I wish I had a brilliant or at least somewhat exciting update for you, but I don’t. 

We’ve been working on the house, and trying to get everything else done in daily life that must get done, like work, errands, parent, spend time with the boys, etc.  I still haven’t started packing yet, but that is soon to change.  Joe started bringing home boxes the other day, so now that fun chore is on my plate.

I really don’t mind, but there is always way more stuff you realize you have.  I am hoping we can donate or just get rid of the stuff we haven’t used in years, and be done with it.  Like the extra microwave that has been sitting the pantry now, for eight years.  If our microwave ever broke, we had a spare.  Except it hasn’t and we have had a microwave sitting in the pantry for eight years.

I usually blog at night- but I have been so tired physically and mentally, I think I have blogger’s block.  If you don’t see very many posts here in the upcoming weeks, I haven’t dropped off the face of the earth.  But with moving, fixing up the house, and the upcoming holiday season, I’m not sure how much time or motivation I will have to blog.  Please continue to check in- I know I’ll get my blogging mojo back eventually.  :-)  You can find me on Twitter, and I seem to be able to post 140 character items, much easier and regularly than actual blog posts these days.

I pinkie swear I will post pictures of the new house and the progress we have made.  Joe finished painting the boys’ rooms today, and he’s going to start on our bedroom tomorrow.  I placed the carpet order last week, and that should be installed right after Thanksgiving.  We are ordering our engineered hardwood flooring tomorrow.  We have decided on a honey hickory color which is a golden brown- not too dark or light.  We should have it around Thanksgiving.  It has to cure at room temperature for a week, so Joe should be able to install the floor, the beginning of December.

The brand we are getting has a locking system, so there is no need to glue or nail the pieces together.  Joe is optimistic he can install it in a few days, rather than a few weeks.  So it appears we are on schedule to move into the house by the end of December.  Not sure where we will end up having Christmas- in the old house, or the new one, but Ryan is already wondering about the tree this year, and how Santa will find us.  :-)  Cole has just been talking up a storm and telling us he wants Santa to bring him a dump truck.

I’m also trying to plan Ryan’s fifth birthday party, which always sneaks up on me, since it is just two weeks after Christmas.  I booked the venue this year in JULY- so that is set.  Now I just have to get save the dates out to people, and hope I’m not over the number of guests we are allowed to have.  Guess I had better double check on that.  Ryan of course, is just thrilled to be turning five.  I’m wondering where the time went, and how did my ‘baby’ become a little boy, who is just weeks away from being five years-old?

My mom is coming out for a visit the week of Christmas and will be able to spend an entire evening, and the next day with us.  I’m excited for that, and to be able to show her our new house.  Ryan and Cole are excited to bake cookies for Santa with Nana. 

So that is all we have been up to.  Stay tuned for another exciting update in the near future. 

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Ryan cleaning out his pumpkin

Fireman Cole at our town’s Halloween Parade

 Superman & the Fireman

If you want to see more pictures, head over to Wordless Wednesday.

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We had a busy but fun Fourth of July! 

We went to a neighboring town for a parade, face painting, and music in the morning.  Ryan got his face painted with stars, and Cole wanted his arm painted instead.  There was an added bonus that there is a caboose in the town, so of course we had to walk over to see it.  Here are a few pictures of the caboose and me with the boys- you can see Ryan and Cole’s face and arm painted, and you can click on the pictures to see the images larger:

 It was getting hotter and hotter by the minute, and this little town didn’t have a lot of shade.  So we decided to pack it up, and head back home.  We stopped off for lunch at the boys’ favorite noodle bowl place.  The restaurant was almost empty, so we had the place to ourselves.  I guess not too many people go out to lunch on the Fourth of July. 

 When we got home, it was perfect weather to break out a new sprinkler ring I had gotten for the boys.  It was in the high 90’s, and they had a blast running through it.  Joe turned on the hose too, and they got to run back and forth between the two.  They did this for an hour, and just loved it:

 After all that fun in the sun, we all decided to take a nap.  We turned on our evaporative cooler, and it was heaven- hot outside, but cool and quiet in the house.  The boys were really conked out and slept for a few hours.  Meanwhile Joe went to the store to get some salad fixings, and then I made a salad to take over to Joe’s parents house for dinner.  Joe’s two sisters were up visiting for a few days.

After dinner we had a nice time visiting, and got a special treat- Grandma and Aunt K. had made homemade vanilla ice cream in Grandma’s hand cranked ice cream maker.  Another aunt, (also an aunt K.), made two kinds of hot fudge sauce, and Ryan and Cole helped her.  They had a lot of fun “helping,” and the ice cream turned out great. 

The we all hung out, until it was time to go the fireworks show.  The boys did really well, and were so excited, they didn’t act tired at all.  I am sure the naps helped.   We got to see a really neat firework show, and there was no issue with the “boom factor” for Ryan.

Towards the end of the show, Cole started to get tired and kept saying, “home.”  It was 10 p.m. by then, and way past his bedtime.  However, the boys were so dirty we had to give them a quick shower when we got home.  We got them in their beds as soon as we could, and they literally fell asleep before their heads hit the pillow. 

It was fun having such a relaxing and laid back day.  I am glad the boys are getting older where they can stay up later (with a nap) and can start to enjoy the special occasions.  I love the Fourth of July, and I think the boys are starting to develop a liking for it too.  All day today, Ryan and Cole kept saying, “Pop!”- imitating the fireworks. 

It was a perfect holiday- fun, family, food, and fireworks!

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I hope everyone enjoys the holiday.  We are planning on taking the boys to a neighboring town for a pancake breakfast (if we get there early enough), a parade, live music, and face painting among some of the activities.

Of course we plan to watch fireworks later in the evening.  Ryan doesn’t like loud noises, so I hope he is okay with the “boom” factor.  :-) 

I wish everyone a safe, and fun Fourth of July!

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I had a wonderful Mother’s Day.  This was my fifth one already!  (How did that happen?)

We got up early so we could make it to my favorite breakfast cafe, before the crowd got there.  It is a Creole cafe which serves to die-for beignets (which is like a cross between a sopapilla and a donut), and homemade biscuits among other goodies.  I got eggs, Creole style- which were scrambled with peppers, onions, cheese,  potatoes, and topped with tomatoes and an avocado. This was served with the biggest buttermilk biscuit you have ever seen, topped with homemade strawberry rhubarb jam.  It was delicious, and of course the boys loved the beignets and biscuits.

After breakfast we went to Joe’s parents house, where we had a present for Joe’s mom.  I had compilled all the best pictures during the last year, and made a photo book for her on Shutterfly.  I have to say, as a former scrapbooker, Shutterfly made the whole process incredibly easy, and fun.  The hardest part for me was picking out the photos to use, and cropping them before I downloaded them to Shutterfly.  I loved the way the book turned out, and I was so happy I ordered a copy for us too.  It is a wonderful keepsake, and Joe’s mom was very happy with it. 

After visiting for a while, we went home, where we all took a nap, except for Ryan.  Bless Joe’s heart- he “napped” in the living room on the couch, so he could watch Ryan.  After I got Cole to sleep, I took a luxurious hour and a half nap in my bed.  It was great.  I woke up to Ryan telling me I had a Mother’s Day card.  This was the envelope:

When I asked Ryan if that was him on the envelope, he said, “No, that is just a hairy guy.”  Okay- I guess my son thinks I like hairy guys. 

Cole was still sleeping, and Joe decided to assemble Cole’s birthday present.  Even though it is in about two weeks, we bought last week, and figured the boys should get as much use out of it as possible.  The directions said it assembled in less than an hour.  Uh, right.  We spent triple the time assembling it.  Cole had woken up in the meantime, and I fixed the boys lunch, which they ate outside, while they ‘helped’ Dad.  (I’m going to write more about the present with pictures closer to Cole’s birthday). 

I got a little yard work in, and cleaned the front porch.  When the toy was done, the boys played for awhile, and I told Joe I wanted some pizza from my favorite pizza restaurant-so off we went to a neighboring town, and we had a nice 20 minute drive or so.  I was a little worried the restaurant would be crowded, and we would have to wait, but we got right in, and it wasn’t super busy, until we left. 

When we got home, I went on a long walk by myself.  The weather was wonderful- warm but not too warm, and not cold enough to need a jacket. 

After I was finished with my walk, the boys were ready for their bath, and bed.  Ryan was so tired, but he told me Happy Mother’s Day again, and asked me if I had fun, “celebrating me.”

As I laid Cole down in his crib, he pulled my face in for another kiss, and then just held my cheek to his, smiling.  He gave me a kiss, and rolled over on his side saying, “night night.”  It was the best moment of the day.

I loved today, and even though I know I will have some things to catch up on, I wouldn’t have changed any of it.  I loved having a fun, relaxed, and easy day with my family.  :-)  Here are two pictures, after we arrived home from breakfast:

I hope everyone had a wonderful Mother’s Day, how ever you chose to spend the day!

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I read a great blog post today From Daily Mish Mash on the commercialism on Mother’s Day, and how it can make us feel when our expectations aren’t fulfilled. 

I admit that I too, had unrealistic expectations of Mother’s Day, when I first became a mother.  I assumed it would be like a commercial, with my husband thinking and planning that “perfect” day for me. 

Fast foward four years, and I have learned.  Mother’s Day is not about just one day of having a perfect day.  For me, Mother’s Day happens year-round, when my four-year old gives me an unexpected hug, or tells me something super sweet, like, “Mommy, you are my best girl.”  Or when the boys play together and actually have fun, and don’t bicker.  Or when they both do something I ask, just because I asked them, or when Cole looks into my eyes to give me a hug, and I see pure love in his big, blue eyes. 

Oh, surprises are nice too- who wouldn’t love a diamond necklace, like Daily Mish Mash mentions?  But I agree with her that expecting these amazing, thought out, well planned gifts, is just setting ourselves up for disappointment.  I have also become way more proactive, and instead of hoping and then getting mad that I don’t get the Mother’s Day I am hoping for, I have started to let Joe know what I would like to do. He makes it happen, and he is happy, because he is doing what I really want to do, and I am happy-obviously.  This seems to work out well for us. 

My husband is not the world’s best surprise planner.  I have learned that about him.  But he will drop whatever he is doing at a moment’s notice to help me with the children.  He will go to the grocery store for me at 11pm at night, if I have a dessert craving, and he will do anything for his family.  I may not get a diamond necklace on Mother’s Day, but I will take the little- and never ending gifts I receive every day, from my family over a diamond necklace any day.

Besides, where would I wear a diamond necklace to anyway?  I suppose the cashiers at the grocery stores would be very impressed, if they manged to notice it over my mom-stained shirt. 

Happy Mother’s Day to everyone.  I leave you with some quotes I like for Mother’s Day.

The moment a child is born, the mother is also born.  She never existed before.  The woman existed, but the mother, never.  A mother is something absolutely new.  ~Rajneesh

Being a full-time mother is one of the highest salaried jobs… since the payment is pure love.  ~Mildred B. Vermont

When you are a mother, you are never really alone in your thoughts.  A mother always has to think twice, once for herself and once for her child.  ~Sophia Loren, Women and Beauty

It kills you to see them grow up.  But I guess it would kill you quicker if they didn’t.  ~Barbara Kingsolver, Animal Dreams

And my favorite, since I am part Irish, and have two boys: 

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We had a wonderful Easter.  It snowed the night before, and even though the sun came out on Sunday, it stayed pretty chilly. 

Ryan and Cole’s cousins and aunt are in town visiting with Grandma and Grandpa.  Ryan and Cole just adore them.  They are older- 11, 10, and 6.  Ryan tries his hardest to keep up with them.  We all went to an early church service.  Then we went over to Grandma’s house for brunch and an indoor Easter egg hunt, courtesy of the cousins.  They hid plastic eggs all around the house and Ryan and Cole were thrilled to find them.  Every time Ryan spotted an egg, he had to come running in, get Joe, and lead him to the egg.

Ryan also told me the night before since it was snowing, that the Easter Bunny and Santa are friends, and the Easter Bunny needed something to ride on.  He reasoned that Santa was loaning the Easter Bunny his sleigh.  In the morning he said he had heard a bell ringing, and he just knew it was the Easter Bunny’s sleigh. 

After brunch, we all hung around and the kids played.  Then we took Ryan and Cole home for naps, since they were fading fast.  I actually forgot to make them their Easter baskets the night before (we were working on income taxes- fun I know.)  So I was able to bide a little time by reading a note the Easter Bunny had left for Ryan and Cole.  The poor Easter Bunny’s sleigh had broken down, and it had to be fixed.  So the Easter Bunny promised he would have their Easter baskets here after their naps.  Ryan tried to stay up because he wanted to pet the Easter Bunny, but sleep finally won out.

The Easter Bunny delivered, and when Ryan and Cole woke up, they were happy to see they had their baskets, and an extra present- some play construction cones.  We went back over to Grandma’s house, where the boys put on their coats and had a real Easter Egg hunt outside (again, thanks to the cousins, who had hid mroe eggs outside).  Then we had Easter dinner, which of course was delicious. 

I love taking pictures of the boys finding their eggs, and ended up with way more of Cole this year than of Ryan.  But they all had so much fun.  We’ll see if the Easter Bunny returns Santa’s sleigh to him in time for Santa to use it.  Here are a few pictures:

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I got my first Valentine’s Day card from my eldest son on Sunday actually.  While I was out shopping, Ryan and Dad made my card.  Ryan was so excited to give it to me and couldn’t wait, so I got it that evening.  It is a beautiful, big, heart, with stickers on it.  Dad wrote out the words, but Ryan traced over them.  It said, “Happy Valentine’s Day, Mom- Love Ryan and Cole.”  It is the best card I have ever received. 

Then at preschool on Tuesday, the teachers helped Ryan make another card, which he wanted to give to me right away too.  It is has been like a homemade card bonanza around here this week, which is really nice. 

After work today, we had dinner at Joe’s parent’s house.  Grandpa took Ryan out for some chocolate shopping today for Grandma and myself, and Ryan and Cole were so pleased with themselves when they pulled out the boxes of chocolate for us.  I have to say I was quite surprised!

After the boys were asleep, Joe went out the to car and brought in not one, but TWO dozen roses for me- the picture at the top of the post.  I used to be a florist and was thoroughly sick and tired of roses this time of year, so Joe just never bought them.  However, that was many years ago, and I miss them now.  Since I can usually arrange them ( I did all the flowers for my wedding) he doesn’t bother having them arranged.  I arranged them, and it was really fun.  I didn’t have my floral arranging secrets (foam or tape to keep the roses in place, or even stockier greenery), so the roses flopped around a bit, and didn’t stay quite where I wanted them too, but I still love them.  The entire kitchen smells like roses!

Tonight Ryan kissed me goodnight and told me I was his special and best Valentine.  He gave me a hug and said, “Goodnight Valentine.”  It was so sweet, I got tears in my eyes.  I know people always talk about Daddy’s little girl, but you don’t hear too much about Mommy’s little boy.  My little boy is just the apple of my eye, and such a sweetheart.  He can melt my heart in an instant.  Since Sunday, he has been showering me with hugs and kisses for Valentine’s.  I think it is a tiny glimpse into his heart, and it makes me stop and realize how much he loves me. 

As a mother, you do so much for your kids, you lose track.  You don’t remember all the nights you are up with them, all the tears you dry, all the scratches, bumps, and bruises you kiss, all the messes you clean up.  You never realize all these things are registering somewhere in their brains.  One day, if you are lucky, and I certainly am, they are old enough to express their thanks and love for you, for doing all these things.  I think that is where Ryan is right now.  It is just the best thing ever. 

This has certainly been the best Valentine’s Day I have ever had.  I am very fortunate to be surrounded by so much love- love that I don’t always think about, and take for granted.  It has been a great reminder for me, how much a simple gesture can mean, and how it can show your love.

I hope everyone has a great Valentine’s Day too, and you are surrounded with your sweethearts as well. 

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This morning when I told Ryan, Happy New Year, he replied, “Happy New Year, Sweetie,” and gave me a giant smile and hug.  Now that is what I consider starting the new year off right. 

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Amy at Crunchy Domestic Goddess  had a post that inspired me today, to do my own year-end review.  She did hers a little differently (and spent more time on it, I’ll add,) I took the first paragraph from the first post of each month, and listed them here.  It was fun to see all the topics I have covered over the course of the year, and am looking forward to continuing to blog about life with my boys, and other topics in 2008!  Links are provided to the entries, in case you want to reminiscence, or missed that post.  Happy 2008 everyone!

A Mama’s Blog 2007 Review

JANUARY

Welcome to A Mama’s Blog- This is my first official blog and entry.  I wanted to start a blog so I can preserve the memories and day-to-day activities with my two sons, Ryan-age 3, and Cole-age 8 months.  They seem to be growing up SO fast, and there are so many fun things they do and say- I want a place where I can preserve this time, and also the time I have now with them as a stay-at-home mama.  I hope one day to be able to print the best entries and give Ryan and Cole a journal of their childhoods.

FEBRUARY

Music Class-  Since Ryan was about a year old, we have been going to music classes, specifically, Music Together, on Thursday mornings.

MARCH

You Know it Has Been a Long Winter- You know it has been WAY to long of a winter, when you are taking off your three-year old’s clothes for the night, and after taking off his sweater, he looks down at his short-sleeved shirt, looks at his bare arms, looks at his Mom & Dad, and bursts out in tears saying,

“Hey, who took my sleeves off my shirt? My arms aren’t covered.”

APRIL

Ryanisms- Two cute things Ryan said yesterday:

“Mommy, I’m an alligator who makes loud noise with sharp teeth.” Then he proceeds to growl.

“I was playing and turned into Mac & Cheese Boy.”

MAY

Ina May Gaskin- Tonight I got to hear “The Greatest Midwife in the World”, Ina May Gaskin, speak for two hours.  She was amazing, and had wonderful things to say about birth, how she became a midwife, her birthing experiences as a mother and as a midwife, breastfeeding, and parenting.

JUNE

Eight Things You Don’t Know About Me- I’ve been tagged by Amy at Crunchy Domestic Goddess  to tell you 8 things you don’t know about me:

JULY

Bachelorette Party- My older (& only) brother is getting married this Thursday.  Last night, I attended a bachelorette party in honor of my almost sister-in-law (K), and I had a blast!

AUGUST

Another Sick Child- Ryan has now come down with the virus Cole had last week.  I honestly can’t remember the last time he has been sick, and he is so miserable.  He just curls up on the couch in the fetal position- poor little guy!  He also has turned into a little dictator- hurling “commands” at me one after another- “I need some water,” I want to watch a little TV,” “I want mac & cheese for lunch,” and so forth.  Since he is hardly ever like this, I am playing “genie’ and his wish is my command.

SEPTEMBER

Social Weekend- On Friday night, I met up with my very good friend, Mary, We used to work together, and now she is an RN and lives about 40 miles away.  I wish we could say we are great staying in touch, but we are both so busy, we don’t get together as often as we like, but when we do, it is like we pick right up from where we left off, from the last time we talked.  I have two sisters, but Mary feels like my “third” sister. 

OCTOBER 

Fall is in the Air- On Sunday, my dad, the boys, and I, went to the mountains to let the boys play, and to see the magnificent fall colors- specifically the Aspens.  Joe had to work, so it was a great day to spend a Sunday!

NOVEMBER

Trick-or-Treat- Our actual Halloween night went pretty much like I thought.  Joe and I both arrived home from work around 5:30, and we ate dinner at Joe’s parent’s house. 

DECEMBER

It’s Christmas Time- Tonight we put up our Christmas tree, and decorated it as much as possible.  Since we have a little munchkin- aka- Cole, we had to decorate the top 3/4’s of the tree, because nothing would last within his grip.  We put a few non-breakable ornaments at the bottom, and Cole is having fun taking them off, and putting them back on.

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