2014 Holidays are in the books

I was so blessed to be able to spend the last 2 weeks at home with the kids.  Yes, some would say that is insane but it was really awesome.  I got to re-bond with Libby and enjoy some of the happiest time of the year with my children.  We try to do a lot of the Christmas type stuff that is local here from the Zoo's Wild Lights, to the Way of Lights, to a carriage ride thru Tilles park.  It was really lovely and the family time was great.  Now I am ready to get back to a normal routine don't get me wrong - I am not crazy :).  But I would be lying if I didn't say I wasn't going to miss being able to spend the whole day with these yahoos

2015 Baby!

How is it possible that it is 2015?  This year is a big one in our house:

• I turn 35
• We get to go to Disney
• Jim turns 40!!!!!
• Jim and I have our 10 wedding year anniversary

Thankfully I have one more year before TJ starts kindergarten due to the way his birthday hits.  I don't think I could take another big milestone!!!  I know I have been MIA for awhile but I am going to try to start blogging about once a week because I love being able to document the kiddos' lives this way and it is something they can look back on.  So bring on 2015 and the year of getting healthier in every single way!

Milestones

So somehow time keeps ticking by.  My son is 4.  FOUR!  We still continue to struggle with things like potty training --- although in the last month he has made so much progress I can almost see the finish line.  He started a pre-k room a few weeks ago and the difference it has made.  Oh my word.  The teacher is amazing.  The curriculum is perfect for him.  He even wrote his own name by  himself today.  I had no idea he could do that!!  Oh! And his temper has calmed down so much too.  It wasn't like he had a horrible temper but now he seems to recognize when he's getting upset and calm himself down.  I am so proud of him and am a complete believer that every kid has a different style to connect/learn and you just have to find the right one for him or her.  Nothing is bad or wrong with that - they just aren't all cookie cutter.  This one is absolutely, 100% working for TJ and I am just one proud momma!!  Can't wait for the next few months to see what happens next!

Garden

I've always wanted a garden.  In our last house, we had no back yard (I mean, it was a deck :)) and the deck wasn't big enough to let Libby play on at 1 and have a deck garden.  Libby has been begging for the past 2 years to plant roses or any flowers she sees and calls a "rose".  This year I decided to give in only I wanted to up the experience a tad and instead of focusing on flowers, focus on foods our family would eat.  It would, if it took, be healthier for us and cheaper - WIN WIN!  So over the course of the last few weeks, I have been growing seedlings of tomatoes, lettuce, green beans, carrots, cucumbers, watermelons, pumpkins, apple trees, roses, gerber daisies, peas, etc (I've lost count) in our dining room.  I've had the kiddos involved in planting the seeds and watering them and explaining how good this is for us and the earth.  They get so excited about watching them grow:
After the seedlings became pretty large and I figured out my dining room is the best green house EVER, I had to decide what to do with them next.  So we bought some edging "stone" that was cheap (again, not sure if this will last nor take) and made a garden bed.  Then we started transplanting the plants.  Most are taking off like champs!  I can't wait to see what happens soon!  We don't have the potatoes & strawberries in the garden.  They are in special bags...but everything besides them and our "miniature banana tree" are now out there.  So excited - grow babies grow!

Potatoes

"Greenhouse" aka Dining Room

GARDEN with about 1/4 of the plants

Life

you know - i have had this blog and regular updating the life of my kiddos since we became pregnant with Libby.  I have done a horrible job over the past year updating the blog because...well...if I am going to make excuses (which I don't want to), it's life.  And, honestly, I am just enjoying it or at the very least living in the moment.  I do need to find a balance because my kids and myself really enjoy looking back at old posts.  I'm going to try to do a better job (yeah, yeah - I have said that before).  But here is a quick and dirty recap of what's been happening.

Libby

Toothless - Ok, she isn't really *toothless* but the tooth fairy does seem to make regular stops at our house nowadays.  She's lost her bottom two teeth first and now the top two are gone.  Her permanent teeth are coming in pretty quickly on the bottoms but the tops were just lost so she has the adorable space that causes a lisp at times.  I just absolutely love hearing her talk and watching her smile right now.

School - It's amazing that she's almost completed her first year (Kindergarten) of school!  Will all of the other years go this quickly?  Gosh I hope not but I fear they will.

Sports - We've done swimming for awhile and I am just waiting for the green light to have her signed up for swim team...but a few weeks ago she started soccer.  I am beyond proud of how well she is doing.  She went from being afraid to being confident and wanting to go after the ball.  She takes after her momma and wants to play defense.  I still think it's because she doesn't want to run as much as a forward has to...but for now I will choose to just think she likes defense ;)

Personality - Sweetest. Kid. Ever.  That's all I ever hear and I 100% agree.  She's kind to EVERYONE and makes friends where ever she goes.  Has at least 3 boyfriends in her class alone (yikes!) and a good circle of friends.

TJ

"School" - TJ is in preschool and has his ups and downs.  He's definitely going to be my wild child as he really is his own person and does what he wants, when he wants it and how he wants it.  That's awesome but not good when trying to follow routines and rules of a school.  He seems to do awesome for a few weeks and then regresses but his teachers are so amazing and patient.  And they work / talk with us so much that it really helps make it less confusing for the boy-o.  A++

Potty Training - Holy crow will this EVER end? :)  Yeah, yeah...I think it's people that haven't potty trained in awhile or have never potty trained that say things like that "well, they won't wear diapers in college so just give it time".  Seriously one of the most frustrating things ever.  It is not up to you and you cannot control the situation at all.  They just have to learn on their own and sometimes it takes a long time.  With Libby it didn't take super duper long (except for the BMs) but with TJ we've been doing this for a year!  A YEAR!  He's really starting to take to it now though - the last few months have been AMAZING so I think (JINX!) we are on a downward spiral to have this journey end.  He even has been saying no to a pull up during nap time / bedtime and that he isn't a baby and wants to be a big boy.  This from the boy that a few weeks ago was begging for a "diaper" and that he wanted to stay a baby.  The fact he can communicate this so well shows how ready he is to move onto the next phase ;)  Sorry buddy but I'm glad you are coming around!

Chatterbox / Story Teller - I remember with Libby all of a sudden the verbal skills tripled in what seemed overnight...well, that has occurred with TJ which I think is helping with Potty Training.  His favorite thing to do is to tell stories and I have to admit they are awesome.  If he would let me, I would love to record some of them (even if they are just audio) because they are really adorable and funny.  Sadly the best stories seem to come during bed time when he is avoiding the sand man. 

Personality - Snuggly.  Talkative.  Brut.  I don't know what else to say ;)

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Ok, so I will do a better job going forward and doing this - at least once a week.  Really.  I think ;)

Introducing MILO!!

I am so behind that I am just going to forget the stuff that I haven't talked about here and start fresh :)  So a few weeks ago, I got to play with this gorgeous dog at Cooper's doggie daycare.  I suddenly got the itch for a new dog for Cooper to play with at home.  Of course I had an obstacle to deal with - my husband.  He isn't exactly a fan of dogs (or any animals) in our home so the thought of him letting me get a 2nd dog was laughable.  I briefly mentioned it and then continued to bug him daily for the next few weeks.  Ultimately I would not have done anything without his blessing because I learned my lesson with Cooper...but boy was I hoping he would change his mind and I could call it a birthday present.  And that's just what happened!  One Sunday morning I was doing my daily bugging and he said, "fine!  do it!" and I literally grabbed my daughter and RAN out the door.  After crying for a few hours at the shelter (because it makes me so sad), we didn't think we would end up with a dog that day.  Then I saw Milo and fell in love.  His mom is an australian sheppard and dad is a pit bull.  It's the darn eyes - they get me every time :)

Cooper wasn't thrilled at having someone else taking his Mom's attention but they fight/play like brothers and I can tell they really do love each other.  And the kids!  They love playing with him because he really, REALLY likes to play.  We just have to work on the puppy biting and jumping :)  All in all, he was a perfect birthday present so thank you babe for letting me get him :)

First Snow of 2013

We had some fun in the first snow a few weeks back.  This was TJ's first time to really get to get out and play in it.

Puppy Fun

So it's been awhile since I posted here (sorry).  Cooper is definitely part of our family now and has been doing amazing!!  Here are some of the cuter pictures of him as of late.

Introducing Cooper the Amazing Dog

Some of you may know we added a new member to our family in May.  I am very late in introducing Cooper the Amazing Dog!  He is a great addition to the household...well, he will be once he is fully potty trained :)  In any case - he is a beagle + miniature aussie mix and is just great to be around!  The kids love to chase and be chased by him and the feeling is mutual by Cooper.  

family pictures

I LOOOOVE taking pictures as you know.  I HATE being in any of them.  I am not photogenic.  I always do not like how I look.  

BUT!  Due to some recent events I realized that 1) we have never taken a family picture - not even with Libby.  and 2) Life is SHORT!  I don't want my kids to have all of these pictures of them growing up and having their daddy in there but mommy is never in there with them either.

So, we had a wonderful photographer, Lisa, take some family pictures of us in April (yes, I am waaaay behind).  They were wonderful and everything I could have hoped for.  Here are some of my favorites for you to enjoy with the rest on our flickr site.

Graduation

My "baby" starts Kindergarten in the fall.  Actually in almost a month.  Holy Cow!!!  Well, that means she graduates from her current "school".  This school is so amazing they did a graduation ... outside...with caps and gowns...and a party afterwards.  I am amazed but not surprised.  You can tell they love their kids.  And yes, I may have shed a tear or two.  I mean - how could you not?!  She is a-freaking-dorable!

Swimming Lessons

We have started swimming lessons back up for the kiddos.  That's right - BOTH kids.  We're opting for private lessons this time and boy are they paying off for Libby.  She is really excelling!  These kids truly are sponges!

Prom

Yup - I said that right - Prom.  Libby's school/daycare is SO AWESOME that they host a prom for the two oldest classrooms each spring.  This year's was animal print themed so we luckily picked up an adorable dress at WDW this year.  Jim wasn't able to go so his Dad took over and did an awesome job.  Love those guys! 

Libby's class also performed a dance...it was so fun!  And it was similar to a "real" prom cause someone got sick, got a black eye, and there were fights...yup - totally a prom!

Big Boy Bed

Ever since we got back from vacation where TJ slept with me and Libby every night, he won't sleep on his own.  After Jim was constantly walking around like a 90 y/o man from sleeping on the floor each night, we decided to get TJ his big boy bed and upgrade him from his toddler bed.  It has been really awesome and no more sore backs for Daddy!

Disney!

We surprised the kiddos with a trip to Walt Disney World in April.  It was AMAZING!  They got to spend the night in a hotel on the way down...Libby was baffled that we would not only get a bed to sleep in but our own bathroom too.  I think we need to get her out more often!


We did the traditional (for my family) stop at the Florida state border for some fresh OJ and fun.  Yes - we drove.  No - we are not crazy.  I was surprised how awesome the kids were.  The trip down was a little hard on the first day due to traffic but the 2nd was AMAZING and fast.
When we finally arrived, we were pumped and had such a fun, fast 5 days there.


Everything was just awesome and I took sooooooooooo many photos and videos all located here.  It was really an unfortunately trip!

Behind...

so obviously I am a little --- ok a lot --- behind on updating this site with news.  I am going to try to get back into the routine again so stay tuned with a ton of updates in upcoming posts!

I won?!?!?!

remember that weight loss competition I mentioned at my gym?  I WON!!!  Holy Crap!!