bracelet

A friend of mine makes lovely jewelry. I've bought her pieces both for myself and for gifts over the past few years. Since receiving my memorial necklace (if you don't know about that, you can go here to see it/read about it) I really haven't worn any other necklaces all that much. I used to wear a cross often and I also had a music note that I loved to wear. Both were charms from Jamie. Well, I'd decided to give Michelle my charms and have her add them to a bracelet I'd dreamed up. I wanted something to represent the love landmarks in my life... my anniversary and my children--all of them. Michelle really did a beautiful job of capturing my loves in this bracelet. Each bead is unique to the rest. It's prefect. Thank you Michelle. Now I can still wear the charms that Jamie got me, and I can have all the pieces of my heart together. (After this child makes his or her arrival, we're going to add a new bead to the bracelet). Isn't it beautiful?

Oct (marriage) June (Matthew) Feb (angel) Dec (Mark) Feb (angel)

the "new couches" post!

Here you go folks! My new couches!

I'm so excited. No more blankets and couch covers to hide the falling apart fabric, the ripped nasty fabric, the sponge under the fabric, the breaking torn fabric showing wood under the sponge.... YAY! No more embarrassment if a friend drops over and no one "covered" the couch yet. No more embarrassment if someone couldn't get "out" of the sinking in couch on the first (second, third) try. No more HEAVE-HOE'ing for ME to get out of the broken sunken couch. No more lost toys IN the broken nasty couch... I really should take a picture of the nasty broken couches on our deck out back but I wont bother. They are waiting to be dragged to the street for trash day! BYE BYE YUCKY COUCHES! The only down side is be/c they are so awesome that they made our living room shrink some. but um.... SO! THEY ARE AWESOME!

Can you tell I'm a bit excited about this?


Jamie told me what his folks paid for these amazing couches ten years ago and I about dropped my drink. I can't believe we're getting SUCH nice couches that are still in great shape for nearly nothing! They are currently freshly sanitized/steam cleaned and ready to be used for the next 10-20 years!

Thank you so much Chuck and Sandy for such a wonderful Christmas gift.

10 on Wednesday

All day Monday it felt like the weekend with Jamie being off work. Then yesterday in my head felt like Monday... so I woke up today ready to do my "Ten on Tuesday" for the first time in a long time and heh, I'd missed Tuesday. Oh well, here's Ten on Wed for you.


1. I'm so stinkin' happy for my best friend and her new job! I'm also praying for other job situations.

2. Mark caught the bad bug. I thought we were so in the clear. All day Monday, no one was puking. All day Tuesday, no one was puking... Tuesday at 9pm, however, in his bed, Mark started. Ugh. We knew we were in for a long night. Jamie cleaned up the puke while I held Mark on the couch. I passed him to Jamie so I could start the laundry since his lovey (boc) blanket was nasty. While starting the laundry, Jamie got puked on. He passed me Mark and striped down and Mark puked on me. It was one of those laugh or cry about it scenes. I started laughing and couldn't stop. We got all cleaned and settled on the couch and Mark puked on me again. He's now on Jammy 3, I'm on Jammy 2... By 11pm, he'd gotten sick twice more and we'd both changed clothes again. By 1am, we were more than all worn out.

3. Jamie's parents brought us their old couches. We now have new couches in our living room! I'm so tickled. They are GREAT couches! (THANK YOU GUYS AGAIN!) This morning I had a carpet cleaner come and treat them with sanitizer and a carpet protectant something or another with a steam cleaning treatment. This is what our living room currently looks like, as the couch cushions are drying. I'm sure I'll post "new couches" pics when we are put together.


4. This is what Mark is doing while he's recovering without a couch to sit on. Pedialite in one hand, sitting with his new pillow pet and watching Blue's Clues...


5. I love my kitchen aid already. LOVE IT. Here's a picture of my new favorite toy. And so much for "I'll be making bread soon" in my previous post. I so made sugar cookies yesterday to try it out.

6. Random thought about my hearing aid... I hate battery day. Every ten days you have to change the battery. Nice huh? That's kind of often. More often than I thought it would be anyhow. But regardless, there it is. So on battery day so far this has happened... 1 time I was at a friend's house when my low battery beeped and shut off and I was without a new battery. That pretty much sucked. 1 time I was driving and had problems hearing Matthew in the backseat and was getting frustrated with "the stupid thing not working" and after I'd dropped him off, it beeped. A little "ohhhh" moment occurred when I realized that I probably was struggling be/c the battery was failing. Today though... today, I heard the beep beep warning that it was going to die, but forgot about it. So then BAM it shuts off and I'm like "what?! ohhh yahhh..." sigh. Most of the time I totally love it. It's been such an amazing gift to be able to hear all these things I was obviously missing. When the kids scream, I don't love it so much, it can actually be painful if Mark is crying loudly in my arms or something, but that's not the norm. (We'll see how we do with a wailing newborn). I'm learning why when you hug someone with a hearing aid you hear a little squealing going on... it's be/c the microphone gets covered and causes feedback. This is slightly annoying but not overly painful. It's nice to not need the captions on TV anymore. All in all, it's wonderful. Battery days however, I haven't mastered yet.

7. I miss couponing. Is that dumb? I really miss scoring deals and bringing home 15 items of the same thing for Jamie to go "we needed that?" hehe. It's been a while since I've hit a goooood deal on something. I'm hoping to get back into the swing of my deals after school is back in session. I'd like a good deal on several things we're low on. Cereal being one (yup, again).

8. I can not believe that at the end of this week, we'll be at 29 weeks along with the pregnancy. 30 weeks seems like "nearing the end" so I'm almost nearing the end. 11 more weeks and there will be another body in this house.

9. I hate food. I hate food. I hate food. ... okay that's not true... I hate meal times. I hate meal times. I hate meal times.... Matthew's food battles are getting more and more heated lately. I try so so so so hard to not lose my cool. Yet it is so so so so hard to stay calm when he's pushing pushing pushing. Some days, we do good. I feel like "wow! we're getting the hang of it. we *can* eat a meal together." Some days, not so much at all. Again I will praise the gift of OT and pray that week by week we can gain insight into Matthew's issues and needs and break down his walls of programmed responses and controlling behaviors. We have come so far and I dont' want to overlook that with a sad update, but it's not easy that's for sure. He can now eat chicken nuggets from Wendys. This makes "grabbing a bite" less trying. No more "can I have a side of apples and a side of bacon" orders. Lunch no more is a granola bar and bacon at home. We're making real progress, it's just sloooooooooooooooooow going.

10. I'll end on something cute rather than down... If you have kids or grandkids and those kids don't have "Polar Bear, Polar Bear what do you hear?" go get it now. Oh mercy. Mark has memorized who comes next. And will tell you in order. It's so friggin cute I can barely stand it. I love how he says "A-ming-go!" for Flamingo. I'd also recommend the same author Eric Carle's "Baby Bear, Baby Bear, what do you see?" Super cute books.

Christmas 2010

I want to remember our Christmas this year, so what better way to do that than to blog it?

This year, my mom bought us a new advent calendar/nativity scene. Each day you open a door and in each door is a piece for the manger scene. Matthew has really loved this each day, asking when it is time to "do the door" and see what's next. Mark doesn't really have the meaning figured out I'm sure, but he enjoys "door time" too. This has been very special to me be/c while they are displaying our nativity scene animal by animal, I am remembering the handmade nativity at my parents house. My grandpa made it and each year my sister and I would put it up together. We had certain pieces that were "hers" to put up and "mine" to do. We each enjoyed setting up the manger scene each year together. It is a beautiful work of art to be cherished for sure. This year, with helping my boys to build the scene day by day created great memories to add for Christmases to come.

Matthew adding the angel to our Nativity Advent calendar

Mark adding baby Jesus

our finished Nativity scene, complete with a flying sheep and wise man -- this is upsetting to Matthew, but we let Mark take his turns, putting his pieces where he wanted. As the years progress, I'm sure the scene will change each time. I can't wait to capture it each year. Merry Christmas, Christ is born!

Mark showing Matthew his new birthday book before we started our Christmas presents.

Mark ready for Christmas

Matthew ready for Christmas

"Merry Christmas!" (Eve morning)
We're ready to "have the tree" as it's said down here...

showing me their stockings

opening stockings

opening gifts from Grammy and Grandpa

Cool book from Aunt Nic

Mark kept lining up the books as he opened them.
He had a fairly long train of books going at the end.

Matthew got some cool new tracks

Mark setting up his new play food

Mark still loving his food.

Matthew and his new tracks

Merry Christmas to me! Jamie got me a kitchen aid! I was so surprised and shocked! THE BEST Christmas present by far! He really out did it this year with this gift. I couldn't be more surprised! Jokingly the night before, when I saw the box, I said "ha, what you got me a kitchen aid?" I had NO IDEA that would be what was really in there when I opened it. I kept asking him if it was really in there or if he just used that box for something else! Woooooo! Let's make some cake balls! I can't wait to try this out. Probably get to make some bread this week, so I'll use it for that!

After we got finished with Christmas at our house, we cleaned up, loaded the car and headed the 4.5 hours south to Nana's house. It was an uneventful car ride (thankfully--wait to see how the car ride home turned out) and we got there mid afternoon. It was wonderful to see Nana and Aunt Dianne and Uncle Butch. Mark wasn't too sure about their dogs, Foxy and Rufus at first, but he eventually warmed up to them. He loved their birds, Sky and Sunshine--which we'd met the last time we were there. He kept wanting to go see the "blue and lellow!"

After visiting for a while, we loaded up and went to the Christmas eve service at Aunt Jean's church. We'd visited the church before for an Easter service. There wasn't child care, so we had the kids in the row with us. The service was very simple and wonderful. 4 or 5 songs and a communion message. Standing up to sing Christmas Carols-- praises to God for His Son, with the boys between us, Jamie and I shared a moment. This was wonderful. Sure it was a little awkward trying to keep them quiet and still, but really, it was wonderful. I am not sure I'd ever sung all four verses to Silent Night. I knew 1, 3, and 4 but verse 2 threw me. I look forward to singing it again.

When it came time for communion, Matthew wanted to know what was going on. I quickly realized that with the childcare always available at our church and others, he's never been IN service before. He's never been exposed to communion before. I tried to simply and quietly explain that the men were going to pass around some bread and the bread was for anyone who had Jesus in their hearts and wanted to remember that He died on the cross for us. I thought that would be sufficient. Now he knows what is going on. However, he floored me. He quickly responded "Well, I do that!" So now we had a small situation. I made pleading eyes to Jamie to help me. What do we say to him in the heat of the moment in the second row, with the plate coming quickly to us. Honestly, I can't recall. I'm not exactly sure what we did say. Something to the tune of "it's just for grown ups right now" and that settled it. Rinse and repeat for the passing of the cup though. He wanted to know what the juice tasted like. I am glad though, that we had a chance to see his interest and that he was swift to say that he has Jesus in his heart. We talk about that often. What we don't talk about is what that means. I'm praying that when Matthew really does accept Jesus to live in his heart and makes that decision, I'll be there. What a wonderful day that will be.

I had tears in my eyes when the communion was over and we sang "Emmanuel" in closing.

Emmanuel, Emmanuel, His name is called, Emmanuel.
God with us, Revealed in us, His name is called, Emmanuel.

I'm glad we got there in time to enjoy the service as a family.

Back at Nana's....

Daddy reading to his boys

Well, someone was bound to get hurt... Mark slid headfirst into the brick fireplace. He handled the wound being taken care of fairly well, the band-aid however, he wanted nothing to do with.

Aunt Dianne with the boys

Mark and Nana

Mark in front of Nana's tree, Christmas morning

Mark screaming "Merry TRISSSS-MASSSSS"!

Matthew and Mark

Me and my boys~ Merry Christmas

Papa and Markie

Grandma, Kimby (aunt Kiki), and Papa arrived Christmas evening. Uncle Rick, Aunt Chas, Shelton and Bryton also came. We got to start all over with the gift giving and family bonding. We really felt blessed this Christmas.

Mark got some new bath toys

Shelton, Matthew and Jamie playing our new Thomas Uno.
Mark was a good supervisor.

Mark trying to help Nana open her big box

Papa and Grandma looking at their personalized calendar

Mark loving on his new pillow pet (Go BUZZ BEE!)

Matthew liking his new robot

Papa opening his coffee mug from us. It pictured him, Jamie and Granddaddy

Jamie hugging Nana bye

Our whole Hobbs family:
Kate, Mark, Jamie, Matthew, Sandy, Kimby, Chuck, Shelton, Rick, Bryton, Chasity

Sadly, that's about where the fun ended. If you see Matthew's face in that picture, he's complaining that he's choking and needs to throw up. Great. We were trying to take a family picture before heading out on our way home. We left for home about 15 minutes after that was taken, not sure what to do about Matthew. 20 minutes on the road, he did throw up. We pulled over to clean him up (thankfully we had a container ready and there wasn't too much mess) and a cop pulled up while we were sitting there. Thank goodness she was a "grandmotherly looking" cop and seemed to have a heart. She said "take care of your youngin (oh yah, we were that south) and I'll sit here till you're settled." Nice huh? We got him settled, he started to fall asleep and then 20 minutes later on the highway he screamed from being asleep and puked again. Sigh. We pulled over and cleaned him up... now running out of clothes for him, he wore Jamie's sweater. Got on the road a little more. Rinse and repeat. Dear God! He was now neked with just his underwear and socks on with a blanket over him. We located the closest walmart thanks to my GPS, I waited in the insanity that was the checkout lane at walmart on the day after Christmas to buy my son a new sweatshirt and sweat pants. Some how we did make it home around 8pm. The kids went straight to bed. The car unloaded into the kitchen and the parents exhausted. All in all we had a great Christmas. It was so nice to see family and to spend the sweet time with Nana Ray... however, the trip home was beyond awful.

I will say now though, that we are all okay. Matthew was the only one to get the stomach bug fortunately, as so far no one else has been sick.

I hope everyone had a very merry Christmas.

O Christmas Bug

O Christmas Bug, O Christmas Bug, why did you come to visit?
Why did you have to get in our car?
Why did you make my son's puke go so far?
O Christmas Bug, O Christmas Bug, why did you come to visit?

Tomorrow he'll be TWO.

How did another whole year pass me by? Tomorrow by baby boy, my beetle bug, my snowman, my Markie will be two. Two. TWO?! How did that happen? Wasn't he just born? Wasn't it just Christmas night and we were bringing him home from the hospital? Do you remember the little bump in the road at the hospital we had to overcome?

(Mark with his IV in for meds)

What a sweet precious gift it was to come home Christmas night with our most blessed present in our arms... My sweet baby boy, you are so wonderful. I love being your mommy. Do you all remember this cute (messy) face from last year's cake experience?

Mark, you continue to floor me with your cuteness. How can one little boy be so cute? Even Matthew will tell him he's being cute from time to time, Mark really is just a cutey pie. I love you to pieces. I was thinking about how you wont be the baby soon the other day when I was rocking you to sleep. Soon you'll be the "middle child" but you will always be my baby. My sweet darling baby. For now you can be the baby and I'll continue to rock you to sleep as long as you like.

Here's a few pictures from his party Monday night,
the theme Blue's Clues if you can't tell from the cake: