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!

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.

Our Current Bedtime Reading

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

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!

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.   

A Day At the Fair

Project Life Post Coming Soon!

Sunday Brunch

Pregnancy Update

At 28 weeks I am feeling pretty great.  As compared to my first pregnancy this second pregnancy is a breeze.

I am having a little trouble sleeping and my backaches a bit, but otherwise wouldn't really even notice I was pregnant.

First Reflections On Staying Home

It's been about one month as a stay at home mom.  Has it sunk in that i won't be returning to school next year?  Yes.  Honestly, it was a huge weight off my shoulders to be able to focus on just my family.  I know I will miss teaching a lot, but I also know the large amount of work that is required to do it well, and frankly I won't miss all that work.

My goals as a stay at home include:

1. Cooking good food for my family.  Shopping for the best deals and keeping to the grocery budget.

2. Keeping Fulton entertained and  his mind stimulated at home.  Giving him lots of structure and the tools needed to develop into the handsome, capable, boy he was born to be.

3.  Provide for baby and help this new little one learn to trust and feel love in this world.  (Did I tell you how excited I am for the baby?  Well, I AM, big time!)

4.  This Blog!

Fulton Right Now

Fulton,

   Right now you are becoming more and more of a little boy each and every day.  You are sleeping in a "big boy" bed.  (You need mom or dad to stay in your room until you fall asleep.)  You wake up early and usually ask for a "nack" (snack) right away.  Your days consist of lots of time outside, going on walks, playing cars or with your toy animals, drinking mom's homemade smoothies or chocolate milk, and rough housing with dad.  You like to dance to Johnny Cash, you love to watch Elmo on T.V., and you love to look at pictures of yourself.
   You continue to be very affectionate toward mom and dad.  You repeat almost everything we say;  you are talking like crazy.  You get frustrated if you want to do something and can't.  Sometimes if you're tired, hot, or hungry, you through a tantrum.   
    Right now there is nothing more your dad and I want more than to spend time with you.  We love watching  you play.  We love how you love us and we love that we get to share in this adventure called life with YOU!  

Vacation Post 3

Day Three....

Day three starts out much like day two - that is we watch cable cartoons and then head down to breakfast.  The plan was to  go to Leelanau Peninsula but both Bill and I are a little anxious about driving farther North.  (The check transmission light that kept coming on on the way up is in the back of our head.)  After tossing around a few ideas of what we could do today, I finally just tell him let's say a prayer and head to Leelanau.

I am so glad we did!  Leelanau turns out to be the coolest town we have ever been to.   It's hard to put into words, so I will let the pictures themselves speak for this cozy little fishing town. 

Also, we had zero transmission lights on the way there and all the way home.  

Family Vacation Post 2

Day two...

Wake up, turn on the cable T.V. cartoons (we don't have this is our house so this is a real treat).  Eventually make our way down to breakfast.  Fulton attends breakfast in his P.J's.  It is a free breakfast, but not cheap.

Head out to the children's museum.  Fulton LOVES the children museum and explores every inch of the place a few times over.    He knew it was a place just for him.  At just over 2 hours at the museum, Fulton asks me to hold him and I ask him if he wants to go get lunch.  He says yes, and I tell Bill now is our chance to go without a tantrum!

Off we head back downtown for an amazing lunch at the Blue Tractor.  Although our very hot and tired child didn't let us eat together (Bill ate, I kept Fulton busy and then we switched),  the food was amazing!  I had a pulled pork sandwich and Bill and a burger topped with pulled pork.  I got a great spicy Ginger ale and Bill got a local beer.  We also love the decor of the Blue Tractor.  Once we leave the Blue Tractor we explore town some more until Fulton has had his limit.  We leave and try to head back to the hotel for a nap (fail - Fulton won't sleep).

After hearing Fulton sing to himself for 45 minutes,  we decide to head to Moomers  for dinner.  Ice-Cream for dinner, yes please.  The ice-cream the boys get does not disappointment and either does my frozen yogurt blended with raspberries.  We had back into town to walk the beach, but our trip is short lived.  Our very hot, very tired, napless child has really reached his breaking point.  We head back to the Hotel only to find Fulton has gained a second wind and is running circles around our hotel room.  Oh well, at least we get to hang out and enjoy some Deadliest Catch and Ice Road Truckers.  Two of our favorite shows we rent from the library.