy we have been able to establish a relationship with these other families. I know it will be beneficial to James and David as they get older. We have essentially increased our extended family in a way only adoption can do. Adoption is beautiful in so many ways, and this is just one of them.
The night before our meeting, we sat with James after Sam was in bed and talked to him about his brothers and how we would be seeing them at a park the next day. We used the term "faraway brothers" to help with James' understanding. He liked looking at their pictures of his brothers, and he wanted to see where they lived, so my husband pulled up a map and showed him. We left plenty of time to ask questions, and mostly James wanted to know why his brothers lived faraway. He said it wasn't nice that they lived far away. James is excited that one of his brothers has a farm though. Some day in the future, we will have to try to visit them at their home because James would really enjoy that.
At the beginning on Saturday, it was a bit awkward all the way around. Here we were trying to converse with the families that have our sons' brothers and at the same time trying to pull James and Sam out of the shy shell they had hidden in. I would say for the first half hour or so, James just did his own thing and didn't care to interact with any of the new people.
Thankfully we had thought to bring along the boys' two Tonka dump trucks and one cement mixer because this is what bonded James and his older brothers for most of the day. It was amazing to see them all interacting together. James didn't want to leave when we finally said goodbye, but it was getting late, and nap time had passed a long time ago.
James has already been asking when he will see his brothers again. He recounts part of their day together, and it is very sweet.
I am so happy we have been able to establish a relationship with these other families. I know it will be beneficial to James and David as they get older. We have essentially increased our extended family in a way only adoption can do. Adoption is beautiful in so many ways, and this is just one of them.
Monday, July 9, 2012
Oh, Happy Adoption Day!
Today was Sam's adoption day. We all arrived at the court house early, and we only had to wait a short while before we were called into the court room for the signing of the official, legal adoption paperwork. We had a smaller group of family members this time around (my parents, our aunt, and our niece) as well as three workers (one county and two agency workers) who have seen us through our journey. We took some pictures and then headed out to a restaurant for breakfast.
Breakfast was enjoyable, and all the little ones did extremely well both at the court house and at the restaurant. It was so nice to celebrate with our family together after the court gathering. It was also probably a good idea that we went somewhere nearby for breakfast as opposed to heading back to our house and feeding everyone there because Sam was reaching his limit by the time we were almost back home again. Everyone took a good nap after all the morning's excitement.
This afternoon we went over to a local water park to play since it was a hotter day than we are used to. Then we returned home, had dinner, played and got ready for bed.
It is so wonderful to have Sam added to our family through adoption! We appreciate everyone who has supported us as we have followed the foster/adoption path with all the twists, bumps and curves. At 16 months of age, Sam is now a permanent part of our family, and we now make all decisions for him without needing to seek case worker or court permission.
Breakfast was enjoyable, and all the little ones did extremely well both at the court house and at the restaurant. It was so nice to celebrate with our family together after the court gathering. It was also probably a good idea that we went somewhere nearby for breakfast as opposed to heading back to our house and feeding everyone there because Sam was reaching his limit by the time we were almost back home again. Everyone took a good nap after all the morning's excitement.
This afternoon we went over to a local water park to play since it was a hotter day than we are used to. Then we returned home, had dinner, played and got ready for bed.
It is so wonderful to have Sam added to our family through adoption! We appreciate everyone who has supported us as we have followed the foster/adoption path with all the twists, bumps and curves. At 16 months of age, Sam is now a permanent part of our family, and we now make all decisions for him without needing to seek case worker or court permission.
Thursday, June 7, 2012
Sock Monkeys
When Auntie Krissy was in town, she brought these adorable sock monkeys for each of the boys. They aren't just your average, pick them up in the store, type of sock monkeys; these ones are of the homemade variety which makes them incredibly special. Each monkey is a little different in their design although they share a large amount of similarities. James received the first sock monkey Auntie Krissy made because he is the first little boy she has had in her life to spoil and love. Both of the monkeys have the boys named stitched on the back of them...James' name is behind the monkey's ear, and Sam's name is located on the monkey's back above the tail.
Sam is in love with his sock monkey...so much so that it has replaced his stuffed giraffe as the animal that Sam sleeps with during his naps and bedtime. There was even one night that we couldn't locate Sam's sock monkey, so we passed James' monkey off at bedtime, and it sufficed. The next morning Sam's sock monkey was found tucked next to his car seat in the Jeep.
What a great auntie the boys have! She takes good care of them...even from a distance. : )
Monday, June 4, 2012
Dance Recital & Strawberry Cupcakes
Our niece had her first ballet recital on Sunday. The recital took place at a high school theater and was estimated to last about two hours. Since we didn't feel Sam could sit through that long of a performance (our niece's dance wasn't until the second act), and Sam wasn't feeling well, he stayed home with my husband, and I took James to the recital with me. I was impressed with how well James did overall...even with him asking me twice in the first six dances "Is it over yet?" James sat nicely on my lap and for the most part sat quietly throughout the whole performance. We did leave after my niece's performance because my brother and sister-in-law were pulling my niece out and leaving at that point. During intermission, I called my husband and notified him that plans had changed (long story), and he should head over to the high school with the cupcakes I had made for my niece as a special something for her recital. After we had cupcakes together, my niece and her family left, and the rest of us had dinner together at a spaghetti place.
However, let's talk about these cupcakes for a minute. I decided I wanted to make from scratch strawberry cupcakes for my niece because she loves strawberries, and she is also a huge fan of the color pink. I used the recipe on Smitten Kitchen for Pink Lady Cake. The only changes I made was to use fresh strawberries that I pureed (since they are in season right now), used all purpose flour (just reduced the amount to 4 1/4 cup instead), and made cupcakes instead of a layered cake. I found my cupcakes needed to bake for 20 minutes before they were done.
I used the cream cheese frosting recipe listed for this cake except I ended up adding far more sifted powdered sugar to get the right consistency for piping the cupcakes, and I dyed the frosting pink as well. I wanted to test out some of my frosting tips because I am unfamiliar with what they do, so I purposefully used multiple decorating tips to get a feel for them. I kept the overall designs simple...going with the idea of creating tutus on the cupcakes. This probably would have been more ideal with a butter cream type frosting because it is stiffer; however, the cream cheese frosting complimented the cupcakes perfectly. The strawberry flavor was incredible, and the cupcakes were light and moist (the consistency you expect from boxed cakes). My family thought the cupcakes were delicious, and I plan on using this strawberry cake recipe in the future for sure.
However, let's talk about these cupcakes for a minute. I decided I wanted to make from scratch strawberry cupcakes for my niece because she loves strawberries, and she is also a huge fan of the color pink. I used the recipe on Smitten Kitchen for Pink Lady Cake. The only changes I made was to use fresh strawberries that I pureed (since they are in season right now), used all purpose flour (just reduced the amount to 4 1/4 cup instead), and made cupcakes instead of a layered cake. I found my cupcakes needed to bake for 20 minutes before they were done.
I used the cream cheese frosting recipe listed for this cake except I ended up adding far more sifted powdered sugar to get the right consistency for piping the cupcakes, and I dyed the frosting pink as well. I wanted to test out some of my frosting tips because I am unfamiliar with what they do, so I purposefully used multiple decorating tips to get a feel for them. I kept the overall designs simple...going with the idea of creating tutus on the cupcakes. This probably would have been more ideal with a butter cream type frosting because it is stiffer; however, the cream cheese frosting complimented the cupcakes perfectly. The strawberry flavor was incredible, and the cupcakes were light and moist (the consistency you expect from boxed cakes). My family thought the cupcakes were delicious, and I plan on using this strawberry cake recipe in the future for sure.
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Creeks & Hammocks
Yesterday we made it to the cabin to see some out of state family members...technically our aunt who lives locally and our cousin and her boyfriend whom live out of state. We spent several hours hanging out, visiting and entertaining our little boys.
Shortly after we arrived, we all walked down to a creek and spent time throwing rocks in the water, climbing on rocks, and having fun. The boys were quite adventurous in their own ways. Sam was our little climber; he happily tried to climb over fallen tree trunks, up large rocks and all over the place. James was content to throw rocks into the water and have competitions with Mr. Brian (our cousin's boyfriend) to see who could throw the farthest or make the biggest splashes. James also had Daddy take him on a walk across the rocks in the water which resulted in a wet Daddy due to the slippery nature of their trek, but James stayed dry, so that was good.
Back at the cabin we ate lunch together which consisted of ham and cheese melts, watermelon, and chips. James especially loved the hummus chips! It was pretty funny, though, because James helped assemble the ham and cheese melts (buns with mayo, ham, cheese and mustard that got heated up in the oven), and he devoured some ham samples. This is interesting because normally James will not touch lunch meat with a ten foot pole. : ) Then when it came time for actually eating the sandwiches, James was no longer interested in it at all...instead he munched away on the watermelon and hummus chips.
After lunch we spent some time outside enjoying the wonderful weather. Auntie Krissy set up the hammock and she and James had a blast swinging in the hammock together. Sam joined them for a short while before he wanted back down to continue his explorations. We left while the boys were still in happy moods, but they were definitely tired because it was past their normal nap times.
Overall we had a wonderfully relaxing time visiting with everyone at the cabin. We are glad it all worked out so we could make that happen. Looking forward to a future visit...
Shortly after we arrived, we all walked down to a creek and spent time throwing rocks in the water, climbing on rocks, and having fun. The boys were quite adventurous in their own ways. Sam was our little climber; he happily tried to climb over fallen tree trunks, up large rocks and all over the place. James was content to throw rocks into the water and have competitions with Mr. Brian (our cousin's boyfriend) to see who could throw the farthest or make the biggest splashes. James also had Daddy take him on a walk across the rocks in the water which resulted in a wet Daddy due to the slippery nature of their trek, but James stayed dry, so that was good.
Back at the cabin we ate lunch together which consisted of ham and cheese melts, watermelon, and chips. James especially loved the hummus chips! It was pretty funny, though, because James helped assemble the ham and cheese melts (buns with mayo, ham, cheese and mustard that got heated up in the oven), and he devoured some ham samples. This is interesting because normally James will not touch lunch meat with a ten foot pole. : ) Then when it came time for actually eating the sandwiches, James was no longer interested in it at all...instead he munched away on the watermelon and hummus chips.
After lunch we spent some time outside enjoying the wonderful weather. Auntie Krissy set up the hammock and she and James had a blast swinging in the hammock together. Sam joined them for a short while before he wanted back down to continue his explorations. We left while the boys were still in happy moods, but they were definitely tired because it was past their normal nap times.
Overall we had a wonderfully relaxing time visiting with everyone at the cabin. We are glad it all worked out so we could make that happen. Looking forward to a future visit...
Monday, April 16, 2012
Family Snow Day
We snowshoed out until James couldn't handle being cooped up in the backpack carrier anymore, and then we found a nice spot to make our stopping point. Here my husband dug us out a sitting area to eat lunch together, and we spend time playing and enjoying the snow together before we packed up and headed back to the car.
This was Sam's first real experience with playing in the snow. He kept putting his face down in the snow to try to eat chunks of it. Sam was also crawling and climbing all over the place in the snow...getting a little frustrated here and there that he couldn't move easily.
James had fun making footprints in the snow as well as making snow angels and a snowman! The snowman was a family effort. My husband and the boys put the snowman together, and James and I decorated the snowman (technically my husband found the snowman's nose). I improvised and used some food items we had brought along for the eyes, mouth and buttons of the snowman. James was extremely happy with his snowman, but he had fun knocking him over before we left...that was something he really wanted to do, so we let him have at it.
Both boys were exhausted and fell asleep in their backpack carriers on the trek back to the car. It was a perfect way to spend the day together and long overdue...since our schedules have been busy and the weather has not been very cooperative. What a blessing to end our weekend in this manner!
Sunday, April 8, 2012
Fun Celebrations
Happy Easter everyone! I hope you had a wonderful time with your family and/or friends today. May God bless each and every one of you!
This morning we gave the boys their Easter baskets...well technically I put their goodies in a gift bag since I didn't end up buying any baskets this year. James was most excited about the rocket balloons he received in his bag. He also got bubbles, a plastic boat (for playing at the water park this summer), and a chocolate bunny. Sam was most excited about his chocolate bunny, but he also got some bubbles and a boat as well. It is funny how different James and Sam are when it comes to sweet things. Sam devoured his bunny quickly and then seemed to be looking around for more. James, on the other hand, took his time and was very gentle and precise with eating his bunny. We actually had to tell James to go into his room to eat his bunny because Sam was chasing him around trying to get James' bunny as well. When James realized there were chocolate bits inside the bunny...it was a hollow bunny, so when he took bites, some chocolate pieces fell into the bunny...he carefully dumped out the pieces and sorted them and then gently ate them one by one. He ended up coming out of his room and sharing some of his bunny with his brother and then storing a few pieces into the back of his Mack truck to save for later. Such a contrast...
After naps we headed up to my parents' house for our Easter celebration with family. It was also my mom's birthday as well. Our whole family had a wonderful time today! My mom did the Easter story with the little ones using Easter eggs as her visuals (they were filled with different components to represent the Easter story), and she also read them a story about Easter; however, James and my nephew didn't have the attention span for all of that...she lost them part way through the story. The kids ran around and played until dinner time. We ate together and then my dad took the kiddos on a Gator ride while we hid Easter eggs for the egg hunt. They returned and did the egg hunt followed by going inside to empty eggs (so my mom can use them again next year), and Sam had his own little egg hunt in the backyard although the others helped him find the eggs because once he found one, he was super excited to shake that one repeatedly and not interested in finding any more. Next came dessert and then it was time to dress our little ones into pajamas and head on home. It was a great time spent with family, and I appreciate all the hard work that went into making this day so much fun for the children.
This morning we gave the boys their Easter baskets...well technically I put their goodies in a gift bag since I didn't end up buying any baskets this year. James was most excited about the rocket balloons he received in his bag. He also got bubbles, a plastic boat (for playing at the water park this summer), and a chocolate bunny. Sam was most excited about his chocolate bunny, but he also got some bubbles and a boat as well. It is funny how different James and Sam are when it comes to sweet things. Sam devoured his bunny quickly and then seemed to be looking around for more. James, on the other hand, took his time and was very gentle and precise with eating his bunny. We actually had to tell James to go into his room to eat his bunny because Sam was chasing him around trying to get James' bunny as well. When James realized there were chocolate bits inside the bunny...it was a hollow bunny, so when he took bites, some chocolate pieces fell into the bunny...he carefully dumped out the pieces and sorted them and then gently ate them one by one. He ended up coming out of his room and sharing some of his bunny with his brother and then storing a few pieces into the back of his Mack truck to save for later. Such a contrast...
After naps we headed up to my parents' house for our Easter celebration with family. It was also my mom's birthday as well. Our whole family had a wonderful time today! My mom did the Easter story with the little ones using Easter eggs as her visuals (they were filled with different components to represent the Easter story), and she also read them a story about Easter; however, James and my nephew didn't have the attention span for all of that...she lost them part way through the story. The kids ran around and played until dinner time. We ate together and then my dad took the kiddos on a Gator ride while we hid Easter eggs for the egg hunt. They returned and did the egg hunt followed by going inside to empty eggs (so my mom can use them again next year), and Sam had his own little egg hunt in the backyard although the others helped him find the eggs because once he found one, he was super excited to shake that one repeatedly and not interested in finding any more. Next came dessert and then it was time to dress our little ones into pajamas and head on home. It was a great time spent with family, and I appreciate all the hard work that went into making this day so much fun for the children.
Friday, April 6, 2012
James' Adoption Day
Two years ago today, our amazing three year old, James, became a forever member of our family (paper legal), and we couldn't be happier about that. To celebrate James' adoption anniversary, the morning started with making a cake together. Since James loves to help in the kitchen, he really enjoyed this, and what child doesn't love to play with sprinkles and M&M's! This recipe was following Sweetapolita and her Funfetti Layer Cake
Then later in the morning, my dad came over and picked up James to take him out on a fun outing. They grabbed a bite to eat and then took a tour at a cool reptile museum. This is really special because it is the first Grandpa (my dad) and James outing just the two of them. One of the requirements was no more diapers...the grandchild must be potty trained because my dad doesn't do dirty diapers. James had fun seeing all the different animals and being able to touch some of them.
Afterward they picked up my nephew (same age as James) and returned to drive James' Jeep around. Both sets of grandparents and my nephew joined us for dinner to celebrate the adoption. We had hamburgers with homemade buns, potato salad, beans (my mom made), and fruit (my mother-in-law brought). Then for dessert we had the cake James helped make and some chocolate ice cream...to offset all the vanilla.
I think James had a great day, and he felt incredibly special. I doubt he understands the whole concept of adoption and what it means, but I have been told and believe that we should use "adoption" vocabulary frequently in our daily lives and make adoption a topic a child will feel comfortable asking questions about as they grow older and helping them to understand and come to grips with the whole idea.
If nothing else James' adoption is a perfect reason to celebrate. : )
Afterward they picked up my nephew (same age as James) and returned to drive James' Jeep around. Both sets of grandparents and my nephew joined us for dinner to celebrate the adoption. We had hamburgers with homemade buns, potato salad, beans (my mom made), and fruit (my mother-in-law brought). Then for dessert we had the cake James helped make and some chocolate ice cream...to offset all the vanilla.
I think James had a great day, and he felt incredibly special. I doubt he understands the whole concept of adoption and what it means, but I have been told and believe that we should use "adoption" vocabulary frequently in our daily lives and make adoption a topic a child will feel comfortable asking questions about as they grow older and helping them to understand and come to grips with the whole idea.
If nothing else James' adoption is a perfect reason to celebrate. : )
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Husband's Birthday
Yesterday was my husband's birthday. I wanted to make it special for him because he has been so busy putting together James' birthday gift, and James' birthday is today...Sam's was a few weeks ago, and I know my husband's birthday just gets lost in the midst of everything else. Technically his real birthday gift will come in April when I take him out the Michelin star restaurant like he has always wanted to try.
So for breakfast I used the frozen Rhodes cinnamon rolls (the ones you throw right into the oven from the freezer...not as good as homemade, but I didn't have the time, and these would suffice) and then made a sausage and cheese omelet to accompany them. I sent a birthday card from me with his lunch to work.
While my husband was at work, the boys and I walked over to a sporting goods store and found a running shirt that we took home and decorated for Daddy. James picked out the shirt he liked. This was the interesting part because Sam fell asleep on the way home, so I did James' footprints first. Then James was actually the first one up from their naps even though he was the last one down; however, once Sam woke up, his footprints were done and eventually I wrote across the shirt and set it back out to dry. We needed it to dry and get wrapped before Daddy came home from work. James helped choose what colors would be on whose feet...the yellow for him and the light blue for Sam.
For dinner I made a dry rub and rubbed it on some filets that my husband barbequed for us along with some avocado salsa to top the steaks (Steak Rub & Salsa Recipe), some from scratch cresent rolls (Crescent Rolls Recipe), jalapeno poppers (fresh jalapenos filled with cream cheese that were barbequed), and parsnip french fries (these were actually quite good and pretty sweet too).
Then for dessert I made individual sized apple pies with a lattice crust, homemade vanilla bean ice cream (Vanilla Bean Ice Cream Recipe) and a homemade caramel sauce (Caramel Sauce). I love the step by step process for making a caramel sauce. I was able to successful on my first attempt thanks to these wonderful directions.
Anyway...enough recap about yesterday. Now I need to make sure today's birthday boy, James, has a wonderful day!
So for breakfast I used the frozen Rhodes cinnamon rolls (the ones you throw right into the oven from the freezer...not as good as homemade, but I didn't have the time, and these would suffice) and then made a sausage and cheese omelet to accompany them. I sent a birthday card from me with his lunch to work.
While my husband was at work, the boys and I walked over to a sporting goods store and found a running shirt that we took home and decorated for Daddy. James picked out the shirt he liked. This was the interesting part because Sam fell asleep on the way home, so I did James' footprints first. Then James was actually the first one up from their naps even though he was the last one down; however, once Sam woke up, his footprints were done and eventually I wrote across the shirt and set it back out to dry. We needed it to dry and get wrapped before Daddy came home from work. James helped choose what colors would be on whose feet...the yellow for him and the light blue for Sam.
For dinner I made a dry rub and rubbed it on some filets that my husband barbequed for us along with some avocado salsa to top the steaks (Steak Rub & Salsa Recipe), some from scratch cresent rolls (Crescent Rolls Recipe), jalapeno poppers (fresh jalapenos filled with cream cheese that were barbequed), and parsnip french fries (these were actually quite good and pretty sweet too).
Then for dessert I made individual sized apple pies with a lattice crust, homemade vanilla bean ice cream (Vanilla Bean Ice Cream Recipe) and a homemade caramel sauce (Caramel Sauce). I love the step by step process for making a caramel sauce. I was able to successful on my first attempt thanks to these wonderful directions.
Anyway...enough recap about yesterday. Now I need to make sure today's birthday boy, James, has a wonderful day!
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Seeing Relatives
Today is a jam packed day of visiting relatives. It started by going to our aunt's house for breakfast. Her daughter (our cousin) was in town from out of state, and we don't get to see her very often, so it was nice to visit with them and enjoy a meal together. After we ate, we took a walk over to the local park and played hard with the boys. James and Sam were completely worn out...both crashed on the way home, and both of them managed to transfer to their beds and sleep an additional two hours...which never really seems to happen lately.
Then here shortly (in less than an hour) we will head out the door to have dinner at the in-laws. They asked us last minute (yesterday in fact), and we figured there was no reason to say no...especially since we would rather jam pack this day rather than have to set aside another one of our evenings for the dinner. However, now, I am kind of wishing we would have pushed the dinner back to another day because it has been such a busy day, and it would be nice for the boys to be able to continue playing nicely together at their own house with their own rules to follow instead of having to be on their better behavior...if any of that makes sense.
Then here shortly (in less than an hour) we will head out the door to have dinner at the in-laws. They asked us last minute (yesterday in fact), and we figured there was no reason to say no...especially since we would rather jam pack this day rather than have to set aside another one of our evenings for the dinner. However, now, I am kind of wishing we would have pushed the dinner back to another day because it has been such a busy day, and it would be nice for the boys to be able to continue playing nicely together at their own house with their own rules to follow instead of having to be on their better behavior...if any of that makes sense.
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Whole Household
As of last night, our entire household is sick. My husband has been sick (sore throat, headache, congestion) for about a week. Sam started his fever at 2:30 a.m. on Monday. Last night Sam, James and I all had fevers...Sam's being the highest...James and I being at upper 99. We ended up giving Sam a dose of infant Tylenol before bed...after he had projectile vomited his whole bottle contents all over himself, my husband and the floor. Poor baby! Sam woke up and needed comfort last night along with a small bottle (didn't want to give him too much in case his stomach couldn't handle it) and rocked back to sleep. He woke up several more times, but he just briefly fussed and fell back to sleep.
This morning everyone's temperatures are back in the normal range...thank goodness! I was going to call and schedule a doctor appointment for Sam, but since his fever is gone, and his congestion is not as bad, I decided to wait. Both boys are feeling poorly...evident by their extra fussiness and behavior. I am doing alright...mainly I just have a headache at the moment...however, I also don't have much time to rest, so it may all hit me later on.
I am hoping with one more day of resting at home, we will all be back to our normal selves in time for Christmas. We already had to cancel some fun Christmas plans for today (doing the holiday lights at the local zoo and riding the special train with all the cousins), so I am hoping we don't have to back out of any other fun activities.
I always feel so bad when my kiddos are sick. I am praying we are all on the mend and the worst is behind us.
This morning everyone's temperatures are back in the normal range...thank goodness! I was going to call and schedule a doctor appointment for Sam, but since his fever is gone, and his congestion is not as bad, I decided to wait. Both boys are feeling poorly...evident by their extra fussiness and behavior. I am doing alright...mainly I just have a headache at the moment...however, I also don't have much time to rest, so it may all hit me later on.
I am hoping with one more day of resting at home, we will all be back to our normal selves in time for Christmas. We already had to cancel some fun Christmas plans for today (doing the holiday lights at the local zoo and riding the special train with all the cousins), so I am hoping we don't have to back out of any other fun activities.
I always feel so bad when my kiddos are sick. I am praying we are all on the mend and the worst is behind us.
Friday, December 16, 2011
Brag on Husband
I just want to brag on my husband a little bit. The boys and I are part of a mom's group that meets twice a week, and we had a Christmas party the other day. We were in need of a husband to stand in as the role of Santa for the party, and my husband volunteered himself for the part. And for those who are curious, no, I did not try to persuade him...I just let him know about the need, and he said he would help out if no one else stepped forward.
He did a great job as Santa, and for the most part, the children loved him! If he ever dresses as Santa in the future, though, we will have to disguise his dark eyebrows. Although my husband is not an outgoing, super social personality, he stepped up for the part and helped make the children so happy.
For our boys, we had opposite reactions. Sam, the newest one to the Santa idea, was thrilled to sit in his lap and kept trying to climb up unto his lap afterward too. James, on the other hand, didn't really want anything to do with Santa...although he did like the gift Santa brought for him.
My husband is a wonderful man...a terrific husband and an amazing father. I couldn't be more blessed!
He did a great job as Santa, and for the most part, the children loved him! If he ever dresses as Santa in the future, though, we will have to disguise his dark eyebrows. Although my husband is not an outgoing, super social personality, he stepped up for the part and helped make the children so happy.
For our boys, we had opposite reactions. Sam, the newest one to the Santa idea, was thrilled to sit in his lap and kept trying to climb up unto his lap afterward too. James, on the other hand, didn't really want anything to do with Santa...although he did like the gift Santa brought for him.
My husband is a wonderful man...a terrific husband and an amazing father. I couldn't be more blessed!
Monday, November 28, 2011
Advent Dinner
Last night we went to the in-laws for Advent dinner. In the past we were asked to go every Sunday of Advent for dinner, but once we had children, we requested to change that since it was too much for our family and it took up every possible weekend when December tends to be pretty busy in general. Now my mother-in-law is happy if we attend the first Advent Sunday for dinner.
My mother-in-law always finds cute gifts for the kids to help them remember the meaning behind Christmas. Last night they were given a bear that tells the story of Christmas when you push his foot. Also we were given a cloth Advent calendar filled with numbered bell ornaments for every day in December counting down to Christmas. James loves the magnetic Christmas tree we got previously where we add a numbered ornament every day in December leading to Christmas, so I am sure he will enjoy the bell ornaments as well for our real Christmas tree.
After dinner my husband, James and Grandma worked together to build a gingerbread house. This is the first time James has done a gingerbread house, and he had a good time...mostly sticking his finger in the frosting and eating it along with some of the candies. However, James did sprinkle lots of candies on top of the house as well.
When the gingerbread house was finished, we all went for a little walk in the neighborhood to see Christmas lights, but there weren't many to look at. Then we headed home. It was a busy and fun evening at the grandparents.
My mother-in-law always finds cute gifts for the kids to help them remember the meaning behind Christmas. Last night they were given a bear that tells the story of Christmas when you push his foot. Also we were given a cloth Advent calendar filled with numbered bell ornaments for every day in December counting down to Christmas. James loves the magnetic Christmas tree we got previously where we add a numbered ornament every day in December leading to Christmas, so I am sure he will enjoy the bell ornaments as well for our real Christmas tree.
After dinner my husband, James and Grandma worked together to build a gingerbread house. This is the first time James has done a gingerbread house, and he had a good time...mostly sticking his finger in the frosting and eating it along with some of the candies. However, James did sprinkle lots of candies on top of the house as well.
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Christmas Tree
Yesterday we went as a family to cut down our Christmas tree. When I say cut down our Christmas tree, I don't mean going to a Christmas tree farm and selecting a tree...I mean getting a permit and going into the national forest to chop down our tree. This is something that my husband's family did for several years, and he wants it to be a tradition for our children, so we started doing this the year James came into our family. It is a fun day to spend together, and the experience of picking out your own tree is very exciting even if they don't always look as full and perfectly shaped as the Christmas tree farm places.
The first year we went, it was just my husband, James and myself. Last year my husband's cousin joined us. This year we had both sets of grandparents along with my brother and his family come along on the Christmas tree hunt. We learned a valuable lesson...next year if other people will be joining us, we should be more specific about how the day will work out. We had planned on doing a picnic lunch, so we had packed our own lunches, but that didn't get communicated well, so most everyone else expected to eat out. We ended up stopping at McDonalds and letting the little ones play for a little bit before going to purchase our permits.
This morning we pulled the Christmas tree inside the house. We also started putting up our Christmas lights on the house. Our tree won't have lights this year because Sam is very fascinated by electrical cords, and we don't want a huge temptation sitting there for a long period of time. When the boys are older, we will put lights on the tree. Later this afternoon we will decorate the tree with ornaments.
Here is a picture of our $10 tree (the cost of the permit)...of course that doesn't include the gasoline to get to the location, but it is definitely a great way to jump into the Christmas countdown. This year we did pretty good on our tree...in the past they have been much smaller and the branches have been more spread out.
The first year we went, it was just my husband, James and myself. Last year my husband's cousin joined us. This year we had both sets of grandparents along with my brother and his family come along on the Christmas tree hunt. We learned a valuable lesson...next year if other people will be joining us, we should be more specific about how the day will work out. We had planned on doing a picnic lunch, so we had packed our own lunches, but that didn't get communicated well, so most everyone else expected to eat out. We ended up stopping at McDonalds and letting the little ones play for a little bit before going to purchase our permits.
This morning we pulled the Christmas tree inside the house. We also started putting up our Christmas lights on the house. Our tree won't have lights this year because Sam is very fascinated by electrical cords, and we don't want a huge temptation sitting there for a long period of time. When the boys are older, we will put lights on the tree. Later this afternoon we will decorate the tree with ornaments.
Here is a picture of our $10 tree (the cost of the permit)...of course that doesn't include the gasoline to get to the location, but it is definitely a great way to jump into the Christmas countdown. This year we did pretty good on our tree...in the past they have been much smaller and the branches have been more spread out.
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Veteran's Day Parade
For the last four or five years, it has become tradition to attend the local Veteran's Day parade. Last year James was so excited about everything, and this year did not disappoint with his excitement level. Sam is a little young to appreciate much of the parade, but he did get a kick out of the go-carts and sirens...essentially the louder festivities. One set of grandparents joined us for the parade as did my brother (who served in Iraq) and his family. This is a simple way to introduce Veteran's Day to children, and one in which they enjoy and someday will appreciate all the more as they become old enough to understand what the day is for.
Thank you to everyone who has served to protect our country. Also a BIG thank you for those who have sacrificed everything. My heart goes out to the families that have lost a dear loved one.
Thank you to everyone who has served to protect our country. Also a BIG thank you for those who have sacrificed everything. My heart goes out to the families that have lost a dear loved one.
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Birthday Celebration
Lately during James's imaginative play (which is darling to see, by the way), James will start singing "Happy Birthday" and pretending to blow out a candle. Today should be pretty exciting for him then because we are having an aunt over to celebrate her birthday. Her birthday was technically last weekend, but this afternoon worked better for everyone.
Last night I baked a dark chocolate cake. It is filled with a peanut butter frosting and then covered in a rich chocolate frosting. Unfortunately, I forgot to put some peanut butter frosting aside to decorate the top with, but it will still be tasty. We are going to make some delicious homemade vanilla bean ice cream to go with the cake.
I already made sure we have a candle available as well since that is James's favorite part. James sure is going to love birthday celebrations this year...especially his own!
Last night I baked a dark chocolate cake. It is filled with a peanut butter frosting and then covered in a rich chocolate frosting. Unfortunately, I forgot to put some peanut butter frosting aside to decorate the top with, but it will still be tasty. We are going to make some delicious homemade vanilla bean ice cream to go with the cake.
I already made sure we have a candle available as well since that is James's favorite part. James sure is going to love birthday celebrations this year...especially his own!
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Little Trick-or-Treater
Last night we had a low key evening. One set of grandparents came over to join us for our homemade pumpkin shaped pizzas. The boys were dressed as Batman and Robin...too cute! James, aka Batman, didn't want to put his costume on last night at first because he had already worn it twice to two other Halloween parties, and he wasn't happy about wearing it again. However, he did want to get candy from the houses, so he was convinced to don his costume one last time. We just walked Batman and Robin down the street by our house since James is still young and not really into the whole thing. It was a good idea too because James had reached his max after four houses. He wanted Daddy to hold him...he would set his pumpkin bucket down and back away from the door. However, for the houses he actually said "trick-or-treat" and "thank you" it was precious to watch. He is growing up way too fast! Sam just went along for the walk...we didn't collect candy for him. : )
Monday, October 31, 2011
Halloween Goodies
For a Halloween party we went to, I made spider eggs...deviled eggs with an olive spider on top. They were a big hit! Basically you make your regular deviled eggs and then cut up the olive to resemble a spider...using half an olive for the body and then cutting the remaining olive into legs for the spider. I made some monster eye deviled eggs for another party we attended, but I forgot to take pictures of those ones.
Yesterday we carved the pumpkins we had picked up from the pumpkin patch. Both James and Sam had fun playing with the pumpkin guts. My husband ended up carving the white pumpkin...James requested a happy pumpkin for that one. I carved the orange pumpkin, and James requested an angry pumpkin, so I just made it look like it wasn't smiling, and I also wanted the faces to look different, so I cut out different shapes for the eyes as well. James is very proud of his pumpkins. When we walk out the front door, he turns to the pumpkins and says "Hi, pumpkins!" in a very excited voice...too cute!
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Co-Dependency
I was at the dentist office last week having my cleaning. My dentist is also a friend, so it makes it nice because I can trust the information he gives me regarding my teeth, and it is easier to come up with topics of conversation. Anyway...we were talking about my surgery, and I mentioned that it was hard to just sit and watch life and not be able to participate while I was recovering...especially the first week because I was too uncomfortable and in too much pain to hold my boys or provide any other care for them...not to mention I wasn't supposed to lift anything more than 15 lbs. which pretty much meant both my boys were off limits. Anyway...I was a little offended when my dentist then responded by telling me "some people would say you are co-dependent".
I can't imagine anyone who was in my shoes not feeling the same way. It just tugs at your heart strings to not be able to provide care for your children...especially since that is my occupation...SAHM. I doubt a single person would say I would much rather have surgery than feed my baby a bottle or even change those stinky diapers.
Truthfully, I love my family, and I enjoy spending time with them. We cherish our nights together when Daddy gets home from work or the weekends when we can all hang out and do family activities together. I also cherish my days with the boys...although I cannot say that I always cherish every single moment of every day, but overall I wouldn't ask for my life to be different. If that makes me co-dependent, then so be it!
I can't imagine anyone who was in my shoes not feeling the same way. It just tugs at your heart strings to not be able to provide care for your children...especially since that is my occupation...SAHM. I doubt a single person would say I would much rather have surgery than feed my baby a bottle or even change those stinky diapers.
Truthfully, I love my family, and I enjoy spending time with them. We cherish our nights together when Daddy gets home from work or the weekends when we can all hang out and do family activities together. I also cherish my days with the boys...although I cannot say that I always cherish every single moment of every day, but overall I wouldn't ask for my life to be different. If that makes me co-dependent, then so be it!
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