10 on Tuesday--The Nic edition

Here's my ten on Tuesday trip review:

1. She met me at the airport with my favorite starbucks drink (coffee-free of course)! What a way to start the trip. Nothing says, "Hi. I love you" like being greeted with starbucks!

this was us Friday night

(((Jessica, do you see the bump shirt?!?!)))

2. I think my most favorite part of the trip might have been our waffle driveway picnic breakfast and sidewalk chalking time with the kids Saturday morning. The only thing missing in that special time was my own boys. We were out there for a long while and it was so beautiful. Not a cloud in the sky.

Waffle breakfast picnic

Nic with her cuties

Nic and Jonathan

Allie and Aunt Kate

3. I love my pretty toes!

4. I loved catching up on movies I hadn't seen yet: The Proposal (SO FUNNY) and Romy and Michelle (it was good!)

5. Nic won the pie eating contest.

6. I loved when Allie and I read together on the couch.

7. Jonathan is getting WAY too big and WAY too smart.

8. Allie is beautiful. She's going to be a heart breaker.

9. Oh look! I got a birthday cake, with candles and singing and everything. I hated that Matthew missed it. but isn't it so pretty?!

10. March is a very long way away.

I'm so excited!!!!

And I just can't hide it!!!!!!!!!!!

Tomorrow I will be face to face, arm in arm with my best friend. WHEW! It's been too long and it will be even longer still after this weekend until the next time (which we wont talk about again thank you!) I just can't wait until tomorrow. We have a CRAMMMMMMED weekend planned with lots of fun events and family things to do. I hope we can manage to get it all squeeeeezed into a short weekend trip (and still have time for me to nap!) Anyhow I have the boys sorted (thank you T!), a ride to the airport established (thank you N!), and some much needed me time while I wait for the flight! Yipppppie! I'm hoping this weekend besides being wonderful to see Nic and family and spend some great time with her and make some great memories with her kiddos, I'm hoping that this weekend will also help recharge my mommy battery. Things have been very hard lately. I'm so tired. a. lot. I just want to sleep all the time. I can't of course. My kids need you know the attention that they deserve during the hours that they themselves are awake, but lately, it's just been harder. I'm tired, I'm grouchy, I'm anxious... and I'm ready to charge that up and come home nicer and tolerant... It's hard sometimes to remember that the children are children. I ask Matthew sometimes to help me with this chore or that chore, but he doesn't have chores-chores yet. He doesn't truly understand there is ALWAYS a cause and effect. I can't make him answer me as to WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY he would rather sit in the chair with the poop in his pants, crusting on him, as opposed to coming to tell me he had an accident. I can't make him understand that it is BETTER for him and me if he'd poop in the potty. (That was tonight's little battle as I was two minutes from leaving the house for the evening). But I'm tired of being cranky so much. I want to cherish him for being him. For being a child. For exploring the world while he's trying to learn about it. I want to love him for being him. GOOFY and loud and all. So. Instead of butting heads with him this weekend I will be missing him, and hopefully I will come back and be a better mommy because of my much needed break.

So! "Look out Kansas City, Kansas City here I come!"

(Leave a comment if you know the song/singer)

Trip to Nana's

Nana and Jamie

Jamie and the boys

Petting Nana's cat Fluffy.

Following Daddy across the dirt road to see the cotton fields

the boys looking at the cotton

and digging in the dirt

Nana and Markie

gathered around looking at girl stuff

Markie, Kate, Carter, Jennifer

All the little cousins running around outside.
I think here they were playing freeze tag or starting their hide and seek adventures.

Mark really enjoyed Kyle who kicked the ball with him for
a while while the big kids ran to fast for him to keep up.

As you can see, we had a great trip. These pictures were all from Saturday. I napped a lot. It was nice to just sit with family and soak in Nana. I hope we get down there around Christmas time and can visit longer.

Kate's cake

I didn't get my camera in time to take a picture of the whole cake, but here's what was left when the camera came. :) It was really yummy. Banana Oat Crumb cake... with frosting between layers. I did take a picture of the whole cake with my phone. And it's currently the background on my phone, in case there are those that need to know that. Ha ha

Wanna Be Apple Pie Muffins

No official "10 on Tuesday" but here's a few things...

1. I got my camera back!!!! LOOK OUT! Here come some pictures!

2. I wanted to post this great recipe. Made it tonight and it was soooooo good.

Crisscross Apple Crowns (I will be calling them Wanna-be-Apple Pie Muffins) From Taste of Home Magazine. Giving credit where credit’s due: Teresa Morris, DE.

Prep time: 30 min (Eh, give or take maybe, I didn’t think to look but I didn’t feel it was lengthy)
Cook time: 20 min
Makes 8

1-1/3 cup chopped peeled tart apples (I used two big green apples, peeled and sliced and smashed to bits with the Pampered Chef food chopper)
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
1/3 cup raisins (I omitted these)
½ cup sugar, divided
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
2 tsp ground cinnamon, divided
Dash salt
1 pk (17.3 oz) Large refrigerated flaky biscuits (I got large flaky Grands with butter)
2 tsp butter, melted

In large microwave safe bowl, combine the apples, walnuts and raisins with 3 Tbls sugar, flour, ½ cinnamon and salt. Microwave 2-3 minutes or until almost tender. (I did 3 minutes, it was great)

Flatten each biscuit into a 5-inch circle. (I kind of pulled them around the edges, turning and flipping until it was stretched. The “flattening” on the cutting board wasn’t working out). Combine remaining sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle a rounded teaspoon of mixture of each biscuit. Top mixture with ¼ cup of warm apple mixture. Bring up edges to enclose mixture, pinch edges to seal. (I did this one biscuit at a time “flattening”, spooning sugar, and then apple mixture and then pinching and sealing and placing in pan then moving on to next biscuit rather than to flatten all at once.)

Place (now a ball of dough) seam side down in ungreased muffin cups. (I wasn’t sure about this. I used a paper towel and gave each cup a rub with Crisco). Brush tops with butter, sprinkle with remaining sugar mixture. With sharp knife, cut an X in the top of each.

Bake at 350 for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes before moving to wire rack for cooling. (I will be using the Crisco from now on, as they came out beautifully, without sticking)

SOOOO YUMMY. It was like apple pie wrapped in a biscuit. I seriously see us making this often, it was super easy and so good. Enjoy the pictures. I'll be back with trip pictures in a bit.

Before cooking

After

The most wonderful time of the year....

And no, I'm not meaning Christmas just this one time. Today is my most favorite day of the year. Don't exactly know why it means THAT much to me, but it just does. My sister's birthday was yesterday and tomorrow is mine. And for this one day only, we're only 1 year apart in age instead of 2 years. I've always loved this day. She called me today and said "I know it's your favorite day of the year today" and it just is. I didn't think she'd think about it any. I didn't say anything about it yesterday. I don't' really think I say anything about it any other day of the year unless you're taking some silly friending quiz, you know and there's a question like "what is your favorite day of the year?" and then I get to answer: August 22nd! 22 happens to be my most favorite number anyhow. Don't know why. Maybe it evolved from this date business, I'm not sure. So it's a double win for me. I'm particularly fond (cough) of even numbers. So there's a triple bonus maybe? Uh-huh, I totally know I'm rambling. But oh well. If you want to read the ramblings of a slightly delusional white chick, then you're in the right place. If you don't, then "go away eh" (Brother Bear quote). So there you go... for me... Today was the most wonderful time of the year... with the kids jingle belling and everyone telling you be of good cheer... Oh yah, I got distracted. Christmas is then my next most wonderful time of the year of course. So yah. ... Yesterday Jamie said something about Silver Bells and that song was in my head all day. mmmm Christmas music rocks.

Anyhow, Happy yesterday Kris.
Happy tomorrow me.
Happy day. Today.

Hello little baby!

I had an appt today and I was very pleased. My sweet darling baby was still in there, squirming around. We're 10 weeks tomorrow. I'm equally excited and nervous still. I love this baby so much already but I know that everything is at God's timing and even if we get past the "danger zone" I still have zero control and anything's possible. I just have to remember to give God all the glory and to praise Him every day He lets me have my children with me.

At the ultrasound today I was so pleased to see my sweet baby again. Strong heart beat. Baby was beautiful. Kicking both little leg nubs and totally squirming around. So cute. It looked like a little gummy bear or teddy graham in there! SO CUTE!


~~PSALMS 139~~

10 on Tuesday

Two in a row. Nice huh?

1. We had a great time visiting Nana this past weekend. It had been over a year since the boys had been down there to see her. Jamie had seen her twice in between though. We’re hoping to go down again around Christmas time and then if I can travel again in Feb for her 90^th birthday! The five hour drive isn’t too bad when you break for a meal and gas part way. and it really is worth it to see all the family we just don't communicate with otherwise. They are such sweet and fun people. I love being down there.

2. I still can’t believe I left my camera there. We got the car unloaded and started putting up things and I thought “OH NO!” sigh. Oh well. Hopefully it comes soon.

3. Matthew is doing good at school. I’m so pleased with where he is and how he’s doing. He has a tiny bit of homework most nights. So far it’s been color a picture or write your name or something, but it makes him feel important. I also really like it. It adds a bit of structure to our afternoons. This is nice for me. Mark is also enjoying this time be/c he gets to eat colors color pictures.

4. Thought I’d update about something mentioned in last week’s 10 things… I did square away the plans to go to KC and see Nic. I’m so tickled. I’m getting to go next weekend the 27^th for two nights, by myself. Thank you to Nic for arranging it and a giant thank you to Jamie who’s staying home with the natives. It’s going to be a long time until late March or early April when we’ll see each other again but maybe this mini trip will get us through.

5. Something else to update… I mentioned we’re expecting again. I have a repeat ultrasound on Thursday. This was the marker where I was planning on telling people, so I’m praying that we’ll have good news Thursday, since I spilled the beans early. I can’t wait to see this tiny miracle again and to hear the heart beating strongly.

6. It is way too early for me to know if this one is a girl. Please don’t ask. You’ll find out when I do, after the baby is born. After losing two babies to Heaven I wouldn’t care if it was part alien in there as long as it’s born. Healthy is my goal. I don’t care so much about he or she.

7. My birthday is next week. I’m glad for it. I’ll be back on an even number. I’m not superstitious at all, but I just don’t like odd numbers. 27 has been a hard year. Hopefully 28 will be better.

8. Life is just so hard sometimes. So unfair. Course no one said life was going to be fair and the Bible even speaks of the hardships and heartaches we will have. Right now I’m thinking specifically about Lindsay and Mandi. I hope you precious dears are hugged and loved today.

9. I’m very pleased for my mom. She started a new job yesterday and is in a new season in her life.

10. I need a nap.

who leaves their camera...

Who leaves their camera five hours away??? Oh me. That's who. We spent the weekend in South Georgia visiting some of Jamie's family. Do you believe that I left my camera on Nana's table?! The very last thing I had in my hand. I can't even remember why I put it down... oh wait, there was crying and fussing and tired people to tend to. My birthday is in a week. I leave on a trip by myself in two weeks (oh yes I do!) and my camera is five hours away. Sigh. Jamie called Nana and she said she'd have someone get it to the post office in a couple days. Hopefully we'll get it back in time to take a picture of my cake. (If I make one.) Boo. Big time boo.

That aside though, we had a great weekend. Saturday night was so fun with the cousins all gathered round. I lined up 6 kids ages 7 and down on the couch and had a photo shoot. We played ball outside, ate pizza, walked through to the cotton field across the dirt road, and just enjoyed Nana's company. It was very nice.

10 on Tuesday

So one of my friend of a friends does this 10 on Tuesday thing on her blog and I've been wanting to do it for a while but kept forgetting actually ON Tuesday to do it. She just posts 10 things that are on her mind on Tuesdays and I love reading it. Sometimes the things are very matter of fact, some times they are random. So here goes, my first 10 on Tuesday for you.

1. Matthew went back to preschool today. Is summer really over? He was NOT happy about me arriving to pick him up though, so I fully realize he had a great day and I'm thrilled at where he is and the education he will receive there. He told me some things about shapes today and already has his first "homework!"

2. Mark may actually drive me freakin bananas with the fridge letter magnet things. He's OBSESSED with them. He can't quite manipulate them into the holder the right way though, so he fusses louder and louder until you come help him get it the right way. He can say A A C or A C C but not yet A B C, we're working on it.

3. Mark likes ketchup. I don't know why this just flew into my head though, it's kind of nice. Matthew wont "dip" anything, so it's nice to see my second born is taking a liking to one of my staples of life, the red stuff.

4. Grocery shopping is a challenge with two children and such a breeze with just one. Mark and I did the shopping while Matthew was at school today. I didn't forget to give the lady my coupons, no one argued with me about the items placed in the cart, no one needed to "help" me put the items on the conveyor belt, no one begged for a cookie... ah. It was nice!

5. Naps should be mandatory. I have been really tired lately and needing to nap right with Markie. It's a toss up as to what I make Matthew do. If I think he's worn out enough, he has to lay down too. If I think he can handle just a little "rest" time, he has to stay on the couch or on my bed and watch a movie, while I close my eyes. Hopefully the house wont fall apart or burn down while my eyes are closed.

6. I totally miss my best friend so much it really hurts. We are plotting and I am really hoping that I can see her again SOON. Otherwise it may be next year before we get to see each other in person. And that. is not. okay. I also miss my sister dearly. I hate that she's so far away and am very excited about spending some serious time with her over Thanksgiving, but even that sounds way too far away.

7. Man! Tracy, you have my serious major props! This 10 random thing stuff is hard. I am like sitting here thinking "what else? what else?" Ha!

8. The cutest thing on the planet... okay there are a few but man alive, when I'm pouting or cry out or even just frown, Mark will run up and say "momma??" so sweetly and have to kiss me. It's so precious. I love my little tender heart. Okay, another cute thing (Should this be another number?) is when Mark echos me singing Jesus Loves Me. OMG. So so cute. It's so cute. Half the time he'll sing the echo, and half the time he'll sing the next word and not echo me. It's precious. I'm desperately wanting to get it on youtube soon, but the attempts I've made at recording him have been interrupted by him or others. so I need to try again.

9. While I'm writing this, Mark is one leg (with his letter thing) and Matthew is on the laptop playing a game. He just said, "Mom can I do elmo?" I'm pretty sure he was on a different website when I set him up there. How'd he get to Elmo? How is he so smart? I swear this child is going to be smarter than me by age 10. Already he asks some hard questions and wants to know answers to things that just blow me away. He's so smart and logical like his daddy. I love him very much and am so proud of how big he is growing every day.

10. Well since I'm struggling with 10 things... I will leave you with this... in March if the Lord is willing to so bless us again, there will be another little person by the name of Hobbs in this world. I wasn't planning on telling my blog world just yet, but there you are. We're expecting a tiny miracle due sometime in March. I couldn't be more excitedly nervous if I was asked to be. This was a complete surprise and shocker as we were actually preventing such. I had been focusing on my weight loss and doing well at it... we were decided that we'd get through Krystle's wedding in JUNE next summer and then revisit the issue after that. After I was healthier. After I was not needing to be in a matron of honor dress --- that is so beautiful and I love love love it and can't wait to wear it and PRAY it will fit over my then postpartum belly. EEEK! So there you have it world! We're pregnant again! God is funny sometimes, huh?

Hello General Mills!

I was just thinking the other day that I was sad last week I had to buy generic bag cereal be/c there hadn't been any great cereal deals lately. .... well look no further!!!

There is a CRAZY deal at Kroger. This is the last day for it, so if you see this and have the coupons, GO GO GO! They are having a three day cereal sale. Marked boxes of General Mills cereals are half off. Nice start, huh?! Then to make it even sweeter, buy four boxes and get a $4.00 off your next purchase. Uh, OK! Armed with a coupon for each box I intended to buy, I made out with:

6 Cinnamon Toast Crunch,
5 Caption Crunch,
2 Lucky Charms,
2 Honey Nut Cheerios
and a box of Nature Valley granola bars...

(15 boxes of cereal and one box of bars)

Ready for the total???

ALLLLL for $9.08.

Say what?!?! Yup. I did four different transactions. I paid $1.84 on the first transaction with the Captain Crunch as they had the lowest price and I had a coupon each, making each box around 40 cents each. After four dollars back, the next total was $2.53, four dollars back again the next total was $3.25 and the last one was the super lowest total at $1.46! We'll be eating on that for a while! I think even the cashier was impressed!

Pride and sorry

How much pride and stubbornness and control can a small child actually have? The Bible speaks of pride being from fools and arrogance. But how prideful can one so small really have? We're finding out these days that the answer is QUITE A BIT! There is no doubt in my and Jamie's minds that children ARE IN FACT born SINFUL. I never really thought so many things about the issue when Matthew was smaller. He was a baby. Babies "don't know" how to act/behave/etc. ... But my word! We are seeing repeatedly JUST how much PRIDE and selfishness and stubbornness and will and control Mark has. and it's a LOT.

A week or so ago, he was hitting and kicking me. Jamie asked him to say "sorry." He wouldn't. He went back to bed. Got out, asked to say "sorry" and wouldn't. He went back to bed. Finally I was able to bribe him. I said "Mark, do you want your cup?" He nodded. "I said, Okay, say sorry and you can have your cup." He said "sooo-we. Cu-uh-up?" I gave him the cup.

He has a really hard time saying sorry to Matthew if he wrongs him.

Tonight though is just awful... He threw bucket fulls of water out of the tub. Jamie stood there, told him not to and he stared Jamie in the eyes and did it anyhow. I came in when I heard the commotion and saw what had transpired, scooped Mark out of the tub. Bath time is over. Got him dried off and changed and took him back to the bathroom to say "sorry" to Daddy. Would he? Nope. It's been like 20 minutes now. He's not interested. He's currently in his bed right now. Does that make me a horrible mean mom? Maybe. But so what. At this point, we have to nip this pride thing down FAST. When I asked him where the water goes, he could whisper "tub" to me. But can he face his dad and say "sorry" to him? Not yet. He had many chances to do so. I just heard Jamie go down the hall and ask him again, got no response and shut his door again. I'm shaking my head as I am typing this.

Oooo buddy, you have a LOT to learn. You can't just be all cute all the time and get away with things. In the long haul, is spilling water from the tub disastrous? No. But the issue isn't the action/offense, it's the unwillingness --in EVERY situation-- to say "sorry" for his actions.

If there are other moms out there with super strong willed, full of their own pride children, HOW do you handle situations like this?