Sweet Baby

OK, OK. This is the last of the pictures... for today! These of Allie are just too sweet. I was able to distract her with a Mento long enough to put a pony tail in her hair. That never happens! And Spence asked to put some gel in his hair before we left to go take the pictures. I was amazed! And yes, I let him wear the green boots for the pictures. I wanted to be able to look back years from now and remember exactly how he looked at 4 years old. And without the boots it just wouldn't be him!

More of My Favorites

Piks Photo Shoot

Tuesday the kids had a photo shoot with my friend Rebeca. She is amazing!!! She made my adorable children look even more adorable! Here are 5 of my favorites. There are more to come, so check back soon!








Check out more of Rebeca's work on her facebook page: Jayka's Photography

Doin' the Declutter Thing

Found this awesome post about decluttering and organizing. I love it! It's exactly where I am right now - going through everything and finding things that I don't need or use and getting rid of them. Well, they're in a big pile behind my bedroom door at the moment, but they're on their way out! Here's my favorite line from the article:

"At some point I realized that I wasn’t organizing my life; I was organizing my clutter."

Read the whole article here:
Minimalist Strategy

Weekend Away

Brian and I spent the weekend in Austin to celebrate our 12th anniversary (which was in December). Everyone was supposedly over the stomach bug, but somehow my mom got it Sunday evening. Poor Mom! She ended up having to stay until Tuesday afternoon when she finally felt better. We love you!

We had an awesome time in Austin! I wish I could share some pictures, but unfortunately I forgot our camera and had to buy a disposable one. I haven't gotten it developed yet. Wow. I haven't said that in awhile: I need to get my pictures developed. Coleman couldn't even figure out what the disposable camera was! I let him take a picture, then he wanted to see it! I didn't take many pictures in Austin because I was actually a little embarrassed of the camera. It was definitely a flashback to the '80s.

Anyway, back to our trip. Several months ago, Brian bought tickets for an event for us to go to in Austin and wouldn't tell me what it was. I had no idea if we were going to see a play or a concert or some kind of variety act. About an hour before we were to arrive at the concert hall, we were sharing and appetizer and I started asking for clues. He told me it was an individual, not a group. I have no idea why, but Jerry Seinfeld came to mind. I was hesitant to ask if that's who we were going to see because I thought if it wasn't Seinfeld, Brian would think my expectations were way too high and that I'd be disappointed with who it really was. So I said, "It's OK if it's not this person, but is it Jerry Seinfeld?" IT WAS!!! I couldn't believe it! He was really funny (of course) and we had a great time.

We also toured the capitol, visited the LBJ Presidential Library, ate at great local restaurants, went to a movie, and shopped. I love these weekends away! And it was great not to worry about the kids. They had a blast with Nana!

We ended our weekend in San Marcos at the outlet malls! What a great husband do I have? We mostly bought clothes for the kids, but I got a few things for myself and the house.

Thank you Brian for a wonderful weekend. It's great to get away and spend time together - buckling our own seat belts, not fixing 4 different meals, and going to bed knowing I'm not going to hear anyone saying any of the following: I had a bad dream! I threw up! How many more hours until morning? And it's nice to come home to all that after being refreshed. I love you!

Pack Your Bags

Allie's never met a bag she didn't like! She loves purses, but she will carry around anything with a handle. Here she is with four lunch kits! I think she'll have her own line of bags some day - from reusable totes to sequined evening bags!

This Wacky Life I Lead

This morning Spence woke up not feeling well. I could tell he didn't feel great, but I thought we were over the bug. We dropped Allie off at school then headed out to do some errands. I had placed three items into the shopping cart at Wal-Mart when Spence threw up. Luckily he was sitting on a towel in the cart, so most of it was contained to the towel and the Vtech game he was playing. Whatever had dripped onto the floor in the produce department I was able to wipe up with a strategically placed paper towel roll. I put back our apples, grapes, and one tomato (those things are pricey right now!) and we left. It wasn't until after we left that I realized I should have notified someone about the puked-in cart. Yeesh.

Spence was feeling better this afternoon, so once we picked up Allie we stopped at Kroger to pick up some groceries. I wanted to get Spence a new toothbrush, and they had a 4 pack of super hero ones. Great! Except they've all been played with now. It's like they got a new package of toys. These are pretty cool toothbrushes though, with little suction cups on the end. I'm guessing the manufacturer had in mind that kids wouldn't have to lay their toothbrush on the germy counter, not that they would make excellent diving boards for knights when stuck to the window.

Click to get a better view!

Spence's knight taking the plunge!

Spence the pillow head

Coleman recorded Spence walking around with the pillow on his head, then they all laid down and watched the video together!

Allie "talking" on the phone

This day really wasn't anything too out of the ordinary. Well, we usually don't literally barf in Wal-Mart, but other than that, crazy things happen around here. I will cherish these days! (I'm repeating that phrase over and over as I take deep, relaxing breathes.)

*****Updated with a prayer from Spence to end the day*****

Dear God,
Thank you for our clocks and all the clocks you give us. And our light switches, and our eyes, and our nose, and our ears, and our lips, and our collars. Amen.

Following In Her Brother's Footsteps

Spence still wears these boots, but if you don't find them on his feet, chances are they are on Allie's! And yes, she's sitting at the top of the stairs, wearing shoes that are several sizes too big, wanting to carry a chair down. Luckily she's a girl and doesn't plan to attempt this on her own!

She was really showing off for the camera!

I love this face! It tells it like it is. No time to brush hair, and why bother? If I attempt to brush it, she messes it up faster than I can finish. And she and Spence not only share a love for the same pair of boots, but they share a record for snottiest noses in the world! He's still got her beat on messiest face though.

Where Were You, Laundry Fairy?

So our weekend was somewhat of a bust. Friday Allie woke up happy, but with puke all in her bed. She seemed fine, so we went about our day. Then Saturday I took Coleman to a birthday party, and throughout the day started feeling a little queasy. By the time we arrived home at 4:30 all I could do was crash on the couch. Then by 5:30 I was crashed on the bathroom floor. Completely taken down by some vicious tummy bug. Spence woke up that night puking. Brian did such an awesome job cleaning Spence up and changing his sheets. Sunday, Brian was also in charge of all Allie's stinky (and I mean stinky) diapers. My only complaint is that the laundry fairy failed to show up at my house to take care of all the piles of dirty sheets, towels, and clothes. What's her deal? But it got done, and we lived to tell! Also, it seems that Brian and Coleman may have escaped the wrath of this evil bug. I'm praying they stay well!

We were supposed to have three families from church over for lunch Sunday. That had to be canceled. I felt so bad because each of the families was bringing either an appetizer, salad, or dessert to help feed 8 adults and 8 kids. And I had two huge pans of lasagna in my fridge that I had to stick out in the freezer because the smell was killing me every time I opened the fridge! I made them Friday and was going to bake them Sunday. Question: Does anyone think they are contaminated since I probably already had the bug Friday? Or once I cook them should they be OK? That's a lot of food to throw away, but I definitely don't want to get sick again!

Some Valentine Bubbly

Hope you had as much good, clean fun this Valentine's Day as we did!




There were a few pictures with Coleman, but I figured now that he's six, he might be too old for bath pictures!

When You Give a 6 Year Old a Camera...

... these are the pictures you get:

self portrait

and now upside down

snapshot of a little brother

couch cushion play

capturing his favorite toys

Around Here Lately

Allie shows an interest in the potty, but she doesn't quite get that she must pull her pants down. I see that we'll need plenty of reading material around for her though!

Last night we went to a Super Bowl party at some church friends' house. Coleman couldn't wait to go because he remembered that their boys (who are a little older) had lots of Star Wars toys. They were going to sell them all in a garage sale, but instead they gave them to Coleman! He is super excited since he is totally and completely obsessed with Star Wars right now. I made the mistake of saying, "Maybe when you get a little older you can give them to a younger boy." A look of terror crossed his face at the mere thought of ever having to part with his best friends!

And if we would have built a snowman on Friday, this is what it would have looked like. We got zero inches of snow. However, the roads did ice over pretty badly and caused 800 wrecks around the city! So I guess it was good that school was canceled. Maybe for our next snow day we'll actually get some snow!

Like a Snowflake, She's One of a Kind

I was starting to think Allie had no fashion sense. I'll pick out her shoes to match her outfit, but she insists on wearing a different color that totally doesn't go. However, tonight she matched her yogurt mustache perfectly to her shirt!


We have snow forecast for tonight and early tomorrow! The kids' schools let out an hour early today, and Coleman's school canceled classes for tomorrow. We are so unable to handle any kind of freezing precipitation in these parts!

My favorite thing about cold weather is the food and drink you get to have! Creamy tomato soup and grilled cheese isn't an every day food around here. But it's a must when snow is in the forecast!

The recipe I use came from a restaurant in Montana that Gale and Rita would go to when driving through Missoula. She said that they would eat there, then she would come home and try to figure out the recipe. Finally, she decided to ask the lady at the restaurant. She handed Rita a card printed with the recipe! It's so easy and delicious:

4 B's Old Fashioned Cream of Tomato Soup
2 cans diced tomatoes
9 oz chicken broth
1 oz butter
2 T sugar
1 T chopped onion (I use more like 1/4 cup)
pinch of baking soda
2 c cream (I use heavy whipping so I don't add this much - it just depends how rich and creamy you like it)
1.Mix all ingredients except cream in a pot and simmer for an hour.
2.Heat cream in a double boiler (I just leave it sitting out for a few hours so it's room temperature).
3.Add cream to hot tomato mixture.
4.Ready to serve!

We always have grilled cheese - fancy grilled cheese - with this soup! These aren't just slap some butter on white bread and unwrap a Kraft single kind of grilled cheese. We use sourdough bread spread with real butter, then topped with colby jack cheese that I bought in a block and sliced myself. Then they're cooked on my griddle over medium low heat until they are perfectly browned. So worth it! And then later I serve apple cider that has been simmering on the stove with some cloves and cinnamon sticks. Yes, I love this weather and the food it brings!

Spoon Licker Extraordinaire

Today I made brownies and Spence helped me out by licking the spoon. He usually helps when I make cookies or brownies by pouring the mix in the bowl and stirring all the ingredients. But he had been having some trouble obeying, so his punishment was that he didn't get to help make the brownies. He was quite sad.

He had an all-around rough morning to tell the truth. Wednesday mornings are always a little hectic trying to get him ready and out the door on time to get to Bible study. It usually involves me threatening to take away TV or some other privilege if he makes us late. I know the enemy doesn't like for me to go to Bible study, but it really frustrates me that he uses my child to put me in a bad mood and make me think it's too much trouble and that I should just stay home! Thankfully God reminds me of His love for me, and how I can be just like my little four year old at times - whining about what I'm supposed to be doing, wanting something different than what I've been given, pouting while waiting to get my way. Having kids definitely makes me see how patient and merciful God is toward me. And I pray to be able to show that same patience and mercy to them.

And really, who could stay mad at this face for long?


Here's another picture I wanted to share today:

Coleman used his birthday money to buy some Star Wars toys from eBay. I like how Coleman is looking over his new toy, trying to figure out all it does, while Spence and Allie are excited to play in the box that it was shipped in!

There's another picture I wish I had gotten, but I couldn't get to the camera in time. During one of Spence's many fits this morning, he was upset that he hadn't kissed Daddy goodbye before he headed for work. I told him if he wanted to say bye he better hurry (Brian was getting in his car to leave). Wearing a sweatshirt and a pair of Buzz Lightyear undies, he bounded down the stairs and out the front door (into the freezing cold I might add!) to kiss Daddy goodbye. I'm sure that was a sight for Brian (and any neighbors that might have been outside) to see a half-naked kid running out screaming, "Wait Daddy!!! I want to kiss you!" Pretty sweet though. That must be love.

Travel Tips

To keep a toddler busy on a flight, give her a baby wipe and tell her the plane is dirty.


To keep the same toddler busy in the airport, let her climb behind a candy machine. She'll spend quite a while trying to figure out how to get the candy out. Then how to get herself out!

Question and Answer

Question: "Why is it so hard to get places on time?"

Answer: "I have a four year old that would rather dress his penguin than himself."

15 Years Younger

My car is at the dealership having some repairs done while it's still under warranty, so they gave me a rental to drive today. I was going to have to pay to upgrade to an SUV, so I just took what they had: a VW Beetle!

I have to tell you I was a little skeptical at first, but as I started down the freeway I felt at least 15 years younger! Sure, there are two car seats in the back and I was going to buy groceries and a new shower curtain, but hey, I can dream for a minute or two! I'm used to driving a wagon, so imagine my surprise when I looked over my shoulder and actually saw out the back windshield! It kind of freaked me out. You're probably thinking, "Two car seats? Doesn't she have three kids?" Coleman's just out of luck! Actually, after I pick up Spence and Allie from MDO, we'll walk to go get Coleman. Then my Mom will be here later since she's staying with the boys this weekend. And I guess I'll have to go return my sweet little ride. But really, it's fun for a day, but I wouldn't trade a thing, or especially anybody, that fits in my wagon for anything in the world.

Earlier this week a friend and I went to see Brandon Heath. I love him! Our Christian radio station has free concerts at Chick-Fil-As around town, and this one just happened to be in Sugar Land. I had lots to do while the kids were at school, but I'm so glad I made time to go to this!

Play Time With Daddy

The kids enjoyed a crazy play time with Daddy tonight! Allie was on Brian's back too, but neither of the boys could seem to hold her on. So after falling off two or three times, she was done.

While I had the camera out, all three kids were here, and everyone was in a good mood I tried to get a group picture. They all smiled and looked at the camera at the same time. Wow!

Allie's favorite word is, "Cheese!" Well, that along with mine, no, and help.

Rainy Monday

It's a rainy Monday here. I didn't want to drag the kids to the gym in this weather, so I did 3 miles of my workout DVD at home. That was a great way to start my week! Spence and Allie actually cooperated (for the most part) and I got it done without having to hit pause too many times. That's my goal for this week: 3 miles every day!

I've been so bad at keeping up with the blog lately. Every day the boys say something cute and I think I'll write about it, but then I get sidetracked. I'm really bad about getting sidetracked. It's a complete miracle that I ever finish anything!

Today Allie dumped a bowl of Life cereal (no milk, just dry) into Spence's new rain boots. Then she ate it straight out of the boot! He's only worn the boots a few times, so they aren't completely gross. There, I rationalized it enough so it wasn't a disgusting act.

And really, how could anything she does be disgusting? She's just too adorable. As is her brother, who is playing behind the blinds with her.

Brian, Allie, and I will be traveling to Wisconsin this Friday to be with our family for a memorial service. Rita's sister Jeani passed away on January 11th. She was such a sweet, loving woman. Even though I did not get the opportunity to spend much time with her, she made me feel like a part of the family. She would read the blog and comment, she would send the kids things. Even though she never got to meet Allie and only met Spence once. She truly had a love for her family that will never be forgotten. We are so thankful that we get to go and celebrate her life and be with the people that she loved so much, and the people we love so much. It is amazing that even in the midst of grieving, God allows us to have peace. That's what I'm praying for Jeani's family: a peace and comfort that can only come from above and knowing that their loved one is in the presence of Jesus and no longer in pain. I am so blessed to have married into this family.

Today's Excuse...

... for not putting the laundry away: