Advent Calendar

I put together this advent calendar with old project life cards (you could use index cards), decorative tape, lunch sized paper bags, and fishing line.  Each bag has a card with a prayer for Fulton to say and a small treat.  Hanging up high so he can't reach it!

Milestones

Dear John Paul,

    You are 6 weeks old and are growing so much!  Each night dad and I go  to bed and say to each other "I can't believe how big he is getting."  You have already changed so much since your birth.  You can hold your head up for long periods of time.  You have really started to focus and look at people.  You smile.  You "talk."  I love when I am talking to you and I can tell you are focusing so hard and then you smile so big and let out a soft "coo."  I can just tell you are thinking and telling your brain to do these things!  Your beautiful smiles brings tears to both dad and myself.  We love you so much John Paul!

Thankful

Thankful for so many things...

My house.  Sometimes I can grumble and complain when all the toys are out and Fulton has dragged out our vacuum, broom, and pots and pans to play with, and it begins to feel small  (just ask my husband about these grumblings).   In truth I really do like my house.  I love that the trim is painted white. I love that the monthly payment doesn't break our bank. I love that the basement is practically finished so that we have two living spaces, and I really love the light shade of blue in the bedrooms.  At night when I tuck my freshly bathed well feed children into bed, I smile at the safe, warm, clean house we are able to give them.  Some mothers in the world would give anything to give their kids just that.

Fulton and John Paul.  My list wouldn't be complete who these two.  Thank you boys for making my wildest dreams come true.  I wouldn't have this title of "mom" without you.

Change.  My life has moved very fast in the last few years.  I am so thankful for how easy it was to embrace the change.

Friends.  Many more have been added to the mix in the last few months.  I am so thankful for the beautiful women in my life who inspire me - as  a wive, as a mother, as a  woman.

Mom.   We are two very different people, but have always had a good relationship.  My mom set a great example for me - it was never about her it was always about us kids.  She loved and spent true time with us as babies and toddlers and kids.    As I grew up she let  me become more and more independent without "breathing down my neck", but she still always knew just what was up and what was going on in my life (I am thinking of my teenage years here).

Bill.  This guy is really my other half, so it's pretty precise to say I would lost without him.  We make a good team, and he brings out the best in me.  He works hard. He reminds me to "relax" when I am stressed about nonsense. He is funny.   And he is good looking!

Swimming in Crayons

If your house is like mine at all then you are swimming in crayons.  (okay, maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration)  I am not sure how exactly but we ended up with a hundreds of crayons, but we did.  So one night when Fulton and I got bored...

We unpeeled crayons (this took a long time).  Broke them, threw in a cup cake  tin, and baked them at 250 for ten minutes.

It was fun and helped us "use up" some of our crayons.

Right Now

I look at my baby boy John Paul and I am in love.  This little man grows more perfect everyday.

Some days for Fulton are hard.  He knows what he wants but struggles with the words to say what he wants and that results in a meltdown.  Hunger and fatigue often lead to meltdowns too.  It's tough being two that's for sure.  

My husband is awesome and I don't tell him that enough.  

Right now it's way fun watching the neighbor's lawn service.  

Picture Love

I love this picture and everything about it.  Bill is unshaven.  Our Bed is half-made.  We just changed J.P.'s diaper on our bed even though we have a changing table.  But this is life. This is our life and I love it.  I love how my husband looks at his sons and I love that J.P. is starting to stare at Bill and J.P's eyes move towards Bill's voice.  So, this picture might not be considered photographic art (see J.P's blurred hand), but it's us and it's real.

Lessons in Motherhood

If there is anything motherhood has taught me it's this...  nothing compares to a well rested and well feed child.   It IS ok to skip events because of nap time and it's ok to build schedules around nap time.  Don't let people make you feel guilty about skipping "non-essentials" so your child can nap.  You know what lack of sleep does to your kid, and why would you purposely put him through that melt-down?  

If the toddler has been sleeping for quite a long time, go ahead and prepare his lunch now so it will be ready as soon as he wakes up.  Don't even give him time to realize he is hungry.  Just offer it to him and be amazed at how much he eats and how much smiles he is when he is done.

Unrelated picture, just remembering my deer sweet toddlers face as a baby.  

Last lesson...ENJOY every moment your two year old wants to snuggle.  He becomes more independent each day and these moments are fleeting.

Our Current Bedtime Reading

-The Teddy Bears' Picnic is a favorite from my childhood.

Pizza Bake

So easy and not very costly.  I love this dish and so does my family!

3 and 1/2 cups of bisquick
1 cup of milk
1 can of pizza sauce
16 pepperoni
2 cups shredded cheese

Heat oven to 375 degrees F.
Spray 13x9 glass dish with cooking spray
In medium bowl stir bisquick and milk until soft dough forms
Drop half of dough by spoonfuls evenly over bottom of dish (dough will not evenly cover the bottom of the dish)
Drizzle half of pizza sauce over dough
Scatter half of pepperoni
Top with 1 cup of cheese
Repeat layers

Bake 20-25 mins until golden brown

Halloween

We bought Fulton a Elmo costume.  He loves Elmo, but the costume? Not so much.  He cried and cried when we tried to get him to wear it. I had a backup plan.  He would wear his winter coat (it's camouflage) and one of Bill's hunting hats and be a hunter. 

As it approached trick or treating, he wanted nothing to do with being a hunter or the Elmo costume.  However, he was intrigued that kids would be coming over to get candy.  "Kids where are you?"  He kept saying as he stood on the chair and looked out the window.  Finally, the first trick or treaters arrived.  As Fulton saw the neighborhood full of kids, I asked him if he wanted to go.  "Shoes” he called.  "Hunter or Elmo?,"  I asked.  Hunter it was. 

Once we got outside and started going door to door it was like MAGIC for mom.  

Fulton, seeing your face and experiencing this, your first real trick or treat, with you …it was amazing.  It was also nice for me and you to have this special time together just us.  (I have to spend a lot of time feeding John Paul these days, something you don't like so much). 

The greatest part of being a parent, of being YOUR parent, is getting to relive the adventures of youth...to experience the magic and joy and newness again. Only this time I get to be with you!

Halloween At Our House

Pinterest Cooking

 
I love pinterest for new cooking ideas.  These are some yummy and easy  bbq cups.

1 package of refrigerated biscuits
1 pound of  burger.
BBQ Sauce
Cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Brown burger, drain fat and then stir in BBQ sauce
Put biscuits in cupcake tins
Top with burger
Top with cheese
Place in oven for 10-13 mins.

Right Now

John Paul went to the zoo and children's museum for the first time this week.  At both he cuddled in for a nap while in the Ergo.  

John Paul has been spending a 10 to 20 minutes a day sleeping (or so I wish) in his co-sleeper.  What an accomplishment!

 Fulton is choosing his own outfits.  Love this monkey/buzz light year combo he choose!

After a day and a half of way too much (remember that bum ankle he had?) T.V./Computer time, I declared Friday a "screen free" day.   At first he cried several times because he wanted to watch a movie and then he was back his normal self -playing with his animals, pushing his toy vacuum  and reading books (even mom's).

Bum Ankle

Our big boy hurt his ankle.  He was running and fell.  X-ray results come in tomorrow.  In the meantime it looks like Disney Junior Online will be his main activity.  Doesn't he look so big sitting like this?

Learning to Cook

Fulton is "learning" to cook.   I have made it a priority that the boys will help with dinner once a week.  Right now JP is too little and Fulton would help everyday if I let him.  We made a modified green bean casserole chicken stuffing casserole    (I went to make chicken stuffing casserole and forgot I gave my stuffing to some kids who came to the door collecting canned goods).

1. Mix green beans, cream of chicken soup, 1/3 cup of sour cream, cut up chicken breasts
2. Put in 9x12 glass dish
3. Top with French Fried Onion Pieces
4. Bake at 400 for 30 mins.

It actually turned out good!

Happy One Week John Paul

Fulton is Two

Dear Fulton, 

Today you are two and there are lots of things to celebrate about you.  You love pizza, french toast, and chocolate milk.  You love all things Toy Story especially Buzz Light Year.  You talk up a storm in complete sentences.  You follow directions really well even if they include multiple steps (Please pick up your toys and then get your shoes).  You recognize items in a pairs as two of something “Two doggies” or “Two eyes.”      You love animals.  You love to play animals and will personify your toy animals.  You can also name almost all the animals at the zoo (penguins, monkeys, pelicans, eagles, and bears are probably your favorite.)  You love trucks, tractors, airplanes, and everything transportation related.  You love to mimic mom and dad and spent a lot of time vacuuming and mowing the lawn each day (we hope you don’t outgrow this, haha) 

You giggle like crazy roughhousing with daddy, but you are very serious and focused when you play basketball or baseball with daddy.  You also love cuddle time with dad. 

You love to read and amaze mom because you will read stories with her for over an hour at a time. 

You are pretty easy going, but sometimes have tantrums even if your belly is full and you are well rested (For example, if you don’t want to be playing quietly in a church pew or would rather be outside looking at ducks then waiting inside the doctor’s office). 

You recognize images of Jesus and the Blessed Mother.  You can do the sign of the cross.  Mom and Dad love it when we “catch you” making the sing of the cross on your own.  You are surly forming some early concept of prayer. 

Fulton you are one cool kid and mom and dad love hanging out with you.  

Getting Out of Debt

A lot of people comment/hint that Bill I are lucky when they learn we are out of debt (except for the house).  This annoys me a little because I don't think "luck" had anything to do with it.   Getting out of debt was a serious effort and a  "giving" up of many things.

How did we do it?

We followed Dave Ramsey's Plan ( look into his radio show/read his books/check out his website for more information on that) and lived below our income...way below.

Homemade Laundry Soap

We lived in a tiny 500/month apartment (we probably could have afforded a luxury apartment in our town at 1,250 a month), we didn't have internet or cable, we ate things like beans/rice and boxed mac-n-cheese for dinner.  I think my husband bought beer 3-4 times the entire two years we were getting out of debt.  When I needed work clothes or shoes we went to goodwill.  We didn't buy Christmas or birthday presents for each other.  We made our own laundry soap.  (still do).  Get the idea?

Was it worth it?  YES.  In 21 months we paid off 42,000 in student loans.  It was so worth it.

Were we inappropriately cheap?  I don't think so...we still bought Christmas gifts for our parents and our son.  We still gave to our church.  If we were invited to dinner at friend's house we bought a dish or special beverage to share.

When people comment how lucky we are that we are out of debt and they just finished telling me they ate at Red Lobster last week and they have an Iphone...I get a little annoyed.  Understand  why?

Not Back To Work/School

I would be back to school right now.  Teaching at the very moment pictured below.  Instead I was at the beach with my boys.  A lot of people ask if I miss teaching.  Do I?  Kinda of.  However, nothing compares to this...being with the boys so much more often.  I love these guys.  With Fulton not in school yet, our lives are not very busy or complicated.  It is great.   

Summer Photo Page

Last month I was inspired by this page on Ali Edwards site.  She is really such a source of inspiration.  For several weeks I worked and reworked this page into my head until I finally tackled it.  Here is the end result...

As you can see my end result is very different than Ali's although the same idea was incorporated.  I used square as my main shape throughout the page.

First I used my Cricut to cut 2 inch squares randomly on a 12x12 white card stock.  Next I used my scissors to trim the sides of the card stock.  I wanted the sides to be trimmed unevenly so purposely did so.

Next, I used my 2 inch squares from my white card stock to be used as a guide to trim my 4x6 photos.  Remember, you don't need to trim your photos perfectly because once the white card stock goes over the photos and paper the images will look perfectly square.

Next I put the white card stock over my background paper and used a pencil to create squares so I knew where to attach my images and paper.

Remove white card stock and attach images to background paper.

Attach white card stock, add journaling, and the page is complete!

P.S. - I have a crafting room with a crafting table, but find myself working on the floor often.  Not sure why.  Hence why the photos were taken on the ground!

A Day At the Fair

Project Life Post Coming Soon!