The Neal Family

Wordless Wednesday

2012-02-08T10:01:00.001-08:00

Wordless Wednesday

2012-02-01T09:27:00.001-08:00

Wordless Wednesday

2012-01-25T07:32:00.000-08:00

Ready or Not

2012-01-24T10:28:00.000-08:00

The past month has been dedicated to rest and relaxation (ha!) and preparing for Baby #2. We have all had our share of contributions to getting ready, not the least of which is Reese's sacrifice of her Mama's energy level and lap space. But we've managed to squeeze some fun in too.

Reese is getting a little suspicious about what exactly is going on. For one thing, she is VERY tired of not having enough room in Mommy's lap. She used to pick my leg up and move it so she could sit on it, now she just looks at me like, "really?" and has me sit in a V so she has room to snuggle in. She also would really appreciate the decrease in belly circumference so she can rest her head comfortably. But she's accomodating.

For her baby brother, she made a couple of sock puppets. I use the word "made" loosely here. Mostly she squeezed the glue on and pushed eyes down on a sock. Then when she went to bed I reglued them so they would stay. She picked out and glued pom pons too but I did all the cutting. I'm just not ready to turn a 2 year old loose on a pair of scissors. They turned out great and it was nice for her to do that. She picked out a sack and helped me wrap them all up. I think she'll be really excited to give them to her brother but that's where the excitement will end once she learns he's here to stay.

Last weekend she helped us pack a bag for his clothes at the hospital. Clothes flew all over the place but she eventually picked out a couple of outfits and helped me place them in the bag. Then she removed all the socks that we own for children and unfolded them to make a long track through the house. I really enjoyed crawling around picking all those up.

Dustin has been preparing for the new baby with expectation fatigue. With Reese being as early as she was, we are ready to go at any time. A ring of the phone sends him in a flurry of concern of whether or not it's go time. Poor baby is just worn out from all the anticipation.

And me, well, I'm not complaining. This is what I wanted. A baby I could call term. A baby we can bring home when it's time. Bags are packed, registration is complete, shots are finished, and sure it's no fun to be 9 months pregnant, but I'm happy to be here with this little guy still cooking away. He'll come when he's ready. But please oh please don't let it be in a classroom full of kids!

Ready or not we'll be having a new addition to our family very soon. I'm excited to learn how a heart expands with love for another. I'm excited to see the dynamic of big sister and little brother. Daddy and son. Will his eyes be brown or will this one have the Olinger blues? Will he be tall like Papa Steve or the stout football build of Donnie O.? How quick will his mouth be with hilarious one liners? I can't wait to watch him grow (and sleep through the night).

Wordless Thursday

2012-01-19T09:25:00.001-08:00

Sorry! I am always off when there's a holiday on Monday. :)

Two

2012-01-17T10:22:00.000-08:00

My Girl is getting more and more talkative all the time. She comes up with the funniest pronunciations of words and it often leaves us asking for her to say it again and again or howling with laughter. Mostly though, it just melts my heart and I wish I could bottle it all up and keep it for when she gets older. I know I'm going to miss it.

She's also becoming quite the big sister. She helped pack River's bag for the hospital this weekend. She made him a sock puppet to use herself for soft play. She also picked out the bag for him and helped us wrap it up. She is going to be quite proud to give it to him. (He also bought her a Mickey Mouse laptop, but it's a surprise).

She is becoming a potty training pro. Almost no accidents at all. (Let's pretend yesterday never happened, we had a small set back but back to it today). And she is very proud of her Daisy underwear.

She gallops through the house as fast as she can go. Which unfortunately also means bumps and bruises, but she's getting it.

Reese loves to know where the dogs are and what they are doing and constantly asks, Mil? Nah? Then she gets mad at them and makes them go lay down in the "char" (chair) whenever they bother her. Or she'll tell them "excuse me" when she wants around.

So, two is upon us. Attitude, sassy two. Loving, sweet two. I think I'll take it, although some days, I'd rather shut my head in a car door.

Wordless Wednesday

2012-01-11T11:39:00.000-08:00

Hello There,

I don't know if you remember me or not but I blog here. Or I used to. I'm working on coming up with a schedule for myself to remember to blog more and to make myself remember stories of the little one. But here is a picture of Reese (or Ceese as she calls herself) to tide you over until I get it together.

Wordless Wednesday and Some Dialogue

2011-12-14T10:56:00.000-08:00

First of all, can I just say, I have a cute kid. Look at that little thing sitting all by herself at the table. She was very proud of drinking her "choos" (juice) out of a glass and eating with Mama and Dada. All we could see were those two little piggy tails, but she was ready to move out of the high chair.

She has been keeping us busy. Chasing her around in the evenings has gotten to be quite a load but we also have quite a bit of fun too. She can open the doors to the bedrooms now so she locks us in, slams the door and scares us out of our beds over and over again until it gets pretty old. But she loves it. She's also into Mickey like crazy, always saying "Mimmie" and pointing to the TV. She can tell us who all of the characters are and the girl loves to shake it when the Hot Dog Dance comes on.

We are getting ready for potty training. It's coming fast and furious and I'm a little sad to see it come. She shouldn't be old enough for that! But she loves getting her Mimmie stickers when she goes.

She loves to reply "Mama" when Dustin asks her who farted. I really loathe that but she always whispers it like she doesn't want to disappoint me by saying it. So I guess I forgive her.

She sings Itsy Bitsy Spider, Head & Shoulders, and Wheels on the Bus. She eats cheese and drinks milk well enough to never make me wonder if her bones are strong or not. She adores Christmas "Yights," says Ho Ho Ho! and rearranges the ornaments on the tree constantly.

My girl is the same as she always is. A lover of Daddy, a mover and a shaker. Hard to please because she has high expectations. Beautiful, sassy, devilish, perfect.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-12-07T09:47:00.001-08:00

Wordless Wednesday

2011-11-30T10:04:00.000-08:00

Wordless Wednesday

2011-11-16T13:44:00.000-08:00

Cousins

2011-11-10T09:55:00.000-08:00

Reese is pretty cousin-rich. She has two of the best cousins around.

Here is the little cutie with the other little cutie, Deakan. Isn't he handsome?

Deakan and Reese and just right at 8 months apart. And they get along great. Last weekend they were giggling and playing on their Grammy's couch. They love to play "get you" with adults and they both cackle. The like to share things. Even if they don't know it. Ha ha!

This is Maggie. She's 8 tomorrow. Whoa! Where did that time go?

They are quite the pair together. When they are alone all a person can hear from their room is giggling.

Giggling. And more giggling.

Deakan is getting ready to be a big brother. I bet he's going to love having someone around to pick on.

I imagine he'll be the best big brother there ever was. At the very least, he'll be the cutest.

And this little one will be 8 tomorrow. I remember when she was born.

She was as sweet as a girl could be from the first few minutes I met her.

We are so lucky to have 2 great cousins for our little girl.

And I know when our little guy and his new little cousin arrive they will complement the group well!

We love you Deakan and Maggie. Thank you for being your sweet selves!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-11-09T11:25:00.000-08:00

My Two Year Old

2011-11-07T10:59:00.000-08:00

Isn't she lovely? Isn't she wonderful?

Isn't she precious, less than one minute old.

I never thought through love we'd be
Making one as lovely as she
But isn't she lovely made from love

Isn't she pretty
Truly the angel's best

Boy, I'm so happy
We have been heaven blessed

I can't believe what God has done
Through us he's given life to one
But isn't she lovely made from love

Happy Birthday, Sweet Baby Reese!

We love you so much.

Birthday Week, Day IV

2011-11-04T06:56:00.000-07:00

I know a girl,

She puts the color inside of my world

But she's just like a maze

Where all of the walls all continually change

And I've done all I can

To stand on her steps with my heart in my hands

Now I'm starting to see

Maybe it's got nothing to do with me

Fathers, be good to your daughters

Daughters will love like you do

Girls become lovers who turn into mothers

So mothers, be good to your daughters too

Birthday Week, Day III

2011-11-03T08:22:00.000-07:00

Oh, her eyes, her eyes, make the stars look like they're not shining

Her hair, her hair, falls perfectly without her trying

She's so beautiful, and I tell her every day

Yeah, I know, I know, when I compliment her she won't believe me

And it's so, it's so, sad to think that she don't see what I see

But every time she asks me do I look ok, I say

When I see your face, there's not a thing that I would change

Cause you're amazing, just the way you are

And when you smile, the whole world stops and stares for a while

Because girl you're amazing, just the way you are(yeah)

Birthday Week, Day II

2011-11-02T07:57:00.000-07:00

She's got a smile that it seems to me

Reminds me of childhood memories

Where everything

Was as fresh as the bright blue sky

Now and then when I see her face

She takes me away to that special place

And if I'd stare too long

I'd probably break down and cry

Sweet child o' mine

Sweet love of mine

Reese's Birthday Week!

2011-11-01T10:21:00.000-07:00

There once was a girl
With a little curl
Right in the middle of her forehead
And when she was good, she was very, very good.
And when she was bad she was horrid.

My daughter made me angry yesterday. Angry, ANGRY. She was horrid. And I was sadly disappointed in all that is Halloween.

I wish I had a picture of my girl standing on the door step with a bucket to go trick or treating. I wish I had a girl standing there with a costume on. But instead I have a bruise from the kicking and screaming fit she had because I wanted her to put on a costume. So, I gave up. Took the costume off and cried all night instead.

She was horrid.

But this is her birthday week. It's getting close to the big day. The TWO. The Terrible TWO! I caught a glimpse of that yesterday.

So in her honor I leave the poem about girls. It's true. Because this morning when she crawled in to bed with me to watch Mickey I couldn't help but smile at the sweet baby hands that played with my hair. When she is good, she is very, very good, with just a touch of horrid when she knows I hate it the most.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-10-26T06:59:00.001-07:00

Messy, Messy, Messy

2011-10-25T11:18:00.001-07:00

This is what toddlers do when they are eerily quiet.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-10-19T07:22:00.000-07:00

and we'll always be best friends forever.....

2011-10-17T17:50:00.000-07:00

Tonight Reese and I were having a very loving mother-daughter moment. She was brushing my hair and I was smiling and talking to her. We were discussing how funny she is and how much fun we were having. She was being just plain adorable. I looked her directly in the eye and said, "Reese, will you promise me something? Will you promise to be my friend someday?" She smiled at me and turned her head to the side and said, "No."

But then she grabbed my face and kissed me really hard. I think maybe it was more of a "We'll see...."

Wordless Wednesday

2011-10-12T06:05:00.001-07:00

Happy Anniversary

2011-10-10T18:43:00.000-07:00

Three years ago I got married to a pretty okay guy. Okay, I mean a great guy. In fact, I think I'll keep him. We've had a lot of fun in the past two years and every day is something different, something wonderful. For us, being married isn't really about a love story from a fairy tale. It's more about appreciating the hard work the other offers in life. He supports me as I call him screaming that his kid is driving me nuts. I listen to him go on about hunting and game cameras. He's ready with a sarcastic comment when the tough gets going and I like that about him.

But he comes home with a smile even when there's laundry piled to the ceiling and dog hair that would make any man cringe. And I let him in the door on Friday because I need someone to do the laundry and run the vacuum for me. As we work we talk about our day, laugh about our sweet girl's funny new thing, and wonder if anyone will ever be as lucky as we are.

Here's a few of our best moments from the past few years. The pictures get a little sporadic after the baby stole the camera lens.

And the best part of us....

Wordless Wednesday

2011-10-05T06:59:00.001-07:00

Wordless Wednesday

2011-09-28T07:39:00.001-07:00

Growth and Development

2011-09-26T11:25:00.000-07:00

The day finally arrived! We had our growth and development sonogram and everything looked great. Our little BOY is big, healthy and from the comment of the tech, "tall." Amen to that. Tall. One thing Reese and I aren't.

He showed us his manhood and moved around like a puppet on a string the whole time so we were able to see all of the parts that we needed to and everything was healthy. They even moved our due date a tiny bit to February 18th so who knows when the little guy will be here.

His hand was 1 inch long and we were able to see most of his fingers. Great heartbeat and brain/spine development. So we were two excited parents today. Dustin keeps texting me exclamation points. Let's just hope we have an excited Big Sister tonight too!

Wordless Wednesday- Pedicure Style

2011-09-21T10:01:00.000-07:00

The Moments

2011-09-13T18:25:00.000-07:00

My baby, the not-so-baby-anymore baby, has her moments. She laughs and giggles. She bosses and screams. She snickers her silly half laugh and scrunches her nose. She lays on the floor and pounds it with her fist. She lays her head on my shoulder as she's carried off to bed and then screams through the door until I walk her back to bed 25 times a night.

There are moments that take on some 2 year old traits. She has outfit preferences and likes to have a fluff of makeup in the morning. She takes care of the baby instead of being cared for herself. She picks the books and sometimes reads them to herself with no help from Mama. She walks herself to the car and climbs in alone with her new, "I will do it myself" attitude.

But there are moments when the moments are soft and sweet and so lovely to watch. Moments when she crawls in my lap and lets me hold her sippy cup to her mouth like she did as a newborn. Moments when she lays on the doctor's table with me and listens to Mama's baby's heartbeat. Moments when she first wakes up and all she wants to do is give good morning kisses. Moments when she's my baby again. Funny how those are the things I remember most.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-09-07T08:18:00.001-07:00

An Admirer

2011-09-06T17:14:00.000-07:00

Tonight at the park, Reese had a little admirer. He was very interested in what the little blondie was doing. First they teeter tottered then he helped her up the little ladder and then told her to "be careful now" while patting her back. She would swing, he would swing. She could climb, he would climb. It was the cutest thing.

Reese just kept right on playing oblivious to the attention. I hope that attitude stays around, we don't need to have any boys in our life too soon. But all the same, Reese's first admirer was a sweet one. It's like love at first sight and it's the simplest kind of love, the best kind of love, the love of a child.

Oh What a Beautiful Morning

2011-09-05T09:52:00.000-07:00

Today is perfect. Looking outside you will see a clear sky, 65 degree morning temperatures, and a beautiful sun shining. I love weather like this, it makes me want to break out my jeans, sweatshirts, and boots. The dogs go out and don't come in and the baby can play at the park for as long as seasonal allergies will allow.

This morning was a perfect morning. Reese and I slept until 7:30 which was so nice. We got up and shared a bowl of cereal and decided to go to the store. We walked outside with jackets on and made "brrrr" sounds to be silly. That kid can turn on the charm, but the similarities with her father DO run deeper than her looks. We went to the park and slid down the slide, crossed the bridge, rocked the teeter totter, and smiled in the sun.

My point is some days are too wonderful not to document. Some days walking outside makes a person smile. Some days make a person pack a picnic and enjoy grapes in the grass with a toddler who squeals with delight at being outside. Today is our day and it's just perfect.

Wordless Wednesday: A Throwback

2011-08-31T15:54:00.000-07:00

Thus Marks the End

2011-08-29T17:56:00.000-07:00

Not to worry, I don't mean the end of my blog! But I do mean the end of the dry spell. It was a long summer, and honestly, I have much more time for blogging when I am working. Maybe I prioritize better, maybe I use some of my down time at work to think of ideas, either way, I'm back to school and hopefully back to blogging on a semi-regular basis.

Here are a few things that have been distracting me lately.

1. Back to school preparation. That was a little exhausting to get back into a schedule.

2. We got a new babysitter, and so far so good! But we have to bring our own lunch now, so one more thing to distract me!

3. A big girl bed, someone enjoys getting out of it all hours of the night.

4. Pregnancy, I don't think this needs an explanation but it does consume a lot of my day.

5. The Pioneer Woman's new Food Network Show!!

6. Pinterest, it's my newest obsession. I love all the great pictures and fun things to remember. It's like my notebook of ideas only online. Check it out!! www.pinterest.com/lindsaybneal

So the list isn't long but it's pretty dense. If the end of the school year is a leaky water balloon meant to get to the finish line than the beginning of the year is a hamster wheel. I run and run and run until I find my pace and then, it doesn't slow down but I get myself back in shape.

Right now I'm blogging for the sake of routine. I'm blogging because my sister in law described my blog over the summer with a thumbs down and a farting noise. I'm blogging because I don't want to forget all the cute things Reese does and the way she makes me smile. Here's my resolution to be better. I promise.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-08-24T10:31:00.001-07:00

Wordless Wednesday

2011-08-10T14:08:00.001-07:00

Wreaths

2011-08-09T18:06:00.000-07:00

I took on a little DIY project this summer that I wanted to share. I love fun, crafty projects but I don't always have the time with little fingers always curiously looking at what I'm doing. So, this one was a no brainer. I just gave her some string and she was all set. I am still working on a couple more but here is what I've made so far and a little step by step in case you want to give it a go.

First, I picked out a wreath, Styrofoam worked best for me but someone else mentioned that they liked straw. If you do the straw, I would recommend keeping the plastic paper on it to keep the surface smooth. I started by tying a piece of yarn around the Styrofoam and then I just wrapped and wrapped. I went pretty slow at first to keep the yarn straight. I also kept the inside circle scrunched the whole time because it can get a little thick towards the end if you don't watch it.

Also, a little note here. If you are doing small chunks of colors similar to the Mizzou wreaths below, I would leave a little yarn hanging from the knot and use it to secure a knot to when you are ready to switch colors. I laid it flat under the yarn I wrapped so it wouldn't be seen. That makes it a little easier to tie it off at the end. If you decide to use one color, I let it hang until I was done and then tied it off where I started.

There isn't much more to it than that. Just tie and wrap, switch colors if you want. Then decorate!

To make the felt flowers, I used a piece of felt and cut it in a spiral. Obviously the bigger the circle the bigger the flower. The wavy lines give the flower a little flourish. I left a big chunk in the middle of the circle that will be the base of the flower. So start at the beginning of the circle and start rolling the material up.

Then I glued the base of the felt to the underside of the flower. And that's it. Here's the finished product.

Finally, I glued the flower to the felt and pinned it down through the Styrofoam.

Here's how it turned out. I love them and I can't wait to get them all done!!

A Day without Power Is....

2011-08-08T18:07:00.000-07:00

Sweaty.
Boring.
Quiet.
Hungry.
Nerve-wracking.
Frustrating.
Impatient.

That was today. Today with no electricity. Luckily it wasn't 100+ degrees. Not much of a comfort when it was actually 90 and we couldn't turn on any fans, but at least it wasn't 100. We were lucky enough to get some dry ice from KCP&L. The ~~nice~~ man who gave it to me instructed "just act like I'm camping...." Yes, that is a great idea Mister, the baby and I will pretend to camp while she throws the remote at me and screams "milk" all day.

Anyway, it's over. As of 7:00 we finally have air conditioning, TV, and MILK!

On the bright side though, Reese came and got me so she could sit on the potty chair and she went. Awesome!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-08-03T09:02:00.000-07:00

Learning to be a big Sister

2011-08-01T09:30:00.000-07:00

This weekend, Deakan spent the night with us. We really enjoyed his company. He has such a sweet disposition and is tough as nails. He's just learning to walk so he had many spills but always seemed to knock the dust off and get back up.

Reese really enjoyed having him too. She worked her magic as a Big Sister in Training. She tried to clean up and entertain and she is definitely good at making sure everyone knows what he or she is supposed to be doing. Quite the rule enforcer!

Deakan and Reese played, you know games that Reese decided she wanted to play. They shared chicken nuggets and Reese taught Deakan how to play Head and Shoulders, Knees and Toes.

Our night with Deakan was too short. We would've really liked to have taken him for a few days. Reese could use the practice and I could use the sweet baby boy cuddles. But either way, we know we are in for quite a ride with another little one on the way!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-07-27T05:01:00.000-07:00

Girls, Girls, Girls

2011-07-25T15:04:00.000-07:00

Last week was a week of beautiful ladies at the Neal house! We were lucky enough to have two special guests, Maggie and Halee.

This is Maggie. Our beautiful niece. She is 7 going on 25. A gymnast, a reader, and a great cousin! She came to stay with us last Saturday. We had the best time while she was here swimming, watching the Disney Channel, playing babies, and eating at Burger King. Reese was a stinker and a half while Maggie was here but Maggie thought she'd still come back, even though we wouldn't blame her if she didn't want to! We were glad to spend a few one on one days with her and I know Reese loved bossing her around.

This is Halee. She's Reese's aunt. Or as Reese likes to say, Halba. Halba is an athlete who is a rock star student involved in lots of clubs, she is a friend to many and she is getting ready to turn 15. And you know what that means, my friends, DRIVING! Halba came home with me on Wednesday after taking my Grandma to the doctor. Her parents (and Dustin's) went to NYC for an extended weekend so we got Halba to ourselves for the rest of the week. We had so much fun going swimming, shopping, and our VERY favorite; dancing the swimming dance. We were sad to see Halba go.

And then there were none. Yes, they've all left, even my girl, who is staying with TT for a few days this week while I teach/attend some summer classes. It's a quiet place after all the fun that was had here last week, but now we get to gear up for a weekend with my nephew, Deakan! We've been waiting all summer for this!!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-07-20T12:40:00.001-07:00

The Potty Chair

2011-07-18T08:44:00.000-07:00

A couple months ago we got a potty seat for the little miss. Right away we put it in the bathroom and just let her get used to it. She brought it out to the living room several times and pretty much just seemed interested in it from the get-go. I on the other hand have been ignoring its existence. I have no desire to cross into that territory. AT ALL.

But lo and behold the signs have been present. And although I still believe she isn't ready, one must start somewhere. And last night was where it began.

Before bedtime we took off her diaper and let her give it a shot. We sat her down and after a few seconds the chair sang and we clapped and cheered. Her face was one of pride and joy. So was mine, but only after the shock had subsided. We were pretty pumped up.

So again we tried this morning and again she went. Call it beginners luck. Call it a fluke. I don't care what you call it, my little girl used the big girl potty! So, here we go....wish us luck!

The Rainforest

2011-07-17T05:51:00.000-07:00

Crown Center has a great FREE event every few months. I try to make it down at least once to check it out especially when Maggie is here with us. But this time, we were bored on a hot Saturday so we went down to the event to check out the Rainforest. It was an awesome exhibit and Reese had a blast. She climbed and played and checked things out. It was so fun to see her go up to kids and try to get them to play with her. So here are a few pictures of us at the Rainforest Exhibit at Crown Center, check it out!!

Fountains!

2011-07-15T09:35:00.000-07:00

One boring summer day we decided to head out to the Legends to walk around for awhile. Reese loved playing in the fountains. But she couldn't quite understand why in the world they wouldn't stay on. It was priceless. **Please excuse my camera phone quality pictures.**

Wordless Wednesday

2011-07-06T02:52:00.000-07:00

Wordless Wednesday

2011-06-29T09:08:00.000-07:00

The Rough Life of a Toddler

2011-06-24T17:58:00.000-07:00

Being a toddler is rough. Literally. That poor dear is hard on everything, including herself. She's really going through a stage right now where she hits things when she's feeling frustrated. I hope it's a stage at least. She has hit everything in sight this week, a kid on the playground, me, several inanimate objects but tonight was the kicker.

Tonight, the dogs were eating, this is one of Reese's favorite things because it's one of her chores to feed them. Then she makes sure no food flies around that they might miss. But tonight Reese changed it up a little. She grabbed a hold of Miller's tail and swung around by it. She pulled and tugged so hard that when she broke free it knocked her to the ground with momentum. He was so scared that he wouldn't even eat, but he didn't snap at her. He probably wanted to though.

Next, she decided to take her frustration out on Natty. I was cooking and I heard a couple of hits but I never dreamed that she was beating the dog to death. I went in to check and he was hiding from her in the corner. She had quite a timeout after that.

But what goes around comes around because the poor thing got the wrong end of a kitchen drawer tonight too. She went face first into it and now will have quite the black eye. That just nearly broke her heart, and ours. Being a toddler can be hard, in more ways than one, for her and for those around her. This too shall pass, I hope.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-06-22T13:22:00.000-07:00

The Angry Face

2011-06-21T17:47:00.000-07:00

Reese has a new face. It's called "The Angry Face." As in "let me see your angry face." She thinks it is hilarious. So do I. She's such a card. Her angry face goes well with her new temper. She's got a hot one that's for sure. She's taken to hitting things if they hurt her. For example, she fell down outside because she tripped on a rock. When she got up she was mad and bent down to hit it. She hit our front door and she slapped someone at Dustin's class reunion because he knocked her down by accident. She is quickly learning what time out is and what my "Angry Face" looks like.

Once Upon A Time

2011-06-16T19:07:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time, long, long ago, I was a girl who slept til 9. I took naps and stayed up late and probably drank too much. I had lunch with friends and dinner after 6. I sat on my rear once in awhile and watched the Food Network. I painted my toenails and got haircuts on a regular basis. I packed a light suitcase with no more than necessary. I drove with both hands on the wheel and never worried about the timing of a drive. I emptied the dishwasher at whatever time I pleased, mindlessly banging plates and bowls as loud as I cared. Oh, once upon a time....

And now, here in the present, I do some of those things, though, not as often. I painted my toenails a few months ago, you can still make out a flake or two of polish. I sneak a Food Network episode in during nap time if I like the chef who is on. I wish I drank too much.

It's funny though how those without a little one would be horrified of the life I may lead. Fearful of months of no booze or (gasp) diet Pepsi. Shocked at the hour in which I wake each morning to play "get you" all day or to wear most of the yogurt eaten at breakfast. I'm sure being home for bedtime at 8 is unfathomable. To some.

But it's the quiet rewards that make it not just worth it but so heart fulfilling that no words could really describe it. The peaceful look as she swings or the sheer joy of sliding down the slide alone could bring me to my knees. Seeing her face light up with "Da Da" in sight or the grin spread across her face when she realizes we are at the park. Hearing the sweet sound of "Ma Ma" and the soft pat on the back that accompanies the hugs are worth each 7 am showing. Hearing her new words and watching her grow to not only recognize but love her whole family is just something that takes my breath away.

Life changes so fast. One minute you have all the time in the world, all the energy you could stand. That sounds like a fairy tale, but then a little princess comes along and everyone lives happily ever after.

Wordless Thursday

2011-06-16T18:50:00.000-07:00

Wordless Wednesday

2011-06-08T17:13:00.000-07:00

Belated Wordless Wednesday

2011-06-07T17:26:00.000-07:00

Whew!

2011-06-07T17:24:00.000-07:00

This has been a long week. We have been on the run and living out of suitcases for a couple of weeks, even longer for Dustin. But we are home and settled right now so I'm happy for sweat pants and the comfort of cooking in my own kitchen. I am also having some blogging withdrawals, I literally check my reading list every day and I really miss the Pioneer Woman.

So, just in an effort to catch up here's our week in review:

Last weekend we went home and celebrated Memorial Day with our families. Reese got to play with both of her cousins and really had a blast.

We played in water, both sprinklers and a pool.

Marsha, Maggie, Reese and I came back to the city as I finished up the last couple of days of school. And then we all traveled back home to get ready for the Pepsi Tournament.

Then golf took hold of our lives for a couple of days. I'm happy to say Dustin took 2nd place and won a ton of money. Plus they bought their own team in the side bets called The Calcutta, I can't explain it any better than that but that made them some money too.

And now we're home. Home Sweet Home. I was glad to have my family all in one place, just the three of us under our own roof. Nothing is quite as wonderful.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-06-01T08:30:00.000-07:00

I'm having some technical difficulties with my flash drive today, so stay tuned! But Happy Last Day of School, Everyone! I'm so glad to be done!!

Friday Funnies

2011-05-27T09:06:00.000-07:00

I don't have a lot of funny moments this week. Mostly because this week sucked. With tornadoes and an absentee husband, not to mention the tantrums Reese began this week and the exhaustion of the end of the year, well you get the point. Here are a few things that are cracking me up right now.

1. Reese loves to play with lotion. A squirt or ten at a diaper change is one life's greatest pleasures. Today she opened the bottle, squirted a little and got a face full. She laughed an evil little laugh and then said, "o-shay" which is "okay" in baby language but the way she got so excited it came out suspiciously like "oh shit." And I thought that was very appropriate for the situation. And she probably has heard that a time or two these days.

2. I went to check on her the other night before I went to bed. I looked in and put her blanket over her and she stirred, rolled over and then cut a big toot. It was so funny that I had to run out of the room to keep from waking her up with laughter.

3. This week I fell down at school. I have a chair with rolling wheels and I leaned over to grab a paper from my counter. The wheels got away from me and I ended up flat on the floor with my feet in the air. A kid came over and said, "who, Mrs. Neal, one minute you were sitting there and the next all I saw were two feet in the air." He asked how I was and then said, "sorry, but that was funny." I bet it was if kids laughed, they're usually very kind in those situations.

4. We obviously had to duck and cover the other day. One of the teachers, trying to pass the time, said, "Count backwards from 100 and then it should all be over." I leaned to her and said, "or they could say their alphabet backwards so they can practice up for DWIs later." Totally innappropriate but we laughed about that all day.

Well, it's almost the weekend. Hallelujah for a long weekend and only two more days of school. Have a great Memorial Day, Everyone!

whew, that was a close one...

2011-05-25T19:13:00.000-07:00

Today, our school district called for all of us to take shelter from the storm. Nothing says panic like the school's administrative assistant getting on the intercom screeching to take cover immediately.

Take cover we did. For an hour and a half. Let's just set the scene. There were 7 classes of approximately 20 students (140 kids) in a hallway for an hour and a half in a crawl position. Hands and knees, dead silent, head's covered. For an hour and a half. No one could use the bathroom, they missed their lunch time, and they were scrunched like sardines. And did they whine about it? You betcha. But they also rose to the occasion.

There were many tears and fearful students. There were many tears and fearful teachers too. Our babies were out there. Our cell phones had no service. It was a scary day.

But one thing about a crisis, people stick together. There were tears but there were lots of hugs too. There were lots of comforting pats on the back and kind words. I heard a woman quoted on the news saying (about Joplin), "it's just amazing to me how the people come together." Honestly, it doesn't amaze me at all. People care about one another. People want to help. People will reach out and help when the chips are down. It would surprise me if they didn't.

So, as we watch the tornadoes devastate communities and we see people band together to gather supplies and make donations, remember how they must feel. Put yourself in the position of losing so much and how the good of people makes all the difference. Look up the Red Cross and make a donation (text Red Cross to 90999), donate blood, throw a package of diapers in a bin to help a baby in need, do whatever comes to your mind when you think of helping your fellow man.

And if for no other reason, do it because it would surprise me if you didn't.

Wordless Wednesday- A Shopper's Dream!

2011-05-25T14:03:00.000-07:00

That Face!

2011-05-23T18:12:00.000-07:00

Reese has a new face. It's a Holy Cow, this is AWESOME! face. Her eyes grow big and her mouth rounds into an O. She looks just stunned. It's adorable. It's part of her new, "I'm hilarious" stage. And oh boy is it a fun one.

She is intent on getting the most bang for her buck on making people laugh. She comes up to us and play hits us and then cracks up at herself. You can just hear her saying, "gotcha!" She splashes in the tub and then cackles. Her laughter is infectious.

She does many things, oftentimes without ever knowing how funny she is. She picks up her baby, kisses her and then launches her into the baby crib. I hope that's not modeling for what she thinks we do to her. Or maybe I hope she does think that. That no baby should go to bed without a kiss, that wouldn't be such a bad thought.

Reese goes around the house slamming down toilet seat lids. She feeds the dogs 1 dog food chunk at a time. She tries to diaper her babies and wipe herself during her own changes. She likes to sit in the driver's seat of a car and pretend to drive us around. And she loves babbling away on anything that even remotely looks like a phone.

We bang drums, play the recorder. We read books and watch The Fresh Beat Band. We hit balloons around the house and play make up. Each sweet thing is more fun than the last but that face, that sweet surprised look, well that makes all the fun times even better.

One is Silver and the Other is Gold

2011-05-19T18:05:00.000-07:00

Today was a big day at West Englewood Elementary. Change came upon us today and it was a bittersweet day. People moved up the grade levels, some went down. Grade levels changed across the board and it was wild.

It's easy to get comfortable and grow roots in one spot, to form lasting relationships. It's nice to know each day what you are going to get and be happy with it. But it is also tons of fun to be faced with a new challenge, a fun twist, and some new relationships too. So change has its rewards and challenges; just like everything else.

Next year I have a new team. Two new girls to get to know better. And two friends will move on to a new grade level, to a new team. I feel pretty lucky. I get to make new friends and keep the old. So if change is happening this is the best place to be. The best of both worlds. One is silver and one is gold.

Potty Training- Or lack there of

2011-05-18T09:50:00.000-07:00

Last night Reese was in the tub playing away. She loves bath time and she loves to make a big ole mess. Anyway, she started in on her little evening pooping thing she likes to do. I panicked and thought, what am I going to do with this? That's when I had the brilliant idea.

I remembered the potty chair! Yes, the potty chair was right behind me. I grabbed the kid and plopped her down. Only I was a little slow on the go. She didn't make it to the potty chair and a little landed in a couple different places. Which meant that I had a mess to clean up. That sucked. But it gets funnier.

I had her stand by the tub real quick so I could get rid of the remains. I rushed to clean so I could get her back in the tub and I'll be darned if she didn't start peeing right there on the floor.

So, strike one on the potty training. Not that she was ready. But every opportunity is an opportunity to learn. We'll try again next time. And laugh at the funny baby who pees on the floor.

Wordless Wednesday- Redneck Style

2011-05-17T18:08:00.000-07:00

I'm a Redneck Woman, I ain't no high class broad....

I'm just a product of my raising and I say "hey y'all and hee haw!"

Friday Funnies

2011-05-13T12:11:00.000-07:00

Lately Reese has been pretty funny. And cute. But then again, she's always been cute. Here are a few of my favorite things she's done lately.

1. As we leave the house every morning she blows kisses to the dogs and tells them bye-bye. The other morning she kissed them bye but she put her hand to my mouth so I would blow them a kiss too. Then we went to Hobby Lobby where she saw a picture of a hook and pull rug with a dog on it on a banner hung from the ceiling. As we left the aisle she waved and blew kisses to the banner too. I'd say she has a thing for dogs.

2. Reese has been throwing things away left and right. I've seen everything from dog food to hand towels. The other day I went to throw away my dental floss and noticed a five dollar bill. Guess she thought we wouldn't be needing that!

3. We found a new baby stroller for Reese the other day. She loves pushing babies around and was just so thrilled by the new toy. By Tuesday she was pretty bored with it though. She wasn't content anymore just pushing it, instead she demanded that I get up and push it. And as if that wasn't enough she sat down on the floor and watched me push her baby stroller around.

4. Dustin and Reese have a lot of tickle fights and do some of the rough stuff that daddies do with kids. They were on the bed and every time she went to get up he would gently knock her down and they'd laugh. After 5-6 times Reese decided she'd had enough. She stood up and made the sign for "all-done." Guess that works other places besides the dinner table!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-05-11T06:14:00.000-07:00

Tushy Tuesday

2011-05-10T13:01:00.000-07:00

Sunday we took Reese to the park. Before we left, Reese had lunch and then a little bit (okay, a lot) of macaroni and cheese ended up all over her shirt and in her hair so we had to give her a wardrobe change. I ent ahead and changed her diaper too but I guess I didn't get it on correctly. Her little tushy was hanging out pretty bad and we didn't notice it until she was toddling up the stairs of the slide. That poor girl!

Happy Mother's Day!

2011-05-06T07:57:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was Rock Star Day at school. We are having a Science Week and yesterday we were celebrating the rock cycle. So Rock Star attire it was. It was so much fun seeing the different interpretations of what a Rock Star meant to everyone. Apparently, my version of a Rock Star was a little on the Cyndi Lauper side. But I can't help it if I think black eyeliner, dangly earrings, big hair and a C.F.M. boots represent Rock Stars. To make a long story short, I looked a little wild.

In my wild rock representation style, I stopped off at Hallmark to get cards for all my loved ones for Mother's Day. I felt a little ridiculous and I wanted to scream, "Don't worry, I'm teaching your children in this getup!" But I didn't.

Apparently Rod's Hallmark is having a gigantic 40% off sale. The store was stripped completely clean of Mother's Day cards. Not a one in the place. I'm a card person and I was pretty bummed because I knew I'd never make it to another Hallmark to get cards in time to get them mailed for Sunday.

So here's my card. It is my favorite poem and I think it makes a lot of sense with a lot of people and situations. It's beautiful and it sums up the sentiment of mothers. We carry our children's heart with us. Wherever we go, we are never alone because there they are filling us with love and happiness. We smile at the thought of their sleepy heads at bedtime and their little diaper butt running for blankies. We melt at their smiles and giggles and do everything in our power to get them to laugh over and over. When kids get older mother's roles change, they become friends. But a mother is always a source of comfort, big or small, and they always carry the hearts of a child in theirs.

To all the mothers I know, Happy Mother's Day.

This picture came from http://sprik.blogspot.com/.

The Library

2011-05-04T09:39:00.000-07:00

I love to go to the library. Mostly because they have free books there. But they also have great recommendations. I especially like their reading programs and fun stuff for kids. Reese is going to sign up for their summer reading program and we will probably hit up a lot of story hours this summer since she is a little older.

Last night we made a trip to kill some time before bed. I had lost my card and Reese's books were getting boring so off we went. We got a new card and then we went back to the children's section to browse. Reese was in heaven! She looked at books, she played with the stuffed animals, she put together a puzzle, it was the best. Until.....

Oh yes, until. There is always an until when one has a toddler. And here is mine. Reese was great until she very publicly pooped her pants. Publicly. Loudly. Turning the head's of strangers. She turned red-faced and grunted right there in the children's section. People on the computers kept looking over at her because she was so loud. I could've sunk into the floor.

Since we were just quickly running to the library, I didn't bring a diaper bag. That was a smart move. So I quickly got our books, ran out the door and cleaned her up at home. All was well, I just will never forget the night my kid pooped at the library.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-05-04T07:29:00.001-07:00

wor

Free Pattern of the Month

2011-04-29T11:29:00.000-07:00

Over at the Grosgrain Fabulous blog, they are having a fun, free pattern of the month. Each day they will feature a new sewing pattern that you can download and create! I don't sew but there are such fun ideas that I couldn't help but share. Check out today's too, it's a very awesome stuffed dish and spoon to go with the nursery rhyme. It makes me wish so much I had the talent!!

A Little Black Rain Cloud

2011-04-28T08:55:00.000-07:00

My sister, Lulu, loves Disney stuff. She collects the movie music boxes (which are amazingly cool). She also collects the movies and the plush animals. She has a pretty great collection really. And when we were kids, we used to go to the Disney Store at Metro North Mall and hang out. One day when we were there, there was a little Winnie the Pooh song playing and it got stuck in Lulu's head. All day long she sang that dang song until I wanted to kill her. And to this day I have that song memorized because of that day.

I'm just a little black rain cloud

Hovering under the honey tree

I'm only a little black rain cloud

Pay no attention to little me

Ev'ryone knows that a rain cloud

Never eats honey, no, not a nip

I'm just floating around over the ground

Wondering where I will drip

Anyway, this song is kind of where I am this week. Dustin has been gone for a long stretch of time and I am tired. You've read my posts this week about my crazy baby and the rice krispy treats. Last night it was a sour cream container, a spoon and a sink. I won't get into the details but the bottom line is, it is hard doing this all week and missing your husband and getting stuff done extra for school not to mention keeping a house clean and working. But then, the icing on the cake, our babysitter gave us her notice for next year. Which is sad, we'll miss her dearly and now we have to go through the stressful process of finding new care for next year.

It is scary, branching out to find new care. Reese has made friends, sweet friends, at our sitter's house. And it has been hard for me to find the right balance of not driving far, a nice person, and a decent price. It's my baby girl and I want her to be happy somewhere.

So, I've turned into a little black rain cloud. I've been dripping all over people this week. I hope the storm blows over but at this point, it could go either way.

Fine!

2011-04-27T09:07:00.000-07:00

Fine is the word that I know Reese would've shouted at me last night if she could've. We had a little bit of an argument, if you could call it that. I found this argument to be hilarious. I literally laughed out loud as she toddled back to say she was sorry. Here's what happened......

My grade level is in charge of pay day treats this month. I love to cook so I got a little ambitious on my attempt at making something great for the whole staff. I should've just bought some cookies and been done with it, but no, not me. I decided to make Rice Krispy Treats. You know, like on the commercials, where the mom is smiling and has a pretty apron on and a huge bowl. Her kids are laughing and eating small morsels of yummy marshmallowy goodness. Just like that. I pictured Reese sitting on the counter loving the sweet snack. Me smiling as I stirred all the cereal that stayed in the bowl. That's not quite how it went down.

What really did happen was that Reese wanted a bowl of her own. So I thought, "oh great idea! She can eat while I mix these up really quick and then she can go to bed." Riiiiiight. She took the bowl and dumped the entire thing on the ground. I let her to buy some time to get more done and then I was going to let her up to help. Silly, Lindsay. Before I knew it she was pissed. Rice Krispys were all over the floor and being crunched into the carpet with every step I took. She whined louder and louder, I was cussing under my breath with marshmallows up to my elbows and finally I snapped, "would you just knock it off?"

Wow, was that the wrong thing to say! She looked at me as if to say, "FINE!" She burst into tears, ran to the other room, sobbing the whole way. I was secretly glad for her to go for just a second. I washed my hands and chuckled to myself, I just knew she was getting her nigh-nigh (blankie). And a few seconds later she came sobbing back into the room, blankie in tow.

I sat down on the crunchy kitchen floor and she curled in my lap with her thumb. I knew she was sorry and so was I. We cuddled for a minute and then I put her on the counter where I stirred Rice Krispys all over the kitchen. She tried a little bite and then decided she just wanted to watch. I didn't have on an apron and she wasn't loving the marshmallowy goodness but it was as close to the commercial as she and I were going to get.

I learned a few things last night. First, nigh-nigh is the fixer of all problems. Second, we might get mad but we love each other and we can fix it. Third, if it looks good on television, it's probably a lie. And finally, vacuums don't clean up crunched up, smooshed in Rice Krispy treats.

Wordless Wednesday- Easter Style

2011-04-27T05:43:00.000-07:00

Easter

2011-04-25T09:44:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful Easter at home. This was Reese's first chance at an egg hunt and she loved it. She wasn't that great at the objective but it was fun to her to look at all the colors and wander around. We had a hunt with her cousins on the Neal family side on Saturday and then we hunted for eggs a little at my side of the family on Sunday morning. That was fun but we missed our favorite guy ever, Deakan, so it was a little bittersweet. Next year I can imagine him and Reese running through the yard at the speed of light. I know they'll be so cute. But here are a few highlights of the day.

There will be more to come. I have some in her big fancy Easter dress too but my camera died and I'm waiting on Dustin to email me the pictures from his phone. She looked adorable in it!

11 Years Today

2011-04-24T19:06:00.000-07:00

11 years ago to the day (date) was my senior prom. I don't know how much that dates me but it's true.

We were big stuff that year. We rented a limo, we drank gin shooters, we sang a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad song which still makes me laugh and blush. We partied it up, we stayed out all night. We danced the night away and had a the kind of memories that prom is supposed to be about. Now that it is prom season it makes me a little nostalgic for dressing up and having fun hair. A little depressed about the carefree spirit of one with no bank account or car payment too.

And while we're on the subject about memories, I should quickly touch on the beautiful ladies in this picture. I had a hard time digging up a picture without the boys in it, considering that it was NOT my high school sweetheart who I married, I decided he really didn't need to be part of this post. But from the left, we have Jenny, my fun-loving friend who loves to be outdoors, who has legs up to her chin, who loves to dance to Footloose and sing her heart out to Grease. Jenny was my first friend in Brookfield and I love her more than my luggage!
Amber is next. Her dress is a beautiful red and she was so excited to be the striking beauty she is in it. We got our dresses together and stopped each time we had a fitting for Little Cesear's breadsticks. Amber loves to have a good time and we've had many a fun night together.
Next is Mary. She is the Godmother to my girl. She has a beauty of her own named Clara Jean. Mary is the kind of person I think I always strive to be. You will never catch Mary griping or gossiping about people, she just doesn't have anything bad to say. April 24th is also the day Mary got officially together with her now-husband. Funny that I would remember that, but it was a big deal then. Getting together with your high school sweetheart at the prom during a dance. How romantic! They're kind of that way though. Romantic and sweet. I love them a lot.
And the last girl is me. A younger, skinnier, more carefree version of myself.

And a good time was had by all......

That's a Wrap

2011-04-24T18:12:00.000-07:00

Today, I had my first Diet Pepsi after the end of Lent. I wasn't going to do it because it is my intention to give up my pop addiction but we stopped to get Reese some late lunch on our way home to the city. I looked at Dustin as he got out and smiled, he must've known what the smile meant because he came out of the gas station with a Pepsi in his hand. I drank a long drink and when I was through Dustin laughed and said, "ahhh there's my wife, I've missed her!" I guess I'm better with a little caffeine and aspartame!! But honestly, I'm going to work really hard to keep this up. Check back in a couple of weeks and see how it's going, only time will tell!!

The Tantrums

2011-04-21T08:46:00.000-07:00

Everyone knows the Terrible Twos are real. It must be so hard to know what you want and not be able to communicate it with others so you can have it. A mom can teach words, teach sign language, do whatever in her power, but the fact remains, tantrums happen.....says the mom of a fairly well-behaved 18 month old.

I have caught a quick glimpse to what tantrums really look like and I'm gonna tell you, I'm afraid. What do I do with this strong-willed girl who cannot tell me what she wants? That's scary enough. But what really frightens me is when she asks for something, says please, but still can't have it. Case in point, yesterday she wanted Chips Ahoy cookies for snack. She saw them on the refrigerator, pointed, said please but did not get them. She didn't need cookies for snack. She had a perfectly good snack. So, that was it, let the tantrum begin.

I don't know what I'm going to do with this new stage. I guess ignore it and it'll go away. I guess I need to stick to my guns and say no and mean it. Ugh, if only real life was that easy. But I do try and I'll keep trying and trying and trying. And maybe one day I'll have a sweet little lady who folds her hands when she goes in a store instead of stealing Hello Kitty chapstick and throwing it at her mother. A girl can dream right?

Wordless Wednesday

2011-04-20T05:20:00.000-07:00

A Few Loose Ends

2011-04-19T08:54:00.000-07:00

I haven't been so great at blogging lately. It seems like everything and nothing has been going on. We don't do much in the evening but Reese is doing some of the silliest things all the time. She is a card and I think she knows it. She gets that from her father. So here are some things that have been going on with us.

Reese is getting more and more steady on her feet. There are fewer falls now and she is even starting to pick up her pace a little to "jaunty walk" that she believes is a run. It looks so funny when she puffs out her chest and gets to moving. Especially when she's being chased. She giggles like a hyena and checks behind her back to see if they are gonna get her. She is so funny.

Easter baskets are in full swing. I'm trying to come up with ideas of what to put inside eggs besides candy. A few coins/dollars and some stickers but beyond that I'm at a loss. I like to do holiday cards too but I can't think of a handprint idea that is Easter themed. Especially with Mother's Day so close, I am just running out of creative ideas. PLEASE HELP!!!

Dustin is excited for the season too. It's turkey hunting time and he couldn't be more excited. He walks around the house gobbling like a fool. As if we don't have enough noise around that place.

Life is going by so quickly and so slowly at the same time. It's the time of the year that I like to refer to as the water balloon race. Just hold that leaky water balloon together and get it past the finish line, the end of the school year is coming, hold it together and summer will be a great reward!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-04-13T05:44:00.001-07:00

It's Time for my Close Up

2011-04-11T07:31:00.000-07:00

Reese thought she would ham it up a little this weekend. Here's a little glimpse into the emotions of a toddler!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-04-06T05:05:00.000-07:00

The Many Faces of Reese

2011-04-05T17:05:00.000-07:00

Reese is like the comedy and tragedy faces of a play. One minute she is walking around happy as a lark, the next she is screaming in agony of only the most wronged human on the planet. I wish she could give me a head's up when the storm is beginning to blow in, but perhaps the lack of communication is the cause of the storm. Either way, I need a helmet, and I need it five minutes ago.

Tonight she wanetd spaghetti but she didn't want it on a plate.

She wanted to go outside but only if she could have a cookie. (I can thank her father for that)

She wanted me to fill up her empty shampoo bottle with water but she didn't want me to hold it.

She wanted to open the dryer door but close it before I got any clothes in. Then she wanted it open, then she couldn't get it open so she laid on the floor and cried until I opened it. Then she did it all again.

Oh Reese, she is a mess. But she is quite funny most of the time too. We had a family party this weekend and I think she kissed everyone there. She loves her new shoes and she keeps looking at her feet checking out how pretty her toes are. She lifts my shirt to "ticky, ticky, ticky" my belly button. And if there is a dog in a five mile radius you can bet there is a little girl panting her head off because she loves them so.

So sure, she wears the tragedy mask as if she were made for the part. But the comedy mask, well, it trumps all. One laugh from that little stinker and Dustin and I look at each other, grin, and wonder, how did we ever get so lucky?

A Baby Dunk!

2011-04-02T17:19:00.000-07:00

Reese got a basketball goal for Christmas. We got it out for some spring fun this weekend. I'm still cheering for a cheerleader, but basketball may be in our future! This was even cuter when I wasn't holding the camera because when I clapped she clapped for herself a lot. That was half the fun!

The Winner!!

2011-04-01T10:08:00.000-07:00

True Random Number Generator

Min:
Max:
Result:
8

Okay, I can't get the Random Generator to freeze on a given picture, but when I typed in the number of comments and hit generate, the number 8 came up. So the lucky winner is: Lulu and her comment below.

It's hard to choose a favorite dog breed, they are all so cuddly and lovable! I have to be partial to my current dog and say I love Miniature Pinschers! Gotta be loyal to Cowboy!

Lulu
Thank you all for commenting and for participating, this has been a fun contest and giveaway. I appreciate all the fun feedback I got!

Read With Max Blog Book Tour!

2011-03-30T06:30:00.000-07:00

I recently came across a great children's book series. The books are about a Dog Leader for the Blind, with the star of the book named Max. He is an English Lab (my fav!) who tells the story from his point of view of his adventures in dog leadership. He is encouraging kids to have good experiences helping out people in need and to encourage those kids who need the assistance of a work dog too.

Then I got to investigating further about the book and the author. It turns out, a portion of the proceeds from the book goes to The Leader Dogs for the Blind organization. Even better! A great book and a great cause! If you head to the website, Read With Max, you can check out all their great books and awards.
And the best part is, I'm giving away one of the books right here today! Just leave a comment telling your favorite breed of dog below by Friday at noon and I will announce the winners of a random selection after that. I hope you will all check out the great books by Anthony M.T. Majewski, I don't think you'll be disappointed!!!

Max is running through a few blogs on a book tour, check out the dates for the other blogs on the tour here. And since I am the first up on the tour, I have a key word for you! Connect all the key words on the blogs on the tour and be entered in a drawing for a $50 gift card! The word of the day is: MAX. Good luck!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-03-30T06:00:00.000-07:00

My Girl

2011-03-29T10:29:00.000-07:00

Lately, my little girl has been more like my little demon. She is NOT interested in her mother. She glares when I get her from her crib, she reaches for Daddy when she is hurt. She just wants to soak up every minute she has with her dad and Mommy is nothing but a deterance.

But last night things were different. I picked her up from daycare and it was just the two of us. We had a salad and grilled cheese for dinner and we sat and talked. Okay, I talked she listened. She fed me bites of her food and smiled at me. She patted my on the back when I picked her up. It was lovely.

I took her outside even though it was cold and we played an exciting game of peekaboo around the bbq grill. She led me by the hand all through the yard showing me things that she liked. She even pointed at a Miller-sized land mine in the yard that she found interesting.

We went inside and she played with my hair and we played kitchen. She brought me the remote and we watched about 2 minutes of Dora while she sat in my lap. She smiled, she was happy and laughing. She was her Mama's girl again. I drank it up, enjoyed every minute and gave her lots of kisses.

She is growing and changing all the time these days. Each day she can say or do something new. Yesterday she said cookie. Saturday in Wal-Mart she pointed to something on the shelf and signed please so she could have it. She tickles us and imitates everything we do. It was nice to just sit on the couch and watch her so I won't forget how fun she is right now. How cute her little nose is, how tiny her feet still are. For those 3 hours I didn't mind that she hated me all weekend or that she slapped me the other day. I just enjoyed my baby girl and I hope she enjoyed me too.

Upcoming Events

2011-03-27T13:53:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to let you know I was gearing up for my first ever blog giveaway! Tune in Wednesday to read all about a great book and to enter into a drawing for a free giveaway! Are you so excited? I am! See you Wednesday!!

Wordless Wednesday- Spring Style!

2011-03-23T05:27:00.000-07:00

Rice Party

2011-03-22T17:26:00.000-07:00

During our break, we played outside a lot. One day we got the bright idea to let Reese have a little rice party on our patio. We gave her some scoops, cups, and spoons and let her have at it. And she loved it! She played for an hour. Which was very nice for Mommy and Daddy. I'm so glad I save containers like this pancake mix pourer and the puffs container. We even hid things in the rice, it was like surprise every time she found one!!

She's Cracking Me Up!

2011-03-21T09:03:00.000-07:00

Our child, well, she is hilarious to say the least. Lately she has been cracking me up with her antics and funny ways about life. For one thing, she loves to give kisses. You know the open mouth kind. I love the kisses, but would prefer the closed mouth kind. She'll get it one of these days. But back to my point, the other day, she was passing out Daddy kisses left and right. I wanted in on the action so I asked her if I could have a kiss. She came over, kissed me, walked to her dad, kissed him, and back again several times. She just had lots of love to go around.

She has also become a big lover of filling, scooping and dumping. So we got out the spices and pots and pans and she filled the pans up with spices (in the containers) and stirred them around a little bit. She would pretend to pour spices in, stir it up and then lift the spoon to her mouth saying, "mmmm." Guess she watches me more than I think!

She's also become an avid outdoorswoman. Not just enjoying the weather, but dragging her father by his hair across the room and pounding at the door until we open it. Saturday's storm really put a hitch in her plans and she demanded to go out for hours. I finally opened the door, put her out there and brought her back in. She was done demanding after that. She does love it out there though. Especially when Daddy chips golf balls into the lot behind our house.

She was a Daddy's girl this weekend. Not that she hasn't always been a little but mostly if she wanted something, she came to me. This weekend it was all about Dad. She gave me the most withering glares if I came to get her from her nap. She refused to even look in my direction and she saved all her smiles just for him. I just hope she doesn't forget about me for good!

My little girl is getting so big. She is becoming Miss Independent, helping put her clothes on and throwing trash away. She still loves to read and lights up whenever we grab a book from her overflowing bookcase. She grabs our hand and leads us where she wants to go but still tilts her head back and puts her thumb in her mouth when we cuddle her close. We had a great spring break together, it just makes us count the days until Summer Vacation!

Spring Break

2011-03-17T13:54:00.000-07:00

We have spent this week running around like crazy people. But we have had fun. And while we didn't get a chance to spend as much time with the people we wanted to see, we did get to see a lot of people. We started off going to Maggie's gymnastic meet on Saturday. That was just awesome. This isn't the best picture, but I was pleased with the video so I'll be okay.

Then we spent time with my family. We got to love on this cute little face.

We spent the day with Baby D at his house on Monday and had a great time playing with some new toys. I think this was the closest they came to one another the whole time we were there. But they definitely agreed, they loved the jack in the box. They played well those 5 minutes together, even sitting still while I grabbed my camera. It was fun to watch them.

Monday night I was able to catch up with my good friends Mary and Eric and their cutie pie, Clara. I had missed them a lot. And even though Reese had less than stellar behavior, she had fun with Clara too who showed her each of her toys and was very thoughtful.

We came home on Tuesday, just exhausted out of our minds. Poor Reese slept the entire way home and then took another 2 hour nap later that afternoon. She played hard and had a hard time catching up. I think she was glad to be home. I know I was.

And now we are just enjoying our time together. Playing outside and at the park. I have a full-time walker now so she thought walking around with the wind blowing through her hair was just fabulous.

Spring break, ahhh, it's the best.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-03-16T13:09:00.000-07:00

Mags

2011-03-13T18:24:00.000-07:00

This weekend Dustin and I were lucky enough to go see our niece perform in a gymnastics event. It was amazing. Really, really amazing.

Two years ago we were putting the pressure on Maggie. She was a natural gymnastic. She's flexible and just the right amount of fearless. But she wasn't sure about gymnastics. We all knew she would be great at it, it just took a little convincing to get her to feel the same way. But she came around, and as we all knew she would, she excelled immediately. She can bounce and fly around as if she was born to do it.

This weekend she had a meet in Columbia and we were able to go. I wish I could go to each and every one of them because it was such a great day. That Maggie was just wonderful! I just loved how she looked in her leotard and how she walked with such grace. She was beautiful.

The first event was the one Maggie hates the most, the bars. She feels like it is a weakness for her, even though that was the last word I would use to describe it. She nailed her pinwheel flip around the bars and stuck the landing! And that's how it went all day long. On the balance beam she never wavered, the floor routine she pointed her toes and kept her movements sharp. The vault was the last event and she sprang into the air and came up smiling. She was perfect.

I really can't say enough about what a great day this was. I loved watching Maggie in her element. I loved watching how proud her Mom and Dad were. It was fun to see her strength and pride to this commitment. She was just awesome! Here's a little video of her on the bars, I hope you enjoy it as much as we all did!

Lent: Day 1

2011-03-09T17:43:00.000-08:00

Today is Ash Wednesday. The beginning of Lent. The day Jesus left for the desert where he stayed for 40 days and 40 nights to fast and pray before his death. So in honor of his commitment and sacrifice, some give things up as a sacrifice during the days before Easter. Ash Wednesday and the Fridays of Lent are all meatless days also because, again, it is a sacrifice. So when one sacrifices, one must remember to think of Jesus in the desert and his purpose there.

And this year, right out of the gate, I failed.

It wasn't like I thought, "screw Lent, I'm eating chicken!" It was more like an epiphany around 2:00. "Oh crap! I'm not supposed to eat meat today." That was right after enjoying the chicken salad I had for lunch. Whoops! So, as of 2:00 tomorrow, I'll be off the hook.

That's another thing about Lent. Sure, I can sneak a chicken salad in at lunch time on Ash Wednesday; no one held me accountable. Katie didn't care if I had roast beef or chicken or pork. No one minds what you do, it's just the Big Guy who always seems to be checking over my shoulder. He has a way of knowing those little cheats.

I am giving up pop this year. This is a sacrifice like one I haven't had in awhile. I strive big during Lent. One year it was potatoes, another red meat. Last year it was money to charity. But pop, well that's a whole new realm of commitment. Part of my determination comes from the fact that I am an addict and it's time to break the bad habit. Part of my commitment comes from the denial of faith from my husband. Little does he know that besides today, I've never cheated, not once. I should've bet him.

So here we are. Day 1 of a 40+ day journey on the path to cleansing myself from aspartame and caramel color (no one said anything specifically about caffeine here people). I have a headache. I am without my usual jolt of life from the caffeine that is a staple in my bloodstream. I am grouchy and I want a steak. But, a sacrifice it is. No one said anything about it being easy. And it shouldn't be. Because really, the only one you have to prove a point to is paying attention and I sure don't want to let Him down.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-03-09T05:05:00.000-08:00

Chicken Noodle Soup Casserole

2011-03-06T17:01:00.000-08:00

Today I made this recipe I found on The Pioneer Woman's Tasty Kitchen Blog. It was absolutely wonderful! Our entire family devoured it and couldn't think of a single thing we didn't like about it. So I wanted to share how I made it since it is a little different than the actual recipe. And it is full of things that are common to have around. I felt a little sinful not sharing it too, it was great.

First, I roasted the chicken breasts in the oven at 425 with some olive oil and salt and pepper. The recipe calls for boiled chicken but I hate the smell of boiled chicken so I chose to do the more flavorful option.

Then I cut up carrots, celery, and half an onion to saute in 1/2 a stick of butter.

I also grated up some garlic into the pot. In with the veggies I sprinkled thyme and some pepper. I didn't use salt because the butter was salted already.

After the veggies got pretty soft and the onions translucent, I spooned in a huge spoonful of sour cream and a can of cream of mushroom soup. The original recipe calls for a can each of cream of chicken and cream of mushroom but I cut it down for our family and just used one can.

The next step was to boil some pasta. The recipe called for quite a bit but I cut it down. You'll have to check the recipe for sure and then I used about 3/4 of what it said. The noodles can overpower it and we really loved all the chunks of other stuff. And if you use too much pasta it can get a little dry. The recipe also called for angel hair pasta, I thought that was perfect. I got a lot of lip about it from Dustin (he thought they should've been fettuccine noodles) but when it was finished he agreed that those were perfect.

About this time, I checked in and of course my lovely assistant was up to no good. You might not be able to see it here, but she was covered in green, as in crayon, that she had been eating. Yes, she is missing a shoe and yes, we need to sweep our floor (or let the vacuuming dogs take a stroll through)!

Once the pasta is cooked, the chicken is probably cool enough to chunk up into smallish pieces.

Then I mixed everything together in a big bowl. Mix it really well because I do have to admit that the only complaint we had was that the chicken wasn't distributed enough. Also, I broke the pasta in half to help with this step too. At this point, Dustin came in and asked if he could just put his face in the pan and start eating. It smelled awesome already and it really looked great. I couldn't help but agree with his thought!

This goes in the oven at 375 for about 30-35 minutes. In the meantime, clean up the green crayon, sweep the floor and read a few books to your baby. She'll appreciate the extra love.

And then once your casserole has been cooking for awhile, crunch up a whole sleeve of Ritz crackers. I used the whole wheat kind and they were delish. Let it cook about 10 minutes more after that.

This is what comes out of the oven! YUM!!

And this is what the crowd thought.

This and That

2011-03-04T19:17:00.000-08:00

Tonight has been boring. I'm talking agonizingly boring. Dustin made the trek home to do some work tomorrow so Reese and I are here alone and as much as I couldn't wait for her to go to bed, now I wish she was up so I would have something to do. But she's not.

First things first, this has been one long week. With the amount of snow days that have been in my schedule lately a full week of school is about the equivalent as a year with no weekends. It's been brutal. The kids are at war with one another. I am at war with the kids. They need to get smarter in a hurry. And I mean it.

Secondly, my child has become very interested in what's under the bed. She pulls out gift bags and stray pictures. She finds tissue paper and ribbons. I guess I need some good sturdy storage boxes. Or I need to get off the couch and tell her no once in awhile. But the boxes sound easier.

She has also become a hairy troll as of late. This morning I almost screamed when I saw her. Talk about some bedhead. I am now officially done judging mothers of 3rd grade girls who have neither the time nor the energy to get a brush through their tangled manes. Yikes! Hair is a battle. I slip a barrette in, 27.6 seconds later it is out. And let me tell you about the fight I got when I attempted a pony tail holder today. She's a feisty one, that kid.

I am filled with apprehension this weekend. I don't even want to say why out loud. I am getting ready to branch out and do the unthinkable. My heart is pumping hard just thinking of it. Tune in next week and I will tell you all about it.....don't you just love the suspense? Let's just say Lent is approaching and I'm going for the big guns this year. I always feel that way, but you know what? I never give up alcohol, that would be a stretch of the ole faith muscle that's for sure.

My child is also an endless talker these days. She sings constantly and will repeat the sounds we make often. I swore she said love to me yesterday after I told her I loved her. That will be quite an accomplishment. I love her sweet affections, hugs and kisses, but "I love you" will be a little less wet than when she tries to kiss me with her mouth wide open and her tongue hanging out. Yuck!