Kids (mine) are crazy.

My kids are anyway – are yours?

Let’s start with Cooper.

• For the last couple of months – little boy has been peeing the bed quite frequently.  Nothing out of the ordinary for a 4 year old, but what’s crazy to me, is Monday night.  Little guy got up around 3am, walked to the bathroom, turned on the light, went pee, turned the light back off, and back to his room, shut his door and back to bed.  A MIRACLE I TELL YOU!  Except then he peed his pants again last night.  But he did wake up before he got his entire bed wet, which is decent.
• Coop is obsessed with dressing up.  He loves the “accessories” to all of his dress up outfits.  He only has a few dress up clothes, a monkey costume (that he wore when he was 2 for Halloween that still mostly fits except for its length), a Woody costume, a football outfit, and lots of different pieces for baseball players/umpires.  The accessories have to be a part of the outfit or dude goes crazy.  He has to have batting gloves for baseball, a chin strap for his football helmet, cowboy boots for Woody and he even has a little boy underwear with a ‘cup’ in it for football and baseball.  I’ve never known a boy to be so driven by details.
•  I fed Coop my “special eggs” one night last spring before swimming lessons, and from that day forward, anytime he wants eggs, he makes sure to ask for mommy’s “special eggs.”  My special eggs equal two scrambled eggs with a touch of milk added – that’s it.  I only called them my “special eggs” so that he’d want to eat them.  Now anytime anyone other than me makes him eggs, they have to make sure they make them mommy’s way.  He insists upon it. 

Now Kate.

• Home girl eats like it’s her job from the hours of 4-2 am, after that, she waits 7-8 hours regularly to eat her next meal, then another 5 or 6 to get to the 4pm feeding.  She may eat 2 ounces if you try to feed her when she should eat, but then she’s done.  She’ll scream her head off or fight you so that she doesn’t have to eat anymore. 
• Little lady loves music.  She loves when you sing to her and dance with her.  Yesterday, Stephanie was signing “Ain’t no mountain high enough” to her, and she smiled at the same part of the song each time.  The rest of the time she gave Steph looks like she was an alien.  When we have our family dance parties, I sit Kate in her high chair and move her hands around with the music and she just can’t stop smiling.    
•  Kate is a happy girl, only she won’t smile for many people.  She smiles for Stephanie, Tim and me.  Maybe Andrew, my Mom and my Dad once.  I haven’t seen her smile for anyone else that I can remember.  Other than that, she keeps her smiles to herself.  It’s quite a shame because she’s got the best grin.  I’m thinking she’ll change and smile for everyone soon enough.

I’m sure I can think of several hundred other things that make my kids crazy – but I’ll leave it at that for now.  Happy Hump Day!

TGIM?? & Weekend Rewind

Some days, do you ever feel like Thank God It’s Monday?  I mean, by Friday, I will be all about it being Friday, don’t get me wrong.  But, after this weekend, this crazy busy weekend, it’s nice to come to work, where I sit on my booty the majority of the day.  That’s awful isn’t it?  I know it is.  But reality is, is that sometimes, I just need to rest, and I get lots of it at my job.  I sit at a desk and work on a computer all day long.

Speaking of weekends, we had a good one.  It was busy, but good.

Friday night, we had Steph’s birthday dinner at Olive Garden.  We got the family “party” room, so it was just us and it was super nice to have a little privacy where the kids could roam without having to worry about them disturbing other people.  I made Steph a s’mores cake.  Even though it had lots of marshmallows in the frosting, it still didn’t taste much like a s’more.  It was tasty though.

Saturday, we headed down south to visit my side of the family.  We went to an orchard/pumpkin patch for lunch with my mom, Shawn and my grandma, then took some pictures of the kids with the pumpkins.  Then we went to my niece’s birthday party.  It was a nice day.  On our way home, we went to Lucas Oil Stadium to watch our local high school play there, but the game was delayed and the concession people couldn’t get me hot water to warm Kate’s bottle, so we had to head home after only being there a short time.  Glad we got to take Cooper in there though, cause we won’t be taking him to a Colt’s game this season for sure.  He’s just not got the attention span quite yet.

Sunday was spent hanging around the house, not doing too much of anything for me.  I spent most of my day sleeping, feeding Kate and washing bottles.  Our friend Jon who moved to Michigan last year was in town over the weekend and he came for dinner last night.   We grilled out and had a nice time visiting with him.  He used to be at our house a lot when he lived in Indy, so we’ve missed our extra family member.  It was so good to see him, if only for a few hours!

So why did I need to come to work to rest?  Well, Miss Katy girl, doesn’t want to eat.  Each time I fed her yesterday, she ate 2-3 ounces.  That is highly abnormal for her.  She usually eats 5 ounce bottles.  Then during the night I was up a good 2 hours 15 minutes.  The first time from 12:45 to 1:45 – where she ate a total of 2 ounces.  Then from 3:45 – 5, when she ate 2.5 ounces.  She still wasn’t hungry this morning.  I’m hoping she’ll eat at the babysitter today.  We’ll see.  She was still a happy smiling baby all day yesterday and again this morning.  So there’s always that. 

Happy Monday folks!  Let’s make it a good week!

Five on Friday

My favorite linkup day!!!

Join us, will you?

Here are my FIVE:

1)      Last weekend, I took Cooper (and Katy) to the children’s museum again.  The new 5 and under Playscape just opened on August 31, so it was his first time visiting.  OH MY did he have the best time!  They have a room full of musical instruments, s big ole pond for “fishing” and so much more.  He had a great time.

2)      I went to a consignment sale the other night, and got the cutest matching dresses for Katy and Kampbell.  They are the exact same dress, both from Gap – Katy’s came with this crazy looking onesie that I’ll take out of there, but these dresses are super cute, take a look!  We’re going to put long sleeved white shirts/onesies underneath them with white sweater tights and it’ll be super cute! 

3)      I rearranged the pictures at my desk this week.  They were all Cooper – and I needed some of my girl up there.  Plus, I had so many pictures up there, that really, I needed to make it simpler.  So, this is what I now have on the two “walls” of my cube.  MUCH BETTER, yes?

4)      My little girl kinda looks like me when I was a baby.  I couldn’t really get her to put her hand in her mouth or to turn her head, so I hope you can see the resemblance, but here is the comparison.  That’s me back in 1981 on the flowered couch.  Do you think she looks like me or is it all in my imagination?

5) Last but not least.  Look at these adorable kids.  I’m in love.

Peace Out Friends, it’s Almost the Weekend!!!

Throwback Thursday

I'm linking up with Amy today for her weekly Throw-back Thursday party.  This week it's all about the high school dance/prom pictures.  
I've posted these pictures before, so they are a repeat, but they represent good memories for me, so I'll link up and post them again!  
This was my senior prom.  I went with my boyfriend at the time who I thought was the love of my life.  And, up until that time, he was.  But not too long after school was out that summer that guy went and broke my little ole heart.  I was devastated.  In my heartbreak, I think I got rid of every picture of him and me that I had.  I kept these though.  They are the good ones.  My friends.  These ladies were my best girlfriends throughout high school - and while I have only kept in touch with two of them.  They definitely made high school fun and memorable.  I will always look back and have sweet memories because of these ladies.

This one is the big group.  We were definitely a fun group!

Now these girls.  They were my sisters.  We hung out every weekend night and lots of weeknights as well.  I consider myself blessed to have known them and to have been friends with them throughout high school.  Maybe someday, we'll all get together again.  
Considering this was 1999, I think we all looked pretty classy.  I don't see any big regrets in any of our dresses, I still love the dress that I wore.  I don't know if it's still hanging up in the closet in my dad's basement or not, but that dress was by far, the best dress I ever owned.  :)
I hope you'll link up and share some of your old high school dance/prom/homecoming photos, I cannot wait to read everyone's blog who links up.  Going back in time is fun - sometimes!!

Three random things....

Lots of stuff going on around here.   I’ve got three random things for you today.

1)       Meal Planning.  I’m reading a book about saving money – I’ll share more about that later – but it talks about meal planning – and to do it for a week/two weeks/month at a time.  That made me bring back my meal planning calendar and get to planning.  I shopped for the first two weeks of the plan on Sunday – spent less than our two week budget, so I plan to take the rest to buy produce next weekend – and to stock up on some meat.  Here is the meal plan.

2)      Kate and Kampbell are sick.  Kampbell had a fever this morning, she’s been sick all weekend.  Kate got the sniffles on Sunday and she’s got lots of stuffiness and she’s not eating very well.  Two other kiddos at Kate’s Monday/Friday sitter had a virus and they’ve been sick for up to 10 days.  I’m REALLY hoping that Kate doesn’t get that and she can get over this stuffy nose.   I hope that Kampbell starts feeling better quick too, because poor girl didn’t feel well at all this morning.  I just hate when kiddos are sick and there is nothing we can do. 

3)      Kate’s three month pictures were a couple of weeks ago.  I haven’t shared them yet on here.  I’m not even sure if I shared her newborn pictures.  I’ll check on that one, but in the meantime, here are a few of her three month photos.

Five on Friday

I’m linking up today with the good life blog and about a zillion other bloggers for 5 on Friday!  It’s my favorite linkup!

One

                I got off my butt this week and did Days 1 & 2 of Couch to 5k.  I started on Wednesday and I plan to do these runs on Mondays/Wednesdays/Fridays through next week, then hopefully kick it up a notch and just go every other day.  I need to complete the training by November 2^nd, which will be my first official race.  My husband and two neighbor friends and I are all doing the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon’s 5k.  Someday maybe I’ll do that half marathon, but for now, just focusing on the 5k. 

Two

                Sleep has improved since Tuesday night.  THANK GOODNESS!  Cooper is still waking up in the middle of the night, I cannot figure out why and what to do about it, so I suppose we’ll just continue doing what we’re doing.  Katy has been sleeping much better also, so that’s a blessing!

Three

                My best friend Erica and her partner and my good friend Mel, completed their cross country journey on their bicycles!  Click here to read their day by day journey!  Tonight is the Raise the Roof fundraiser for the Looking Out Foundation.  This is who Erica and Mel were raising money for on their journey.  They are going to be speaking about their journey and their fundraising efforts tonight.  I cannot attend in person, but I did donate enough money to be able to stream the event live tonight!  I’m looking forward to hearing what these awesome ladies have to say!  I am SO PROUD OF THEM!!!

Four

                This weekend should be fairly low key and that is exciting!  I’m taking my kiddos to the children’s museum with my friend Shannon and her kids, and Tim is umpiring a couple of games on Sunday.  Other than that, we’ve got zero plans, woo hoo!

Five

                Katy.  She is so happy, and she brings me such great joy!  I’m so blessed and I thank God each and every day for her and her brother.  But look at this face!  Isn’t she just precious?!?

Happy Weekend Everyone!!!

You are my SUNSHINE, my only sunshine.....KIMMYYY nominated me for an award!!!

My dear Kimmy nominated me for a Sunshine Award!  What a sweetheart she is!

Here’s the scoop: The award is circulated to those bloggers to let them know that their posts brighten your day. Awwwwwwwww!!!

The Rules:

1.  Include award logo in a post or on your blog (above).
2.  Link to the person who nominated you – Kimmy @ That’s the Thing About Destiny
3.  Answer 10 questions about yourself.
4.  Nominate 10 bloggers to receive the award. Link your nominees to the post and comment on their blogs letting them know they’ve been nominated.

1. Favorite dessert recipe?

This is difficult for me!  I super pink puffy heart love desserts!!  I think my all-time favorite would be a nice, moist (sorry I used the word moist, oops twice!) chocolate cake with cream cheese frosting and a scoop of homemade vanilla ice cream!  YUMMO!!

2.       Song you could listen to on repeat for days?
Unfailing Love by Jimmy Needham

3.    What would your last meal be/?

Pizza!

4.    What is the 17th picture on your phone?
This little gem. I just happened to take this picture of a picture that hangs at my mom’s house last weekend.  It is my school pictures from first – senior year of high school.  Every awkward stage of Emily – You’re Welcome!!!  Let’s not discuss the fifth grade mushroom cut, okay?

5.    Must See TV show for fall you cannot wait to start?

Scandal!!

6.    Favorite sports team(s)? -  

Hands down, the Indiana University Hoosier Basketball team!!!  GO IU! J

7.   What did you do on your 21st birthday?
I hung out with my Mom, Dad and brother, in LAS VEGAS! My parents were awesome and took me to VEGAS for my 21^st birthday.  Like I said, they are awesome.

8.    What’s your favorite thing at Taco Bell? (don't pretend like you do not like it!)

Chicken Baja Gordita, amazeballs is all I can say

9.   Favorite Reality show?
It’s a Tie……The Real Housewives of Orange County & Big Brother

10.  Cats or Dogs?
Dogs! 

Here are the ten questions for my lovely nominees!

1)     Who gives you the most inspiration in your life?

2)     What is your favorite movie?

3)     How many cars have you owned since you started driving?

4)      Favorite Ice Cream flavor?

5)     What did you do for your sweet 16??

6)     What is one random fact about you that we don’t know?

7)     What is your best friends name and where did you meet him/her?

8)     What is the 7^th picture on your phone?

9)     Favorite Holiday?

10)  What’s been the best time in your life so far?

Now, here are my 10 nominations!

1.     Gina @ Running after Babiez

2.     Shannon @ Life After I Dew

3.     Amy @ The Story of Us

4.     Caroline @ Simply Smithwick

5.     Marianne @ This Mommy of Three

6.     Al @ Traffic Jelly

7.     Aly @ Analyze This

8.     Darci @ Strongly Feminine

9.     Lindsey @ A Plane Doctor, His Nurse & 3 Passengers

10. Shelli @ Beauty & The Baseball Coach

Thanks again for the nomination Kimmy!!! J

Just another sleepless night....

I’m here today, but just barely.  It’s been a rough day so far.  My day started at 3AM after going to bed at 10:30 last night.  If you can calculate – that’s not too much sleep.  Four and a half hours.  It’s not enough for me. 

What happened?  Well, here’s how it went.  I awoke at 1:30 to my daughter fussing, but she went back to sleep, thankfully.  I decided to take Cooper to the bathroom since he peed the bed twice Monday night.  So, that worked out ok, and everyone went back to sleep.  Then I awoke again to Kate crying at 3.  She had a bottle, I pumped and I sure tried to get back to sleep, but she totally didn’t want to have that.  She finally got back to sleep and then Cooper got up and had peed the bed even though I took him just three short hours before.  ARGH!!!  Kate woke up again, and before I knew it it was 5am.  She wanted to eat again, nothing else would calm her down.  So I gave her another bottle and she finally went back to sleep around 5:45.  Then, I laid down in bed for about 15 minutes the alarm went off, and I hit snooze, but then guilt got to me and I made myself get up and get ready.  That guilt stuff sure gets me moving.  But – right now, I’m dragggggggggggggging. 

Moving on, today, I’m going to get started on the Couch to 5k program again.  I’ve done it once before – back in 2012, but after my foot was giving me problems and getting pregnant, I was told by the doc to stop running.  But I’ve been given the ok to start the program again, AND, I’ve signed both me and Tim up for a 5k in November.  Woo hoo!  I’ve got about 8 weeks to get my rear in gear for that race, and the program is 8 weeks, as long as I do it every other day, I’ll get finished with plenty of time – but I’ve just got to make myself do it!  I can though, right?!?  I cannot believe I’m actually looking forward to running.  WHO AM I?!?!

Lastly – please stop by Kimmyyy’s blog today to read about what her son’s baseball team is doing for one of their teammates who has cancer.  This little boy, Garrett, has gone through so much for such a young man.  Please take a few minutes and donate, say a prayer, repost, etc to show your support for #TEAMGARRETT!

The Tuesday after a long weekend blahs

I’m in a funk.  I didn’t track points at all over the weekend.  I wanted to eat some bad food and I did.  So, I don’t expect that scale to move much this week.  We’ll see.  Back at it this morning. 

Last Wednesday, I was home with the kids, which was amazing, because I got A LOT done around the house.  Poor Stephanie was sick and wasn’t able to watch the kiddos, but it turned out to be a blessing in disguise.  I got both kids rooms cleaned and swept, Katy’s new 3-6 month clothes out and washed, Tim’s and my bedroom cleaned up and swept, I cleaned out under the sinks in the bathrooms and I cleaned out some shoes so that I could buy new ones that I don’t want anymore.  I just kicked butt in the productivity department.

Cooper has decided what kind of birthday party that he wants – so I need to get busy planning.  He’s having two parties this year.  One down south where most of the family resides, and another up here for his friends and siblings.  Lucky boy, huh? 

The weekend was pretty good.  Friday afternoon we went out of town, down south to visit my parents.  It was nice.  Saturday night we came back home and had Sunday and Monday to get ready for the new week, thank goodness it’s a short one!   Sunday afternoon, I got to have lunch with one of my closest friends, Shannon.  We hadn’t seen each other much this summer, so it was nice to have a mommy’s lunch out without any kids!  The rest of the day was spent piddling around the house.  We cleaned some, relaxed some, did some laundry.  It was divine. 

Monday was even more relaxing for me, not so much for Tim.  The first thing we worked on after breakfast was to clean out Cooper’s toy box.  His toy box was overflowing, literally.  What we discovered?  It was mostly balls.  Balls, balls, and more balls.  Soccer balls, baseballs, basketballs, footballs…. Oh, and baseball bats, hats, baseball gloves, and all kinds of other sports stuff.  Once we cleaned that out, and put the puzzles and games where he could see them (previously they were down in the toy box and he never played with them), we had a toy box that was probably only one third to one half full.  Score!  The rest of the day was spent cleaning and laundry and taking care of the kiddos.  Another great day!

Heading back to work this morning was blah.  Hence the funk.  Oh well, leaving you today with a few pictures from this weekend, some are reposts from instagram, sorry about that.

Cute Cousins!

My babies love each other.

My Katy girl helping mama clean the kitchen.

Cooper as an umpire.  He’s obsessed with umpiring since Tim umpires – he takes whatever he can to make his shin guards, mask and shoes… :)