The Parsley Family

16 Years

2011-10-30T20:37:00.000-07:00

16 years ago I met this guy...

and I never looked back...

Baby Slings

2011-10-10T21:20:00.000-07:00

The contraption in the photo above, my friends, is what is known as a baby sling. It is what one uses when they have more children than they have hands, like me, (except my biggest baby is not in the picture and would protest being referred to as a baby) or when one needs to haul their giant sized cup of coffee with them to the annual fair day parade (also see photo above) Please see photo above while ignoring my seriously unstyled hair...

In all seriousness, Travis makes tons of fun of me everytime I haul out the baby sling. (this one is from Seven Slings but I also have one from Hotslings that is great too.) He starts mumbling something about "kangaroos" and such but I just ignore him and go on. Annie is very VERY attached to me and sometimes I need my hands free to do other things (like attend to Lil) and the sling allows her to be carried around constantly. I can vacuum the house, fold laundry, whatever.

BUT the handiest is at the grocery. See logistically, if Lil is in the cart and so is Annie, there is no where to put the GROCERIES...but if Lil is in the cart and Annie is in the sling...voila' room to put the milk and the bacon and the....well you get the picture.

Yeah for baby slings...yay for baby wearing...yay for happy babies in general

Seriously ABC...what is so funny about food allergies???

2011-10-01T17:48:00.000-07:00

Grrrr...please note, before you read this blog post, the mama bear in me is seriously coming out.

You were warned....As a mother of three I have next to no time to watch television. Granted, I catch many hours of Sesame Street, Dora and the like, but to sit down and watch a show without animated characters doesn't happen very often.

However, for some reason, my babies seem to go to bed early on Sunday evenings after the business of the weekends and I sometimes catch an episode of some random show. I just so happened to catch an episode of Brothers and Sisters on ABC about a year ago when a hurried stressed out mom encouraged her daughter to pack a peanut butter sandwich to school. When the daughter piped up that her school was nut free the mom just said in passing, "oh tell them it's soy butter." Not cool ABC. As a mom of a severely peanut allergic child and who benefits greatly from a nut free campus at his FANTASTIC school, an event like this could cause a great deal of harm to a child like mine.

So that irked me but I got over it.

Then Brothers and Sisters had another inappropriate comment about food allergies in an episode I didn't catch, but I did read an article about it. Seriously? Again? why are food allergies now considered free for all in the world of TV?

BUT...nothing in my opinion topped a few minutes of a show I caught on Wednesday night. All the kids were sick this week, as was Travis, so I had sat down in the recliner to try to coax Annie to sleep. In the opening minutes of the show "Happy Endings" there was a scene were a girl told her friends about her being severely allergic to shellfish, another boy said that he was...long story short...the girl got a shellfish slung on her and her "friend" said he lied about being allergic. All the while, another friend, jabbed her in the leg with an epipen and then rolled back over to watch TV. This makes me seriously angry because the whole segment was obviously meant to be very funny. As a Mom who has had to administer epinephrine to her small son on more than one occasion I can assure you, the instances in which that medication is necessary is anything but comical.

Not to mention that the show depicted the medication being given totally incorrectly. And anytime epi is administered the person needs to be taken (preferably by ambulance) to the closest ER.

I suppose in the grand scheme of things this is not a huge deal, but it just saddens me that an issue that is of huge concern to some children and adults alike is for some reason funny in today's society.

I can't imagine that a television show would poke fun at someone with another life threatening chronic condition and rightly so. So why is it funny that someone would be extremely allergic to a food? Do you realize that "allergic" doesn't have to mean just coughing and sneezing. It can mean some serious things like your body going into anaphylactic shock. Epinephrine is meant to be a LIFE SAVING medication and if not administered quickly enough the results can be fatal.

Just another reason for me to pass on by the night time shows airing on ABC. There are plenty of other moral reasons that I don't watch alot of those shoes, but stepping on the toes of people who suffer from a very real condition is just another one.

2011-09-23T05:44:00.000-07:00

This.week.

Sweet.Baby.Croup.Ear Infection.Sore.Throat.Fever.Cutting Molars.

Not.Fun.At.All.

Poor Annie

Not afraid to Use it

2011-09-07T19:39:00.000-07:00

Noah has a shot gun which he loves. I mean loves...however, he doesn't get to shoot it very much because he needs more than one adult preferably to supervise and both girls must be occupied in the house. But on Labor Day, Nana and Papa came over for chili and a hot dog roast. Lil was napping and Annie was occupied with Nana so Noah Thomas finagled Travis and Papa into taking him out shooting. Their target, a watermelon which got a little too ripe in the previously hot week.

Poor unsuspecting watermelon...

Then it was my turn...Dad and Travis totally didn't think I could hit it

They were wrong

Sometimes I wonder...

2011-09-01T10:37:00.000-07:00

As a Mom with a third baby who is just learning to walk, I watch her take her steps. Sometimes she's steady and sure of where she is going and she gets there with no troubles. Sometimes, she loses her balance, falls, and pulls her self right back up with no help from me. Sometimes she falls and I don't interfere even though she struggles a little, and I know that she will get back up on her own and it will make her stronger, more sure of herself. Sometimes, though, sometimes, she loses sight of where she is heading falls, gets up, falls again, and out of frustration she starts to cry and reaches for me to help pick her up.

Even though she could pick her self up again, sometimes, she just needs mommy or daddy's arms to pick her back up and tell her it is ok and she can do it.

It sometimes astounds me how much love I have for my children. And then I think about the fact that my heavenly father loves me even more than than.

It's hard for me to comprehend and I lose sight of it sometimes.

But I know that God knows my every step before I even take it. And he is with me when I fall, even when I get up and move ahead.

Sometimes when I fall (or fail) I feel like he is watching me, knowing that I am faltering, but that I will learn my lesson through my failures. As a Mother, sometimes I watch my children try the same thing over and over and experience failure over and over, and I wonder to myself, why won't they just try my way? instead of having so much trouble. Then I wonder if God doesn't feel the same way with his children. He sees us try our ways time and time again, when if we would come his way our paths are so much simpler.

But sometimes, when I fall and and feel like I can't get back up, that's when I can feel him picking me back up. And you know what? No matter what, no matter how many times I have fallen, everytime I reach for him, he's always there.

Thanks Bub

2011-08-31T05:47:00.000-07:00

My seven year old already thinks he is way too smart for his silly mother. He overheard me telling someone about how Annie is not a great sleeper at night.

When we got home, he looked at me very seriously, blinked a few times, straightened up his little glasses and said, "Mom, Annie is just nocturnal, that means she doesn't sleep at night."

Thanks Noah, Yes I am aware of what Nocturnal means.

So does that mean if she could sleep hanging upside down from a tree branch like a tiny fruit bat she would sleep? Hmmm... OK you know I am just kidding, well pretty much...

Awesome

2011-08-30T08:29:00.000-07:00

I'm pretty sure I am a ROCK STAR and didn't realize it...

Why...you ask?

My room is often trashed (albeit by sippy cups and toys) but trashed no less

There could easily be a broken lamp or table leg thrown in the mix

I am followed by a group of (tiny) roadies who will scream or cry for my attention if necessary and often cheer when I enter a room

Said roadies emulate everything I do...dress like me, wanna wear my makeup, etc etc

You can often find me in the morning with blurry blood shot eyes, tousled hair, toting a ridiculously large coffee mug

Last but not least

I am often up till the wee hours of the morning "rockin" with a little party animal who has no regard to the noise level that is appropriate for that hour of the night

See? Rock star...

Now...where's my entourage?

PS...the first one of you who leaves a comment referring to the fact that I am also 30 and refusing to cut my ridiculously long hair...you're off the list...HA!!!

So Glad to Know...

2011-08-09T12:08:00.000-07:00

I'm not the only Mommy who uses her remaining brain power for really important things like making up stories and playing tea party...and doesn't waste her remaining brain cells on things like remembering where she parked her car.

Why you ask?

I am the proud owner of a Silver Honda Pilot. Which yesterday happened to be parked directly across the parking lot from another Silver Honda Pilot.

I came out of the store and stood at my vehicle pressing my unlock button repeatedly and wondering why it wouldn't unlock and where did that license plate come from.

Ironically enough, there was another Mommy across the parking lot, pointing her key ring at MY silver pilot and wondering why it wouldn't unlock.

HA! We realized what we were doing at the same time and shared a good laugh.

Two words...Mommy brain

FYI

2011-08-04T18:42:00.000-07:00

Did you know that in the amount of time it takes to answer the telephone a three year old girl can scale up a shelf in the pantry and retreive an entire large container of HOT PINK sparkling decoration sugar and proceed to spill the ENTIRE contents on the kitchen table and hardwood floor?

Did you also know that you would still have sugar crystals stuck to your feet even after you have swept, vacuumed, and mopped?

Did you also know that such sugar attracts ants? Also before said sugar is cleaned up, mysteriously mandarin organge syrup would be dripped down the steps.

Yes, it's a fact. A mess that takes 10 seconds to make can take a day and a half to clean up! HA!

Why yes, it's been a fun day here, why do you ask?

Good night all! Just keepin' it real!

Help me Out...(Pretty Please)

2011-08-02T09:12:00.000-07:00

Hey friends...
I went to a great photo seminar in Nashville the other night and we did tons of new baby stuff. Problem is I need to print a few new ads with the new baby stuff and I need some newborns (less than 7 days old!) to do some quick sessions to use for a fall baby ad...

which brings me to the help part...if you are interested in your baby being a model for the ads, and would like to participate and you have a newborn or are due to deliver anytime before mid September leave me a comment with your email address and I'll send you some info.

I promise I will make this worth your time and effort! (hint..free stuff)

Second favor (sorry last one..I think) While at Nashville, I picked up a couple new backdrops and one I am wanting to do some sample shoots on would be perfect for a little boy less that 3...denim, cute hats, barefoot, easy peasy...no fancy outfits, just a few minutes of your time and it will be fun.

Thanks a million guys, and please only respond if you are OK with me using your child's photos in some email newsletters and some postcards (obviously their name, etc. will not be used!)

Annie is One!

2011-07-30T11:52:00.000-07:00

Ann Elizabeth turned one last Sunday on July 24th and we celebrated with a little hot pink and zebra party. She had a fun time at her party and did eat a little bit of cake...not much mind you, too messy, but enough to say it was her birthday cake.
Because of the other kids and the history of severe food allergies, we start new foods with Annie very very slowly, and up until now she has not been exposed to cow's milk, so I made and decorated her cake with no milk, no eggs, and no nuts. She tolerates soy fine so we made substitutions using soy milk and the cake was great.
Annie has not had her 12 month checkup yet so I"m not sure on all the statistics but here are a few facts about Little Sis at 1 year.

Annie wears some 9 months clothing and some 12 months.
She has 6 teeth and 2 more cutting through (four on top two on bottom)
She is very petite, and wears a size 3 diaper.
She still doesn't sleep through the night.
Is still exclusively breastfed, and also is starting some table foods. (PLain veggies, cereals, crackers, etc)
Did get to try out a plain hamburger from McDonalds and though it was delightful!
Says Mama, Dada, Bubby, Kitty, something that sounds like Lilly, git, byebye,
Is very timid and tenderhearted
Is scared of many animals and several stuffed animals.
Looks very similar to Noah at 12 months but is much smaller than he was.
She still has a few issues with eczema on her elbows, wrists, knees, but not bad at all.
She is a generally happy sweet baby, and loves to be held and rocked and packed and spoiled!
Loves her brother and sister and is very interested in everything they do.
Loves Daddy but is very much a Mommy's girl at heart.

Summer Fun

2011-07-21T19:36:00.000-07:00

We got to spend a little time at Uncle Scott and Aunt Kelli's new pool last week when they had the family over. Needless to say, the kids LOVE it. Everyone had a great time and after much coaxing even Lilly went down the slide.

2011-07-21T19:31:00.000-07:00

Perfect for the 4th

2011-06-28T19:35:00.000-07:00

Many of you may have seen on facebook but at the studio I am starting to offer a few new lines. I am now carrying a line of boutique frames and am going to occasionally be adding children's outfits and accessories. Just thought I'd post a quick photo of the first outfit that will arrive on Friday (just in time for July 4th and all the summer festivities)

Boutique Brand Mudpie

Available in 0-6 months 12-18months and 2t-3t $24.00

These will be at the studio on Friday and can be picked up Fri or Sat or I can arrange to meet you to deliver.

Perfect for summer photos

Email me at jparsley@windstream.net if you want one!

Unhappy

2011-06-21T10:37:00.000-07:00

Lilly Grace now has bangs...

-I did not give her bangs

-Nor did any other hairdresser

-she says Bubby did it

-Bubby says she did it

-I told them Jesus knew who was lying

-as does Santa Claus

-Bangs on Lilly makes me unhappy

That is All

I Know She's Mine But...

2011-05-19T12:46:00.000-07:00

As the heading reads, I know this baby is mine but, she really is the sweetest little thing ever...

Just wanted to make a quick post about some of Annie's little milestones I don't want to forget.

She's 9 months now and she really is a petite little thing. She's in the 26th percentile for height and weight and is wearing size 6 to 9 month clothes and size 2 or 3 diapers. She has just in the last week cut her top two front teeth (which she ran a small fever and had diarrhea along with!)

She is eating baby food, puffs, and cheerios and can eat a real banana. She loves cheerios and puffs the most along with her cereal. She's OK with baby food but would prefer puffs!
She still has an occasional touch of eczema on the bends of her ankles, but the rest of her skin is doing well as long as we stick to the scent free dye free detergent's, soaps, etc (which we do for the bigger kids anyway)

She really loves her big brother, likes to watch lilly from a distance (HA) likes to play with Daddy but is really a Mommy's girl at heart. She likes to know that I'm near and sleeps wedged right up next to me. She is still getting up alot during the night, but she is a lot like Noah as a baby and he was just not a sound sleeper and neither is she. Lil was a champion sleeper, the other two not so much! But it passes so we're dealing!

Most people say she looks like me or Noah and I must agree (her baby pictures look alot like mine!) She definitely has the "Stevenson" look.

She is crawling like a manwoman and does the funniest thing. She cocks one leg up under her when she crawls like she would like to stand up any minute. She is also pulling up and I think will be crusing the furniture any day.

She is the only one of my children who have ever had to be strapped into their high chair. The other two would sit like they were supposed to. Annie has figured out how to pull up and sit on the tray, she's a little monkey!

Anyway, she does have the sweetest little disposition unless you try to take her too far from her Mommy and then she will let you know about it, and I kind of like it that way! HA!

what did we ever do without our sweet youngest baby? Love this girl

7 more days...

2011-05-18T20:13:00.000-07:00

Yikes...I counted up the days of school left and it's SEVEN. Seven more school days until I officially have a second grader...meaning one more school year has come and gone! And not to mention that this year has brought many changes to my baby boy... like he has had his first sleepover with the "guys", he is very aware of what is cool and what is not, he cares about his clothes, like alot, and also breaks into his Daddy's cologne every morning before school... hmm...not so sure about this grown up boy stuff. He also wanted me to stop signing the notes I pack in his lunch box as "mommy" and just sign it as "mom." I know the next thing will be he doesn't want notes in his lunchbox at all. He also informed Nana that she can't call him "Baby" at school. Poor Mom and me, we'll take to our beds I suppose when he has his first date. HA!

But seven or fifty-seven...this cool guy will always be my BABY...whether he'll admit it or not....

I do have to add on a funny little note about Noah I don't want to forget. He thought he would surely die before the dance recital was over on Sunday. He perked up long enough to watch his sister and then he wanted to see his buddies Mollie and Macy, but the rest of the recital he thought he would surely perish before it was over...and the fact that he had to wear his church clothes during the entire program was more than his little heart could bear. HA! Note to self....a three hour long dance recital is not high on the agenda of most enjoyed activities of a first grade boy! Now keep in mind that his sister has endured several hours worth of basketball and baseball games as his biggest supporter, but nonetheless one dance recital just about did Noah in.

Dance Recital 2011

2011-05-16T18:14:00.000-07:00

Yesterday marked the big event that Miss Lilly has been working toward since August...the dance "cital" as she called it. We went to dance every Friday morning for the past 9 or so months and she has really enjoyed it. She didn't always do what she was exactly supposed to in class and spent a little more time socializing that I would have liked, but never the less, she made it to the recital. We went for dress rehearsal on Tuesday night and I was so proud of my baby! She did so well and looked so sweet on stage I could have cried! When the big day came on Sunday, my friend Stephanie warned me of the chaos that was a dance recital, and let me tell you, she was right. There was hair, and makeup, and costume drama, and trying to find a parking spot on campus and then it rained some, but we made it and the show went off without a hitch. Lilly was beautiful, and to be a little 3 year old performing on a huge stage in front of a huge crowd, she did awesome!!!

Lilly had a great cheering section, of me and Daddy, Noah, Annie, Nana, Papa, Pappaw, Granny, Aunt Beth, And Uncle Nick and Aunt Brooke.

It was a fun day and our little ballerina was so worn out she came home and took a 4 hour nap and then woke up to eat some cookies and went to bed for the night. HA! It's hard work to be a superstar!

Mother's Day Eve...

2011-05-07T20:09:00.000-07:00

Just thinking about the precious boy who made me a Mommy seven years ago and how time has flown since this photo was taken. From the second he bounded into my world, he changed everything for me. I went from being me to being someone's Mom. From that second on, I've never looked back. I don't know what I did before him, and I can't fathom what I would do without him and his sweet baby sisters. They are my entire world.
Right now, my days from morning until night consist of what they want and need. I know that these days are all too fleeting and someday I will miss the days when someone needs a drink of water or another hug or one more story. So for all of you Mommy's out there, Happy Mother's Day.

I should probably seek some help...

2011-05-05T19:42:00.000-07:00

I mean seriously, it's crazy...even ridiculous I know...

they don't have to match everywhere we go...

but it's

Darn

CUTE

I'm sure there is a twelve step program somewhere

Let me know

2011-04-18T08:44:00.000-07:00

In light of some alarming recent events, my family blog will be going private in one week. I also will be limiting the use of my private facebook account. If you wish to be added to the list of email addresses allowed to be able to read my blog please leave me your email address in a comment or email me at jparsley@windstream.net. Thanks!

Not So Much

2011-02-08T08:02:00.000-08:00

Eating in theory sounds great to Ann Elizabeth. She watches us with great interest...gets really excited when it looks yummy, even will reach for a stray bite, however...

She has yet to find any baby food concoction she enjoys. She detests rice cereal, doesn't like squash, sweet potatoes, bananas (which were the favorites of my older two). Seriously, she hates it all. Gags, spits, shivers her little head back and forth. She'll just take breastmilk thank you very much...

According to Dr. Simmons at her 6 month checkup she is growing "beautifully!" She is in the 46th percentile for height, 45th for weight and is developing right on schedule. So I'm not worried about it in the least. She will eventually find food she likes and until then we'll keep trying. It would have worried the life out of me if Noah had refused baby food, but with her I know she'll get to it when she is ready and for now she's right on schedule (and has the baby fat rolls to prove it!)

Doctor Visits

2011-01-31T20:04:00.000-08:00

Today's daily adventure was to return to the pediatrician's office with both girls. It was loads of fun....it consisted of a followup RSV check for Annie (who has been sick with the yucky virus for going on 8 days now) and the second part of Lilly's flu vaccine.

Annie is great. Her ears were healed, her lungs sound clear, she is still hanging on to a cough that sounds truly brutal, but she is in better spirits and I'm convinced, as is our pediatrician, that she is on the mend. Collective sigh of relief...

Lilly spent the morning in creative thought as to how to prevent having to go get her second flu shot. She asked me this morning if she had to get a shot (which she asks every time we have to go to the doctor) and I didn't want to lie to her, so I told her yes, one small one and it would be over. She then wailed (as do I when shots are mentioned). She then over the course of the car ride to the clinic asked me if we could go to Maggie's house, McDonalds, Papa's, or Walmart, in no certain order. All aforementioned destinations seemed a better way to spend one's time than at the doctor's office. Thankfully, Daddy met us at the clinic to lend a hand with the girlies.

Lilly was fine with the idea of shots, once we got there and seemed resigned to the fact that it was going to happen. All went well until the shot nurse came into the room.

Lilly fired questions at the poor lady like a drill sargeant...

"Do you have the shots?"

"Are they big?"

"Do me go first?"

"Will it hurt?"

"Is it a needle?"

And the question of the day that is so truly Lilly was...

"Can you save one of dose for Bubba?"

Yes, ever the good sister she is. This is the girl that would rather bite her brother's fingers off than to share her snacks. I literally had to break them off each other one Sunday at church over a stupid ziploc bag of goldfish crackers, but shots, yes, shots she will gladly share. Ahh, the love of a sister for her brother

Sisters

2011-01-26T12:36:00.000-08:00

Oh the worry these two little heartbreakers will cause their dear old Daddy some day...

I asked him the other day if he ever thought about their proms, or weddings, etc...he looked a little green and wishes I would never mention it again.

Oh yes, one day some handsome boy will no doubt catch their eyes, but for now, their Hearts Belong to Daddy...

Updating

2011-01-21T02:37:00.000-08:00

Dear Faithful Readers,

most blogs I read when the say they are behind on blogging they say they are "slackers" lol! I am most certainly behind on my blog but indeed lately I have been anything but a "slacker". We have had so much going on in the Parsley household that I think my best bet is to start current and backdate for my "scrapbooking" purposes. Hmm where to begin...

The latest big news at the Parsley house is that sweet Ann Elizabeth cut her first tooth! We found it on Sunday (the 16th). She had not been sleeping well at all and was very fussy. All three kids were sick with sinus infection type symtoms and she had one as well and ran a fever so I wasn't sure if the fussiness was for the illness or the tooth, probably a little of both. But I think she is working on some more!

Also, on the 13th my baby boy turned seven years old! How on Earth we got here so fast I'll never know!

As his birthday gift we took him to see Monster Jam in Nashville along with my cousins Nick and Brooke and their oldest son, Conner. Needless to say the boys had a blast. We ate at Cracker Barrel and then headed to the event. We ended up being in the front row! We came home with a Grave Digger shirt and some great memories!

Then on his actual birthday Noah wanted to have tacos, so I cooked tacos and make him a birthday cake and we had the grandparents over.

We wrapped up birthday celebrations with Noah having his first ever sleepover on Friday. He invited Evan and Jarrett over to spend the night and the boys had a blast. Travis brought home pizza and they camped out in their sleeping bags in Noah's room. They played a lot of Star wars, watched TV, played their Nintendo DS and rough housed like little boys will do. It was very special to have these two boys over for our first sleepover, because they have all literally been friends since they were born. Now they are all getting so big, but honestly I couldn't have picked any three sweeter boys to spend my evening with. I really liked having our house busy with the sound of happy little boys!

Also for my record here are some facts about Noah on his seventh birthday:

-Noah is all "boy". His loves include, UK, basketball, Star Wars, camo, his new rifle, his Bow, playing outside, and all things animal (He loves to watch Man versus wild with his Dad)

-He LOVES his baby sister and loves to hold her and get her to laugh

-He plays well with Lilly about half the time and the other half they fight (I"m told this is normal)

-He enjoys school but does not love homework

-He is very loving to his family (He is so close to all his grandparents, loves his aunts and uncles, and cousins, and loves to spend time with them)

-He lost his bottom two teeth but most people never noticed, because his permanent teeth had already come in behind his baby teeth!

-He is very particular about his clothing (and would love in jeans and tshirts)

-He is just a great, funny, rambunctious boy!

-Still occasionally mixes up and uses the funniest words (arguvating, frinkles...etc)

12th Anniversary

2010-12-26T13:53:00.000-08:00

Funny how your anniversaries change over the years. We used to celebrate our anniversary by a weekend trip to the Smokies or to a nice quiet restaurant or the like. This year, we spent our anniversary taking our munchkins sledding with family and then we wrapped up the day at Pizza Hut! It was a fun day...

We have a limited number of anniversaries to celebrate with our kids being small. We have the rest of our lives to celebrate just the two of us!

Lil Makes me laugh

2010-12-08T21:17:00.000-08:00

Lilly is a constant source or entertainment... seriously she makes me laugh out loud all the time.

For example, we put her to bed last night and I'm working in the office (which adjoins her bedroom) I can hear her singing to herself her rendition of Rudolph the Red nosed reindeer. It goes like this, "You know Dasher and Comet and Colin and George..." then she stops and "scolds" herself, "No, George not a weindeer" ...I laughed forever...

Then today I'm folding laundry and she saunters in and says, "Mommy you know dose noonles I had lesterday?" (referring to homemade mac and cheese I made her) "I wan summa dose and then I take my nap...fanks..."

saunters back out and waits for said macaroni to be cooked

she's just funny...you have to know her...she also compliments total strangers on their jewelry and purses. And she doesn't "like" anything, it's I LOVE that...

Black Friday?

2010-12-05T21:24:00.000-08:00

This year black friday was kind of a white friday! We awoke to a little dusting of snow, but of course the kiddos acted like it had snowed a foot. They were dying to go play in the snow at 6 am that morning. I did manage to hold them off until about 9 but then they were ready to bundle up and go play a little in the first snow of the season.

On a note about Black Friday, I did NOT brave the traffic or the early morning rush to score some deals. That used to be right up my alley but anymore, I must say I enjoyed getting some black friday deals online while sitting in my sweats and sipping my hot coffee!!!

Thanksgiving 2010

2010-11-26T21:16:00.000-08:00

The "kid" table!

Noah and Lil "helping" Nana get the turkey ready to go in the oven

Aunt Beth and Colin

Thanksgiving this year was great. Busy as usual, but fun. The last several years our tradition has been to cook dinner here at our house with Mom and Dad and then several other family attends as well. We spent the day eating, laughing, cooking, and enjoying being together with family.

Scarecrows Galore!

2010-11-13T21:05:00.000-08:00

Last week the first grade classes performed a little "scarecrow" skit and song and dance at the November PTO meeting. The kids got to dress up as scarecrows and perform for the audience. I must say it was very very cute. Noah loved it!

Veteran's Day

2010-11-11T16:04:00.000-08:00

Thankful today for all of the veterans past and present. Both my grandfathers served in the military as did one of Travis' grandparents. Can't imagine the sacrifice all of our military has made to stand for our freedom. Here is some artwork Noah drew to celebrate the day

Happy Halloween!!

2010-10-31T19:13:00.001-07:00

Well we have had a full but fun-filled Halloween weekend. The festivities started on Thursday when I spent the day making and decorating cupcakes for Noah's class party. On Friday, he got to wear his "Annakin Skywalker" costume to school and I left the girls with Pappaw Randy so I could go to his class party. We went to a bonfire with some church friends that night. Then Saturday morning after I got back from BG we took the kids to Creekside Nursery to get some pumpkins to carve. Travis and Noah spent the rest of the afternoon carving pumpkins and then we loaded up our little spooks to do some Trick or Treating! It was a long evening by the time we went to all of our stops but it was fun! OK it was fun until the baby decided she had had ENOUGH and got a little cranky...

We ended up the night with great family and friends at a bonfire at Daniel and Allie's house. We've spent today recuperating from all of the excitement! Enjoy the pics of our Anakin, Princess Belle, and Supergirl!!!

Oh and just a note about the first photo, most the time when we go to get pumpkins I like to dress the kiddos in coordinating fall clothes and take pictures. This year Daddy got them ready to go since I was at a meeting that morning, hence the blue jeans, boots, and hoodies! He also didn't bring my camera so I had to use the old iPhone...but it's still a sweet picture!

Ann Elizabeth 3 months

2010-10-26T18:25:00.000-07:00

Miss Annie turned three months old on October 24th! Here is what she is up to these days...

Annie still naps alot during the day but is sleeping during the night from about 9 pm to around 3 am. She gets up at either 3 or 4 to eat and then normally goes back to sleep until around 6:30 and then she's up for an hour or so and ready to take another long morning nap! She's still exclusively breastfed but she also does pretty well with a bottle (she prefers Playtex drop-ins) She truly loves her paci's (Nuk or Mams) but she does have a little trouble keeping them in and when she loses then it makes her very angry!

She is still having some stomach issues (spitting up, fussiness, etc...) but she is taking Zantac twice a day and it seems to help some. She still eats about every 2 1/2 to 3 hours during the day. She still prefers to be wrapped in a blankie or swaddled to sleep. She is not a big fan of riding in the car seat!

She is wearing size 0/3 month clothes and a few things that are 3 to 6 months are starting to fit. She's wearing a size 1 or 2 diaper as well. She hasn't lost any hair yet but she is filling out alot! The baby acne and cradle cap seem to have gone away, and aside from having very sensitive skin and a few dry patches she is doing well.

She likes her bath time and she LOVES to look at her mobile. She will lay and kick and goo at her mobile and sometimes if she has her blankie and paci she will doze off to sleep. She still prefers to sleep wrapped up in her yellow rocker/glider chair or with Mommy, but we're working on transitioning to the crib in our bedroom!

She has really turned on her personality this month. She loves to be talked to and she is very smily and will goo and squeal alot as well as laugh a little out loud. She can now roll from front to back and she tries her very best to sit up and does really well with head and neck control. Her favorite thing right now is probably for someone to walk around the house with her and let her sit straight up and look at stuff!

She thinks her Daddy and her brother and sister are the funniest people on the Earth! She is still a Mommy's girl though especially if she's tired...with is just fine with me. She does very well going out places and she has done very well at church so far! Yay Annie! She's growing so fast and I can't wait to post pics of her in her little halloween costume.

Long Overdue...

2010-10-25T19:52:00.000-07:00

Lilly Grace is 3!!!

Our little "Lil" as we often refer to her turned 3 on September 26th. She celebrated by having attending church that morning and later having lunch at home with the grandparents. We had chili and cupcakes (which she wore alot of...) and then she got her gift from Mommy and Daddy. (A pink Polaris Outlaw...which truthfully suits her to a tee!)

Later that day we celebrated with a few friends at Chuck E. Cheese. We had attended Maggie's birthday there earlier in the Spring and ever since Lilly had declared she wanted her birthday there. Also, she has never been scared of a character...not there not at Disney, nowhere. However, the excitement of the party must have gotten to her because when it got to her big moment for Chuck E to come out...she got panic-stricken and ran away to the jungle gym where me and Travis had to coax her out. A great memory to retell when she is about 16 or so!

Anyway, since this blog is kind of my digital scrapbook (since heaven knows I don't have time to keep a real scrapbook) Here are a few facts about sis as a three year old.

Lilly is in the 75 percent for height and 99th percentile for weight. She is apparently going to be a tall/big girl. She wears a 4t in clothes and a size 10 shoe. She loves Belle, Max and Ruby, Little Bear, the color yellow and all things girly. She also can make a mean mud pie and can keep up with big brother no problem. Her favorite things to do right now are to work puzzles, play play-doh, color, play outside, watch cartoons, play baby dolls, hold her baby sister and eat. She loves ravioli, chicken, gravy and biscuits, etc etc. (the girl likes to eat....)

She could care less what she wears and will wear anything I put on her without a word (unlike her big brother!) But when she is all dressed up she has to check herself out in the full length mirror and then go find her Daddy and wait until he tells her how pretty she is. She has very curly hair, very long eyelashes, and right now her eyes are dark blue. To me she looks alot like her Daddy but most people think she looks like me.

She is a CHARACTER for sure. She can go from being the sweetest girl in the world one second to being a rascal the next. She is busy busy busy...waking at around 6 am and taking a two hour afternoon nap, then going strong until around 8:30pm. She has a quick temper to say the least.

Some of the things I never want to forget about her at this age is that when she is sleepy she holds her cheeks, and loves to feel my arms or neck when she is being rocked to sleep. She still loves her paci and she is about 90% potty trained. She still loves to have her milk in a sippy cup heated up. She is very much still our baby and we let her be...she'll grow up soon enough!

FEAST Halloween Party

2010-10-23T09:03:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday we attended FEAST's annual "food-free" Halloween party. FEAST is the support group for food allergies that we have been involved with since Noah was diagnosed. Every year they plan a small Halloween party for the kids with lots of fun activities but there is no snacks or food so the kids don't have to worry about not being able to eat what everyone else can eat.

They had lots of fun making crafts, playing games, and gathering up goodies for their treat bags. They also had a blast dressing up, even though Noah's real halloween costume hadn't arrived yet, he made do with his soldier costume.

Fifteen years ago...

2010-10-22T19:33:00.000-07:00

Fifteen Years ago on October 21st I started dating an older boy....

I was fourteen years old and not allowed to officially "date" and he was seventeen. I got so tired of everyone telling me how young we were...

Today I am a few months from thirty and wonder how I got here so fast

Fifteen years ago I wore his class room with a huge amount of yarn wrapped around the back and today I've replaced that class ring with a wedding band.

Fifteen years ago I moved all my stuff from the freshman hall to the senior hall and we shared a locker. Today we share a house that he built with his own hands exactly the way I wanted it.

Fifteen years ago I used to daydream about what our children would look like and what we would name them...today I wake up everyday to their three precious faces

Fifteen years ago I thought I had never seen brown eyes as sweet as his were...

Today I look in the same eyes in the face of my son and know I was wrong.

Fifteen years ago I thought that older boy would never love another girl as much as he loved me... Today I am amazed at how much he loves his two baby girls

Fifteen years ago I thought time crept so slowly until we got to see each other again

Today when I tuck our children into bed I silently wish with all my heart that time would slow down.

Fall Consignment Sale

2010-10-13T20:29:00.000-07:00

Annie 2m

2010-09-24T22:39:00.000-07:00

Sweet Annie turned two months old on September 24th. Just a few little notes so I don't forget these precious memories!!!

Annie weighed 11 pounds and 4 ounces at her two month check up, where she got her first vaccines which made her HORRIBLY fussy for two or three days...

She was put on a very low dose of Zantac to see if it helped her mild case of reflux ( I couldn't really tell a difference!)

At two months Annie could still wear a few newborn outfits but was mostly transitioning to 0-3 month clothing and size one diapers. Nursing every 3 hours and only waking up once or twice a night to eat. She generally wakes up at around 6 and then goes back for a long morning nap around 8 or so...

She grins alot too!

At seven weeks she got a SEVERE case of baby acne that lasted about 2 weeks or so and finally subsided! It was followed by a case of cradle cap (which both her brother and sister had at this age as well!) Her skin is very sensitive to soaps, detergents, etc so we only use fragrance free and dye free to wash her as well as all of our laundry too!

She is such a sweet baby, and we are so blessed to have her be a part of our lives!

Yard Sale

2010-09-16T07:44:00.001-07:00

Hey everyone..me and Stephanie Cassady are having a yard sale here at the house on Saturday starting at 7 am if it doesn't rain. We are having lots of "stuff". However, this is not the fall children's consignment sale. It is tentatively scheduled for the weekend of Oct 16th. Thanks!

Words Can't Express

2010-09-12T19:49:00.000-07:00

What I feel when I look at this photo...

Hold Me Closer Tiny Dancer...

2010-09-08T10:09:00.000-07:00

So last year sis gave Baby Ballet a whirl and it was what one would call ummm... interesting...

She was barely two years old and she was bound and determined to do the opposite of what the rest of the class was doing. It resulted in me chasing her alot around the dance studio and pulling her off of Ms. Martha's furniture. So last year we became Baby Ballet dropouts.

However, we decided to give dance another shot this year so that Lilly would have an activity to get out and socialize with some other girls once a week (not to mention that her buddy Maggie is in class). So far so good....Lilly really likes getting dressed up in her tutu and ballet slippers (her dancing cwothes and she says) and she asks me every day if it's the day to go dance with Miss Martha. I really hope she continues to like it. I am enjoying watching her!

Genius I Tell You...

2010-08-31T15:17:00.000-07:00

So....remember the post about Annie being a little "sensitive" to things? Being unwrapped, having her diaper changed, generally anything that messes up her routine she rewards with a large fuss fest...

Fast forward to Saturday...she had fussed all day and all night and all day again. I didn't set the child down for at least 36 hours seriously. I went to the bathroom with my infant daughter perched crying on my lap (wait is that too much information?) She was so unhappy and very little I did soothed her. We took a trip to Kroger to restock the Mylicon drops, etc and I spied the book The Happiest Baby on the Block by Dr. Harvey Karp. I recalled somewhere in my sleep deprived mind that a couple of people had recommended the book to me at one time so I picked it up thinking I'd read it while I rocked the unhappy Ann Elizabeth.

SERIOUSLY... why didn't I have this book 7 years ago?!? He basically gives you the formula for calming your unhappy newborn and it has yet to fail me in the past 3 days.

There is specific instructions for swaddling, motion, etc and some really down to Earth advice of feeding schedules, etc. It is great.

This is not exaggerated....Annie was in mid fit the first time I tried Dr. Karp's swaddle method. Before I could even get her picked up her eye lids were nearly closed and she was GRINNING at me and had happily spit out the paci. She then proceeded to take a three hour nap in her crib while I made supper. What???

So please if you learn nothing from the blog...if you are expecting a baby, have a baby younger than 4 months old or know someone who fits this description GO BUY THIS BOOK AND READ IT IMMEDIATELY. You can thank me later...I like chocolate and purses and cash....

Noah Thomas

2010-08-26T12:36:00.000-07:00

Since I did my little Annie update for the last post I realized that I hadn't posted anything about my eldest offspring in a while...

Anyone who knows Noah knows that he is a one of a kind kid....

Noah....

-Loves frogs, bugs, creepy crawlies of all varieties

-loves to dig in the dirt or build stuff outside

-Loves iCarly, Big Time Rush, and Spongebob

-Loves his Nana more than life itself (has asked to live with her and me and Daddy just come visit on occasion...)

-has very severe peanut/tree nut allergies

-has a severe egg allergy that has IMPROVED over the past year (YEAH!!!)

-likes UK...shares his Daddy's disdain for UofL

-has a quick temper but is a sweet heart too

-is so smart he is going to pass me up at around 2nd grade

-has the sweetest brown eyes and freckles

-has never lost a tooth but has recently sprouted two permanent teeth BEHIND his baby teeth

-loves FAKE TATTOOS with a passion

-thinks that the Dollar Store and Walmart are awesome

-loves spaghetti

-collects random things (watches, etc and stows them in his desk just like his Papa Tommy...)

-stole my heart six years ago when he made me his Mommy!

-has a great group of buddies that I hope he loves as much 20 years from now than he does now!

One Month

2010-08-24T12:30:00.001-07:00

My Sweet Annie is one month old today. It has truly flown by. What is our little angel up to?

At one month Annie....

-nurses very well every 3 to 4 hours

-is difficult to burp (we are using some mylicon occasionally)

-wears a size newborn swaddler diaper

-wears newborn sized clothing

-still can't wear socks on her long skinny feet without losing them

-likes her paci

-likes to suck her thumb when she finds it

-loves to be swaddled but is starting to tolerate being unwrapped

-is starting to smile at people

-loves to look at light fixtures/ceiling fans

-is a really big fan of her mommy and daddy

-likes big brother and sister most of the time

-likes baths until you wash her hair

-despises to be wet or dirty

-loves to be cuddled

-sleeps for 3 to 4 hour stretches at night

-has awake alert periods at around 6 am and 3 pm

-has stolen the hearts of her mom and dad completely

-did well with her first photo session

-has had a couple of trips to Nana and Papa's

-is gearing up to hopefully go to church for the first time in a couple weeks

Just Me

2010-08-17T11:25:00.000-07:00

What I Am NOT...

patient

organized

athletic

quiet

laid back

skinny

blond

tall

tan

a college graduate

perfect

a sister

What I AM...

loud

messy

brunette

funny

impatient

wife

mother of 3

daughter

friend

only child

spoiled

thankful

Most of you know me well...feel free to add to the list

Battle Scars

2010-08-16T07:39:00.000-07:00

Isn't there a saying about the experience of a good soldier doesn't come in training but "in the trenches"? I really think this is the case with a good mother too.

I'll save you the details but lets just say I had some in the trenches training this morning that involved an almost potty trained two year old, a leaky pull up, explosive diarrhea, two legs, back, feet, a couch, rug, and some sponge bob pajamas...need I say more?

However, I'm chalking this up to a good morning...why you ask? When I was a first time mommy I would have totally come unhinged with the task at hand...this morning as a mommy of three? I just sighed ran a bubble bath for the offender and got out the Lysol....

Have a great morning friends!

Busy Days

2010-08-12T08:21:00.000-07:00

I had forgotten how busy you stay with a newborn and seemingly accomplish very little. I think it has been a successful day when all three of us girls at home are changed out of our pajamas, have gotten baths or showers and have our bellies full....

I do try to do a couple of loads of laundry a day, and I make it to the phone when it rings at least 60% of the time (that's good right?) My sweet husband puts laundry away when he gets home and getting supper on the table right now is a tag team effort which consists of a lot of convenience foods (hello tater tots which Lilly lovingly refers to as polka dots...)

Dishes get done at least by 10 pm.

So that's good enough for me, the rest of my time my hands, and lap (and heart) is full of my three precious kids and that's plenty to say that it's been a good day!

What's Your Opinion?

2010-08-10T18:37:00.001-07:00

I know that both girls looks alike (or they did when Lil was a newborn). But even I am amazed at the similarities in their newborn photos. Lilly's eyes are a little different but their hair, noses, and lips look identical to me. Compare the photos above (the top is Lilly Grace the bottom is Ann Elizabeth). I have had a few people say that Annie looks just like Noah but to me the similarities are more towards Lilly.

On a funny note, Noah keeps saying he hopes Annie's hair is straight. When I ask him why he says, "You know not crazy like Lilly's" and does his hands in a crazy all around gesture, which I must say, sums up his sisters hair in a nutshell.

Lil was very sweet this week towards her big brother. While we were eating lunch the other day out of the blue she said, "I miss bubby, bubby is my best fwiend." And then when Nana got home with him today she told her, "Thank you for bringing my bubby back!" It was too sweet. Or course they were fighting like cats and dogs about five seconds flat after that, but I take the sweet moments while they last!

Swaddling

2010-08-09T19:01:00.000-07:00

Swaddling...hmm an age old idea I suppose (considering the reference to Jesus being wrapped in swaddling clothes and being laid in a manger). The swaddling I'm referring to, however, is the way that the hospitals and pediatricians recommend that a newborn be wrapped snugly and securely in a blanket so that they feel safe and comforted.

I listened somewhat to the swaddling argument when Noah was an infant. However, I never could successfully recreate the "swaddle" tight enough to suffice. Noah was always able to kick and squirm out of his blanket and I being a first time Mom refused to even put him in the crib with a light receiving blanket for fear of him suffocating from it. So I gave up the swaddling (and the putting him in his crib for that matter). The child never slept through the night until he hit 18 months old. He awoke several times a night and slept in the recliner with me or Travis, in our bed, in his bouncy, carseat, etc. We were just desperate for sleep, we slept anywhere we could!

Then Miss Lil came along and being the calm baby that she was, she never needed swaddling. She was content to be fed and would sleep anywhere and everywhere for long stretched at a time, with a blanket, or without, she really didn't care. She started sleeping through the night very early on and did very well transitioning to her crib, except for short bouts of wakefulness during teething or ear infections.

Now Miss Annie has made her arrival and we are becoming swaddling experts. Annie seems a little more sensitive to her surroundings than her siblings. She definitely loves to be swaddled (and after watching several times in the hospital I think we've mastered the wrap). She loves it so much that she totally rebels to anyone who holds her and has the audacity to unwrap her to look at her. She will reward you with a fuss rather quickly! Yep, she loves to be swaddled tightly, with her tiny little pacifier, and if she gets her way she would prefer to be held on Mommy's shoulder (but she is becoming accustomed to Daddy too)

There has been quite a few times that she has been very fussy and crying, and we have made sure her diaper is dry and then we take our trusty receiving blanket and swaddle her tightly and get her paci, and she quiets down and is out like a light in just a few minutes.

So I am now a firm believer in this swaddling method. I suppose the theory that it mimics the comfort they felt in the womb, is correct because it sure seems to do the trick for Annie. That along with her bear that has a heartbeat sound and we have a good 3 or 4 hour stretch of sound sleep at a time, that is until it's time to eat again!

Ann Elizabeth

2010-08-08T20:19:00.001-07:00

Takes our breath away...

2010-08-08T20:18:00.001-07:00

2010-08-08T20:18:00.000-07:00

Back to Reality?

2010-08-05T17:00:00.000-07:00

In case my last two posts have you thinking my life is all peaches and cream, I forgot to tell you about some of our luck...as in you know the Saturday that tiny Miss Priss was born (yep the same day that her Daddy had the stomach virus and had to miss out on her first day of life...yep that same day) that very day the hot water heater at the salon decided to malfunction and flood the back room. Awesome, that only set us back $350... It was fun...

Today has brought some more fun...while I was feeding the baby in the living room, Lilly (in five seconds flat) uses her frog potty to climb up to the kitchen counter and get the pitcher of tea, the coffee pot (it wasn't hot) and a mug and proceeds to spill sweet tea all over the floor...on the bright side, I did find out I was ambidextrous enough to hold a newborn baby in one arm and mop the kitchen floor with the other arm, all while keeping a two year old in time out!

In the midst of the chaos my beloved washing machine (really I mean beloved I really do like my washing machine) started making a noise that sounded like rapid machine gun fire. I investigated and decided something had come loose in it or my son had stuffed some random trinket so far in his blue jeans pocket that it had come loose during the spin cycle and lodged itself in the innards of my washer. (Did I just use the word innards on my blog?)

So in case any of you were getting tired of my blissful state of falling in love with my newborn daughter, I just thought I'd record for history some of the not so pleasant moments of my week, which in the grand scheme of things are really not that bad at all...

Our New Normal

2010-08-02T12:04:00.001-07:00

Wow the past week has brought lots of changes to the Parsley house. A week ago today we brought sweet Annie home from the hospital. We've all been getting adjusted to having a newborn in the house again. Thankfully, Travis was able to take off all last week so I could get some rest and recuperate and we could all try to get in a routine of sorts.

I am so happy to report that the big kids are doing great in their new roles. They have been better than I expected and the biggest problem is they want to love on Annie so much I have to remind them that we can't hold her and kiss her all the time...although I have to admit Travis and I kind of do the same thing! It's funny that you forget how in love you fall with this tiny thing. And that's what we've spent the last week doing. Holding our tiniest baby and loving on her and wondering why they can't stay this size just a little while longer.

I have also had a welcome break from cooking this week. My dear friends and family have brought us over dinner every night last week and it has been wonderful! They were all so thoughtful and brought things the kids could eat (which is sometimes no small feat due to their multiple allergies!) I can't even begin to express how much we appreciated all the meals. They were delicious!!!!

Last Thursday I had to take Miss Annie back to the pediatrician for a quick weight recheck. She had lost some weight in the hospital and got down to 6 lbs 11 Oz's (normal for a breastfed baby) but by Thursday she had gained 4 ounces in 3 days (which we were happy with). She has taken to nursing very well and her sleeping routine is getting better every night. Last night she slept for two long 4 hour stretches and woke once in between to eat.

Last but not least, today was Noah's first day of first grade! He came home and informed me that he liked it alot and liked his new teacher, Miss Monica. He looked like such a big boy heading out this morning!

I realize that's a whole lot of details you all may not be interested in but I mainly do this blog to scrapbook my family stuff and I print it out so I hate to not record the details I know I'll forget!

I do have one funny Lilly story... Yesterday she had a poopy diaper and Noah informed her that she smelled awful, to which she replied, "I not smell awful...I smell like a cookie..." the girl has her pride you know...

Inductions, Epidurals, Etc, Oh My...

2010-07-29T14:36:00.000-07:00

So I promised in the last post I would update everyone on Annie's arrival and the Daddy drama. We found out Thursday evening that we would be induced on early Saturday morning. We arrived at the hospital at 7am and they really didn't do anything until I got an IV at 8:30.

After my arrival I had discussed with Dr. Gass about getting an epidural so that was the plan. They came in shortly after and did that. My anesthesiologist was GREAT. However, I did get a little woozy and nearly passed out. My blood pressure dropped until they couldn't even pick it up and my heart rate dropped into the forties. The baby didn't really like that and she didn't tolerate the next few contractions well. But then they let me lay down again and sprayed me in the face with something cold and things got back to where they were supposed to be.

Let me just now say that epidurals are wonderful things. I spent the next four hours of labor watching CMT and sleeping. I had to watch the monitor to see whether or not I was having a contraction. It was great....then the last thirty minutes the meds wore off and I could feel everything again, but that part was quick and Annie made her arrival.

So what about the Daddy drama you ask? Remember that Lil had the stomach bug early in the week? Yeah well we thought we were all through with that. UNTIL, on the way to the hospital Travis stopped and got him some breakfast and he took two bites and said it didn't taste right and threw it away. I really didn't think much of it until we got settled in the room and he started complaining that his stomach didn't feel right. Basically sometime while I was in labor he had to leave and go throw up. He tried to hide all this from me and kept telling me he was fine, but he kept getting paler and sicker. He sucked it up for my sake and managed to coach me through the last thirty minutes of labor and he was great. He is a champ at this by now, and I honestly can say I couldn't have gotten through any of the labors without him. He held my hand and helped me breathe and was doing great, until we got to the end and it was time to push. All of a sudden he left the room, and I knew what that meant. He was throwing up again, but he did manage to make it back in the room less that a minute before Miss Annie made her arrival.

By the time she was an hour old Travis had a horrible fever and chills and was vomiting so he had to go home and sleep it off. I was very sad that he missed the first few hours of her life without getting to hold her. Thankfully, the virus ran it's course in about 24 hours and he got to come back to the hospital and stay with us after Sunday afternoon. We were glad to have Daddy back!

He did manage to surprise me at the hospital with a dozen roses and doughnuts! He also brought Annie her first jewelry (which he also did for big sis when she was born. He said he wanted to be the first boy who bought them jewelry). Also the night before we went to the hospital he gave me a Pandora bracelet with all their birthstone charms and two little girl and one little boy charm. Yeah...I think we'll keep him...

Welcome to the World

2010-07-27T08:08:00.000-07:00

We are very pleased to announce that we welcomed

Ann Elizabeth Parsley

"Annie"

into our family on

Saturday July 24th, 2010

12:52 pm

7 pounds 8 ounces

19 inches long

The above photo was just minutes old

Going home!

Mom and her girls

Mommy and proud big brother

Our sweet angel, with jet black hair! She looks just like her sister as a newborn!

We are so thankful that Annie is perfect and healthy and ours!!! I will post later about Saturday and her arrival into the world (including why there are very very few photos of her with her Daddy...just a sneak peak, it has to do with the stomach bug Lil had earlier in the week, and some REALLY bad timing...)

More potty training excitement....

2010-07-21T19:27:00.000-07:00

Hmmm...this girl has got me stumped with a capital S. Remember the post about being totally uninterested and all? Yeah well Friday night, Travis was putting Lil to bed and she informed him she needed to go to the potty. First time she's ever even acted like she knew what a potty was. He started to tell her no because he thought she was just trying to get out of bed and stall, but lo and behold he took her and she did her business. Praise the Lord...but we were pretty sure it was a coincidence.

Saturday morning, first thing, she tells me she needs to go potty, and goes and pees like a big girl. Basically she went all day Saturday and told us when she needed to go. She didn't poop in the potty, but it's a start.

She did do something funny when she had a dirty diaper though. She told me, "I poop...don't say shew..." which is what I usually tell her. She continued, "Don't say nuffin..." So I have to proceed to change her poopy diaper and pretend I don't notice it...

So what is that all about? She's now back to using pullups half the time and peeing in the potty half the time. And honestly with just two weeks left in this pregnancy I don't have the energy to full force potty train right now, but she's making progress on her own so I'm happy.

She also had a little bout with a stomach virus apparently Tuesday. She vomited several times, but she had quit today. She was still under the weather and didn't have much appetite, but I think she's on the mend. I really hope that the rest of my family doesn't get the bug about the time I go into labor...that would be stressful

Speaking of pregnancy, I go back to the dr tomorrow to see what Dr. G has to say. Hopefully it's good!

Random Thoughts

2010-07-15T07:53:00.000-07:00

I have been making the last minute preparations for baby #3 to arrive and it has really got me to thinking...like alot.

OK, I think I have all the "stuff" I need, and ironically enough, the third go round you actually know what stuff you need and what stuff is just marketed to first time Moms to get in their wallets. Necessities? Newborn diapers, size 1 diapers, wipes, desitin, mylicon, gowns, pacifier, blankies, somewhere for baby to sleep (crib in my room), extra bottles in case nursing doesn't go as planned...check

Emotional stuff....hmmm...am I ready? I remember feeling the same way when I was expecting Lilly. I would hold Noah and play with him or watch a video or read a book, and when it was very very quiet the thought would hit me that it was very bittersweet. I would think...hmmm...it will not be like this again. No longer will it be just the two of us, and me be able to focus solely on the little boy who had become my best friend and constant companion for the last three and a half years of my life. I wondered if I was ready for that and more importantly I wondered if he was ready for that.

But little Lilly came right along and immediately my heart seemed like it doubled in size. Was there enough of me to go around, of course. There was more love for both of them every time I watched them together and thanked God for the blessing of my two healthy children. Sure there was less sleep, more laundry, and more times for me to be spread very thin but it has been a small price to pay for the joy that Lilly has brought to our family. Honestly it seems like since she's been with us always, the same way with Noah.

So occasionally I am going around the house and tending to one of the kids and I have that bittersweet thought of how it will never be just the three of us again. God willing, again, our family will grow, as my heart will, and our family will once more welcome a little person who will seem like she belonged with us from the start...and I am amazed and overwhelmed at how I ever got so blessed.

FYI

2010-07-05T12:14:00.000-07:00

Just a quick post...I'm getting ready to delete my facebook account. If you need to contact me please email me at jparsley@windstream.net . Call me at home or cell or leave me a comment on this blog. Thanks!

Lilly...in her birthday suit

2010-07-01T17:08:00.000-07:00

Don't worry there will be no photos for this post...

Lilly has recently discovered the newfound freedom of being...well...being in the buff.
We have progressed to pullups instead of diapers (see previous post). Nobody get excited here...she still calls them diapers and uses them like diapers...she just discovered that they are pink and have the disney princesses on them so they had to get into our grocery cart.

Back to the story...she has discovered how to pull them up and down (hence the name I suppose). She has also discovered how to pull off her pants and shirt. I had to chase her no fewer than three times yesterday to inform her that we would not be running around naked all day. Noah once called from the playroom, "Mom, Lillly is naked AGAIN. Would you please come put her diaper on before she poops on all my stuff?"

This morning I was in the bedroom when she runs in stark naked and informs me, "Mommy I peed in my diapers yesternight." (This part was incredibly funny to me because she has made up the word "yesternight" on her own...as opposed to something being yesterday I suppose. Pretty clever if you ask me...

I really think this girl must be all about comfort. She had taken to want to stay in her jammies all day. I mean she would change out of her pajamas she slept in, and right into another comfy pair. However, I think she has decided that naked is more comfy than clothing all together. So dear friends if you pass my house and see that I have a naked child running around the yard, don't be alarmed...I just haven't caught her yet to make her cover up yet again...

PS Perhaps the potty training isn't as untimely as I thought? She did get out of her bathtub yesterday while I was gathering her towel, park herself in front of the toilet and proceed to poop in the floor. Nice! She then made me come look at what she had done. I wasn't sure if I was supposed to praise her for this or not...so I just tried to explain that it belonged in the potty instead of the floor. She just looked at me blankly and proceeded to drip bathwater on the floor. I proceeded to not fall in said bathwater....

The Perils of Potty Training

2010-06-30T11:15:00.000-07:00

Potty training...what can I say...to some kids it comes so easy... to some kids...not so much. I had been told numerous times over how much easier girls were to train than boys. I'm not sure that I buy that. I think some girls are just ready before boys.

What am I basing this on? I started trying potty training Noah a little passed 2. It was a complete disaster. He was confused...I was frustrated...we would let it pass and try again in a few weeks or months...this when on for another year. He was finally ready to train at 3. Once he was ready, the process was simple, painless, done in a few days! Voila'! Did I get sick of family members and other people asking me when I was going to get him potty trained? You bet, but I knew my kid and knew he could and would do it in his own time like everything else he did!

Fast forward to Lilly. The plan was that it would be great for her to be potty trained before new baby arrives. However, time slips away from us and here we are a few weeks away from the blessed event and Lil is still happily doing her business in her diaper. I have put panties on her and did the whole run to the potty every thirty minute bit...she's every bit as confused about the process as Noah was. And guess what? This time around I don't care who asks me when she's going to be potty trained (or give up the paci for that matter). When she's ready, she'll be ready, and that's that. Regardless of all the well meaning advice, etc. She's mine and I know when she's ready to do something and when she is not, and for now she is not. I still let her sit on the potty every time she wants to. We sit her on it before bathtime and bedtime, just to get her used to it, but as of now she hasn't made the connection of why she is sitting there...and that is fine. I'm fairly certain she will not go to kindergarten in diapers or with a pacifier wagging out of her mouth. For now, she's 2, she's still our baby and she has the rest of her life to be a big girl.

For all you math whizzes

2010-06-29T17:48:00.000-07:00

I am not a math genius...but I'm not a math dummy either...I took all the algebras and pre-cal and some college stuff that I can force myself to remember if the opportunity arises....

However there seems to be a mathematical formula at my home that is unsolveable regardless of how you factor in the x or y or cross multiply or whatever...

Here is the problem

On Saturday, x number of laundry hampers were empty...blissfully empty...all contents were clean, folded and or hung up and put away in their prospective homes...

Saturday evening was a relatively quiet night at home...Sunday...family in question was gone all day....

By Monday morning x number of laundry hampers were full again

Which = 1 tired Mommy doing 5 more loads of laundry....

What law of multiplication is at work here?

Kiddo Rooms

2010-06-24T18:58:00.000-07:00

So forever ago it seems I started redoing these kid rooms. I'm finally going to post a few pics even though the process is not complete yet. Ann Elizabeth's room will not be done until she gets here and I can hang photos of her and I'm still searching for the perfect thing to hang over Lilly's bed.

I must say, I am completely happy with all the bedding and curtains even though it took me months to commit to purchasing them. They came from Pottery Barn for all three rooms and especially the big kid's rooms are versatile enough to grow with them for awhile. The curtains in all three rooms are gingham panels. Lil's are light pink, Annie's are bright pink and Noah's are green. We ended up painting Lil's room yellow because that is her favorite! And the baby's room is green.

When the baby's bedding came in, my sweet friend Lesley stopped by to see it and of course we had to unpack it and put it on the bed to see how it looked. I might add this would seem like an easy job but with Lilly's rear end planted firmly in the baby bed it wasn't so simple! She now shows people her "yellow" room and her "green" room. Apparently all things girly in this house belong to her and new baby Annie will just have to find her own room....oh dear...

With that said I do have to add one funny note about my dear husband. Over the weekend we went ahead and got online and ordered our infant carrier and double stroller (thanks for the recommendation Deanna! we found a good deal on one too!) Anyway, I kind of wanted to go with a pink infant carrier. In the end I decided on green and brown JUST in case in the future we are ever blessed with a fourth Parsley baby. I showed this to Travis online and told him why I was getting the green. He just looked at me VERY seriously and shook his head and said that's out of the question.

"What's out of the question, a 4th baby?" I was a little surprised because he's always had the idea of the 4th.

"Nope, he says, "I now see that I am destined to have only girls no matter how many more there are!"

I might add that Travis is very excited about this new baby and is crazy about Lilly Grace. However, the last few weeks of terrible twos combined with Lilly's, shall we say, girl drama, combined with a hormonal wife who is 8 1/2 months pregnant could perhaps be putting our house on estrogen overload. A lot of times Travis and Noah retreat to the "boys room" with the Wii or the DS! Bless their hearts. We do love our boys though...even if they don't understand us most of the time. Travis has also begun fretting over his little "girls" dating which I think is hilarious, considering one hasn't even made her arrival yet. He has alot of worry time ahead of him I"m afraid.... Also Lil did talk him into playing tea party the other day, she was Belle and he was Prince Phillip from Sleeping Beauty and he had to sit in the little kid chair and drink out of the pink plastic teacup. He was a good sport about the whole thing. It takes a real man to drink from a tea cup!!!

A little "Sprinkle"

2010-06-22T20:12:00.000-07:00

Tonight some of my best friends had a little girls night out "sprinkle" (as opposed to a shower!) at Lonestar to celebrate the upcoming arrival of little Annie.

I had SO much fun getting to visit and talk and laugh with my friends and family. It was decorated so sweet and the food was wonderful (especially the cupcakes!) I got so many sweet gifts that i won't even start to name them all because I would leave something out and I truly loved everything. I came home and unpacked it all and went back through them again.

However, more than the food, and the gifts, and the girltalk, I feel so blessed tonight to have the very best friends in the whole world. I know I could call any of them up in the dead hour of midnight and they would be there for me without a doubt. I am so thankful that my children will get to grow up surrounded by all of these friends and family who already love them before they even make their arrival into the world. I love that these friends are people who together we share joys, our embarassing moments, and our troubles. I don't know what I would do without any of them. Again, I won't name everyone who came tonight because no doubt I'd leave someone out, but they are all girls who are dear to my heart and who I couldn't imagine my life without them!

Thanks again my dear friends! I loved the shower and I love all of you!!!!

Slowly but Surely

2010-06-17T11:57:00.000-07:00

I am losing my mind. I had a 5 minute argument the other day in Kohl's with Travis about how I would be turning 29 in December. He finally had to point out that I was born in 1980 and would indeed be turning 30 in December...since it is 2010.

Perhaps this baby is shuttling all available blood to itself and away from my brain....

Good times when you lose track of your age and your loved one has to do the math for you.

Dear Readers

2010-06-08T07:58:00.000-07:00

I sincerely apologize from my recent absence from the blogging world. However I have a good reason...I have spent the last week in a seemingly endless stream of doctor appointments!!! The good news is that most of these were routine checkups and only two of them consisted of sick children... This picture I took with my phone was at Noah's Vanderbilt appointment. Those aren't play glasses they actually test something and Noah could tell you exactly what but I can't remember. The people there are so great with him and are very thorough in the care we have received there.

In seven calendar days we have spent our time at Vanderbilt Children's Hospital for eye checkups, a half a day with Dr. Gass for a checkup, labs, and tests, two appointments with Dr. Simmons for two strep tests and a nasty rash, Travis with family doctor for tonsillitis, and an allergy checkup and lab work with Dr. Cavanah.

With all of that said, let me say I am NOT complaining about these, as I realize all of this stuff is run of the mill ordinary things and not serious, they just take up lots of time!

Speaking of time...it's running out for the arrival of baby #3. I have about 8 1/2 weeks left to go if I go all the way to my due date. If this baby maker her arrival like Lilly then we may only have 4 or 5 weeks left to go. We shall see...either way it won't be long until we meet our little "kicker". The kids talk about her all the time, but I am really anxious to see how Lilly reacts to this baby. She adores babies...but of course she's never lived with one so I think it will be interesting. Also on a funny note, I saw an acquaintance the other day who I rarely get to talk to, and in passing she asked me when I was due. I told her and she looked at me and said (without smiling or joking), "Really, Three is SO hard." That was all she said and then she walked on. I'm trying not to let this comment give me cold sweats of fear. I realize three will be hard. There are days when two or one is hard....Perhaps she was just having a bad day...I'm choosing to think so.

On a side note...I know some of my customers read this blog. With that said, Dr. Gass is recommending that I only work through the very end of June. On his recommendation I will only be taking appointments until June 29th. At which time I will be off until after the baby arrives. If there is an appointment you would like to schedule PLEASE call now as my remaining appointment days are filling up very fast. Also, we will be in revival the first week or so of July and we have both day and night services so I will not be taking orders, etc. during that time. I hope this isn't an inconvenience to anyone but I feel like it's best for my health and the health of this baby to lighten my load a little bit in the last weeks of this pregnancy.

Goodbye Kindergarten

2010-05-28T11:34:00.000-07:00

We made it! Today the whole family attended Noah's kindergarten graduation. Me, Travis, Lilly and Papa cheered him on from the bleachers and of course since Nana was a part of the classroom she had to help with the ceremony. They did several sweet songs and Noah was totally in his element. He was quite the entertainer and I think he was pretty convinced it was the Noah show and everyone else was just his backup singers...

Anyway, I cried through some of it, ok a lot of it. It's just hard for me as a Mom to come to terms with that we're really here already. Next year will be first grade and it's real school...

Anyway, Noah had a great time and we spent the rest of the day celebrating at Chuck E. Cheese with his buddy Jarrett (and Lilly and Eli too!) afterwards Jarrett came home with us so the boys could play and they had a blast. Now we're ready for the summer fun to start!!!

Busy Days

2010-05-27T13:40:00.000-07:00

This week has been super science in Kindergarten which Noah has loved...the only problem...every project we came up with to do somebody would do it before him. His group was today (the last day). The old Internet (and Ms. Lesley) pulled through and we managed to find some projects that nobody else had done. I love this picture that Ms. Lesley took. There's nothing like pretending to pour out water on your buddy's head...

Also we had errands to run today in BG so we met up with Stephanie and Maggie for a little lunch date at Pizza Hut. It was fun!

Tomorrow is the big kindergarten graduation. It seemed like it just started and now it's over but I'll save my tears for tomorrow!

Field Trip

2010-05-26T19:36:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago Noah's class took their field trip to the Glasgow Fire Department and then to play at Extreme Gymnastics. I went along for the fun and he had a blast. He was very serious about the whole fire house business but then ran around like a little monkey at the play place. He was SO excited to get to ride the bus to and from Glasgow! Here are a couple of pics from the day. For some reason I didn't get any at Extreme Gymnastics. Lil spent the day playing with Maggie!

Thank You Sir for Your Public Service Announcement

2010-05-24T20:42:00.000-07:00

One word...Walmart...

Seriously it strikes fear into the hearts of mothers of toddlers...at least mothers of toddlers like Lilly.

Have I mentioned lately that Lilly is having a little um issue with temper tantrums? Well in case you missed it the girl has quite a temper. We've tried every trick in the book and to no avail she continues to have fits each and every single day. In the comfort of our own home I calmly step over her and go about my business...or she gets a spanking...or she gets a time out....really doesn't matter...she still throws the fits.

Fast forward to today. I HAD to go to Walmart. We were out of milk, diapers, detergent, you get the picture. I planned my trip spectacularly. I waited until Lilly had a good nap, a good lunch, plenty of playtime with Mommy and she was in a fairly good humor when we set off.

So when we arrive at Walmart all my careful planning flies clear out the window going down Campbell Lane. We are no sooner in the door than my darling child starts wailing for stickers. OK a walmart greeter two months ago happened to give Lilly a sticker and the child hasn't forgotten it. It was at a different walmart and apparently the campbell lane walmart doesn't hand out aforementioned stickers. So the first round of tears ensues. We manage to get past that crisis and head down the aisles. We stop for our first purchase and a nice looking older lady is stopped in front of what we need. No problem, I just wait for her to move. It took 3 seconds for Lilly to notice we had stopped moving and for her to yell at the poor lady "MOVE!!!" in her shrill two year old voice....the lady wheels around and gives Lilly a look and I just truck it on down the aisle...I'm pretty sure Travis can live without deodorant for another day.

Let's see....I am trying to pacify her to look at small books, little toys, whatever to get through the store and she proceeds to fling them out the side of the cart along with her pacifier. Which she then wails about because her paci is in the floor.

Still we keep trucking. It's been oh maybe five minutes. I wheel around to the milk aisle and there is no way to keep Lil from spotting the giant McDonalds. Doesn't matter that we just ate, Lilly wails for chicken. Fine...chicken if you will be quiet. Thank you McDonalds for posting ten thousand signs about not having a cart in there so I have to unhaul my two year old long enough to stand in line for a happy meal while she tries her best to climb the counter, carry other people's trays, etc. etc.

We finally get the happy meal which she then refuses to eat. She does however dutifully rip the top to her Sprite and proceed to fish the ice out. I just paid $4.00 for my child to eat ice through walmart. Awesome...

Since Lil is not eating her happy meal, I reach in and get a french fry. She sees me and then cries some more. Oh yes, and then a nice lady tells Lilly how pretty she is with which Lilly responds by crossing her arms, sticking her lip out and yelling, "I not pretty!!!"

I'm pretty sure Walmart frowns on using the belts in the men's department to spank your child with, but the thought was beginning to cross my mind.

Finally thank goodness we manage to get to the checkout lines. You know the checkout lines at Walmart where there are 900 people and two checkout lines open. We just pick one and stand there. Lil proceeds to unbuckle her seat, to stand up, to perch on top of the cart, to grab everything within reach...you get the picture.

Finally finally we get to leave the wretched Walmart. Did I mention that trolling around Walmart and the stress of temper tantrums nearly always sets off a round of annoying Braxton-Hicks contractions? Yep, that's fun as well.

We then proceed 200 miles out to our parking spot. With Lilly kicking and screaming the whole way because she doesn't want to ride in the cart she wants to walk...except she pulled her shoes and socks off way back in the milk aisle....

And for the best part of today's story. Did anyone notice that it was 90 degrees today? Yep, and does everyone remember how hot a parked car gets while parked in the walmart parking lot in the ninety degree sun, OK....

Lilly doesn't do well getting strapped into a car seat on a good day, and today was NOT a good day. And try to strap a fit throwing sweaty screaming two year old into a car seat while the car is nice and hot and you get the picture. So then I commit the Walmart sin of sins. I choose to not walk my cart a hundred miles down the aisle to put in back in the cart corral. Instead I choose to not fry my child and just push it securely up against a concrete light pole, it wasn't free-wielding down the street, it wasn't careening against other peoples cars, it was just not in the corral.

Then a SOUR older man YELLS at me from across the line of cars and says," It goes over there, you NEED TO PUT YOUR CART UP."

I turn around and look at him blankly for a second, trying to register what he is saying. Oh did I mention he had also paused his cell phone conversation to point this out to me. After I come back to my senses, I did something fairly out of character for me, I yelled back, "I have a crying two year old in the 100 degree car! Would YOU like to watch her while I put this cart away?!?" I wanted to add on "Idiot," but I held back.

Seriously?!? Sir you have nothing better to do than instruct a 29 year old nearly 8 months pregnant frazzled out mother that she needs to put her cart back in the cart bin???? I then get in my car, crank the air up and do what any other stressed out mom does. I let the pregnancy hormones get the best of me and I cry all the way back to Brownsville.

The End

Playin' Catch Up

2010-05-23T21:07:00.000-07:00

Wow it's been a long time since I put anything at all on my blog. We have been really really busy as usual but it's been upped a notch with the ever approaching arrival of baby #3.

What have we been doing?

Lots of the ordinary business....

church

work

birthday parties

doctors appointments

play dates

more work

cleaning out toy rooms

making room for new baby

repainting rooms

cooking

1 bad stomach virus...

flood relief engineering (that would be Trav not me)

preparing for our last week of kindergarten (Noah)

hmmm...I know there's more I just can't think of anything right now...

Oh yeah...being excited over two of my best friends in the world announcing they're expecting (one with baby number #1 and one with baby #3)

And just because I know you've missed it I've included a photo of my two little munchkins in their matching attire for Mother's Day weekend. Enjoy! I promise to not wait a month this time before my next entry....or at least I promise to TRY...

What a weekend

2010-04-17T17:08:00.000-07:00

We finished up our big spring/summer consignment sale this weekend and for a first go round, with a little less planning time than we hoped we were VERY pleased with the outcome. We jointly sold very close to $1,000! We picked our dates for the fall sale and already have several more people interested in becoming sellers! I also got to spend two days with some great friends that I don't always get to spend too much time with! I had LOTS of fun with you girls...even if we did almost get blown away by the wind!

We wrapped up the sale today just in time today for me to make it in time to Noah's first ballgame of the season. It was very exciting and the Cardinals won the game!!! We struggled a little last year but we are off to a GREAT start! I was so proud of all the sweet boys!

On a side note...Lil did manage to throw one of her famous fits in front of all my consignment buddies (over wanting to get into the swimming pool for the fourth time) and then another one at the ballgame over something that I can't remember at the moment. Seriously the fit throwing is about to get the better of me. I have tried ignoring, I've tried spanking, I've tried it all. I suppose it will run it's course...or be the death of me!

So in closing, I am a very exhausted pregnant girl today, but it's been a fun weekend!

Spring/Summer Sale!!!

2010-04-10T12:17:00.000-07:00

Me and some other Mom's have organized a children's spring/summer consignment sale to be held next Friday and Saturday, April 16th and 17th beginning at 8 am both days. (Signs and balloons will be posted) On Saturday, a majority of items will be marked 1/2 price!!!

We are selling children's clothing, shoes, bedding, furniture, toys, books, baby items, and maternity clothing in a large variety of sizes in good condition only. There will be lots of Gymboree, GAP, Polo, The Children's Place, Strasburg, as well as a variety of boutique brands and smocked items.

Ashley Edwards, owner of Willow Tree Designs, will also have a craft booth set up and be selling new handmade children's items as well as taking orders for custom creations.

There will be some prizes given away from J. Parsley Photography as well.

We are very excited about the upcoming sale and we plan to make it an annual Spring event with a large annual Fall sale as well.

If you are interested in consigning any like new children's items please email me @ Jparsley@windstream.net and I will forward you the instructions of how to list your items and the appropriate drop off times.

Can't Wait

2010-04-08T18:16:00.000-07:00

You remember the room conundrum I was having a few months ago when I couldn't decide where I would situate everyone when new baby comes? Well I think over the last few days we have resolved it and tonight I took a break from photo editing for a few minutes to order their bedding.

My final solution? Noah's new bedroom is the big room that also shares a couch and an entertainment center where he has movies, his wii, etc. It adjoins Lilly's bedroom (which is still her bedroom). And new baby sister is going to be moving into Noah's old bedroom. Everyone's furniture is moved and arranged and I'm just waiting on bedding to arrive from Pottery Barn. I'm so excited I can't stand it. If you recall I loved the matching brother/sister room from pottery barn but I just couldn't convince myself that Lil and Noah could reasonably share a room for very long. Then my darling Mom pointed out that it didn't matter if they shared a room, their rooms adjoined and you could still see both beds and it would still be darling if there bedding coordinated. So that's what I did. I ordered the "Kasey" bedding, (his in blue and hers in pink) and I"m having their names monogrammed on the pillow shams. They both have little Oak beds, so that will coordinate as well. I hope I love it as much as I think I will. I have yet to order Annie's bedding but I have found some that I love, so we'll see!

Also, when we moved in the house two years ago I did their bathrooms in the Pottery Barn Spring meadow stuff (bugs, butterflies, etc). The colors match all of this bedding and it has held up SO WELL that it will all go together too!

Miss Lilly Grace

2010-04-07T19:12:00.000-07:00

As I make preparations for the arrival of baby #3 it occurs to me that my other baby is growing up so fast! She is looking less and less like a baby and more and more like a little girl. She now has a fondness for all things princess, shoes, jewelry, and the color "lellow".

Easter

2010-04-06T19:44:00.000-07:00

Easter Sunday was a busy one around here as usual. The kiddos woke up early to see what the Easter Bunny had left. Noah got a camo basket filled with camo eggs and Lil got all princess themed stuff. The smart little bunny also brought tons of candy from "Peanut Free Planet" which sells allergen friendly chocolates, etc.

We then made it to Sunday School and after the service the kiddos got to do a little egg hunt. After the hunt, we ate lunch at Travis' parents house and then we went to visit Nana and Papa in Bowling Green because Dad was still in the hospital. Later that afternoon Beth came over to visit as well.

We had a fun and tiring day. Enjoy the photos!!!

Hellooo Empty Wallet...

2010-03-29T19:49:00.000-07:00

I really REALLy like matching brother sister outfits. The only problem? It is hard to match an older boy with a younger girl without making the boy look to babyish. I match when I can and then I take pictures to remember how cute they are!

HOWEVER...I have very recently discovered how very very easy it is going to be to match a baby sister with a big sister. I mean everything comes in matching or coordinating...now I'll just have to search a little bit harder to find things to coordinate with big brother. Fun!!!

Also we may have a name. Again it is not set in stone but we both really like Ann Elizabeth. Ann is my middle name and my Mom's middle name and Elizabeth is my cousin's name...and we just like both of those names together. We would probably call her "Annie" for short when she is little also. I like the idea of calling her Ann Elizabeth but Daddy says it's too long. Noah does not like this name and Lilly doesn't care if we call her anything at all... so we'll see. Thought on the name? Be honest!!!

Sooner or Later...

2010-03-28T19:04:00.000-07:00

Yes sooner or later I knew this would happen. I knew that I would get a comment from someone about the food allergy precautions that have to be taken for Noah that would make me want to either
a)cry
b)punch them in the mouth
c)both a and b

And so it happened and the answer is c. I was minding my own business in the Family Dollar of all places and I turn the corner with my little basket and get in line to pay for my stuff when I cannot help but overhear two women having a loud conversation just a couple of feet away from me as they bewail and complain the inconvenience of not being able to send chocolate and nut candy to school for the upcoming Easter festivities. The are really giving it down the road and one of them said, "People just go crazy over the peanut thing, people are crazy, it's just ridiculous." REALLY!?!

I'm sorry lady that it inconveniences you to have to make such events at school non-life threatening for my six year old who is just beginning to understand that 98% of the goodies and treats stocking the Easter candy aisle he will not be able to enjoy.

I seriously thought for a few minutes about getting out of the checkout line and marching over to them and informing them that I was the CRAZY woman who apparently made their life so hard and that they were welcome to accompany me next time I had to inject my son with epinephrine shots and then accompany us to the emergency room while he panicked and cried and was very very very sick. But I didn't. I'm sure the look on my face gave away my emotions and I knew if I tried to say anything at all I would just tear up and cry so I held my tongue. I also know that they had no idea that anyone was around whom this might offend and I know that they were speaking out of ignorance. So I let it go...I guess.

Instead I"m choosing to focus on all of the wonderful, fantastic, loving, people that the Good Lord has chosen to bring into my life that are 100% supportive and protective of Noah and his needs.
His teacher (Ms. Lesley) and his principal (Mr. Tyree) have been saving graces in my book and have went above and beyond the call of duty to keep him safe and to keep him included in everything a normal Kindergartner gets to do. My friends who have never once failed to make birthday parties safe and fun and he's never ever told me he felt left out at all!!!

So I know this post has been a downer but I've had that sort of day, and sometimes I just need to vent!

Where to Start?

2010-03-27T15:35:00.000-07:00

There is so much to catch up on it makes me tired to think of where to start. So I'll start with the most important I suppose!

Dad was released from the hospital after having a PIC line inserted in his arm for permanent IV access. He goes back to the hospital every day to get his IV antibiotics. He will do this for another week. He meets again with a kidney specialist and an infection specialist next week to see what the status of all his tests are then. He is feeling some better, but is still weak. He is very glad that they decided he didn't have to remain the entire two weeks in the hospital! I'm still praying that all of this stuff resolved when the meds are finished.

I did end up testing positive for strep as did Travis. We finished our meds and I was relieved when the stomach virus hit poor Lilly full force. We were up all night earlier in the week and the poor little thing threw up probably 30 times in one night. It's been five days and she is still having some stomach issues but I'm hoping that runs it's course soon.

Travis left work Friday with the stomach bug having hit him. He was sick AGAIN all day Friday and still doesn't feel well today.

So I have spent the majority of my week washing sick laundry and lysoling things....

On to happier, non sick related things....we had an ultrasound on Monday and the tech informed us that we are expecting another baby GIRL! We are very shocked because we both thought this baby was a boy but we are very excited. Dr. Gass says that everything on the ultrasound looks exactly like it should and we are thrilled! The tech on Monday wouldn't give us a for sure answer that the baby was a girl because of the way she was laying. Soo...we made an appointment with the lady at Precious View to confirm. She saw the baby from several different angles and said that she felt 99.9 percent certain this baby is a girl. She also said that her cord was between her legs and there was a teensy chance it could be hiding something but from every other angle she felt confident it is a girl... I do have to have another ultrasound in April because there were a couple of other pictures from the ultrasound that they couldn't get because of baby's position so I guess we'll have a third opinion! After the ultrasound at Precious view i got to keep a dvd of the ultrasound and at one point you can see the baby yawning...it was very sweet! She also kept putting her little hands up by her face and eyes.

I am sure some other things happened this week but at the moment I am failing to recall what any of them are....

Oh yeah and we are gearing up for the UK game...see Lil's excitement. She's saying "Go Big Blue!"

Quick Update

2010-03-19T11:56:00.000-07:00

For those of you who know, Dad was hospitilized yesterday with fluid surrounding his heart and his lung and a serious infection. We found out today that it is an infection in the sac surrounding his heart. He will be in the hospital for 2 weeks on very strong IV antibiotics.

Needless to say, I am very worried and but I am having faith that God will see us through this. I also am asking my friends to please remember him and mom in prayer.

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend and I will try to update as I can.

Positive

2010-03-17T14:01:00.000-07:00

Yep I tredged my sick self to the doctor this morning and after they gouged a rather large cotton swab down my throat it was confirmed that I do indeed have strep.

I got very little sleep last night because my dratted ear is hurting as bad as my throat. However, I took a mega dose of antibiotic today and am willing myself to be better by tomorrow. I am going to drink a half gallon of acai juice and green tea and see if I can't resemble a person tomorrow.

I apologize to all my poor clients I have had to reschedule but I promise you will thank me to keep your kiddos from getting this, it's no fun.

Travis is still looking like death warmed over... I suppose he'll be on the mend soon enough! Send some healthy thoughts are way and I'm pretty sure if the sun would pop out and the weather would warm up I would feel immensely better.

Just Great

2010-03-16T14:20:00.000-07:00

The kids just got well from strep and ear infection. My dad had severe strep last week and was very nearly hospitalized and is still not well. Travis had to go to the doctor today and has strep and a very high fever. Lilly has now had diarrhea today and guess what else?

My throat is killing me and I've got chills. Fantastic....there is no time for mommy to be sick.

Curtains

2010-03-15T17:45:00.000-07:00

Well I am on a kick to get some things done in this house before baby #3 arrives and on the list included curtains.

I got REALLY industrious not too long ago and made valances to go on my french doors and they actually turned out better than I expected. So...I researched how much the fabric and lining would cost me to make the bedroom curtains and I found some that were actually the same print and a little less expensive than buying all the stuff to make them (and they were lined too). I would have some lovely photographs to show you but I bought the wrong rods (they weren't heavy enough) so I'll try to get the correct rods sometime before this wild week is over and maybe I"ll manage a picture or two.

That's about as exciting as it gets around here today. I've had busy studio sessions all weekend and this evening and the rest of the week...but I'm trying to accomplish as much as possible while I still feel good.

On a baby note...baby 3# is moving around...alot!!! I can't wait for Monday to get another peek at him/or her. Just for fun, leave me a comment and tell me your boy/girl vote. On the name front...we actually have a few for boys and girls that we can both civilly agree to. (OK Noah doesn't agree to them but moving right along...)

Lilly's temper tantrums have actually g0tten a little better. I really think the sinus infection and all the meds she was having to take were contributing to them. She has been in a much better humor the last few days. She's still into everything but at least we're having not so many meltdowns.

Counting down...

2010-03-11T10:32:00.001-08:00

The official ultrasound date is one week from Monday. I will be approaching 22 weeks when I have my ultrasound. We are in count down mode. This thing is halfway over at the latest. If this baby make's his/her appearance like Lilly did it has been halfway over for a while.

I'm trying not to panic at how little planning I have done....I mean I have looked at some pictures online but that is it...

Umm...it does help to know that I since I stay at home I won't have to line up child care and I have totes of newborn clothes for both genders. I plan to breastfeed again hopefully if all goes well. Does any of this count as planning and being prepared?

I also realize that when babies are born things do not always go as planned, so I suppose I am jumping the gun anyway!

So I will blissfully await the arrival of this little bundle of joy and try to convince myself I am prepared and ready....and I suppose after we find out what it is on the 22nd I will commence on my most favorite part of readying one's self for a new baby...shopping! Oh yeah and arguing with my delightful husband as to what name we are going to pick...

Shooting Your Kids 101 Part II

2010-03-09T20:13:00.000-08:00

The fun continues. This is really short because I am taking a small break from editing piles of studio sessions and my eyes are crossing. So here goes....

You will read this and think that I am crazy and this couldn't possibly make that much of a difference in your photos but trust me IT DOES. When you are shooting photos of your kids (or dogs or husband etc) get down on their level. Seriously if your toddler is in the floor get on the floor. If they're sitting in a chair, squat down until you're eye level with them. If they're climbed up on the kitchen counter top, for heaven sake put down the camera and move along....haha just had to make sure you were paying attention! For those of you who have had studio sessions with me know that 99.9 percent of the time if I am shooting a baby or toddler I am sitting on the ground and have been known to lay flat on the ground on my stomach in order to get the shot I wanted. Trust me, try this trick and you will be happy.

Why you ask? Ummm I suppose the answer is it puts your photos in proper perspective and they look more natural. When you see a photo shot down on someone it automatically makes their head look bigger and they look smaller as you go down. If you see a photo shot upward at someone (like you are standing or sitting below them) their feet/bottom half look big and the rest of their body gets smaller as you go up. FYI unless you are going for an artistic goal this is the worst possible angle to shoot someone from.

The second part of this lesson is to shoot shoot shoot and then shoot some more. Gone are the days when we had to purchase film to put into our cameras and then pay to develop every shot on the roll. We are in the wonderful age of digital media and huge memory cards are getting cheaper and cheaper so take advantage. When I am in the studio on average I shoot between 150 to 200 shots of one subject. I then narrow down to about 50 good ones and then take in on down to around 30 or 40 great ones. Guess what, your chances are a lot higher of getting a great shot of your baby with the perfect expression if you shoot more shots. You can delete the not so great ones and you'll be left with some great shots of what you were trying to capture. Trust me, your photo quality will go up 100 percent just by shooting more to get the ones you really want. Case in point, I have a photo of Noah Thomas when he was 3 years old hanging in my studio above the mantel. I LOVE this photo. I love the expession on his little face, his eyes, the way his hands are folded, everything. That day I shot 100 shots of him and I got ONE. Yep one...the other ones he's crying or pouting or laying down or picking his nose or you get the picture. But who cares about all the crappy shots, because I got ONE that I will treasure forever.

So let's review

from lesson one

Get the kiddos distracted and don't make them smile and pose

Get close then get closer

From today's lesson

Get down on their level

Overshoot your subject and you'll get better results.

At the Clinique Counter...

2010-03-03T19:22:00.000-08:00

First of all I was very excited at the great feedback from the Photography lesson post so don't worry. I'm working on material for the next one which will continue from the first one. I do plan to get a little more technical as it goes along but I want to stay very very basic at first. So stay tuned.

Secondly I just have a funny little story about our girls day out today. Me and Lil had to do a little grocery shopping but I needed to make a little run to the Clinique counter at Dillard's first. Also it was Clinique bonus time which is all the better. I have a friend from high school who works there and she is so sweet and her name is Candi. Lilly had never met Candi, but today she ran up to her at Dillard's and hugged her like they were long lost soul mates. Interestingly enough Lilly only knows the word "candy" in one context and it is not names. So while I was trying to figure out what I needed, Lilly heard me say Candi and that's all it took. She was determined to figure out which little tube or box held candy...for her. I finally got my purchases made and she proudly carried the bag out of the store rambling about candy the whole way to the car. I then proceeded to have to WRENCH the bag out of the child's hand to get her in the car seat because she was so convinced that it had candy in it....hmmm there is no reasoning with a two year old who thinks her candy is being stolen from her...

Second story about candy today. We had a trying night at prayer meeting. Lilly was in rare form and she was climbing all over the seat and bouncing around and well just generally making mayhem. She manages to dig in the crack of the seat cushion on the bench and wedge out a smartie that had been there since who knows how long. Before I can pry it from her fingers, all the while I'm telling her it's old and dirty, she tells me "No it not!!!" and she eats it. Yep she eats it, it was probably covered in e coli or something but too late now.

Shooting Your Children 101

2010-03-02T19:52:00.000-08:00

Don't get excited here people...I'm talking about shooting as in shooting photos...as in capturing their darling little faces on film...only it's not film anymore. I have decided for your reading pleasure and my writing pleasure (I only like to write about stuff I like anyway...I know it's a little selfish) I am going to post a few series about how to get some really great photos of your kids. Yep without a fancy camera, studio lights or a gazillion props. All you need is a cute kid, a cute husband, a cute dog, or borrow your neighbors kid. (Just perhaps don't say it's because Jessica taught you how to shoot them...)

We are starting at the beginning. I mean the beginning...forget about shutter speed and f-stop and ISO (if you know what any of that stuff is anyway). We're going to the bare bones basics of shooting great kid photos.

Um...stop trying to make your kid pose and smile and look at you. By nature children do not sit still and smile and say cheese and it's weird to try and make them do that for a photo. Alright I know you want a few photos before they grow up of them smiling and looking but for now we are going to focus on letting them do something that is natural to them. Let them look at a book, or a small toy, or a dandelion. Anything to get their attention where they will sit in one spot for a moment. A great great photo op is to get them interested in looking at something outside of a window. The window keeps their attention and the natural light from a window cannot be beat when it comes to photographs. This technique not only works for busy toddlers but also for those school aged kiddos who are famous for the awful fake forced smile. Let them be themselves and catch their natural expressions.

When they are busy with whatever it is they are looking at/playing with/ you can snap some photos while they are engrossed in whatever they're doing. Then whistle or say their name or click your tongue or whatever until they glance up at you. Then shoot several photos of that soft look in their eyes when they're a teensy bit distracted. Trust me, it's worth it. Then if they want to continue to look at you, sing a little song or rhyme, or whatever and if they smile great, if not, you probably just got some fantastic shots anyway.

The second really basic thing I'm going to talk about is really really basic but it never fails to improve someone's photography skills. There is a saying in photography that if your photos are not good enough you're not close enough. I think this rule applies for most subjects but especially for babies/toddlers/kids/pets. In comparison to the background they are small things. So instead of zooming in with your camera actually walk closer to your subject. When you think you're close enough zoom in a little more and you probably have it. The best thing is to eliminate some of the background and anything else that is going to distract your from your focal point . Some of my very favorite photos that I've shot have actually cut off the top of the child's head but it is a perfect viewpoint to capture facial expressions and those eyes.

So I think that's enough for today but I'll think of more to add later. And if this bored you to death please leave me with a commment begging me to go back to talking about something...anything else.

Sick update

2010-03-01T11:43:00.000-08:00

Yep...they're sick. We made it into the office this morning and Noah has strep and an ear infection and Lilly has a sinus infection, and eczema flareup and asthma flareup. Fun times...then I trudge to CVS with two sick children and they claim that there has been no prescriptions called in for Parsley. I call the pediatricians office back and assure me that they were and that they will double check. So I have to wait some more and finally give up and call Travis to pick up the meds on his way home.

Now I am home attempting to get them both to nap. Noah is on the couch with a cartoon and Lilly is jumping like a monkey in her crib....did I mention decongestants hype her up a teensy bit?

BTW did anyone notice that there is snow forecasted for in the morning? Surely this is wrong because it is now March and I think we should see some sunshine....I feel sure it would dry up all the snot that's at my house. (Sorry for the gross visual picture)

Under the Weather

2010-02-28T18:04:00.000-08:00

Well it's been coming for a while now I suppose. My two little munchkins have been threatening runny noses and suspiciously worse sounding coughs for the last several days. We have really tried to lay low, take our meds, drink some juice and take the vitamins but to no avail they are officially sick. We got up today and Noah announced he didn't feel good and proceeded to lay on the couch all morning. This is the boy who usually gets out of bed by 6 am with more energy and force than a steam engine and doesn't ever stop! He has a sore throat and a mild fever and gallons of stuff running out of his poor little head.

Lil on the other hand has a nasty cough and a fountain of yuck from her nose. She also is covered in a rash (probably eczema which tends to flare when she's sick.) So after deciding that we definitely couldn't take them to church it was decided I'd stay with the sickly and Travis went on to church.

While he was gone I made beans and cornbread and potatoes and no one ate it but me and Travis. The kids didn't have much of an appetite but they did manage to eat some Popsicles.

I suppose we'll be making a trip to the pediatrician in the morning to see what's going on. We really have made it a pretty good stretch without having to go to the doctor but I knew it was too good too last! Noah is devastated at the thought of having to miss a day of school but I told him we'd just have to see what the doctor said.

Wish us luck, I missed everyone this weekend!!!

Gymboree and Me...

2010-02-27T18:44:00.000-08:00

In case you love Gymboree and I do...the boys polos (that are usually 17-19 dollars are all 10 this weekend. And if you have a nifty 20% coupon like I did they are $8.00 each. I can't get Noah polos from Target for that cheap. And if you have a boy like mine who is hard on his clothes, Gymboree stuff lasts much much longer and looks better after a trillion washes.

Oh yeah, and they are giving away gymbucks this weekend too.

My retail therapy for the week has been fulfilled and if I only knew what this baby was I would have got him/her some nifty stuff while I was at it. Seriously though, I got Noah an entire wardrobe of Spring polos and tees to wear to church/school and Lil a little spring dress and spent not too much and got gymbucks. Not sure that you care but it makes me happy.

Also since I never ever make it to the mall anymore, (and my sweetie watched the kids so I got to go on my own for a couple of hours today) I made the awesome discovery that they are putting in a Crazy 8s kid store. (owned by Gymboree, a little less expensive and still super super cute).

Books Books Books...

2010-02-26T10:57:00.000-08:00

So I love to read. Seriously....love it. I can remember being tiny when I would sit for hours with Mom and she would read to me. I would memorize the books long before I could read them and then I'd "read to her". I wanted new books everywhere we went. One of my very earliest memories is the first time she took me to the library.

I had to have been maybe 3 and we were in the grocery store and I think I asked for another new book. Mom explained that we would go to the library and borrow all the books we wanted and read them. I was fascinated and I still remember it. I used to check out stacks and stacks of books. When I finally got to school and learned to read I was hooked. I would go to the public library and head to the big kid section and pack up the big books and take them to the desk to check out. The library lady would give me a suspicious look and my mom would have to assure her it was OK because I could read books that big. One of my favorite things at Kyrock was to go to library with Ms. Brenda and she would let me check out books from the section that was supposed to be too advanced too.

It never let up. When I was in high school and had to pick out books for book reports my friends would purposely choose the shortest they could get away with. On the other hand, I would choose something with 1600 pages. I loved it! I'm not trying to brag, I was just a bookworm and I still am. I wasn't athletic I wasn't a math genius, I could just read and read lots and read fast.

When I went to college I tested out of freshman English and went to a higher level course and I loved it. It was an 8 am friday class and half the class usually didn't show up as a result from Thursday night parties I think. I was there and I read whatever we were supposed to read. I distinctly remember that professor profusely trying to talk me into becoming and English or Lit major and teaching. I didn't want to teach I just liked to read!

Fast forward 10 years. I now have 2 babies a house to run and a business to run. I find very very little time to read anything except things like Junie B. Jones to Noah (which by the way are hilarious books and I love them!) but I have really started to miss my books. Also by the time a Mommy puts in a 16 hour day for everyone but herself it equals some frazzled out nerves. So I decided earlier in the year to set aside a little time to at least read something just because I enjoyed it. In January I reread all the Twilight series books. Yep, reread but I loved it.

I had been eyeing the Kindles for a long while but I decided that were too expensive for right now. Well Travis spoils me and got me a spiffy new iphone and lo and behold there are free Kindle and Barnes and Noble Ereader downloads. I downloaded them along with Pride and Prejudice and am happily taking a little bitty bit of time to myself and reading. Perfect way to pass the time while waiting in doctors office or wherever. I'm a little bit hooked but it's OK. Most of the downloaded books to Kindle are only 9.99 and compared to a $29 bestseller I think it's great!

The Temper Tantrum

2010-02-25T11:27:00.000-08:00

Ummm I feel compelled to broach this subject more for my sanity than yours. If you have never encountered the world of two year old tantrums here goes...

Noah Thomas is NOT a perfect child. Wasn't when he was a toddler and he's not now. He's a work in progress. He's loud and rowdy and boisterous and well...he's all boy. BUT he never threw the type of tantrums that his little sister is becoming famous for.

Let me set up the scene. At any given moment of the day, if one thing doesn't go planned to little miss's schedule, she will proceed to lay herself out flat on the floor and stiffen out. Then she cries and screams and no amount of consoling helps. Everything I've read (and I've read alot) says that when a toddler throws a tantrum like this it's to get attention and gain control of the situation. So, you're supposed to ignore it. So I do or I try at least. Tuesday we had one that lasted 10 minutes. In reality 10 minutes is a very short amount of time but when you're listening to howling and screaming it's a long time. Really I'm not sure what else to do. You can't reason with her or even pick her up. So I let her throw her fit along with the wailing and gnashing of teeth and proceed with my business. This is all well and good at home. I'm not sure the people at Walmart will enjoy this kind of spectacle that I'm sure will happen eventually. My spur of the moment instinct is to pick her up and spank her little tail (yes we spank our children) but I think it would fuel the tantrum fire. So please, if anyone has a great suggestion for me please let me know.

The things that set off the tantrums are so random it's not even funny. Yesterday it was because I made her hold my hand while coming down the steps. Tuesday I still don't know what it was over. Today it was because I made her get down from climbing.

OK I don't' want you all to think I have a terror for a child and she is let run out of control. 99% of the time she is fun loving and happy and affectionate and spunky. She's a great eater, a fantastic sleeper, her vocabulary grows everyday, and she loves people. She's never met a stranger. She's fantastic at the doctor's office and for the dentist. She's right on target with where she should be as a two year old and unfortunately that includes the tantrums. Sigh....

In retrospect I do find it a little amusing that two year olds find this a solution to whatever situation is going wrong. I mean she's never seen anyone else lay flat on the floor and scream and wail. It's just a gut instinct I guess.
As a Mom, we've gone through a lot of phases together and I know that this is just a phase and as it is said I know "this too shall pass" but it sure is painful until it does!

Sidenote: No I didn't include a photo with this post. I'm certain it would make people fear for their lives and run for cover....just kidding!!!!

How to Nab a Husband

2010-02-23T18:51:00.000-08:00

OK I'm sure that Travis married me for a couple of other reasons but this one is high on his list.

I even think I have blogged about this before but it bears repeating.

How to Make the Easiest Barbecue Ribs in the Universe and your husband will fall at your feet..

You need

uhh some ribs (western style or country style pork ribs)

a crock pot

an onion

salt

pepper

Barbecue sauce (one day I'm going to get technical and make my own like the Neely's do...)

but for now bottles will suffice

OK now it gets really complicated...

Throw the ribs in the crockpot...salt and pepper it....

chop onion and throw it on top.

Put the lid on and let it cook all day long on low or part of the day long on high...

Do a little dance cause Dinner is almost done

At the end of the day when these are all done and juice take them out of the crockpot and drain off the juicy stuff. Put them either back in the pot and pour the sauce on them till it's hot OR lay them out on a baking pan and pour the sauce on top of them and cook in the oven till the sauce is hot.

Mash some potatoes and throw in some green beans and some rolls and you're done...

And if your kids don't have egg allergies cook that chocolate lava thing that Lesley blogged bout...

Seriously your husband/boyfriend/dad/brother/uncle/son/ will love you....

OK I suppose he will love you if he is a man like Travis who loves his meat and potatoes and looks for an excuse to wear overalls and will build you a house with his own two hands...and rock your babies to sleep...and make them go to church...and let them ride on his back...OK I could go on and on about the type of man you'll attract with these ribs but enough already...do yourself a favor and make them. I'm pretty sure he was thinking of these ribs when he bought me my anniversary band...

PS refer to my previous post and you will know that I will not eat these ribs. It's just a meat thing...sorry... my kids however love them too...and I think it gets to Travis that they cut in on his leftovers.

Final PS...I bought a dutch oven the other day. It's nifty and red and it's really really heavy. I also haven't cooked anything in it. I would try these ribs in it some day but they might not be as good and my husband might be compelled to leave me for a tall skinny blond...three things I am not. So I will stick with the crockpot and work on our 12th year of wedded bliss.

In Random Order

2010-02-23T09:39:00.001-08:00

I love...
my hubby
my kiddos
my mom and dad
my family
my church
my friends
my house
my pajamas
my camera
Olive Garden
rain on the roof
Barnes and Noble
Target
getting my hair cut
reading
Gone with the Wind
Sheryl Crowe
cooking
the color red
baby feet
my Cuisinart stand mixer
a clean house
yellow roses for no reason
blogging

I do not love
cleaning up after cooking
eggs
traffic
temper tantrums
full laundry hampers
cigarette smoke
going to the dentist
being sleepy
meat in general
spots that won't come out of clothes
the sound of ambulance sirens

and that concludes my segment of useless information about Jessica. Have a fantastic Tuesday.

Baby Update

2010-02-22T16:42:00.000-08:00

Today was my regular appointment with Dr. Gass and other than the long wait in the waiting room it was rather uneventful. Heartrate was 156 and everything is still on track where it should be. I did do the AFP blood test today which we don't get results from for a while. We scheduled the ultrasound today for March 22. The way my appointments are falling I'll actually be between 21 and 22 weeks at that point but the way the time is passing it will be here before you know it. We plan on finding out what the gender of this baby is if we can. Both of my other babies were rather uncooperative when it came to finding out what they were. They both had a tendency to want to keep their little legs tucked up under their behinds! Lilly actually required us coming back later in the day for the nice ultrasound tech to take one more look after I had drunk a little caffeine to get her to moving! But all in all the gender is not what I'm concerned with on the day of the ultrasound, it's just a nice bonus!

A Conundrum

2010-02-20T19:15:00.000-08:00

Lately I have been pondering where exactly I will put this new baby. Let me clarify. I try to discuss with my darling husband about where we are going to locate this baby's room and he looks at me blankly and declares that I sound crazy because our house has 15 rooms and I'm asking him where we will put this baby.

I guess I should rephrase and say where is the most logical place to put this baby? All of our bedrooms aside from the master bedrooms are upstairs. However, only two of them are serving as actual bedrooms, (Noah and Lil's). The other ones are my office, a playroom for the kids and a family room. So here comes the confusing part. I refuse to do without a playroom at this point. Seriously, it would make more sense to do without a dining room at my house, that's how much we use the playroom. The office is my work area which I could relocate to the lower level of the house but it's located on the landing with a wrought iron stair rail instead of walls that separate it and I don't think that's appropriate for a child's bedroom. That leaves the big family room. It's big enough to accommodate 2 or 3 kids easily. So here are my options:

If baby #3 is a girl it will share Lilly's room...simple solution!

If baby #3 is a boy it will take Noah's old room and Noah being the oldest gets to relocate his bedroom into the big room and have a big boy bedroom/kids living room/computer/homework area to eventually be shared by all the kids. Reason for this is if baby #3 is a boy there will be 6 1/2 year age difference separating the two boys and I don't think it would be fair of me to ask a 14 yr old with a 6 year old? Does this make sense?

My final solution would be (if baby #3 is a boy) would actually make the kids happy now but I realize would not be a permanent solution. In a few years someone would have to move bedrooms again (probably when they outgrew the need for a toy room) would be for Noah and Lilly to share the big room as their shared bedroom. Then the new baby could have Noah's room and the other bedroom would serve as the family room/computer area.

Is this final solution crazy? Seriously I need some input. As an only child I never had to share a room (or anything else for that matter) with anyone. Is it more fair to move everyone so everyone can have their own room?!? Is it silly to put a boy/girl room together (Even though there is some bedding in the pottery barn book that is so stinking cute I can't stand it?)

I realize I should probably wait until next month when we hopefully find out the gender of baby #3 to figure all this out but I would still like to have some input.

Travis says no problem, we can line up bunk beds in the big room upstairs and have as many kids as we want...I hope he has a plan to send them to college!

Photography

2010-02-18T17:55:00.001-08:00

Here is a post you will not care about but I am venting. Photography is my job. For a living I photograph tons of babies, toddlers, kiddos, families, seniors, you get the picture. (No pun intended). Seriously I love it...I LOVE it. I love capturing that new baby phase when they're all wrinkly and curled up, I love the slobbery phase, I love the wide eyed into everything phase. I love it all. It doesn't bother me at all when I have a fussy one or one who won't sit still. I just play a little, give them a chance for a bottle or a cuddle and we're good to go.

What I do not love??? The expense of photography. Seriously, I love it when an important piece of my equipment wheezes out it's last breath and when I haul myself online to order a replacement and it's never cheap...it's usually several hundred dollars or more. Seriously.... makes me wanna spit nails. I would much rather spend my money on some cute prop or background that on some piece of techie crap that makes the whole rig run right. Which is exactly what I'm getting ready to do. My little box that controls all of my studio lights has sadly seen it's last days. I though about burying it in the backyard but alas I will order a new one. And then I will cuss and fuss when I have to get used to it and I will bemoan the fact that my other one had served me well for 6 years.

Also...in case you couldn't tell by the above paragraph I will clarify. I am 100% self taught. I have spent countless hours with my nose stuck in a book or up all night online and shot thousands of crappy photos to learn this business. Is it the "right" way? Who knows, but it's my way, and this far it's been more successful than I ever dared to hope for. I have customers who loyally come from out of city and out of state so I can photograph their precious families and I love them more than they could know. If I do anything right as a photographer it's because I did it wrong at least 4 or 5 times and learned from it!

But all of the failed equipment and money spent and hours studying is so well worth it when I get an email or a phone call from a mom who tells me when she saw the photos I took of her newborn baby she cried.

So I will continue to sink money into equipment and books and workshops because sadly I'm addicted.

Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

2010-02-16T12:04:00.000-08:00

Recipe: No-Bake Chocolate Sunbutter Oatmeal Cookies
This recipe is a must have for any body who is allergic to peanuts/tree nuts or who has an allergic child like us! (I make it with dairy products but it could EASILY be made dairy free as well.)

1 stick butter or margarine (use fleischmans unsalted margarine if dairy is an issue)
2 cups sugar
1/4 c Hershey's cocoa
1/2 c milk (you could substitute soy or rice milk)
1/2 cup Sunbutter (sunbutter is a peanut butter substitite made from Sunflower seeds. It is made in a nut free facility and you can order it online or I buy ours at Kroger in the organic food section, it smells just like peanut butter and tastes very very close)
2 1/2 cups old fashioned oats

combine butter, cocoa, milk and sugar and bring to a rolling boil. Cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add oats and sunbutter. Drop by spoonfuls onto was paper. Super easy!!!

Ironically enough, Noah doesn't like these and won't try sunbutter. I think he thinks it looks too much like the real thing. As a side note, many many food allergic individuals have food aversions to the things they are allergic to. So I'm not sure if the flavor of these turn him off just because of his peanut allergy or not. Either way, I don't push it. I make them and they're safe for him if he wants them or he can pass! We like them though!

I don't miss peanut butter. Really I don't, UNLESS you count Snickers, and Reeses cups, AND chocolate peanut butter oatmeal cookies. I'm more of the peanut butter candy kind of girl. I could care less about peanut butter sandwiches, etc. However, to keep my child safe we don't eat peanut products in our home. Travis will occasionally eat peanut butter crackers at work but he keeps a toothbrush and toothpaste there and he won't kiss the kiddos or drink after them or anything after he eats them.

So long story short, I ran across this recipe a long while back and kind of thought...hmm I'll try that sometime, then my friend DeAnna emailed it to me and reminded me I wanted to try it. So I did and the results were super!!! I bet I could have fooled the most addicted peanut butter lover ever.

Valentine's Day Weekend

2010-02-15T17:01:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone had a great Valentine's Day! We were so busy this weekend I'm not sure where the time went, but it was fun!

Friday night Travis kept the kiddos so I got to have a little time out with the girls and we went to watch Valentine's Day and to eat at the new mexican place in BG. (It was kind of funny though because the name of the place is Riviera Bar and Grill and it just showed up on our checking acct as riviera bar after I used my debit card, so Travis asked me, "Uh just what did you guys do Friday?" )
I assured him we didn't get sloshed at some bar, we just ate chips and salsa!

Saturday I worked and then we went to Noah's ballgame at Kyrock and then we visited with Mom and Dad for a while. We had church Saturday night and Sunday. We got up Sunday morning and gave the kids their Valentine's treats (chocolate from Peanut Free Planet and some Valentine's Day books) and then after church Travis arranged for his Mom and Dad to keep the kiddos so we could have a date. (Which we rarely ever get to do!) We went to watch Dear John (which I liked and Travis tolerated) and then we ate at Longhorn. It was a great day! It's funny how our Valentine's Day festivities have evolved as the kids came along. I'm sure next year it will be even a little harder to orchestrate than this year!!!

On a side note (I don't THINK Travis will kill me for posting this). Every single year for the past 15 years Travis has written me a long letter and folded it and put it in my Valentine's Day card. He thinks he's no good at writing, but his letter makes me cry every single year. I look forward to these letters more than any gift he could ever buy me!

I also overheard a funny conversation while getting ready for church on Sunday. It was one of those Daddy to son talks and I could hear Travis saying, "Now Noah when you get bigger you'll learn that Valentine's Day is mostly about girls, and they like flowers and stuff." That's right Daddy, teach him early! Roses and love letters are sure ways to a girls heart!