The Happenings of Our Little Family

Hiatus

2011-06-08T13:39:00.000-06:00

Since I have not posted in quite some time, and since I am slowly developing my new blog, this blog is going on hiatus...until further notice. This makes me sad, but I feel it is time. I have so many things I want to post about, and I want to be able to make it a priority. I am just not able to give this the time it requires right now.

BUT, please stay tuned! I am working on a new blog with a new theme, and hopefully will have that up in the next few months...and when I feel I am able to devote some time to posting. Thanks for those who read! I really do appreciate you three so much. :)

My heart

2011-04-15T11:36:00.001-06:00

I've been trying for a week now to post this on Facebook and it won't let me, so I'll post it on here. :) This kid has my heart. Both of my boys do, yes, but there's something different about your first born. You don't love them any more, just differently. He's such a funny, smart, amazing kid...even when he's talking back and shouting "NOOOOOO, I don't WANT to go pee-pee!" (or whatever other million things he doesn't want to do at any given time). He's a special kid. And I'm not just saying that because I'm biased.

ha, well maybe I am.

Thankful

2011-03-31T13:15:00.000-06:00

I am really thankful for friends who take time to give encouragement and advice when they don't have to. A few sweet friends shared with me things that help them to get motivated, and I tell you, it was a big help. Whether it was telling me how they prioritize, or set goals, or just get inspiration from others, it was advice I needed to hear. So, I looked at a few blogs, some photos on my flickr group, set some immediate goals and I feel a little more motivated. So thanks, ladies! Now, if I could just get out around the city on a photo trip, that will really get me motivated in the photography area...anyone want to go with me? :)

Motivation

2011-03-23T20:29:00.000-06:00

How do I get motivated? I haven't been motivated to do some of my favorite things lately, like taking photos of my kiddos, or blogging, or getting my new blog ready, it's really kind of sad. Where do any of you get your motivation from? I know I should be, considering it's Spring and there is so much inspiration around. I think I may need to take some time to think, plan, and dream. Time away is always good for the soul. I think that might help get my motivation back...or at least I hope so. What do you think?

A new treat...

2011-03-08T17:57:00.000-06:00

I'm going to plug something new I've discovered that is yummy...AND good for you. It is Quinoa (pronounced keen-wa). It's organic, it's a grain, it's full on protein, it's loaded with vitamins and minerals...and it's really, really good for you. I cooked mine in chicken broth to give it a little flavor, but you can fix it several different ways. It has this delicious nutty flavor that is simply yummy. I thought I'd pop in and post this because, well, we're all looking for more healthy things to eat and ways to be nice to our bodies...and this is one of those ways! It's not cheap, but it's worth it. Your body will thank you!

Check this site out to read more about it...

...this girl too!

2011-03-07T12:26:00.000-06:00

I {heart} these girls!

2011-03-07T12:05:00.001-06:00

Oh, dear blog readers. I have not forgotten about you...computer time is short these days. I will kick back in gear here very soon. I have a lot I want to post about! (and still wanting to get my new blog up, geez, that is a job!)

Trying out light

2011-02-15T16:15:00.000-06:00

I have been reading a lot about lighting lately. There is so much to be learned, sometimes it gets overwhelming. I have to confess, I've been guilty of only thinking about how much light I have/need and not really about the direction of the light, the harness/softness of it, the color of light, or any other aspect of it. I am learning very quickly that it's not just about how much light you have, but the quality of light also.

A couple of shots I actually liked...

Backlit tree

ISO 200, 1/200 sec, f/16, manual exposure

I can't decide if I like regular or b&w better (I'm a stickler for b&w)

Playing with a little sunflare, same tree, just closer

ISO 400, 1/80 sec, f/29, manual exposure

B&w again

I love the lighting on her face here, isn't she beautiful?

ISO 400, 1/800 sec, f/1.8, manual exposure

Pictures, maybe

2011-02-07T13:58:00.000-06:00

My sister kindly informed me the other day that I haven't been taking very many photos lately. And she's right. Sadly, taking photos has moved, not to the bottom of the list but farther down than it used to. So with that making me sad, I tried to make up for it by taking a few of the boys.

Jude (and I, mostly I) thought it would be fun to get in the toy box..which only lasted about 2 minutes)

messy bathtime face, pre-wash

taken a few weekends ago (the kids NEVER look at the camera!....and I just realized that Ross wears that same hoodie in just about every photo we take as a family)

Lately I've been working on my new blog (which will hopefully be up soon) hanging out with friends, working on being a better housekeeper, doing lots of texting to my sister (who I miss oh so much!), snuggling with my honey, raising 2 crazy boys, and watching SO.MUCH.SNOW fall....which got old about 3 snows ago. Seriously, if it never snowed again, that would be too soon.

Who can believe my little Ezra will be ONE tomorrow?? Not me!!

Love changes everything

2011-01-28T13:01:00.000-06:00

Movies and magazines,
filling our heads with dreams.
Love is the little things,
love changes everything.

Thanks to my awesome hubby who knows me so well, and knew I would love, love, love this group sent me a link to their YouTube page the other day. Pomplamoose, check them out and buy their music. (They aren't associated with any record labels and live solely on the money they make from their music. So please buy, not steal.) I haven't been able to stop listening to them since. The music is so original and unique, and the girl's voice is interesting and lovely. They do covers that are almost as good as the originals, (like this one) and in some cases better, (like this one). Their music just puts me in a good mood. As a matter of fact, this morning started off horribly, and once I put this on, it immediately perked me up.

Speaking of horrible mornings, Jude has regressed a little in the whole potty training thing. Now, he will go #1 all day long. #2 is a different story. Does anyone, anyone out there have ANY advice on how to get their almost 3 year old to stop pooping in his pants??? We are doing full-on underwear all the time now, no pull-ups at our house...ok, I am lying. He wears them to bed, but no other time. Please help! I am in dire need and at the end of my rope here. Do you know how gross it is to clean up poop in pants, a dirty kid and sometimes surprises on the floor? I will spare you the details, but it is not pretty.

2011-01-21T16:48:00.000-06:00

I just have two things to say.

1) I love this kid. He is really fun.

2) Yes, he was outside momentarily without his jacket on in the freezing cold snow.

Ok, that was three things.

Foodwaste Friday

2011-01-21T09:00:00.000-06:00

Currently there is nothing rotting in my fridge, which is super news. However, there are a couple of things that need to be used/eaten somewhat quickly. A bell pepper, some fruit and some salsa...maybe by writing them here I will remember and not let them go to waste! How did you guys do with your food waste?

Snow police

2011-01-20T13:41:00.000-06:00

Yes, it's snowing...again. There is something about snow that makes me allergic to doing housework. It seems that as soon as it starts snowing, I don't feel like doing anything but curling up with something warm to drink (wish it was coffee!), a book and a blanket. I am one of the rare, weird people who actually doesn't care for snow. It's fun the first time every winter, but after once, it gets old. It is pretty yes, but it's wet, cold, and terribly inconvenient. Who likes to drive on slick streets...not this gal. Is it just me or is anyone out there with me? Anyone? ...Anyone?

Guess it's just me.

Pumpkin Brownies

2011-01-13T11:33:00.000-06:00

I tried this recipe last night (with some tweaks that I included in the link) and it turned out really, really yummy. The only thing was, I put it in a smaller pan and it took more than twice as long to cook. I don't recommend that. So please, go try this, and share it with everyone...because pumpkin is so good, and so good for you (except for the chocolate chips, and I couldn't resist those.)

Foodwaste Friday

2011-01-10T14:13:00.000-06:00

I might have to start a Foodwaste Friday like The Frugal Girl does here. I have food that constantly goes to waste because I either forget about it or I put off cooking it until it goes bad. This is on my mind because last night when I went grocery shopping, I got home and went through the things I already had to see what I could cook this week...the asparagus I bought had gone bad. Asparagus is not cheap, folks. And I had bought 2 bunches. This frustrates not only me when this happens, but Ross also. (actually I don't think he minded much about the asparagus because he's not a fan of it like I am). So, last night I said no more! I am so tired of needlessly throwing perfectly good vegetables, or anything away just because I've waited too long to cook it. Maybe if I post it out here, it will help? Not sure how, but it couldn't hurt, right?

Right now, I am enjoying the quiet while my boys sleep, while searching for BlackBerry apps that will help me plan my family's menus...anyone have any suggestions? What are you doing on your snow day?

Christmas morning

2011-01-04T08:34:00.000-06:00

Just a few pictures from Christmas morning...no time to edit, so these are SOOC and not the greatest. Oh well, here they are anyway! :)

Jus

Crazy thing called life

2011-01-03T13:46:00.000-06:00

Life has been crazy. Places to go, people to see, kids to raise, house to clean, same old story. I think of posting often, daily, but I haven't the time or energy. There is always one more load of laundry to fold, or one more sink of dishes to wash. I'm not complaining, todayI actually enjoy this role I feel I was made to fill (honestly, I don't always feel this way)...just makes it hard to do extra things. I think I say this every time I post. Blah. Are you tired of me repeating myself? I just miss blogging out my thoughts, sharing new recipes I try, and posting new updated pictures of us and the boys. And I still have a new blog I'd like to start up sometime in the near future. Hopefully in the future, I will be better at this.

A quick rundown of the last few weeks, Christmas was great, New Years was a blast, and now I have so many "resolutions" (I like to call them goals) floating around in my head that I should write them all down. Maybe I will in the next few days and share them for accountability purposes.

As for today, I have some dough rising in the kitchen, almost ready to put in the oven to bake, Jude and I jumped and clapped our jiggles/crazies out, and my house still looks like a tornado went through it. Will it ever be clean? I doubt it. It's been a great day so far. (I just accidentally typed fart instead of far and it made me giggle...can you tell I have small children, and a juvenile sense of humor?)

Family fun-ness

2010-12-23T21:33:00.002-06:00

My niece turned 13 yesterday. It's so weird, I was there when she was born and for the first 3 years of her life...and it does NOT feel like 13 years ago. She has grown into such a little lady (13 going on 25), and I think she is a fun, sweet girl. Most years I am not able to celebrate her birthday with her, but this year I was not only able to make it to her family party, but to also see her on her birthday too.

We love you, Jess. Happy 13th!

The day after, we had our annual Harrison family Christmas fiesta...

This is a fun bunch, really. I always enjoy being with them, laughing, eating and singing with them (which we weren't up to doing this year, boo). I love my family and am so thankful for those God has put into my life.

And these are some outtakes just for fun:

Oh, and I fixed a new, killer recipe...zucchini casserole. Stay tuned for the recipe!

Simply having a wonderful Christmastime

2010-12-23T11:39:00.002-06:00

So, I am typing this from my phone to see how it works. I tried downloading an app to my phone which I thought was supposed to post directly to my blog, but that wasn't the case. All the app did was email the post to me so I could upload it from there. Lame! Then I had the great thought of actually going to the blogger website from my phone and trying to post from there. I don't think I can upload photos from here though, which is a bummer. It's just so hard to sit at the computer for any length of time nowadays.

I am loving this Christmas season this year. We've done a lot of fun things, spent time with friends and family and will get to do more of that coming up in a few days. And I am excited about all the things we've done as a little family of four, like looking at Christmas lights, watch movies, dance around to Christmas music, hang lights outside, and baking cookies tomorrow with Jude. This has been a great year.

Today in our world, we are watching Meet the Robinsons,doing laundry, running errands and making a new bread (cinnamon, mmm). What are you doing this Christmas Eve Eve?

Back on the wagon

2010-12-14T14:15:00.000-06:00

It's hard getting back on the wagon after being sick. Back to working out, housework, laundry, cooking, the works. (notice I didn't say mommy duties because there is never time off from that!) It's hard playing catch up. The remnants of being sick is, my house looks like the tazmanian devil ripped through it (or more like a little preschooler), my kitchen counter still has flour on it from the last poor attempt (and fail) at making bread, the laundry is piled up in a hamper beside me waiting to be folded, and the house smells like fresh bread. That last part makes me happy, though. Hopefully order will be restored to my house, my laundry and my head before the whirlwind of the holidays take us over.

On a few other notes:
I just got this phone (in black, not white), and I have come to loooove Blackberry...and this phone. So what if it's not a touchscreen? I didn't really want one anyway.

Ross did not like that hairstyle that I posted a few posts ago, so I am thinking about bringing this back:

What do ya think?

I have been love, love, loving this song and this one too ...and listening to them quite a bit. Jude calls them the "girl's song" and loves it too. This girl's voice gets my mind set back on the One it's supposed to be on, instead of all the crazyness, stress, and all the 'stuff' that has whelmed up around me. Look her up - Lanae' Hale. She is amazing.

I have been thinking about cooking this. I know, it looks grody, but I am so in love with curry. I think that even though it looks gross, it probably tastes really yummy...simply because it has curry in it. :)

We still have not been Christmas shopping. Ross and I have a date to go shopping on Friday, and we still have no idea what we are going to get our boys. Maybe we should plan better next year?

I'm going to go listen to more Christmas music. It makes me happy too.

Family, is there anything like it?

2010-12-03T12:18:00.001-06:00

Is there anything cuter than your kid playing pretend with his toys? Jude just started doing this and I have to say, it melts my heart. I am awed by kids and their imagination, how it seems so pure and yet untainted by cynicism and the bitterness that seems to come with age and unfulfilled dreams. Sometimes it makes me want to be a kid again. Sometimes.

Jude really enjoyed letting his Buzz play in the johnny-jump-up and feeding him puffs like I do Ezra...

We enjoyed being with our families over thanksgiving. Even through all the mess you go through when being with family, the holidays are a chance to learn, grow and love people like you never though you could. Not to mention, I got to meet the sweet Lucy Meade,

see some old friends, have a great meal with my family, and enjoy a much needed night out away from the kiddos. I'm so thankful for those who love us no matter what!

Welcome to the family, Lucy. We feel so blessed to be a part of your life!

Christmas Cards, yippee!!!

2010-12-01T12:50:00.001-06:00

I love this time of year. The decorations, the music, everyone’s joyful spirit, it’s contagious and magical…but one of the things I love the most is Christmas cards. There’s something about receiving one that is special. I love giving them too, of course, but there’s something sweet about a simple hey, we thought of you this year when sending out cards. Which is why I’m so excited about Shutterfly’s 2010 Christmas card collection. There are many different styles, and you can include photos…they are just so darn cute! I have looked through it and have loved so many. They really pulled out the stops this year with over 800 pages of different designs. I have to say, I did find a favorite that I’d like to use! In the past I have done a traditional folded card, but I am excited about doing a photocard this year. Here are a few examples of the ones I’ve fallen in love with…

Doesn't it make you want to order some right now? And if you want 50 free (and who doesn’t!), then go HERE. I have used Shutterfly in the past, and have known many, many people who have also and I have to say, they are the best. And they don’t just have cards, people! They have photobooks, which would make great Christmas gifts for the family, birthday cards, birth announcements, and even desk calendars. They have a great selection, great products, quick delivery… So, go to the site and order from them now! You won’t regret it!

Video of cute

2010-11-23T15:55:00.001-06:00

Thought you might enjoy a little dose of baby cuteness today.

I thought for sure that my 9 month old would be crawling by now. He just can't seem to get it down. He's doing the army belly scoot crawl thing, but no real crawling. Ahh, well!

New look?

2010-11-15T20:49:00.001-06:00

I have been getting tired of my hairstyle. What woman doesn't? It's a way to reinvent ourselves at a cheap price (well, maybe not so cheap anymore), a way to express ourselves, to feel vibrant, young and sexy. You feel like a new woman when you're sportin' a new 'do. And with my current weight loss thing going on (at least 20lbs, but I have not weighed in awhile), I want a new look to go with my new bod. I came across some photos of a model from the 60s, and I thought, I could totally pull that off. I don't really know if I could, so I'm asking your opinion..

Yes? No? I have been contemplating getting full bangs, but I just don't know if I could pull it off. And will they get on my nerves? Probably. I need something new though, something drastic, people! (and I want to keep my length. I am so not all about chopping my locks of chin length or anything...my hair does not do short very well. Believe me, I have tried.)

In my backyard...

2010-11-13T08:53:00.001-06:00

There is very little else I am able to take photos of, other than my kids and what is in my house or backyard. So, as I was walking around my backyard, I was looking for any quirks or interesting things going on out there. This is what I found:

Pretty green and yellow plants

A Broken fence from the ice storm a few years ago

Other pretty plants that are several different colors

Jude loves to play with water (no, that's not the dog's water bowl)

Long sticks that Fiona drags around and plays with

I look at my backyard every single day and this time I saw it in a new light. I was able to be inspired by a few things out there that make it OUR backyard. Now, we just need a swing set or something to play on and we'll be set!

Love

2010-11-12T10:16:00.002-06:00

Ross and I are reading this book on marriage, and I came across this quote today that I thought was soooo great.

"If our understanding of love is going to grow...we need to recognize that we don't know that much about love. We also have to know that once we understand it, we might not like it. This is going to require humility. We have to be willing to learn something new, to be surprised by what love really is....We can know a lot about love because God has shown us love."

If you want to check the book out, you can find in the margin to the right.

Do an act of love for your spouse or significant other today. Take the trash out so they don't have to, cook them a nice meal, take care of a task they normally do so they can enjoy the evening. It will bless them and in return bless you as well.

Ahh, fall

2010-11-09T19:48:00.001-06:00

The park is so lovely this time of year, we couldn't resist a visit last weekend. And where there's a trip to the park, there's a mama not too far away with her camera, snapping away.

Ross skipped a rock 7 times, he was real proud!

Still here, staggering on...

2010-11-04T20:51:00.002-06:00

And when I have to crawl

Will You crawl too

I stumble and I fall
Carry me through
The wonder of it all
Is You See me through

When everything I was is lost
I have forgot where You have not
When I am lost You have not lost me

I love lyrics. Sometimes they say the exact words I need right then, or explain some feeling I have in words that I can't quite form myself at that moment. Sometimes they're just clever, or soothing, or fun, or just plain awesome. I found this song earlier and I fell in love with it. It so explains what I go through at times, crawling, stumbling, but thankfully I never have to do it alone.

I have been trying out a ton of new recipes, some I have liked and some I have not. I'll have to put them all together some time, when I don't have 2 small kiddos running around. But, I am enjoying cooking and baking bread like never before. Who would have thought, I would actually enjoy cooking!

What's been going on in my world:

Making new friends, developing existing friendships with amazing ladies, missing my sister, cooking, baking bread, exercising, running, ZUMBA!, potty training, studying Isaiah and 2 Timothy, raising 2 boys, dealing with poop, reading a parenting book, a marriage book, expanding my knowledge on preschooling an almost 3 year old at home-and actually doing some preschooling too, looking for fun activities for us to do together, finding new music to listen to, searching for ways to eat/live more healthy, and really just loving life. (whew! is that a lot? naaaaah) Not to sound like a Perky Patsy or anything. I mean, who wouldn't love life with these 2 cute, sweet, funny, challenging, lovable, did I say funny? boys...

I'm not too happy about the composition of this photograph, but it was so sweet I had to post it. (this was not posed, I looked over and he was sitting like this, maybe pondering something really intellectual, you know, poop, food, candy, Buzz Light Year...the things 3 year olds think about)

I am really enjoying watching this little boy's personality form more and more everyday

He loves his mama, for sure :)

Boo!

2010-11-01T12:54:00.001-06:00

Just wanted to say hi, and a belated Happy Halloween to all my lovelies. I have so many posts in my brain that I want to share, and so many pictures I want to post. Just wanted to let you know that more will be coming!

Being home with the kids means

2010-10-28T20:15:00.001-06:00

Getting to be silly playing with playdoh...among other things :)

Things

2010-10-19T12:43:00.001-06:00

It's been a bit since I posted last. Not because I am neglecting you, but because I have been preoccupied. Which, I just realized is the same thing. So sorry, faithful four. Since getting home from the retreat, so much has been swimming around in my mind. I'm honestly not sure I have been able to post a complete thought. There's a lot of good stuff going on up in there (in my mind, that is, and no thanks to me), so I am still trying to sort it all out.

And then I didn't want to deal with Monday. Laundry, a messy kitchen and housework catch-up loomed over my head, but I just pretended it didn't exist. That Monday itself didn't exist. Even through my not-so-subtle but complete denial of Monday's existence, I realized I couldn't sit around ALL day. So, I did a little housework (just a little), went to Zumba to shake my bootay and cooked tacos for all my mens. Speaking of my mens, you know you want to see them...and I can't resist showing them off. :)

I had to get pics of Ezra this past Sunday in his cute little button down shirt. Doesn't he look so grown up??? My, that boy is getting big so fast.

Jude's expression and hands say, "but why Dad???" This kid is so darn cute, what did we ever laugh about before he came along?

And a few books to read to your little ones for Halloween: I can't get these book pictures any bigger, so I included the names of the books and the authors also.

Ollie's Halloween by Olivier Dunrea. Cute book with cute pictures that had a sweet message at the end about sharing.

Trick or Treat, Calico! by Karma Wilson. Karma, really? A lift-the-flap book that Jude really enjoyed.

What's Under the Bed by Joe Fenton. The illustrations in this book are quite interesting. It was dark grey and black mostly, but with small splashes of color makes it neat to look at, and the story itself was cute too.

Enjoy!

Tonight's menu

2010-10-12T14:43:00.001-06:00

I think I am going to try this tonight. And maybe steamed veggies (squash, broccoli and carrots). What do you think?

The long waited for bread recipe is in the making...it will be posted here very soon! Woot woot!

Things that make me smile today

2010-10-11T08:41:00.000-06:00

Smooshed baby face

baby hand fat---I looove me some baby hand fat

Not only babies in Halloween pjs, but babies in dinosaur pjs too ("silly" stitched on the arm makes it even better)

And cute boys with silly grins

I could use some things to smile about today. After all, it is Monday.

Oh! To those who have so missed my food posts (all 2 of you), don't fret. I haven't forgotten about posting my menu and recipes. It just takes lots of time. I will hopefully post my menu for this week later on today. Happy Monday to all!

My confession

2010-10-08T12:34:00.002-06:00

I have a confession to make. I am obsessed with children's books. There. I said it. There is just something so cute and fun about those hardback, picture filled, fun-loving story books that make me giddy. I search and search for ones at the Children's Library until I have found the perfect ones, take them home and can't wait to read them...to Jude, that is. No, I am not THAT person. You know, the one who reads children's books by themselves, just for fun. (but I have been known to look through them on my own a time or two).

In fact, I think I love them almost as much as the books I get for myself!

And what do I love more than just regular children's books? Topical, seasonal or holiday children's books! Jude is at that age where he is learning soooo much, so this year, I wanted to get him some Halloween books to get him familiar with the subject. Right now, I am really into monster books. Don't ask me why. I'm not even really that into Halloween. And not that I'm trying to scare my kid or anything. They are just cute! I personally won't read any vampire or ghost books to my toddler who is easily impressionable. But for some reason, I don't feel that monsters are all that bad. Here is our first stash of Halloween/monster books.

Most of them are fun monster stories, not scary at all. A few I liked. A few weren't good enough to read twice. And that one was really creepy, but true to the Halloween vampires, werewolves, mummies and dead people theme. We'll be going back for round 2 tomorrow. So, there you have it. My confession, photo included. It's all out there for the world to see now! eeek!

Another confession:

My love for babies in Halloween pajamas...

They love each other. Promise.

Fergus boy photos

2010-10-04T22:17:00.000-06:00

I usually take photos every day of the boys. You moms know what I'm talking about. You do it too. So, with all the pics I take, I always have cuteness to spare! Here are recent photos of both my bundles of sweetness. Ok, not always sweet, but cute nonetheless.

Here is Jude with bread dough all over his face and hands. He kept calling it a donut. So funny!

Car-jamming!

Snuggled in mommy and daddy's bed watching The Incredibles. A great way to start out any morning!

Educate yourself about food

2010-10-04T21:24:00.000-06:00

I used to buy a lot of boxed foods. A lot. Hamburger helper, macaroni and cheese, frozen pizzas, even boxed instant mashed potatoes. I was ignorant in my knowledge about food, and frankly, I had no one to blame but myself. Not to mention, I was not a very confident cook, so easy was my mantra. As the woman of the house, it was (is) my job to feed my family, and feed them well. Not Mr. F's, or anyone else's...mine. And to feel them healthily. So, I began asking God to show me ways I could feed my family better, more healthy. Little did I know the wealth of information I would come across after that. I was told about this woman's blog, who has helped and inspired me a ton in many ways (not just with food, but mostly). I started reading up on things like fast food, artificial sweeteners, processed foods, high fructose corn syrup (most of which was everything in my fridge and pantry) and I learned so many things about them that made me swear off them forever. Let me share with you *some* the things I learned...

Fast food is a given. We all know it's not good for you...at all. But, the reason I stopped eating it for good was because I watched this video. Take the time to watch it. It will make you never want to eat another french fry again.

Splenda and other artificial sweeteners (aspartame included)- Everyone knows how bad Sweet-N-Low is for you. And to be honest, splenda is no better. You know why? Because these things have so many chemicals in them. And we all know chemicals are not good for you. Chemicals are things that aren't supposed to be in your body, and in fact, gave one of my friends horrible migraines. That is not a good sign! What irritates me about artificial sweeteners is that they are marketed to be GOOD for you. No calories, no calories! Don't be deceived. It's bad stuff. If you must have a sweetener, try Stevia. It's more expensive, but it is natural and better (I think!) than all the others. Let me get off the soap box to move on to the next thing.

High-fructose corn syrup - This is in everything, it seems. I went through my fridge and pantry ripping out and disposing of everything that I had that contained it. I even just recently stopped using jelly that had HFCS in it, which I didn't realize, and bought some new jelly-HFCS free. Here are a few facts I found about HFCS:

The chemical make-up of HFCS differs from that of glucose in that fructose isn't broken down before it arrives in the liver, and is instead converted to fat.
Also, research has shown fructose to have a negative impact on insulin and leptin - the result being greater hunger.
It can make you sick. It has been known to contribute to many health problems from diabetes to heart disease.
It makes us fat. It contributes excess calories to our diet.

And I am sure there are many more, but these are reason enough to stop eating it. Oh, and I recently heard that food companies are switching the name on their products to "corn sugar"...I guess too many people figured out how bad it was for you. I want to tell them, quit trying to trick us into killing ourselves!

And this is just to get you started. There is a ton more out there about what foods to avoid and what foods to eat. You can never go wrong with fresh vegetables (steamed is so, so good), fresh fish, eggs (organic brown are the best!), whole grain breads/pasta/rice, and other things I'm forgetting to mention, probably. I am still reading and learning all I can on how I can make our family a healthy family, and my hope is that you will too.

Oh, and please try not to let cooking intimidate you. I used to and it crippled me. I have been given a new courage to try new things, cook new things and the result is extremely gratifying! So please, go try new, healthy recipes!

New!

2010-10-01T13:03:00.000-06:00

I have so many posts I want to share, but sadly have no time to these days. I am using all my *free* time getting a new blog together. YES, I said a new blog. I am super excited about all that is to come, but it is taking me a lot longer than I expected to get it together. This blog has been in my thoughts and desires for a very.long.time, and I know it will be worth it. I've longed for my blog to be more than it has been in the past, and hopefully it will be.

Oh, I will continue to post here until the new blog is ready to go. So, don't forget about me just yet! :)

(I am so frustrated with blogger right now. I keep getting error messages, the page won't load or work, and sometimes my things just disappear. Has anyone had better luck with wordpress?)

Heartbreaker

2010-09-28T18:23:00.005-06:00

He's going to be a heartbreaker, you think?

This face melts my heart. Really.

And this baby is just too darn cute..

Weekends are great

2010-09-27T07:26:00.010-06:00

Weekends are usually pretty good. Just a little break from the normal, daily grind where I can rest (sort of) and spend time with all my boys. But then we have weekends like last weekend. Where it's full, but fun. My family came out to visit and cheer on my super awesome second Dad in a half marathon here in town on Saturday. We had such a great time and I was so proud of Phil for not only finishing, but shedding 19 minutes off his running time!

Hanging out before...

Wait, I think I see him!
Here he comes!

Crossing the finish line...he did not finish in 1minute 51 seconds. I am kicking myself for cutting off the time in this shot!

All of us! (minus Mr. F since he was taking the pic)

High five!

What a great time!

Weekly Menu

2010-09-24T07:52:00.006-06:00

I haven't forgotten my weekly menu, I just had to make the weekly grocery run last night so I didn't have time to post. I got out my Deceptively Delicious cookbook to get some new healthy recipes...I am getting tired of the same ole thing! I won't be putting in purees of other veggies (which is the whole point of her book/method) this time, but I will be using the recipes themselves because they are good!

Here goes the menu:

Tonight: Family is coming in, so I am not sure what we are going to do for dinner.

Saturday: Vegetable soup, my mama's recipe (to come) that I have made a few minor changes to

Sunday: Leftovers

Monday: Chicken quesadillas

Tuesday: Lasagna (recipe from Deceptively Delicious--to come)

Wednesday: Chicken, homemade mac n cheese, and rice balls

Thursday: Chicken and steamed veggies

Breakfasts will be oatmeal, whole wheat oats with fruit and brown sugar mixed in (Jude), and eggs & toast (me).

Lunches will be pb&j (I found a great jelly without high fructose corn sugar in it!), or leftovers.

Oh! And I am trying my first bread baking session today. Hopefully it will turn out well. I will post about it, for sure!

Things I love today...

2010-09-23T06:24:00.004-06:00

Sweet sleeping puffy baby cheeks.

Cats in funny sleeping positions. (that would be my purse)
Making funny pictures with my big boy.
In the camera cute grins.

Funny nose squinched grins.

Bewitched, Zumba and Chicken Pot Pie

2010-09-20T19:52:00.007-06:00

Yes, those are probably the 3 most random things ever to be in the same sentence. But that is how I roll. I am random just about all the time. Just ask my Mister.

There aren't too many shows that I would call charming, but Bewitched is one of them. How sweet and lovely Samantha (Elizabeth Montgomery) is, the husband-wife dynamic, the light but fun comedy, and the neat way they shot it, because after all, it probably wasn't as easy to make something disappear or float back then as it is now. I just love it. Shows nowadays are so dark, heavy or just full of stupidness that I can't handle much of anything on tv these days. There is something about that earlier era that appeals to me. When Darrin was tempted to cheat on Samantha, he didn't. Nowadays, the husband would have cheated in a second. Maybe they had it right back in the 60s... at least with tv anyway. Are there any old shows you love?

Tonight I tried my hat at Zumba. I have to admit, I don't think I did very well. It sure was fun, though. The best part was watching all the older ladies (and men too!) shake their rears like it was nobody's business. Now, if my friends Ashley or Kate would quit being lame and come with me, we could all have a good time laughing at each other!

Here is my chicken pot pie recipe. I tried something new with the sauce and I think it turned out well! The leftovers will surely get eaten tomorrow!

Glaze

2010-09-17T12:45:00.007-06:00

I searched and searched for salmon glazes, but they all had honey, or bourbon or something weird in it that I don't have. So, I think I'm going to go with a brown sugar, EVOO, melted butter, salt & pepper (can't forget those), cumin, paprika and roasted red pepper flakes.

A sweet friend pointed out that I didn't post any daily pictures of my boys, but to be honest, I was just being lazy. Here I am catching up!

Weekly Menu

2010-09-16T08:02:00.009-06:00

So, today starts the weekly menu planning. I will post all of my meals here, and then daily I will post the recipes. I decided to do it this way because I found there wasn't enough time to try to get all my recipes done in one day. And, I think I am going to try 1 new thing a week. I want/need to expand my cooking abilities, so this is me saying it because I am more likely to do it if I actually say it out loud.

So without further adieu, here is my weekly menu:

For breakfasts, we usually do oatmeal, cereal, or eggs&toast. Lunches are sandwiches (pb&j--yeah!), or leftovers.

Tonight - Marinated pork chops, smashed potatoes, and biscuits made from some bisquick I need to use up

Friday - Grilled salmon (with some kind of glaze, not sure what yet) and veggies

Saturday - chicken noodle veggie soup

Sunday - leftovers

Monday-Homemade chicken pot pie (recipe to come)

Tuesday - Spaghetti with somewhat homemade sauce (recipe to come) and more biscuits

Wednesday - tilapia quesadillas

Thursday- fresh snapper, sweet peas and steamed carrots

The new thing I am going to try this week is attempting to bake my own french bread. The Frugal Girl has inspired me to start baking my own rolls and some breads. I want to move us away from eating breads that have bleached flour and lots of preservatives in them. Although I have to admit that I am a little intimidated about this. Baking bread is an art that takes a lot of refining to get it right. Eeeek! I'll let the blog world know how it turns out!

Rough Nights

2010-09-15T14:39:00.004-06:00

Having a baby means some nights are just plain rough. Sometimes they get sick, or hurt or sometimes they just can't settle down. I am not sure what was up with E, but I think I finally got to sleep somewhere around 5am. Then, with Bible study starting back up this morning, I was back up at 7:30 to get ready. Needless to say, a nap was to be had today and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I did not feel guilty at all!

BSF was fun this morning. I am excited to get to know all the new ladies in my group, and even see some faces I already knew. It should be a good year!

I have no idea what I am cooking tonight. I know, I know, I was all high and mighty with my accountability post yesterday. But, tonight is grocery shopping night (if I want to get anything productive done, I do not take the kids), so I may just get something easy for us to eat tonight. And tomorrow, I will figure out my weekly meals and post them for all to read. I know you are super excited, ha!

Realizations

2010-09-14T08:34:00.005-06:00

I just realized as I was typing out my dinner plans last night (that later were changed) that I need to be more intentional about planning out my meals. Reading through my previous posts, they usually read like this "Well, I think I am going to make this, but I'm not sure, or I could make this, or this, or this..." and then they end with "we'll see!" I don't know about you, but that is frustrating to me! I usually don't get started with dinner until 5:30 or 6 because I can't flippin decide what I want to cook, which means we eat late, which isn't good. Soooo, starting this week (after grocery shopping), I'm going to post a weekly menu of what we'll be eating so maybe I can bring some order and accountability to my life. Help me out here, friends!

We're getting ready to go to our first fall story time at the Library...which just happens to be one of my most favorite places. Jude will usually only sit through a little bit of the time, but he's a little boy. What do you expect? :)

Oh, for tonight, I am definitely cooking some fresh fish caught by our super awesome friends Derrick and Ashley. She said the fish was taking over her whole freezer and was ready to get rid of some. I said, "We'll take it!" I'll probably drizzle it with lemon juice and some spices, cook some roasted red potatoes and sweet peas to go with it. And maybe I'll get to make a grocery run tomorrow and start my weekly planning!

POST EDIT: I decided that fried fresh catfish sounded better than baked and drizzled with lemon juice. So, fried it is!

B-E-Autiful day!

2010-09-13T13:47:00.018-06:00

Just because I know you can't go a day without seeing my sweet boy's face...

I watched two good movies this weekend. Killers and I Could Never Be Your Woman. Killers was cute, light, fun (except for the killing people part) and had 2 of my favorite people to watch on screen. I Could Never Be Your Woman is an older movie that was really funny, cute and had my favorite funny guy in it (Paul Rudd)--although I have to add that the parenting in it isn't my style at all. Just watch it for fun and not for parenting advice, and you'll enjoy it. We also watched a really disturbing movie called Harry Brown. I honestly wish I could unsee it. Just erase it from memory. Where is Eric Northman when you need him? Unless you like movies about revenge, kids and drugs, with very strong violence and language and disturbing sexual content, I wouldn't recommend seeing it. I guess I need to be a little more knowledgeable in my movie choices next time.

I can't figure out what meat I want to make for dinner. We have a ton of fresh fish in our freezer, but I'd have to thaw it a certain way in which I should have started this morning and I did not. And I am soooo sick of chicken. Maybe I'll cook the frozen salmon and veggies? I am a super indecisive person, can you tell?

I am so in love with fall. I can't decide if I like fall or spring better. They are both so lovely. What about you? Which one do you like more?

POST EDIT: I ended up cooking chicken with a red sauce drizzled over it and parmesan cheese and steamed broccoli and carrots. Yum yum!

Girls' Night

2010-09-11T16:44:00.004-06:00

Ross is going off to do man things like eat fish, watch sports on tv, and have man talk...whatever that means. So, my friend Ashley is coming over to hang out with me (and the little boys) and do what girls do. Eat pizza, cookies and watch chick flicks.

Thankfully, I am not cooking tonight because my sweet friend is bringing pizza. But, we need dessert, right? What's a party without dessert? So, I baked some YUMMY oatmeal blueberry cookies.

I have to admit, I am normally not a baker and I did not make this recipe up myself (although I did substitute blueberries for raisins or nuts cause I don't like either), but it is still a good one you should try.

You can find the recipe HERE.

A great little discovery

2010-09-10T10:43:00.014-06:00

While Jude and I are eating grapes, doing our daily music lesson (first a classical piece - Brahms's Hungarian Dance was actually a neat little piece...and then he asked for Elmo's Song, go figure), I thought I'd share a fun little discovery I made this morning. As I was preparing my eggs, usually scrambled because I am just that lame and unoriginal, I was trying to think of a new way to spice them up. Literally. So, as they were cooking, I dashed some cinnamon and curry powder in them. I know that probably sounds disgusting, but I love curry powder. I put it in a lot of things. Those Indian folk know what they're doing when it comes to curry powder. After I put that and the cinnamon in (I know. Weird, right?), I immediately regretted it. I said out loud "I bet this is going to be the most disgusting batch of eggs ever made" because I have to admit, it smelled kind of weird. I was prepared to eat something that resembled the taste of sandpaper...or vomit...but certainly not eggs. When I took my first bite, I was skeptical, but it actually was quite tasty. It gave the eggs a little something extra, but not too much extra. Keep in mind, I just sprinkled a dash of both on there while they were cooking in the skillet. Don't go throwing the whole container in there, or you will be sorry for sure.

Seriously, try it. You just might be surprised!

Tonight may be a homemade chicken noodle/potato soup kind of night. I know soups are usually a winter kind of meal, but I can get away with it since it's fall now, right?

Anyway, here's the recipe.

I have to include the daily dose of cuteness. Ezra likes crackers...sometimes. When he can figure out what to do with them.

Consider it a joy when you go through trials...

2010-09-09T11:52:00.004-06:00

These past few weeks have been full of anxiety, worry and just plain exhaustion. You know how it is. Sometimes life stuff gets you questioning your faith, your abilities, and even your worth. I go through this every time there is a trial in my life. I just can't seem to learn from it. I've been through every emotion in the past week, but the best way I can describe it is joyless. Or Frustrated. Or unbelievably exhausted. Any one will do, but joyless sums it up best. But frankly, I am tired of feeling like that. I don't know how miserable people go through their whole lives being miserable. It's exhausting and it just plain sucks. There has been a looming sense of worry over my shoulders for 2 weeks. So today, I am letting it go. I am choosing joy, I am choosing faith and I am choosing love. I will choose joy in God and family, and not in my circumstances. I will choose faith in the One who sustains me and fulfills all my needs. I will choose to love my husband and kids, instead of loving myself, and just trying to cover up the pain with a book or zoning out online. After all, that's what trials are for, right? So that we can learn, change and grow. At least I think so.

Last night we had tacos. Tonight, I am thinking about trying this new recipe from the Pioneer Woman (but add chicken, of course). If you want to view it, go here. Although I don't have any cream, or half n half for that matter. Maybe regular milk will do? We will see!

Even though I do not like this picture of myself, I wanted to give a shout out to my awesome sister-in-law, who is due in October (10-10-10-coolest due date ever). She is such a great friend and sister. We are so excited to be welcoming baby Lucy to our family in just a few weeks! Love her and Sammie big time!

Back to the daily grind

2010-09-07T16:57:00.004-06:00

I ::heart:: three day weekends. We were visited by loved ones. The park had a visit from our family of four. We slept in (does 8:45 count?). Watched lots of Willy Wonka. It was heavenly. The three day weekend left us feeling somewhat rested, rejuvenated and loved, but weekends can't last forever, right? We were sad to see it go, but accepted it nonetheless.

And with the new week starting (Monday/Tuesday? It's confusing.), it was time to start level 2 of the 30 Day Shred. Wow. That Jillian sure knows how to kick your butt. I seriously think she's a sadist.

Tonight for dinner is a simple bbq flavored chicken, corn and fresh green bean night. Nothing too spectacular, I had to go easy tonight to ease myself back into the week. :)

Here is my beautiful niece...I love this girl!

A taste of fall

2010-09-05T11:37:00.011-06:00

Before it got scorching hot again, we decided to take advantage of the nice weather and take the boys to the park yesterday. It was so gorgeous and serene out that I didn't even want to go home.

Ezra spent his time in the stroller, but at long as he gets to be outside, he doesn't mind where we park him at. (I don't know why this is blue. Blogger is stupid and won't let me change it to black)

A break from the heat

2010-09-03T11:35:00.006-06:00

I so love this weather. It's so nice, I just want to sit outside all day long and read. I hear it's supposed to be nice this weekend also, we just may have to spend a lot of it outside!

Tonight, Ross's parents are supposed to come in, so I don't think I'll be cooking. It'll be fun to go out for a bit. This has been an exhausting week...my eyes are about to close as I am typing this. Every girl needs a break some time!

A few pictures of my sweeties. Jude was trying to do his new favorite thing---make mommy (or anyone) fall down. He'll pull on your arm until you fall off the chair, the couch, wherever you are sitting. Sometimes it is fun, sometimes it is not.

I love open mouth photos! This boy loves to catch flies with this open mouth!

Happy 9.02.10!

2010-09-02T12:33:00.005-06:00

Ok, I'll admit it. I was a huge fan of Beverly Hills 90210 back in the day. What's not to like? Bad hair, bad clothes, bad acting, bad story lines. And who didn't love Brenda and Dylan? Or Kelly and Dylan? OR Kelly and Brandon? What about when David got addicted to meth? Or Dylan and his love for alcohol? Or Kelly and her bad cocaine addiction? Trashy, you think? No way. Silly? Not even a little. I am almost ashamed to admit I actually loved that show. (I won't mention that I recently watched season 6 on dvd and was glued to the tv. Talk about rotting your brain!)

Now, on to more important matters (ahem)...

Tonight for dinner, I am making some fish and chicken (not together!) quesadillas. I usually bake the meat beforehand, then I smoosh (I like the word smoosh) it out on a whole wheat tortilla-taco size, then I sprinkle tomato, lots of cheese, beans, and corn on it while the EVOO is heating up in the pan. Then, I cover the top with another tortilla and put it in the pan to brown it. It gets good and crispy, then I flip it to crisp the other side. It's pretty easy to make and it usually just takes a few minutes to cook...oh, and don't forget the salsa! I usually dip mine in salsa while eating it. Yum yum!

This is how we roll around here

2010-09-01T14:01:00.007-06:00

Still in pjs at noon (ok, not every day), playing outside with our rain boots and hat on.

Whew! This afternoon I have been researching preschool ideas like crazy (that will be a post for another day). I am tired just from doing that! Time to get my butt up and get to Shredding. But first...

Tonight for dinner, I'm thawing out some porkchops and plan to marinate them in my curry mix (EVOO, salt, pepper, garlic salt, curry powder) and bake them.

Homemade mashed potatoes, maybe? If so, always red-never white, and with the skins on.

Fresh green beans. Seriously, try them. Once you eat the real ones, you'll never want canned yuckies again.

Tonight's menu

2010-08-31T14:12:00.003-06:00

A whole chicken is going in the oven tonight. I'm going to stick butter, salt, pepper and garlic into all it's cavities (yes, I just said cavities) and bake it for a few hours.

Steamed veggies - zucchini, carrots, and maybe broccoli with some butter, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Can you tell that I like garlic...and salt...and pepper...

I am making myself hungry just talking about it!

What's on the menu for tonight?

2010-08-30T11:46:00.002-06:00

I've got some fun pictures to post from the weekend. For tonight, we have friends coming over...so, I am cooking spaghetti, with whole wheat pasta and homemade sauce. Nom!

Ahh, the beginning remnants of fall

2010-08-26T11:57:00.009-06:00

Today is a beautiful day. Jude and I went outside, it was not humid and 83 degrees out. Pure loveliness. While we were walking around, looking at bugs, playing with the neighborhood cat, and trying to mosey into the neighbor's backyard, I looked around me and saw a few signs that fall is indeed coming, which made me oh, so happy!

Berries starting to sprout on our bushes...

Leaves falling to the ground...
And here, as promised...the two men in my life that take up most of my time (but are totally worth it)

Ezra is almost 7 months old now. Can you believe how fast time flies?! I will spare you the "it seems like yesterday" sentiments, but believe me, they are true. So yes, the past 7 months have flown by so much faster this second time. I want to stop time sometimes because it just happens too quickly.

Facts about little E (as we call him):

He weighs almost 18lbs - big boy!
He's 251/2 in long
His head it a bit on the large side...but we love it!
He can finally roll over both ways. It took him a long time to do this.
He sits up pretty well by himself. Ok...with support, but he can hold himself up for a few seconds before falling over.
He really loves this certain light-up noise-making toy. It's so cute to watch him grab it, watch it, hit the buttons and study it so very hard. He's really fascinated and it's so sweet.
My personal favorite - Jude is his favorite person. Who knew that big brother would be the only one who can make him really guffaw?
He loves to smile and talk to anyone who will listen. Attention is what this boy loves.

Sweet boy, you fill my heart with such joy...I so love being your mama.

What's for dinner? I have no idea. Some chicken, zucchini and something else...although I don't know what yet. If you made it to the end of this long post and are reading this, please share any relatively quick, easy and healthy recipes you have. I'd love to try them and post about it!

Last night's dinner menu

2010-08-26T08:25:00.010-06:00

Ok, I think steaming veggies is my new favorite way to cook all veggies. I fixed a chicken, veggie, pasta casserole last night and it was tasty! I actually made a sauce that was good to go in the casserole. The base was a half a can of both cream of chicken, cream of celery, some half n half, and a bunch of other things-some wheat flour (I only use wheat flour now, no white), cheese, lots of different spices, and even a little almond milk. I know that sounds weird, but it tasted pretty good! I am trying to learn how to make my own recipes by just throwing stuff together. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. I also needed to make something that produced enough leftovers so that we all had something to eat for lunch today!

Here are the veggies...I included squash this time. I'm not a big fan of squash, but I am branching out by trying veggies I don't each very much. It gets tiring eating the same ole same ole after awhile. Besides, I thought I could disguise it in the casserole with the other veggies.

The finished product. It doesn't look near as good as it tasted!

Mr. F is not a casserole person. In fact, I refrained from using that word last night when he asked me what I was cooking because I didn't want him to get any preconceived ideas about it. After he finished, he said "A casserole that I actually like!" and all was well with me. (not to mention, I was feeling good and full myself) And then he went on a smoothie run for dessert, which made me almost as happy as his comment.

Stay tuned for pics of the boys...to come later!

What was for dinner last night?

2010-08-25T08:03:00.004-06:00

I forgot to post ahead of time, and didn't get pictures either! But, I did try a new meat (boneless skinless turkey breasts), marinated them in some EVOO, salt, pepper, garlic power, chili powder, parsley and basil. They were YUM. I also fixed some whole wheat egg noodles and made a white sauce that wasn't very good. I am just not that good at sauces...something I need to work on. It tasted ok, but it sat so heavily on my stomach that I felt yucky afterward. I topped that off with a side of sweet peas. Peas aren't my favorite, but they're really good for you so I make myself eat them.

On another note, I started doing Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred on Monday, and I thought I was sore yesterday. I am even worse today that it hurts to even sit down. But secretly, I love it. I actually like being sore. It makes me feel like I've actually done something. Jillian works me out super hard...it's definitely a love/hate relationship.

Win for steamed veggies!

2010-08-23T19:53:00.004-06:00

Well, the steamed veggies were delish. Ross loved them, I loved them...well, Jude didn't love them, but he doesn't like any veggies. We're working on that.

I went from this...
To this...
Yum!

What's for dinner tonight?

2010-08-23T12:50:00.004-06:00

So ok, I forgot to post pics of my last dinner meal. Usually when I'm in the kitchen, I'm trying to hurry because I am feeding a pack of animals-or men, whatever...or I'm trying to shoo a busy toddler out from underneath my feet who is trying to grab everything off the counter. Sometimes he helps me, but not always. Maybe I will remember tonight. It's super exciting stuff, I tell ya.

Now, onto tonight's meal...

Baked Tilapia - I think I'm going to use my breadcrumb/parmesan mixture to coat it in before putting it in the oven.

Steamed asparagus and carrots

I usually just boil vegetables, or saute them. However, as I was researching recipes online today, I remembered that I have an actual steamer that I have never used. There is no better time than the present. We'll see if the veggies are edible when I am finished.

One other tid bit: Parsley, Basil and Curry are my now 3 favorite seasonings. I put them on/in a lot of things and I have to say, it always makes dishes more yummy!

What's for dinner tonight?

2010-08-19T13:01:00.005-06:00

Fried chicken strips - I mix the breading myself, and the key that makes it pop is to put parmesan cheese in the mix. It makes them taste oh, so good! I also fry these in EVOO so it is a little bit healthier, although I'm not sure how much.

Fresh cooked spinach

Homemade Mashed potatoes - red, not white. Red potatoes are YUMMY.

Pictures to come later!

Lazy Days

2010-08-17T19:37:00.005-06:00

This is what a lazy Saturday looks like for us...

I take random pictures of the boys.

click the pic to view in a larger size

Ezra makes funny faces (actually, that is all the time).

And smiles a lot.
The 2 older guys watching a movie in bed.

And I run around taking pictures of everyone being lazy, but don't get any lazy time myself. ha! No, really. I get to relax a little.

Ahh, the joys of toddlerhood

2010-08-13T12:29:00.012-06:00

So, this week in our house has been dedicated to...you guessed it, potty training. For the past three days, we've spent so much time in the bathroom, we should have just set up a tent because we've pretty much been camped there.

This is how it would go:

Me: "Jude, time to go potty!" (along with happy dance, clapping and such...and even some singing about pee peeing in the potty)

Jude: "NoooooooooOOOOOOOOOoooooooooOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooo!!!!" (along with melt down, crying, going limp and falling to the floor)

Sound familiar, Moms?

Ok, that didn't happen EVERY time, but it happened enough. So, off I would take him to the potty anyway, for him to sit there and not go (even after I pulled out the big guns, like blowing bubbles). Of course then that would cause me to put his pull-up back on, only to have him go in the pull-up right after we got off the potty. Frustrating, yes? I hear this is a common occurrence among new potty trainers. To answer the question that has no doubt been on your mind, yes, he has gone a few times on the potty, but the inconsistency makes this all the more frustrating. (and I have tried talking to him extensively about pottying, bribery, rewards, telling him to hit the cheerio in the toilet, singing, clapping, making a big deal about pee peeing in the potty, reading books about peeing in the potty...you name it, I've tried it.) I guess I figured he would go on the potty, realize how easy and fun it was, and want to do it every time after that. Needless to say, I was wrong. So, does this mean he isn't ready? Is my judgment in timing here off?

These questions and so many others are going through my head today. Yes, I know it's good to give our children a little push from time to time, but how do we know when it's ok to push a little or if we've taken it too far by forcing them to do something they're not ready to do? And I am not just thinking about potty training here, although that's what is on the forefront of my mind. What about in the future? Will I be a controlling stubborn mom who will just have my kids do something because I think it's the right time, or will I pray, listen, wait and react to what is best for them at that time?

My hope is for the latter.

Then I struggle with this whole child's will thing. I definitely don't want to adhere to the will of a 2 1/2 year old. That is not a game I am willing to play, for sure. I know there is a balance between all of these things I have mentioned, but I have yet to find it. I guess, until then I will just put off the potty training until I think it is a better time. Being in a bad mood, crying and taking my frustrations out on my child are definitely not worth trying to make him go pee pee in the potty. At least not to me.

My sweet mother-in-law said something very helpful to me that I will share, she said "Potty training is about him, not you. The more it is about him, the more peace you will have and the greater need he will have to change." Well said!

Nature...in the blistering heat

2010-08-08T19:07:00.008-06:00

Yesterday we took the boys to the local nature center. It's a neat little place, and they have trails you can hike on (if we were into that sort of thing...which we're not--well, at least I'm not). And of course, you know I had to document the whole deal, because that's what I do.

There were snakes...

Deer calls

More deer calls
I wore Ezra
Cool looking pathways
Neat bird's nests in trees
Skinks--if you can see it
Ross and Jude trying to catch the skink

Wide open patches of land that were somewhat serene

Gumballs
Information to read and buttons to push
Trails to walk on
And drinks to cool us on a very hot day!
And much more that I didn't get to photograph!

Life

2010-08-06T14:06:00.002-06:00

Life happens too quickly when you have little ones.

Agreed?

Whoa

2010-07-26T12:32:00.010-06:00

How long has it been? Man, life has been going going going and I have not really had much time to sit down and record it. I really haven't even taken that many photos. I know, there's something wrong with that, right?! But, my mind has been elsewhere and things that I love so much have taken a back seat, like photography and blogging. Anywho, I have taken a few photos, so I will share. (I haven't even had a chance to edit them, so they'll be put on here dark or the wrong color!)

Here is my life over the past month:

Best thing ever

2010-06-24T19:24:00.002-06:00

I just have to say that this made me cry because I thought it was/is the most amazing thing ever...and because I was laughing sooooo hard...silently, of course!

Practice makes perfect

2010-06-23T11:59:00.004-06:00

Oh, how I am enjoying the photography workshop, given by the lovely and talented Jessica Cudzilo of 503 Photography. Learning about metering modes, focus, composition, lighting and so many other things has my head all jumbled up and completely FULL, but oh how I love it. (...most of the time. Sometimes I am quite frustrated with myself.) And I am told, it will all click and make sense, especially the more I practice. So, guess what I'm doing these days! Practicing, practicing, practicing. Yes, I am taking photos of my boys, but also my hubs, my dog, the trees, and even silly inanimate objects. Here's me putting a few things I've learned into practice!

My favorite picture of the day

2010-06-14T11:17:00.001-06:00

The adventures of eating breakfast

2010-06-11T14:55:00.005-06:00

Life is never dull when you have a toddler! Even eating breakfast can become an adventure.

Sometimes we have just a little taste before digging right in.

Sometimes digging in requires a little force.

Sometimes things are just funny.

Sometimes standing up is fun. (and then mommy says to sit back down)

Sometimes we take reeeeeally big bites.

And then sometimes those bites come right back out.

Sometimes switching hands is essential.

Usually after all this goes on (along with a little eating too), he'll make the sign and say "ALL DONE!"

A day on the lake...

2010-06-08T14:47:00.006-06:00

Makes me feel very old! It's the most fun I've had in awhile though, so I'm not complaining. Papa and Nanny took us out in their boat this past weekend and a fun time was had by all!

This is where Jude spent most of his time, sitting on the back with his feet in. He didn't want to get in the water, but had a good ole time of telling mommy and daddy to jump in every 2 minutes! :)

Ezra did not much care for the water or the sun. He loved the boat, though!

Nanny and Papa did some skiing...they were both really good!

This bird in it's nest was really neat!

The only photo we were able to get of all of us...right before we turned in for the day.

A clean kitchen...

2010-06-03T09:57:00.001-06:00

makes mama very happy!

A few videos chocked full of cuteness!

2010-06-02T09:39:00.003-06:00

Email subscription and makeovers

2010-06-01T12:06:00.006-06:00

Can someone please tell me if my email subscription link thing is working? I thought I'd try to do things that way since many of my thousands of followers (all three of you) forget to even check this thing...which makes me sad! So, if you put your email address in over to the right and click subscribe, you should get a confirmation email with a link to activate it. Then you should receive my posts via email every time I post something new. Who knows if it's working...so, if you do it and it works, please let me know!

Lately I have felt the need to makeover our living space. Not by buying a bunch of new stuff to decorate with, but by organization, purpose and ease. I think organization speaks for itself. My closets and drawers are disorganized, and there is junk just put anywhere. No more! Everything is being cleaned out, junk is being thrown away and I am finding a place for everything. And no more empty nothing spaces in my house! I am putting every space I can to use. Yeah! There are bigger jobs I need to complete, like cleaning out my refrigerator and oven...those will get done eventually, right? Even though it's now technically Summer, I can still call it Spring cleaning!

Test

2010-06-01T08:39:00.002-06:00

I am testing out my new email subscription link!

Getting away is always fun

2010-05-30T12:35:00.005-06:00

Pictures from our time in Memphis...

Breakfast/reading nook

2010-05-24T15:58:00.006-06:00

I have been wanting a little breakfast nook visible from the kitchen for a long time. Who wants to go into the secluded formal dining room for breakfast and lunch?? We had an old table out in the shed, which to be quite honest, is ugly, used and just plain worn out. BUT, it was just sitting out there waiting for the trash bin. So, I put it to use! The microwave has been moved (now it's taking up counter space, but what are ya gonna do!), and now I have my little nook. I found that I like to read there, too! Yeah!!

Fences

2010-05-20T21:20:00.002-06:00

There is something about older fences that I like. It's almost like they tell a story with their age and style, and I love to look at them. I am a weirdo, what can I say!

Mama, I'm Coming Home

2010-05-09T20:03:00.005-06:00

This mother's day was tops, if I do say so myself. Ezra was dedicated at our church, my family was there, they came back, I fed them yummy food, a nap was had by all after my family left, we ate pizza, followed by a yummy frozen custard dessert (and we saw some friends there with their kiddos and we all had a great time). Ross made me a mother's day song and gave me a sweet card (with candy, too!)....so yeah, needless to say I felt loved today.

Today, I am thinking of how great my husband is, how awesome my kids are, and how sweet my family is. I love my mom, sister, grandmothers, mother-in-law, aunts, sister-in-laws and friends ever so much today because I now know what it's like to be a mom and how great/challenging/amazing it is. Happy mother's day to all the mommies and mommies-to-be out there!

What makes being a mom so great---these 2 boys right here...

Here are some of the dedication...

(actually, this was afterward. I can't get blogger to let me move my photos for some reason)

During the dedication...we love our pastor Chuck!

My whole sweet family that came out to be with us.

Days like this

2010-05-04T13:05:00.004-06:00

This is what a typical day looks like for us...

Hanging out outside

Fiona plays too

Finding bugs
Digging in the dirt looking for bugs
Ezra chillin' in the papasan outside with us!

I love being home with my boys!!

Baby blues!

2010-04-30T18:47:00.003-06:00

I don't know if they're still going to change or not, but Ezra has the most beautiful blue eyes. That is funny because the rest of us Ferguses are all brown eyed folk!

So fun

2010-04-26T10:10:00.006-06:00

I have been entering these photo challenges at I Heart Faces, a website I have come to love. This week's photo challenge was called "Smiles." I thought about posting a photo of Jude or Ezra smiling, but I thought, everyone is going to do that. So, I remembered these photos I took of my sister about a month ago and thought they were different and so fun...so I entered one. I LOVE these photos. She was all insecure in front of the camera...even though I tried my best to get her not to be!

The other one I loved (but didn't enter...you can only enter 1)

I also started a blog for those challenge photos only, if you want to go check it out.

New Lens

2010-04-22T15:36:00.004-06:00

I've been playing with my new lens. While I haven't quite mastered the focal length yet, I am learning! I love using a prime lens now because it is forcing me to use the manual settings, therefore turning me into less of a wuss (according to Jess, wusses are the ones who only use auto mode on their cameras). Soooo, while these photos aren't the best as far as focus, I still like them anyway. :)

Love our Fiona!

Yaaaaay!

2010-04-22T09:11:00.002-06:00

Thanks to everyone who voted, my photo won April's challenge! As a result, I won a coveted spot in 503's workshop starting in June! I have wanted this for a very.long.time. Ever since she started doing them, I dunno, years ago? I'll be sure to update during and let you know how I am loving every minute of it.

Woot! Thanks again, friends!!

Vote!

2010-04-19T13:01:00.004-06:00

My photo is up for winning April's challenge on this amazing girl/photographer/friend's blog and it's up for you to decide! So, go here and cast your vote for photo #4!!

How in the world?

2010-04-14T19:38:00.003-06:00

Do moms find time to clean house, do laundry, take care of the kiddos, cook, have hobbies, blog, form thoughts to blog, edit photos, read, watch movies, and anything else they like to do? Seriously?? I know there are 24 hours in a day for a reason, but I can barely get everything done...and most days everything DOESN'T get done. I am most impressed with (other than single moms, of course) moms who own their own businesses (like photography), edit photos, keep up a website and blog everyday...how do they do it??? I want to blog more often, but can't find the time. Oh, well. Some things are more important. :)

When there's nothing to do on a rainy day....

2010-04-09T15:20:00.003-06:00

...go out and play in it!

Ok, we didn't really play in it, but we kinda did. :)

Jude thought it was funny to fling the water in Ross's face.

So, Ross did it right back to him...he loved it.

Blogger is messing up...it keeps crashing when I try to move my photos around. Anyone else having this problem?

Beautiful days

2010-04-01T10:23:00.003-06:00

The weather has been so lovely, but we just don't get outside as often as we should. Either I just don't have the energy, or the baby keeps me busy inside and Jude has to suffer the indoors with me. The other day though, was perfect. Jude and I went outside while Ezra was napping and enjoyed some of this sweet Spring weather! Yay for Springtime!

Park Days

2010-03-23T11:47:00.008-06:00

I have THE BEST sister in the whole wide world. Caring, thoughtful, giving, honest, I could go on and on. So, you can imagine how sad I am that we don't get to spend as much time together as we'd like. In lieu of that, my sister and her kiddos came out last week to stay with us over Spring Break. We had so much fun and it was great to spend so much time with them. Of course we had to make a park visit while they were here...the boys had so much fun! So did FeFe. You just wait and see.

Learning Photoshop

2010-03-21T13:52:00.000-06:00

Yesssss, I am finally learning Photoshop!

Highlights of my day

2010-03-13T17:40:00.005-06:00

Waking up feeling somewhat rested (even though I didn't get any more sleep than usual, I just found a way to get a leeeetle more sleep, hehe)
2 travel mugs of yummy delicious coffee
A quiet visit to the library, alone
Staring into my little one's eyes, as he stared right back into mine
Engaging in a little tickle/wrestling match with my 2 older boys
Researching the Memphis Roller Derby league online and planning to be at the next bout in April
Thinking about ways to be creative in my photography
Listening to my boys play on the drums
Just now realizing that even though we lose an hour of sleep tonight (BOO), the days will be longer, and that makes me happy

Ahh, life is good!

Jude-isms

2010-03-11T10:27:00.007-06:00

With a talking toddler in the house, we really have to watch what we say. He is repeating EVERYTHING, including the exclamations of GOSH and GOH!, oh man!, crap! and everything else. While it is somewhat frustrating, it is kind of fun, too. To see Jude learning what things are, using the actual words and communicating with us, I love it. I love watching him grow into this little person. Even though he is a great talker and communicator, he's still a new talker, so not everything he says is exactly right. And boy, it is darn cute. Here are a few of what I like to call Jude-isms.

Fingers are mingers. (I think this one is my favorite)

Milk is guh-guh-guh.

Mouth is mouse.

Spiderman is ah-man.

Blanket is beekle.

Tree is tuh-reeeee.

Booty is boot-ay. (ok, I taught him that one)

Juice is boose.

Phone is na. -have no idea where this came from

Truck and sock are u-kuck or o-kuck.

Pray is puh-rayyyy.

Volleyball is balleyball.

These are just the ones I can think of. Having a toddler is so fun. Everyday is full of something new, super fun, and/or challenging. I surely love being this boy's mama! And I definitely look forward to watching Ezra grow into his own little person too. What a blessing these boys are!

Jude, with his good friend Addie

Lovelies

2010-03-09T15:54:00.004-06:00

Just a few recent photos I've taken. :)

Jude watching his beloved Spiderman.

Sleepy boy!

Aww!
Biiiig yawn.
"I likes to stick my tongue out."

1 month old today!

2010-03-08T11:51:00.002-06:00

Blog make-over

2010-03-04T19:29:00.002-06:00

I thought it was time to change my layout, since its about Spring time! There is so much more I'd like to do to my blog, but who's got the time?

Update

2010-03-02T14:11:00.008-06:00

A few people have asked how we are doing. My answer: It really depends on the day.

Some days are good, like today, and some days...not so much. Today, I am feeling more like myself than I have in awhile, I'm glad to be a mommy and I'm ready to face the challenges before me that will happen during the day. Days like yesterday, well, I just want to run away and say forget this and possibly sleep for a week straight.

Yesterday, my sweet friend called to check on me. I felt like that call was not just a coincidence, but divinely orchestrated. She gave me many words of wisdom and hope, and for that I am grateful. I told her "In my (almost) 28 years, I have to say, this is by far the hardest time in a woman's life...well, my life so far." She agreed. Having a newborn, feeding every 3 hours, fighting exhaustion so heavy your eyes hurt, trying to train a toddler in the midst of that....all the while dealing with hormones and post partum....sometimes it feels too much to handle. But, today, I have hope and courage. I woke up and chose joy this morning and it has made a difference. And of course it helped that Ross took baby duty some last night so I could get a little sleep. What a prince he is!

Just a few thoughts on my mind today:

I have THE BEST husband ever. He has been a tremendous help and great support for me during this hard transition, sometimes being the voice of truth and reason, which is something I desperately need. I am so glad he is the one I will spend my life and grow old with.

I'm wondering why Jude still has a fever. He's had it for 4 days now. Neither of my boys feel well and it's really hard to watch them suffer like that. Ezra has this bad sneeze and cough and it is PITIFUL.

I had some quiet time to myself today and am extremely grateful.

I am also extremely grateful for my friends and family. I've been so blessed recently by those in my life and it helps make the days not so long.

The Biggest Loser is back on tonight!!! I have missed it...stupid Olympics.

I am aching to get out of the house! We're going on 5 days inside now, but with these boys being sick, I really can't get them out to do anything. Boo!

My sweet, sleeping boy! Wish I could sleep this well. :)

Pictures galore

2010-02-28T11:00:00.014-06:00

Who says you don't say as many pics of your second kid? We have gotten photos of everyone with Ezra who has come over, Jude and anyone else who gets in there. I haven't had time to edit them though, so the color is bad in some of them. Oh well! Here they are, nonetheless. Love my family!

Birthday boy!

2010-02-21T18:50:00.010-06:00

2 years ago today, my life changed forever. I was entering the unknown. I had given birth to this new little person, a person God gave specifically to me, and I was terrified. I had no idea what to do, how to take care of him...I didn't even know him yet. But, here he was. Here for us to love and raise.

He might have been considered an "accident." Although, I don't believe in accidents. He definitely wasn't planned, that's for sure. He was loved all the same. It took some adjustment, but we ironed out the kinks. We're still ironing out the kinks.

This parenting thing sure is a challenge, but its one of the greatest jobs on earth. I am enjoying it more than I could ever imagine. I didn't think I'd ever have kids. I sure am glad I did.

*Jude when he was just hours old*

The day of Jude's party...we had a little bubble action.

Some cake...mmm, spiderman cake!

A few gifts...
Playing with the gifts! His favorite gift...his spiderman bike!

Happy birthday, my son, my first born. You are truly one of a kind. Your personality is so darn cute and I have loved watching you become your own person. I thank God that He gave you to us and I look forward to watching you grow into the man He wants you to be. Thanks for being you, for making us laugh and showing us how to love like God loves. You are loved more than you know.