Bunch of Stuff

Holy Cow.. Blogging Coma

Well, Im back. Trying to gather what has been our life in August of 2014 

Ill make it short an sweet (hopefully)

Our garden this year has been lush with gorgeous veggies and herbs, and we try not to let a thing go to waste. We made a TON of zucchini cakes one night an tossed them in the deep freezer. I cant wait to find these on a night I dont feel like cooking in the fall. 

Baby P

My sister was here with her precious absoutely perfect baby for a few weeks, and we were just eating him up and loving getting to know our new cousin

Quinoa

I've been turned. I love it.. much better than couscous. Every party or family gathering this summer, and someone always made a quiona dish. So I put together my own spin on it, and it is so good.  Its like a blank canvas really. I just threw together what I had, mixed it with a really yummy red pepper dressing and I was picking at it in the fridge for days.

Surprises

If you follow me on Instagram, I love packaging stuff and giving little packages to people/customers.

Well, our previous Nanny surprised ME one day with the cutest little care package... and a sweet note with it saying how much she thought I needed it.. Boy was she ever right! I love everything about this gift and she is one of thee most thoughtful people I know. Thank you Shea Shea!!!

Cleveland

Well...Andrew's sleep habits and skin, ear and allergy issues had had us about fed up and we decided to take him to the Cleveland Clinic for an objective view and some tests. 

We spent 4 days in Ohio, and he was seen and tested and found to be allergic to a bunch of things... too many to name, Nuts being one main concern. None are extreme but as he grows they could get worse or better we just dont know. 

The fact is he has never ever slept through the night. No, never. 

Im not sure if this is part habit, and part allergies/ears? Who the hell knows. 

We may be headed for another ENT appt in the fall to the clinic to rule out sleep apnea/adenoid issues. Overall he has been sleeping I guess better (knocking on my wooden coffee table)... But the issues are not resolved. Im thankful it isnt more serious.. but also it does bother him at night and I just want he and I (ahem!!!) to get some solid sleep.

The kids were in their glory. A bonus visit to Ohio!

This and That 

So we're back and getting ready for school in a few days now.

The kids have been so funny lately, getting along and Sass being a little momma to her baby brother. 

We've enjoyed the festivals and parties in our village

And Daddy and I even got out for a date night after we got back from Ohio... boy did we need it.

Visiting relatives, and swimming

Running the kids like dogs, hoping A will sleep well.. Sass is a non-issue.. best sleeper ever... 

Completing some Etsy orders.. clothespins and custom stool coming soon

And lastly crossing off the last few things off our summer bucket list.

This week we conquered pancakes.. 

Andrew was a fan 

So thats about it.. 

Im getting ready to be Momma to a Kindergartener.

Im not ready

So not ready. 

Thankfully she is. I even asked her. "do you want me to drive you on your first day, or do you want to take the bus?". She quickly said... "take the bus!".. My big girl has come a long way since crying her eyes out at Nursery School and Pre-K. 

So its the beginning of a whole new world for all of us. 

packing lunches, bus stops, taking care of just one... it will be weird... but change is good.. and I think our girl will embrace it head on. 

Birthday Weekend {Mama}

My Birthday weekend started on Thursday.

My Mom took the day off, and it was a gorgeous day .. almost 70 and Sunny.

We took a walk to the park and creek with her

And she made us a fabulous lunch

My all-time favorite.. She makes it every year for me on my birthday.

Pork Chops & Dumplings

I love this meal just as much as I did as a kiddo...

It was delicious.

Even Andrew liked the pork!

But she didnt stop there..

Dessert .. were some amazing cupcakes.

I may have had more than 2 that day.. and I dont care.. it was my um,, pre- birthday? haha

 

I cant beleive how nice the weather was..

Samantha was pretending she had a leaf blower of her own.

I took the kids home about 1 and Samantha and Andrew both took awesome naps..

 

Friday the day of my birthday it was the same weather.. warm and sunny nearing 70.

I took the kids to the park

 It had been a while since we fed the ducks, and they were waiting for SJ.

She was so happy.. We spent about and hour there, and then went home for more good naps and lunch.

Daddy, Andrew and Samantha spoiled me with a couple new sweaters, a HUGE bag of all kinds of Starbucks coffee,and some reading glasses from Anthropologie

It was such a nice birthday.. Im afraid it was the last nice day until ... gosh, do I dare say, April???

Saturday

It was a cold and rainy day..

we were supposed to go to a college trick or treat .. but when we got there people were all waiting OUTSIDE... in downpouring rain... so we decided to skip it and head to the grocery store where they also hosted trick or treat stations, little goodies for the kids, and we got some grocery shopping done too.. bonus!

Samantha was a dragon last year too.. but she insisted on being one again on Saturday.. she had fun walking through the store eating all her chocolates.. and samples.

 

Sunday

SJ and I headed to church

After we stopped at the cafe and had a little late breakfast.

It was still raining Sunday, so we stayed in most of the day..

And made Mahi Mahi fish tacos for dinner, they were sooo good.

Samantha didnt nap so BOTH kids were in bed by 8:30...

This never happens.

We ended the weekend on the couch watching Boardwalk Empire.. LIVE..

We usually TIVO it and sometimes dont get to watch it for days....

 

Dear Andrew George

Ahh my little Munka Butt...

You are so different than your older sister.

You are my little cuddle bug

You are my fast mover...

You are such a BIG boy already and your only nearly 8 months old.

 

You and I bond 2 days a week while Samantha is in school.

Today I carted you around shopping all morning.. and you were such a love...

Gone are the days of you screaming and screaming...

You have certainly come a long way since birth my son.

 

We are so glad to have you in our lives.. such a blessing.

You have taught me to be so many things about being a Momma..

 

There are many days...

and nights

that are so trying...and tiresome for me.

Especially lately... while you get teeth.

You wake up A LOT.

 

But I always bring my frustrations, fears, and worries back to God.

Even at 2:30am, or when it takes me an entire hour at 4am again to get you back to sleep.

And I thank him that you are who you are...and that you are healthy and you are ours.

What am I gonna do? This is what kind of baby you are..

And it will pass.

If I was a first time Momma, I probably wouldnt be saying that..

But I know one day you'll sleep... right???

 

I love you my little smonkey 

We Remember {9.11.01}

I remember I was in a college class....

We thought nothing of it, and went on with our lecture.

Until the 2nd plane hit.. then it was real.

Fear.

Uncertainty.

Being Far from my Family on that day.

My friends were my family

We all hovered around our TV in shock.

We will never forget.

 So I watched some coverage this morning.

And Samantha asked me what was that??

I told her that some "bad people crashed planes into the building".

Gosh.. how do you explain 9-11-01 to a three year old anyway?

 We visited Daddy at work today..

It was a day JUST like the actual day of the attacks..

Blue Skies and about 70 degrees.. beautiful

 At Daddy's work they had the flag flying appropriately.

 Then we came home and I made SJ a really fun lunch.

It helped that Andrew was taking a nap... otherwise I would never have had time for this..

Peas, Goldfish Pretzels, GoGurt with Patriotic Sprinkles, Annie's Bunny Mac n Cheese, Carrot Sticks, and Cooked Ham Squares.

She ate like a pig.

I think its motivating for me to make lunch look pretty.. especially if she eats better!

After lunch I brought out the walker and put some shoes on brother.

He absolutely loved it..

Why didnt I do this sooner.. (i know Mom.. "i told you so"...haha) 

 And we had a stroll...

Sometimes we can actually get down the block without stopping 32 times to grab leaves, sticks, and a sip of water...

It was a pretty low key 9.11.

And I am so blessed to have these days when I remember all those lives that were taken on that day.

What Im Loving in July!

WILW

#1 Mascara and Lip Gloss Swap!

{via pinterest}

I've never done a blogswap before..

But Meg 's blog has me talked into it!

But I am really excited about this one!

#2 Samantha Jane's Upcoming Wizard of Oz party!

{via pinterest}

I love love party planning.. and I've been Pinteresting for months and buying things for weeks now getting all ready for the big day ... this Saturday.

Her real BIRTH day was July 5th .. we were in Ohio and had a little celebration with cousins and family.

#3 DIY Spaghetti O's?

I saw these on a blog HERE
I didnt make em yet, but they look like they might be worth a try!

#4 Cannoli Cupcakes!!

Another blog read I found HERE
Myself - Half Irish and Half Italian... LOVE LOVE Cannolis!
Every family birthday, holiday, fathers day, sunday dinner...etc, and I remember as a kid, going to the bakery with my Dad and getting fresh cannolis.
They were amazing.. and they filled them FRESH right there in the store for you...
I grew up on these! I WILL be trying these.. one day... soon..

And Lastly but never least
#5 My Snuggler

He slept so good last night after being in Ohio and forgetting about his crib for a few days.
He woke up once during the night...
Then slept through till 7:15
Then we snuggled for another hour...
Im thankful that my kids are sleepers in the mornings... for now at least

Mom to Mom {Playgroup}

Recently I joined a playgroup.

Before Andrew was born I worked full time, and had not tried to join any groups before then.

Now that Im a newly SAHM, I realize the importance of really getting out.

I've attended a few events so far, and I've really enjoyed myself.

Andrew is to small yet to know what we're doing, but Samantha has fun learning how to play, share, take turns, etc.. Of course all this will go into hyper-mode in a few months when school starts for her.

But I find if I get my kids out ... especially in the AM for a few hours, it makes for a happier house later in the day.

So in attending these playgroups, I have ALWAYS come to find at least one mother who has had a baby with Colic as well! And I tell you.... NO ONE knows what you've gone through other than people who have gone through it themselves... you cant even begin to imagine, or begin to understand unless you've lived it.

A few conversations makes you feel so great and really helps other moms know their not alone. It felt so good to hear another mother say..."My son/daughter slept with us for the forst 4 months too," "He/She would cry all day long .. for hours... I was going out of my mind" "We tried Colic Ease, we tried acid reflux meds" "All I would do was pace the house holding him/her for months"... Gosh it was so nice to hear that my unimaginable lifestyle a few weeks ago was the same as so many other Moms out there.. And you look back and realize.. hey... this made me a stronger mom.. Now even on Andrew's crabbiest days.. I dont even stress out in the least... Because I went through HELL...and I'll take a no napping/crabby/teething baby....(with maybe a glass or two of wine.. haha)

So playgroup has been good. And the Moms I've met have been so sweet, and real, and wonderful to talk with.

This week we had a pool playdate and it was so much fun!

Next week we'll be at the pool again.. We cant wait!

Samantha Jane {You're Almost Three!}

Samantha Jane

You're almost 3

Gosh where does the time go..

I'd like to say I remember when you were just 4 months old like Andrew, but I really dont!.. It seems like yesterday, but yet I cant remember you being that teeny tiny.

Here are some things you are in to these days..

The first thing that comes to mind is:

The Wizard of Oz.

You are obsessed with this movie...and you are obsessed with your Ruby Slipper Shoes.. You love playing "Dorothy", singing "Somewhere over the Rainbow", and making "yellow brick roads" in the driveway.

Im making your 3rd birthday party theme The Wizard of Oz.. it seems only right!

You love Marching Bands/Parades

This has been an obsession since last year when you watched a few local parades.. Now you love watching parade videos on YouTube, or marching around the house with various instruments

Carnivals

You love rides, ferris wheels.. I think we took you to a few last year, and we're just waiting for them to come back, because this year you are SO ready , and you really get it now.

Last year was your first time on every ride, playing every game.. Its going to be fun this summer seeing you in action now that you're an expeirenced little girl.

Princesses/aka "Little Girls"

You recently have shown interest in the Disney Princesses.. Belle, Sleeping Beauty, Ariel, Cinderella, Snow White. We have Cinderella on DVD, and I played it one day, and you werent really into it.. I think you enjoy reading books, playing your IXL Princess video game, drinking out of princess sippy cups, and doing princess puzzles.. Im sure its only a matter of time before we find ourselves collecting all the DVD's and buying costumes so you can not only dress as Dorothy but now all the "little girls" as you call them.

The ipad


You are a master.. you can turn it on, navigate to the apps, play games, ... you are amazing with it.. sometimes i have to take it away though.. you get a tiny bit frustrated when you cant figure something out. I dont let you play with it a TON, but when you do play I try to download some pre-school apps, counting and matching games, but you do enjoy Angry Birds ... haha

Random Things:

Airplanes - sometimes we take you to the runway to watch the planes take off/land

Parks - we try to go all the time

The Fresh Beat Band - although it is sometimes on my last nerve, you love this show.. and especially since they came out with a "Wizard of Song" episode entirely comparing to the Wizard of Oz...we sometimes watch it daily.

Papa - you love your Papa.. Of course you love Baka too but seeing a little girl with her grandpa is something so cute to me.. when we visited you were so cute with him. You only wanted Papa to swing you on the swings, you wanted to sit next to him for every meal, and you wanted to know where he was at ALL times while visiting.. so adorable. You love your Papa.

Going Pee Pee - You stay dry, you hold it, you go when you need to.. we're working on #2..but for right now you can pee pee on the potty.

Overall you are so sweet. You are ALWAYS trying to please us, and do your best, but your still a toddler, and being bad sometimes comes with the territory. Your MEMORY is amazing. You'll recall facts about trips we've taken, people's houses.. You always find Daddy and Momma's cars on the roads or in parking lots and say.. hey thats your car! You even point out my old car, anytime we see a Black Rav4.. and you say "thats momma's old car, now we have a new white car".. The cutest things come out of your mouth, well usually.. sometimes we have to be careful what we say ..even if we're an entire room or floor away.. you hear EVERYTHING!

I am so so proud of you and I cant wait to do so many fun things with you this summer.
I cannot beleive you will be going to school in the fall.. i am soo not ready for that.. There are days I get really sad and weepy ...its the emotional momma in me, and I think .. Gosh I cant even remember when you were Andrew's age.. seems like a lifetime ago...
You are growing and changing every day, getting taller, smarter, and I just want time to freeze!
With all the growing I suppose will come new things that you and I can do as Momma and Daughter.. and I cant wait .. but i can.. does that make sense?
We love you so much!
Love,
Mama

2011 - A Look Back ....

Goodbye 2011!

I feel like this year went so fast.

Looking back on some of these pics, I cannot beleive how our little baby, and family, is growing..

But we are opening our arms to a new year, and in a few weeks a new baby boy will be added to our family, and every day the excitement is building and building.

I hope for a safe, healthy, happy, and blessed 2012

{Feb 2011 - Eating strawberries, and able to wear pigtails for the first time}

{St.Patricks Day 2011 - We did some chalk drawings before naptime in the yard}

April

We had a few sick days... but I love cuddling with my snuggle bunny...

She was still loving walks every day we were able to... its the only way she'd fall asleep for naptime. Now she's really good for naptime, even asks to go to bed.

My in laws visited from Ohio in April, and SJ just loves her Papa..

First Family Vacation - April 2010

First Plane Ride for Samantha.

to Wilmington, NC

{Hanging out in the Charlotte airport just people watching...}

She was beyond amazing when we traveled. I couldnt have asked for a better behaved child!

She loved running as fast and as far as she could on the beaches...

She ate good, slept good, and it was a wonderful time. I was worried about her.. sleeping well, but she did great in our little rented porta-crib!

We lived here for 3 years, and this is where she was born, and where Mathew and I were married. We'll be back...

{Samantha and Momma - Wrightsville Beach, April 2010}

May/June 2011
We added one more to the family... (currently still growing)

{June 12, 2011} - it was confirmed.

She didnt understand at first what Big Sister meant...

July/ August 2011 - Family Parties, Ohio Trip, and SJ turns 2

Fall 2011

{loves coloring, painting, playdoh... she's got the crafty gene! }

{pumpkin patch}

Halloween 2011

Thanksgiving 2011 in Ohio ... Our last trip to visit family as a trio.

Next time we'll be bringing baby brother..

Looking forward to an exciting 2012!

Happy New Year !!