What kids say and do

Abby just turned 2 on December 20 but you would think she is closer to 3. She speaks in 7 word sentences most of the time and has amazing ideas for such a little thing. Last night at bedtime, she decided to stall by putting her 12 dolls, one by one, into the doll pack and play. When she was finished, she said, "There's one missing." Are you kidding me? So I asked her where it was and she said in the playroom. Sure enough, there was one more doll in the playroom. She told her dolls, "Mommy and Daddy love you" and crawled into her bed.

I covered her with the requested duckie blanket but then she asked for the, "warm one". After some thought I realized she wanted the extra blanket that we've been putting on her these passed few nights that have been dipping into the teens. I had been telling her it would keep her warm.

After a few minutes she started crying for her water. I asked Lauren to go tell her it was next to her pillow but it didn't make Abby happy so I went in myself. Abby was saying she couldn't find it but as soon as I turned on the lights she was a happy camper and never cried again.

This morning all 3 kids woke up on the wrong side of the bed. Caleb kept begging to go to "Books and Marbles" (Barnes and Noble) to play with the train table. Abby woke up demanding eggs. She is usually happy with cereal, toast, fruit, or a waffle but she was not going to be satisfied until someone made her eggs. This is one morning when I was happy I got to leave for work and let Stephen deal with Abby and Caleb while I brought the older Grump with me.

March-St. Patrick's Day and Bluebonnets

Sandbox 2009

Potty Training Update

Abby continues to amaze us. She just turned 2 on December 20 and she wants to potty train. She begs to wear a pull-up and she likes to go pull her pants down and sit on the potty chair. This morning I asked her if she wanted to potty and she said yes. She started singing the ABCs (one way I get the kids to stay on longer) and I heard her tee tee! Our house is pretty noisy at all times so I second guessed myself but when she got up, sure enough, she had gone potty. I hope it continues and I hope we can continue to encourage her to go often.

Caleb's Thomas Party

POSTED JANUARY 24: This is one of my last layouts for 2009 . I waited until the end because there was just no template/layout on Digital Express that I felt was perfect so I knew I would have to find all the pieces from various layouts and make my own. I'm pretty pleased with the outcome.

Valentine's Day 2009

The first two pages are templates from Digital Express. The last two pages I created myself using the pieces from Digital Express.

Bath time

January 2009

"Aggie Abby" and "Sisters"

Cracking me up!

Lauren, my 5 year old came up with some pretty funny material tonight. First of all, she and Abby were given some matching jammies by my friend Jen. Abby's dresser drawer is high and Lauren's is low. After their baths, I got caught up in the Bama-t.u. game and when I went in to check on the kids, Abby was putting on Lauren's jammies. I told Lauren that they were hers...she got them out of her drawer. To which she replied, "Oh, I thought Daddy put them away." How does she already know that most of the time dads have no clue when it comes to putting away laundry?

Then Lauren went into my bedroom and turned off the TV. She said she knew I don't like the Longhorns. I also had the TV on in the playroom so I wouldn't miss a thing as the kids were getting thier jammies on and teeth brushed (I did turn it off for prayers). Lauren has been sleeping in the playroom while we get Abby used to her big-girl bed. Lauren climbed into her bed and was getting into the game. I found myself explaining that the Longhorns had just caught the ball that the other team had thrown. Anyway...it was a proud moment for this Momma and I had a hard time turning the playroom TV off.

Potty Training Girls

Abby turned 2 on December 20. I would love to have her potty trained before the next baby comes....oh yes, I am 19 weeks pregnant. My doctor has encouraged me not to announce it until after the holidays since I had 3 miscarriages in less than a year. It is after the holidays so I guess it's time to anounce it.

Anyway, Abby has been showing a great interest in the potty chair lately so during the Christmas Break, I put her on it a few times while changing her diaper. This morning (while home with her daddy) she went downstairs without her diaper. Stephen found it and it was a dirty one. He traced her steps and found that she had sat on the potty chair. Yep, I'd say she's ready to potty train. I'm just not sure that I'm ready!

And speaking of Abby. We put her toddler bed in her room about a week ago and she has had a good ol' time opening and closing her bedroom door. She has come up with all the old excuses: need a hug, need water, water is empty, etc.... Yesterday I put a doorknob cover on the doorknob during her naptime. When I went upstairs for my nap, I noticed she had gotten the cover off (first day) and tossed it into the hall!

Last night we put it on again. We heard her open her door and close it. Stephen went upstairs ready to duct tape that sucker and sure enough, the doorknob cover was in the hall. But she never opened the door again. It was as if she was showing us that nothing was going to stop her!

Fun Times at Home

Lauren loves to dress up. She received a princess dress-up box a few years ago with 5 costumes that are now tattered. She dressed up as Tinker Bell every day for over a year...that was money well spent. Now Abby dresses up too. Well, yesterday Lauren had on her Ariel skirt and was upstairs when I heard a banging noise. I waited for crying and instead heard, "Help? Help. Help!" When I got upstairs, Lauren was stuck under my underwear drawer. I asked what she was doing and she matter-of-factly answered, "Dressing up as Ariel!" Like, duh! So I asked more specifically what she was doing in my drawer. She answered, "I needed a bra for my Ariel costume."

After convincing her that mine was too big, she got some paper, markers, and scissors, and made her own shells, cut them out, and taped them on.

OH YES SHE DID!

Anyone there?

I could go on and on in this post since I haven't posted in such a long time. We are caught up in the hustle and bustle of the holidays and trying to keep it real with the true reason for the season. Stephen's work schedule is really getting in the way of some things and we have been lucky so far that his bosses are so flexible. I don't know about you but I just don't think I am going to get it all done in time. We haven't bought one present yet and with our weekends being filled with parties and such, I don't know when we'll get the time. Oh yes, the 24th!

This Sunday will be our 6th anniversary. I can't believe it. I didn't think we were going to find a sitter but I got word yesterday that one of our sitters is available.

I have a Christmas party the afternoon of the 10th and am grateful that my boss and Stephen's boss are letting us adjust our schedules.

My faculty party is the evening of the 11th and even if Stephen can take off, I don't have a sitter secured yet.

The 12th is up in the air. We've been invited to a caroling party and back to the host's house for treats and hot chocolate.

The 13th Lauren has a Girl Scouts event.

The 15th is her Girl Scouts party.
The 16th is her dance party.
The 18th is her class party.

What will happen when Caleb starts scouts or sports?
And that's all the time I have for this post...time to go home in the snow flurries and plan a fun evening for the kids.

Happy Fall Y'all

This is the first time I can ever remember it feeling like Fall when Fall has begun. Yesterday I opened my windows, lit a candle, and made some awesome Pampered Chef (freeze ahead) Tortilla Soup. I'll be posting that recipe later on my cooking blog. Abby (my 21 month old) ate 2 huge bowls! Caleb never eats anything other than peanut butter and jelly, quesadillas, toast, and fish sticks so I melted cheese on some tortilla chips in the microwave and surprise of all surprises...he liked the nachos. When I say that's about all Caleb likes, trust me. We have tried months and months of serving him what the rest of us were having but I realized when he didn't even like some desserts that he is just a very picky eater. What kids refuses cookies and Strawbery Cake?

So anyway, I am so excited about this cooler weather, I've been reviewing my Crock Pot and soup recipes. I am an obsessive recipe collector. I already have 28 Crock Pot recipes and 24 soup recipes, but that doesn't seem like enough. If you have a favorite recipe or two, please let me know.

Another thing I am excited about it playing outside. I feel like my kids have been so deprived because I can't take the heat and we spent most of June, July, and August indoors. Now our patio cover is built and we've been going outside (even in yesterday's rain) as much as possible. I hope to get the kids out for walks and bike rides as well but we always seem rushed when Lauren gets home from school. See, if I have the dinner in the Crock Pot, I can spend the rest of the afternoon playing!

So...do you have any soup or Crock Pot recipes to share?

Our First Aggie Game as a Family

In case you didn't know, I am an Aggie. My blood runs maroon. DEEP maroon. As a student, I attended every home game and tons of away games including Houston, LSU, Tech, many at Texas, OU, Baylor, and 3 Cotton Bowls. I dreamed of marrying an Aggie because lets face it, it takes one to know one. When I graduated in '96, I did not want to leave Aggieland. I had to move back to Fort Worth, but my heart remained in Aggieland. I was a teacher making only $24,000 my first year. So sad what they pay us...but I couldn't afford to go to many games. Once in awhile a friend would have an extra ticket and I would gladly make the 3 hour drive to watch the Aggies beat the ever livin'..... (it's an Aggie thang). Each year I vowed that I would move back to College Station and in '02 I made up my mind and put my house on the market. Then I met my husband...who is not an Aggie. Yep, I married him anyway. We have lived in Aggieland since '03 but there has always been something keeping us from the games. Up until last year it was MONEY plus having small children that would need a sitter. Stephen works for A&M and just this one time, they were offering half-price tickets to staff. So I finally got to take my family to their first Aggie game.A quick family picture before the game. We set the timer on the camera and I kid you not, this was the first picture!
Then we took this one of the kids. Another great pic on the first try. Lauren wasn't too happy that I wouldn't let her twirl her 12th Man towel after smacking the lady in front of us.

Abby started clapping right away.

Stephen asked me for my phone so he could take these pics. I was so proud. I think that means he liked the band!

The two of us.

The long walk around and around. Caleb said we were lost and never going to get home because we were going in circles.

My sweet lil Aggies.

There's always a sweet Ag around to see that the husband is taking the pic and offers to take a pic of everyone.