Down on the Farm

Ok, so maybe its not a farm, but for this city girl, a white picket fence and a pond equals a farm (forget the fact that less than a mile away is the town square). So we (the kids and I) are spending the week with my folks. I have been in much need of a "change of scenery" and this was just the ticket.

I feel like I am at a place of discontentment in my life, and often, all i need is a good weekend away from the "regularity" of life (as regular as a life with three children can be), to help lift my spirits. And my mom has the ability to distract me with her pedicure scheduling, local shop peruzing, loving on her grand kids ways.


Not to mention, EK and Peyton are having a blast with their uncles and aunt. They are something else. My brothers and sisters are teenagers who love video games, socializing, and talking on their cell phones. However, when my kiddos walk in the door, the world stops, they sit on the floor, and pretend to eat plastic food prepared in a Little Tykes kitchen.

We really are having a blast. We have nothing planned. It is spring break around this part of the country, so we are enjoying having everyone home all week long. My siblings can't wait to babysit, so my mom and I plan on taking them up on that.

We miss our daddy, as he stayed home to get some much needed work done (and probably some much needed rest too). I told him that he better get lots of sleep so I can rest when we get home - and based on last night with Stone - nighttime might prove to get the best of me this week.

But who couldn't love a face like this???

Not mine of course. Although it seems a rare occurene that I put a picture of myself on here, so enjoy, because it may be a while before you get another one!

Giggle Giggle

So, as far as I can tell, this is the cutest baby in the whole wide world.

And he is even cuter when he giggles.



See, I told you he was a cutie.

The First Day of Spring

Weren't we just enjoying the beautiful sunshine while at the zoo a mere two days ago?

Why yes, indeed we were.

But that daunting forecast proved to come true, and we got snow.

Now most people in our community were pretty bummed, complaining that they were ready for spring; tired of being cooped up; and sick of nasty road conditions.

I, being the optimist that I am, chose to see the beauty in such a circumstance.

Remember when I posted here about it snowing and my poor children couldn't go out in it because I had no proper equipment for such playing (you know, gloves, hats, boots, etc)?

Well, NOT ANYMORE!

My kids were properly attired for a snow-throwing good time. Gloves and all...

"bwrrrrr, mommy. Is cold"

Even daddy got to enjoy the snow.

Why didn't I join in on the fun? C'mon, you know me better than that. I'm a take-pictures-through-the-window-from-the-comfort-of-my-heated-house kind of a gal.

Lions & Tigers & Bears, but no monkeys...

With impeding doom forecasted in our state's weather this weekend, Ben and I woke up Friday morning determined to soak in as much Vitamin D as we possibly could.

Hmmm, where would you take three kiddos on a beautiful day, during spring break, when snow would soon force you to be inside for days?

If you said the zoo, then you had the same ideas as us, and every other parent in our city.

Seriously.

There were so many people at our little zoo, I thought I would surely die of claustrophobia.

We did see some tigers, giraffes, buffalo, and a slew of other animals, minus the elephants who were at another zoo for mating season (try explaining that to a three year old), and minus the monkeys, who were in hiding. I can't say I blame them. I mean, seriously, thousands of children were everywhere!

My three had a blast though. This picture is a perfect representation of my children in regards to animals. Ellie Kate is an animal lover who would have gladly ridden on the backs of these 20 foot tall creatures. Peyton, on the other hand, is not quite sure about the frog that lives on our back porch...

Peyton kept saying, "go'way an-muls," I think its safe to say she ain't gonna be a veterinarian - but at least it is safe to say she won't be an old lady with forty cats either. I'll take that as a victory.

Whose grand idea was it to bring the wagon? A device that children can strap and unstrap themselves into. Not.A.Good.Idea. Mental note dually noted.

All in all, we had a really great day at the zoo. I wish I had taken a picture of Stone in his stroller snoozing the whole time. Boy did he get his Vitamin D. The sun was beautiful and we even lasted through half of the sea lion show before my kids began their low blood sugar meltdown.

I was greatly reminded of how wonderfully glad I am that God chose to give us children so close in age. It may have been a doozy at first, but they sure do love each other. I am always reminding them that they have a "built-in playmate for life." What a gift.

Lovie

Does your kiddo have a lovie?

Maybe he or she has two lovies.

When I was a kid I had a blanket that I ingeniously named "blankie." This would be the perfect time to introduce you to this tattered piece of cotton via picture, but all my sentimental items are packed away in storage - for now.

So I'll just paint you a mental picture.

It was a pastel patchwork blanket with a sewn on bunny holding a few flowers. It was nicely adorned with a several marker scribbles and a few nail polish droppings - proof of its survival through my toddler years.

My mom would never let me take my lovie anywhere but the car and on long trips, but it was a faithful friend - a friend that my parents use to say would probably make it into my marriage. It almost did - as I took it to college.

It was just so soft.

Which is probably why I endure through the rediculousness of lovies in this house.

Now Ellie Kate has a lovie. It is a purple blanket with green border and its already pretty tattered and torn, but she loves her blanket.

But Peyton, well thats another story.

When I go to get Peyton out her bed in the morning or from her afternoon nap, this is how the dialogue goes...

M - "Peyton, are you ready to get out of bed?"

P - "Ya!"

M - " Ok, let's go."

It is here that I pick her up and begin to take her out of her room, to which she ALWAYS says,

P- "blanket!"

So I hand her blanket number 1, which is followed by,

P- "Blanket!"

So I hand her blanket number 2, which is followed by,

P - "Blanket!"

So I hand her blanket number 3, which is followed by,

P - "Baby!"

To which I hand her her baby.

Phew, by this time I have had a good workout from all that up and down reaching into the crib.

Why do I do it? You might be asking yourself. Well, mostly because of this face right here...

Yes, I understand that the lovies are getting a little out of control at this house, but all four of these things really do bring her lots of comfort.

The picture I should have taken is of Peyton in her carseat with all her lovies. I have to yell her name from the front seat to make sure she is under all that stuff. Such a strange child - but she sure is something special to her mama.

Cabin Fever!!!

My darling boy has been sick with a cough for a few days now.

With the ever changing weather here in the southwest, his poor little immune system just can't seem to catch up. He catches a cold, gets just about over it, and the smack - he gets one again.

Right now, he is sleeping in his room, with a vinegar infused humidifier, trying to overcome this nasty little devil. And that is exactly what this cough is - a devil.

Meanwhile, I have had the daunting task of entertaining two little toddlers, who have more energy than I know what to do with.

They have been forced to be cooped up in this house while their little brother recoops. And our zoo-going, park playing, and play-date attending ways have been cancelled on account of cough. According to my vocal three year old, "well, that kinda stinks." I wonder where she learned such an expression.

So my mommy creativity has been put into over-drive.

Wanna know what we have been up to these days?

Well, I am going to tell you anyway.

We have been garage playing fools. This is as far as my monitor signal with reach, and therefore, this is the most outside exposure my children have received. Don't worry, I am giving them plenty of body balance to ensure good Vitamin D intake.

What good were those expired beans and rice in my pantry, anyway? Now they are a place to dig up treasure with measuring spoons and spatulas.

Stickers, stickers, and more stickers. My kids loved decorating castles (and a few household pieces of furniture), with these stickers - which I had originally purchased for EK's birthday party.

This is where I got really creative. Hair gel, in a Ziploc bag. They sat at the table for a good hour practicing their shapes and letters. Who'da' thought?

Good thing I only have to keep this up for another day or so. Daddy is off on Friday, and the normal festivities can commence. Of course, we are suppose to get SNOW on Saturday. But that's ok, I will officially be passing the baton to daddy, and it will be his sole responsibility to entertain these rambunctious two. Good luck beating my rainy day activities, daddy....

Ode To A Second Born

Wow, what a talker we have on our hands.

But would you expect anything less?

We were trying to coax her to sing "Jesus Loves Me," which she was singing at the top of her lungs just minutes before (of course), but at least this will appease the far-away grandparents for a while...

Its a Girl's World....

Sorry, little man, but you were born into a estrogen-filled domain.

I try my best to dress you in blue, shape your two little hairs into a tiny fohawk, and occasionally turn basketball on the TV, just so you have a chance.

However, your big sisters are more than just feminine in nature, its in their veins. They bleed pastel pink and cover their boo boo's in Dora band-aids. They dress like princesses and wear high heels. They play in mama's make-up and if I can't find my best necklace, I know just where to find it.

Your daddy does a pretty good job manning you up. He calls you his little man, and has talks with you about growing to be a godly husband and father someday. He is always buying you baseball cards, matchbox cars, and transformers. You are bound to grow up to be all boy.

But when daddy is away, there is only so much a mama of three can do. My eyes can't be everywhere, baby boy.

I've tried to talk to your sisters about the differences of boys and girls and how it goes beyond mere anatomy. I tell them that you will like different things, dress in different colors, and that you will always be there to protect them from their future boyfriends (God bless their souls for the havoc their brother and father will give, I am sure.)

They seemed to understand. I thought they had grasped the concept. I thought for sure we had it under control.

I guess I was wrong...

Sorry baby Stone, and most of all, sorry daddy - I'll try and explain it again...

Quest to 5K

So, that's it, I'm doin it. I am jumping on the bandwagon. It is time to get in shape.

I consider myself a pretty healthy person (with the exception of a few potato chips here and there), but in lieu of bathing suit season approaching and the impending vacation in 96 days, its time to kick it up a notch.

I joined the gym for a month and really enjoyed it. I took spin class three nights a week, did water aerobics, and put a few miles on the old elliptical. But in the end, having to drive 15 minutes to attend a 45 minute class, then turn around and drive home, had me away from my family for a good hour and a half, and frankly, I hated that. Not to mention the hefty gym fee. They must charge so much so that you can't afford to buy food, therefore increasing your weight loss.

I then purchased an A-mazing workout video, thanks to the recommendation of my buddy Melissa. It's a Tracy Anderson video for postpartum women. Her tag line is that she can make the skin come back to the muscle, and of course, any post pregnancy mom is all too familiar with that little extra something hanging on the tummy area. I love the video, but it requires a cardio workout as well.

Should I buy an elliptical? Should I try the gym again? Join a Zumba class (offered at the local library - WHAT!?)? Let's check the blog-o-sphere, and see what they are all up to.

My IRL blog friend, Megan, has been participating in the Couch to 5K that seems to be taking the blogging world by storm. Of course, she posted that her skinny jeans have actually gotten tighter since she started her quest. But let me add, that she has zero body fat to lose, which is evident in the fact that she OWNS SKINNY JEANS! Boo to all of you who own skinny jeans.

Anywho, so I got on the trusty IPhone and downloaded the couch to 5K workout. I even got online last night and found a 5K race on May 2 that I plan on participating in.

Ahem. I am sorry, I think I just threw up in my mouth a little bit.

Did I really just say I was going to run a 5K? I must be sleep deprived.

Well, I started the quest yesterday and did pretty good. I even found the IPhone Couch to 5K computer automated voice to be somewhat motivating.

SO I thought I would share my journey with all of you. Mostly because I figure if I put it out into cyber space, I'll be somewhat responsible to fulfill the obligation. Not that anyone of you are going to be unfollowing me for not finishing my goal, but maybe you could all lie and say that you will to further intimidate me into getting my butt off the couch and get to pounding the pavement!

There is a silver lining to all of this though, I need to go shopping for some new running shoes...

What are good friends for???

What else are good friends for than to remind you of all your quirkiness.

Well, my friends have plenty of quirks. Case in point...

The other day, I was helping a dear friend of mind clean out her garage. We were sifting through items, deciding what to sell, what to donate, and what had too much sentimental value and therefore would return to its box in the garage.

After a few hours of treasure hunting, we came across a true beaut.

This wasn't just any find, this was her prom dress.

I know what you are thinking. Big deal? Its her prom dress. We all have bad formals stashed away in our garage. See, that is where you are wrong. We may all have a dress that could have done without those ten thousand sequins. Or maybe you even have a dress that is some sort of shade of baby poop. And it may even be the fabric of your grandma's couch. But I guarantee you, it is better than THIS prom dress.

I will try to recreate the scene as best as I remember it.

"Oh hey, Meredith, here is my prom dress, you are going to love this. See, isn't it pretty?" "Why yes, that is very pretty. I bet you danced the night away in that..."

"BAMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

*this is the moment that my mouth dropped to the floor and I picked it up only so that I could breathe in between giant gasps of laughter*

Holy Moly, your prom dress was a *drant* (a mixture of dress and pant - a true travesty of the late 90's)

And you want to know the saddest part? She actually tried to convince me that she was the coolest thing at her Senior prom. Poor thing. She is seriously delusional. She must have missed the pimpled teenagers laughing and pointing in the corner.

By the way, your welcome, Melissa, for putting these pictures out in cyber space for your grandchildren to enjoy. Love you bestie!

Birthday Party Extravaganza...

One thing I have learned in my three years of mothering, is that with each passing year, these stinkin' birthday parties get more and more involved.

I always tell myself that "next year, we will do something with just family," and then that time of the year rolls around and my simple plans are thrown out the window for an initial small gathering of friends which quickly turns into a party for the neighborhood.

Ok, so maybe its not that bad, but EK's third birthday this year was pretty awesome, if I do say so myself.

When I asked her what kind of birthday she wanted, my won't-even-step-outside-without-shoes-on" little princess responded, "a pink one." Of course you do.

Problem was, half her friends are boys. Hmmmm....

SO we compromised and had a pink party inflused with a little boyish charm.

This year, we had a dress-up theme, and boy was it fun.

We had Woody and Buzz Lightyear sightings.... Little China men...

Plenty of princesses...

And plenty of cuteness from this little fella...

And of course, the most beautiful princess at the ball, there to welcome all her best buddies...

We had a blast. We decorated princess castles (and safari jungles for those of the masculine variety), bounced in the bounce house (monitored by my lovely husband), got our hair fixed (aka spray painted blue for the boys), and got our pictures taken.

Of course we decorated cupcakes, sang Happy Birthday, and opened presents as well.

I love this shot. I am not even positive that EK knew what she had opened, so I quietly put some of her loot away for a rainy day...

Of course, Peyton was there, wishing her sister a very special birthday - dressed as a perfect ballerina.
Here is Ellie Kate getting her hair done. Remind me why she won't sit still like this for me? Oh yea, because I am her mom.

Peyton with her Mimi, decorating away - and obviously injecting way to much sugar into her system.

Overall, we had a great time. Missed being able to celebrate with some - like her Texas friends, our Missouri family, and even some close buddies here.

But this day just reminded me what true blessings God has surrounded Ben and I and our children with. Oh, and it reminded me that I have the cutest three year old princess on the planet...

Three years already??

Wasn't it just yesterday that we put a "Big brother" shirt on our dog, Bosox, declaring to our parents that in nine short months they would be grandparents?

Wasn't it just yesterday that I was laying in that sterile hospital bed, in a ridiculous amount of pain, waiting to hold you in my arms?

And wasn't it just yesterday that you were screaming your head off at all hours of the night, often making your mommy and daddy wonder if you would ever sleep?

And wasn't it just yesterday that I was tickling those teensie tiny toes, anxiously awaiting your first chuckle?

And what about the days I spent crawling around the floor, begging you to make your first motor skill advancement and CRAWL ALREADY!

Oh, and the time that your cousins came down and you took your first steps for them, even though I had been bribing you to do it for me for weeks!

Wasn't it just yesterday that you were calling my name and I would come running, ecstatic that someone was calling ME, "mommy."

And I remember the moment we told you that you were going to be a big sister, and I remember even better the moment you laid eyes on your sissy - and you have been best friends ever since.

When will you stop growing up already???

I even captured on video for all my blogging readers the day she recited her ABC's.

Boy have you really blossomed, Ellie Kate.
You have become mommy's biggest helper, and my joy in rough times.

You are your daddy's little princess, and your little brother and sister adore you.

I am not sure how I got so lucky.

While you have your moments or strength, you come by it honestly, and we are working on channeling that strength into something that will change this world for Christ.

Wasn't it just yesterday that I was writing this post, celebrating your second year of life??

I am afraid it has been a whole year, sweet one, and while I am sad to watch you grow older, I am so excited to see what God is already doing in my three year old.

It won't be long until Mommy and Daddy get to watch you chose Jesus for yourself, and we know that day will come just when He planned it.

You are awesome, little girl, and your mommy loves you more than all the skittles in the world - yes, honey, even the red ones.

Keep being the beauty that you are - on the inside and the out. Mommy and Daddy think you're are the coolest, and your Jesus loves you even more than we do.

XOXOXOXO.