Seriously?

Y'all. Really. How has it been SO LONG since I've posted?

It's ridiculous.

So much has happened since I've last posted. This should come as no surprise since it's been over TWO MONTHS since my last post and things tend to happen over the course of two months. It's inevitable. So embarrassed.

Anyway.

Jason turned thirty and I turned twenty-nine. We celebrated the 7th anniversary of one of the best days of our lives, our wedding day. We went to Colorado to see some friends get married. We celebrated three family birthdays and one that might as well be family. We've spent some quality time together and enjoyed lots of summer fun. We made over Jack's room and moved him to a twin "train" bed as he likes to call it. We're winding down this summer and getting things ready for Jack to head back to school in a couple of weeks. Over the next few days expect a lot of blog posts. I have tons to catch up on!

Note: I completely blame my lack of posting on my iPhone. I'm addicted to it and rarely get on the "real" computer. Totally the phone's fault.

Mexico!

Well, Jas and I took an AMAZING vacation at the end of May. It's the first time we've gotten away since Jack's been born and the first time we've left the country together ever. We stayed at a fabulous resort, the Valentin Imperial Maya. We just spent time together relaxing on the beach and by the pool, we did lots of reading, lots of eating, and really enjoyed each other. We were so excited to get there but so excited to come home. We hope to make these couple getaways a more regular thing.

Our first morning, by the poolI did a lot of this.One of the many, many iguanas at the resort.Jason, admiring the sand.Beach feet!The view from my palapa.Before dinner on night two. Some nice Chicagoan took our picture for us.
View from our patio. If you look really closely you might be able to see the ocean. It was raining here, like it did every afternoon/evening as we were getting ready to go eat.On our patio waiting out the rain. The gazebo. Beautiful.A lovely fountain on the grounds. We walked by this on the way to eat every evening.
Us and a statue at the Japaneese restaurant. Did I mention our resort was all-inclusive, including drinks. That explains a lot about this picture.Much better.Jason and the sunrise. I was snoozing in our room.Our bed on our last night. So pretty!

Snugglebugs

Now that Caroline has mastered climbing into our bed (yikes!) she and Jack love to get under the covers and watch TV together while I get ready for the day. They are so sweet and just giggle and laugh the whole time.

Party Time!

The cake. Yes, that is a train track around it. We had a Thomas themed party, of course!

Patiently waiting...

And BLOW... but don't fall on the cake!
(Mr. Riley was really getting into it!)So proud. My sweet BIG boy!Mmm, cake! Caroline has a fork and she KNOWS how to use it!Presents!Here's what the big girls did to Sweet Caroline with the stickers from their treat bags. The initiation has begun.

It's time

I'm going waaay back. I haven't blogged since the beginning of April, except the quick blog I did a couple of weeks ago and that one doesn't count. It's time. Here come the updates.

So...

I've been totally neglecting the blog lately. I'll update sometime next week. Jason and I are off tomorrow morning on our first kid-free vacation! Adios!

Spring Cleaning

It feels SO good to get all that out of the house. Off to Mission Arlington!

Softly call the muster...

let comrade answer "here". Today we remember the Aggies that have fallen in the last year.

Aggie Muster Day

We gather here to mark the day Aggies proudly stand. To honor those who've gone before to the promised land. Each name is called upon the roll, comrades answer "Here." Trumpets sound their sad good-bye to those we held so dear. All heads are bowed in silent pledge never to forget. While rifles fire their last salute echoes answer yet. To their mem'ry we'll be true; we will take their place. One for all and all for one ever in Thy grace. We'll meet again another day, reunion while we pray To ask Thy blessing on each one on this Muster day, Aggie Muster Day.

Mrs. Earl (Margaret) Rudder

photo courtsey : Texas A&M University

Recuperating

After some excitement yesterday afternoon and evening, Jack's home from school today recuperating. He'd been complaining of ear pain for less than 24 hours and woke from his nap with a 102.3 fever. I gave him a round of motrin and when the fever didn't come down after an hour and a half I called the pediatrician for some advice. They were able to schedule Jack for an appointment this afternoon at 3:45 - an ETERNITY when you've got a kiddo who was as sick as Jack was yesterday afternoon. Still, I jumped at the appointment since it was the only one they had available today. Thankfully, Dr. Davidson overheard the conversation I was having with the nurse and called in some ear drops to help Jack with the pain till we could get in this afternoon. We went ahead with dinner (Caroline and I, Jack laid on the couch) and then did bathtime while we were waiting on the drops to be ready at the pharmacy. About 6:30 we headed to CVS and while we were there I grabbed another bottle of Tylenol since the Motrin wasn't doing the trick for the fever which was now at 104.8. I was hemming and hawing about whether to take Jack to urgent care or not. Well, my question was very clearly answered when Jack threw up all over the backseat as soon as I put him in the car when we were leaving the pharmacy. I told Jason to come straight home to be with Caroline so I could run him in. We headed home and had a quick bath and I cleaned the car (thanks Erin for coming over!) while waiting for Jason to get home. By now Jack had some serious chills and was crying and crying. I felt so badly for him. Just before Jason arrived Jack konked out on the couch. I woke him and we left for Cooks Urgent Care in Hurst around 7:30. Well, we finally got to see the doc around 10pm and the diagnosis was ear infection with a perforated eardrum. Poor guy! We finally got Jack home and in bed around 11pm and we've been taking it easy all day.

All by myself!

This morning I asked Jack to take off his pajama pants and diaper so that he could put on his underwear. Usually, I have to direct him through every step till we have his underwear and pants on. Well, I had to attend to something today just after I made my request and planned on helping him when I was done with what I was doing. A few minutes later, Jack came running to me shouting "I did it mommy! I did it all by myself!" Here's what I saw...

The front view... pants on, inside out and backwards.

The back viewAnd to complete the theme, underwear on backwards as well!

Brown paper packages tied up with strings...

these are a few of my favorite things!

I've been meaning to do a post like this ever since my good friend Kim did this on her blog several months ago. I love...

My cloth diapers. We switched to cloth nearly a year ago and never looked back. Our main reason for going the cloth route was the money-saving aspect (we were spending over $100/month in diapers and wipes for two kids). Now that I'm a convert I love the fact that I'm not putting plastic and chemicals on my little lady's bum. And, AND they're so stinkin' cute! I primarily use the BumGenius! 3.0 but also love FuzziBunz.

My wipes warmer. This goes right along with my cloth diapers. With Jack, we used the wipes warmer for about 6 months and then it was just a pain. Our wipes already came in their own container and it was kind of pointless to move them from one to another. Everything changed when we started cloth diapering. We now use cloth wipes (baby washcloths with wipes solution poured over them) that are kept nice and toasty in the wipes warmer. So nice.

My baby slings. All of them. I'm a huge proponent of baby wearing and have worn Caroline since the day she came home from the hospital. In my collection I have a Maya Wrap, a Peanut Shell, a Hotsling, a Moby Wrap, and an Ergo Baby Carrier. All are great for different things. the Peanut Shell and Hotsling were great for popping the little one in and out of when she was tiny, tiny. The Maya I used on quick trips in and out of places - easy on, easy off. The Moby I loved to put on in the morning and leave on all day - this is my favorite carrier for itty-bitties and is wonderfully hands-free. And my favorite now is the Ergo. It is SOOOO comfortable - for both mommy and baby.

My Britax carseats. Both my kiddos ride in Britax Decathlons. They're safe, comfortable, and stylish. Fabulous.

My DVR. I'd be lost without it. I hate commercials. It also allows me to fast forward through all the fluff that Extreme Makeover: Home Edition fills their hour up with. Seriously, I just want to see the house, thankyouverymuch.

My zoo membership. Thank the Lord that we live just minutes away from the Fort Worth Zoo. It was named the number 5 zoo in the nation by the USA Travel Guide last year and for good reason. They have so many great exhibits and are so accommodating to families. Jack and Caroline never, ever get tired of going. We can usually hit the ground running when the gates open at 10, see most of the animals, get in a picnic lunch and a train ride and be back home in time for nap. Wonderful.

Jack's Teach Me Time Clock. This thing is awesome! It's a clock that has a light that turns from yellow to green when it reaches a time you set so that your child knows when it's okay to get out of bed. We bought it several months ago and didn't have much success with it. It wasn't until a few weeks ago that we started using it in conjunction with a sticker chart (sticker charts are a big hit with Jack) that we fell in love with it! Jack was always coming into our room between 5:20 and 6:00. Waaay too early for us. He now stays in his bed till 6:20 when the light turns green and sometimes sleeps later. We're slowly bumping the time back to buy us a little extra time in the mornings and hopefully "train" him not to be such an early riser. It's working so far!

My Diet Dr. Pepper. I love it. So good. It's my drug of choice. I'm addicted. I'll freely admit that.

My camera. I shoot with a Nikon D50. I'm not very schooled in using it out of the auto mode but I'm trying. I love it though and someday I just might use it properly. Really, I will.

And finally...

Target. Gotta show some love to Target. Where else can you go to get adorable baby clothes, groceries, toys, a Starbucks coffee, and a delicious bag of unnaturally yellow popcorn at the snack bar? We head there a couple of times a week to kill time and "visit" Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends in the toy section. Sometimes I actually pick up a thing or two on my shopping list. However, their return policy... well, it leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

So, SO? What are your favorite things? Blog it! I love to read this kind of stuff!

We made it (nearly)

In just a few short minutes, Jason will have finished his final Saturday of Busy Season 2009. Praise Jesus! I'm so looking forward to having my hubby back and I know the kids can't wait to hang out with their daddy. Woohoo!

The Wonderful Cross

Afternoon Antics

Caroline just HAD to wear my dirty, old socks. Silly.

Jackie, with a handful of trains - a regular sight around here.Train Obsessed and Dirty Socks, together at lastApparently she was tired. Jack tucked her in to his bed and she red a book, upside down, nonetheless. That takes talent.

We fit right in

With the animals, that is. Jack, Caroline, and I headed out to the zoo this morning. It was looking a bit bleak on the way as we were doused on our drive. Thankfully, the rain cleared up just as we were entering downtown and it was smooth sailing from there. It was a bit crowded with all the post-TAKS test field trips happening but we had a great time. We rode the train twice, enjoyed a nice picnic lunch, and saw all the animals we could before we headed home for nap. I'm telling ya, our zoo memberships have proved invaluable! So glad we can go whenever we want!

Riding in style!Jack, climbing the glass to see the penguins. He was SO excited!Munchkin's about to hop over the fence to see the giraffes and turtles.

Confidence Booster

Today I took the kiddos to the Fort Worth Zoo. Just after we arrived I wheeled my bus of a stroller into the family restroom. For those who aren't hip to restroom lingo, a family restroom is one that is large enough to fit a stroller into - one room, one toilet, no stalls. So, Jack and Caroline were sitting back in the stroller while I used the facilities. My sweet son says to me...



wait for it...




here it comes...




"Mommy, you have a BIG BOTTOM!"

Thank you dear. I love you too.

My little man...

isn't so little anymore. Today is Jack's 3rd birthday and it's a bittersweet one for sure. He's not a baby anymore... he's a 3-year-old boy! My heart jumps with joy that he's growing and changing so much each day but at the same time I want to freeze him at this age forever. He's so sweet and wants to cuddle and snuggle with me (when he's not pouncing on me) and loves to give Eskimo kisses and smooches on the cheeks. I know he won't want to do that forever and I'm just cherishing it now. (Not that I want him to... can you imagine an 18-year-old man seeing his parents off with Eskimo kisses when they drop him off at college. Yeah, that'd be strange.)

Anyway...

We had a nice birthday breakfast with Daddy and waved him off to work. We did some playing with our new birthday car and reading new birthday books (just little gifts - the big gifts are coming out at the big party in a couple of weeks) and then I took Jack to school. I was a little sad dropping him off on his birthday. Of course, he doesn't know any different. I just hurts my heart a little to have him spend so much of his birthday away from me. We've never done that before. To end the day, this evening we'll have a birthday dinner; just Jack, Caroline, and me since Daddy's still working busy season hours.

Dear Jack,

What a fun third year we've had with you. I can hardly believe what a wonderful little boy you're growing to be. You are so much fun and see everything as an opportunity to play and learn. I love when you imitate me and Daddy. You love to get on the old keyboard and tell me you're "checking your e-mail" and you're great at pretending to be Daddy. You like to put on your blazer and a belt and tell me you're "going to work, just like Daddy". So cute! You ask me to sing songs for you all the time but won't sing them yourself, even though you know all the words. You like to read all kinds of books and listening to you recite them amazes me every time I hear it. I caught you the other day reading a book to Caroline and my heart just melted. You are such a wonderful brother and are really starting to look out for your little sister, even though you are often her worst enemy. You love to go to church and school and learn about God. You tell me often that "God made the animals, and the zoo, and the trains". In fact, we pray for trains nearly every night. Your newest thing is to tell me "I got you" and hug me as tight as you can, in the hopes that I'll say "No, I got you" right back. Well, Little Man, I got you. And I'm not letting go for a very long time.

Love always,
Mommy

A day out with Jack

Last Sunday we left Caroline home with Yaya and had some special time with Jack. We headed out to Grapevine and spent a "Day Out With Thomas". We had so much fun exploring all the old train and locomotives as soon as we arrived. As we were walking towards the station, Jack finally spotted Thomas waiting for passengers to board and was so excited. Surprisingly, he wasn't too smiley. I think he was just taking it all in and was so overwhelmed by the whole experience. We got to ride the train which was just wonderful for little Jackie. They also had a model train section, similar to the Trains at Northpark display we saw around Christmas, which Jack loved. We finished the day with fajitas at Uncle Julio's and then headed back home for bath and bed. Jack's bedtime story that night... the 2008 Lionel Train Catalog that we got for free. He'll barely part with it.

On the way... he has not clue where we're going, just that we have a "special surprise" for him.Jack and the HUGE train that we parked next to. When he saw it he exclaimed, "WOAH! Look at that Mommy!"Mommy, Jack, and Locomotive 771Jack on the train, taking it all in.Peering out the window.Daddy and Jack in the little caboose.With Thomas!Inside Locomotive 771

Crafty!

I made this. Yeah, I'm pretty proud.

Daddy and Dallas

A couple of weeks ago, Yaya and I took the kids out to West Village to have lunch with Daddy. We had such a fun morning walking around the area and had a wonderful lunch at Village Burger Bar. I think the kiddos ate their weight in sweet potato fries. Yum. After lunch we kissed Daddy bye-bye and hopped on the M-line Streetcar. Wow was Jack impressed! The ride was about 45-minutes round trip and we had the best time. Jack even got to help blow the whistle. He's still asking when we're going back to Dallas to ride the "trolley-train"! I'm sure this is the first of many times we'll make the trip to ride the streetcar. Oh, and to eat the sweet potato fries.

On the patio of Village Burger Bar, waving "hello" to the streetcar!Daddy and Caroline in deep conversation.The boysJack and the streetcar operator. He was super nice!

I almost forgot... this is hysterical. Or was to us anyway. Sitting near us on the patio were a couple of college boys having lunch. They jumped up to grab something from inside the restaurant and left their food sitting on the table. Well, along hops a grackel and sneaks a french fry right off one of the guy's plates. Not 10 seconds later the guy returns and dives right into his fries. We were cracking up... and we never said a word!