Siblings

I wish I were a better writer, maybe then I could find the words and detail the moments and emotions I feel when I watch my children interact together.  This morning may have been one of the most perfect mornings we've had (without daddy home). We read, we painted, we "played school", we did more crafts and computer time. We had a yummy lunch, cleaned up, had a little dessert then played in their bedroom before naps.

The perfect time to me was the playing in the bedroom.  I am trying to more purposeful about play time with Nathan.  A lot of times he's with us, just hanging out on the floor or in the high chair while I interact with the girls. So, this morning, I told the girls that we were going to play with Nathan for a little while...and play we did!

We spent about 20 minutes singing songs, reading funny rhymes and talking with each other.  Nathan sat in front of me or on my lap as I moved his arms in sync with the girls singing and dancing (the wheels on the bus, here we go round the mulberry bush, grande ole duke of york...to name a few). 

What I wish I could describe was the look of pure adoration Nathan had toward his sisters.  He smiled with his mouth and with his eyes as he watched them dance around the room.  He giggled with them as they tried to teach him the movements.  He "danced" with them to the beat of their songs.  It was perfect.  The girls had a blast entertaining Nathan...Nathan thoroughly enjoyed  watching them...and I tried not to cry as I took in the memory of these three siblings.  These three who already love each other. These three who will be together always.  These three who, I pray, will have a special and lasting bond.  Today was a memory that I am determine to tuck away in my heart and hold onto for a long long time.

Beach Day

This morning, we took off to the beach with Yaya.  It was a perfect Florida beach day.  It was hot, almost no breeze, the water was warm and nearly flat.  We parked at a State Park....in the last lot.  It think that's my favorite place to park. There are very few people, and  you can walk all the way down to Wiggins Pass and, if your lucky, spot some cool shells.

Immediately, the girls got to work building with Yaya in the sand.

Hannah is the fish who was first in the water with Yaya.  Nicole was happy to just be playing in the sand. In fact, before we went, she told me that she just wanted to play in the sand.  She did eventually make her way to the water though.

We noticed there was a sandbar, so my mom swam out to it, and found us some sand dollars.  I don't think the girls had ever seen live sanddollars before.  Nicole and Hannah both "tickled" their toes, but only Hannah would actually hold one.

We also spotted a couple dolphins.  At one point, they were very close to shore, and straight out in front of us.  Of course, I didn't have my camera then, but I tried to snap a few shots when they were a little further away.

Nathan slept almost the whole time.  To bad for him...but I was happy he got his morning nap. 

I took a walk with the girls down to the pass.  We collected shells, slipped down sand banks and chased birds.  It was fun.

I think we all had a nice day at the beach:-)

Nathan is 8 months!

Nate turned 8 months old last Thursday.  He is the sweetest, cutest little boy in the whole wide world!  He has a really great little sense of humor and disposition.  Every night after dinner time, he laughs.  All I have to do is look at him, and it cracks him up!  Then, Jeremy and the girls get in on the action.  Nathan is very very close to crawling,

he sits up well, he's eating really well...and has even added crackers to his repertoire.

Nate goes to bed a few minutes after 7, and wakes up around 7 in the morning.  Occasionally he'll wake up at night, but usually just for a minute or two.  He is cutting his top two teeth...any day now really. He wears size 12 month clothes. He is extremely ticklish...around his neck, on his sides, his thighs, under his arms....just about anywhere. He LOVES his sisters.  He watches them all the time!  It's adorable.

Nate is a really cool baby, really he is.  I just love him to pieces, and I know his daddy and sisters do too.  The video above is just of him, making noises and saying "mama"  Please forgive my weird baby sounds as I play along with him:-)

Happy 8 month birthday Nate!  We love you!

Life is a Highway

And my kids have their very own car!

I came home last Sunday from my friend's house and found this.

Jeremy made a car for the girls to play in out of his box from his new lawn mower.  They have played in the car all week long!  I'm so glad Jeremy made the car for them...it's much more creative than if I would have done it. There were doors on both sides, a windshield, a steering wheel, a "crank" to start the car (Nicole saw this in a movie with an old car) and even a spoiler!  It was a pretty cute little hot rod.

Oh Toodles....

My kids like to watch Mikey Mouse Clubhouse.  Since we have TV for the next couple of months, they have been watching a lot more of Mikey Mouse than ever before.  They have their favorite 4 or 5 episodes they pretty much watch all the time.  Anyway...the basis of the show is that Mikey and his friends hang out at his clubhouse.  There is some sort of problem each day and they have to work together to figure it out.  They are given 3 or 4 tools to use along the way, which his little flying friend "Toodles" holds.  So...when Mickey and friends are in trouble, they say (in a sing song voice) "Oh Toodles!!!" and toodles comes flying to help them out.

Well, the other day, we were all swimming.  Hannah decided she needed a break.  She got out of the pool and tried to get up in the chair.  If you've ever seen a typical pool chair, they are made from long thin pieces of plastic or vinyl.  Hannah's leg fell through between the flimsy pieces.  At first she said "oh, oh no, oh no!".  Then, she looked up, cupped her hand to her mouth and said, "Oh Toodles!!!"

Hmmm...maybe to much Mickey Mouse?

Baseball and Friends

Last night, Jeremy and I got to go to an MLB baseball game with two of our closest friends, Brooke and Bryan.  It was an adventure, to say the least. 

Jeremy had been in Ocala working all week.  He worked nearly 70 hours in 4 1/2 days, so that gives you a clue as to how hard, and how long he was working up there.  He was ready to have a good time!  He literally drove in town, jumped out of his work van, and into Brooke and Bryan's car and we headed over to Miami. 

A few weeks ago, we realized that the rookie phenom pitcher I talked about a few weeks ago, Stephen Strasburg would be pitching against the Florida Marlins.  So, that was the occasion....we went to catch a glimpse of this new pitcher.

We had good seats, they were on the upper deck, but it was "the lower upper deck" as Bryan kept saying.  They were actually great...gave us a nice view of the field, we were right behind home plate.  So, we were only a few minutes late to the game, took our seats and started eating our hotdogs and chips. 

I'm not sure who was up to bat, but I had just placed a potato chip in my mouth and I heard the ball get hit.  I looked up and saw a ball coming straight for my face.  But, the whole time I kept thinking "Bryan said the ball would never make it up here, Bryan said the ball would never make it up here."  Brooke and Bryan (who were sitting to my left) never flinched.  As I realized the ball was coming my way and it was probably going to hit me, I pulled the bag of potato chips in front of my face, close my eyes and said "oooohhhhhh".  Then, I heard the hit of the ball against flesh, I flinch and was ready to let out a yell...but I realized it wasn't me the ball hit.  I opened my eyes and saw Jeremy reaching over in front of me and then I saw the lady in front of us jump up and down in jublilation from "catching" a foul ball.   For the next 10 minutes, all we could talk about was the ball coming up to us from our perspective.  I knew it was coming, and it probably would have hit me.  Bryan saw it coming, but again, he thought it would never make it to the upper deck.  I'm not sure Brooke even knew the ball was hit.  Jeremy also didn't see it hit.  He was putting his drink down, looked up, saw a ball and reached out his left hand.  It bounced off his hand and into the lap of the lady in front of us.  HE ALMOST HAD IT!!!!!  JEREMY ALMOST CAUGHT A FOUL BALL, PITCHED BY STRASBURG!!!  Wouldn't that have been cool?  Instead, it was an almost.  We all missed out.  In Jeremy's defence, I am certain that if he would have seen the ball coming a milisecond earlier, he would have had it, his arm went out in reflex and it just wasn't enough time.  But...it was exciting!

The rest of the game was fairly uneventful.  But, we had a great time laughing, sitting outside without taking "potty breaks" every 10 minutes or listening to whines of little ones wanting to go home.  We just got to relax together and watch a game.  It was good.

We basically got lost like 2 times on the way home.  But...I won't hound Bryan too much for that....none of us were paying attention.  HOWEVER, we were about 10 or 15 miles from the toll plaza in collier county, in the middle of the everglades on Alligator Alley.  We were all talking, I don't remember what about.  I'm pretty sure I was in the middle of the sentence when I hear 'DOOOOOOOOOOOOOGGGGGGG".  Then the car lurched to the left and swerved back to the right.  It was really scary.  I didn't see anything, but apparently there was a dog....A DOG!!!!!....in the middle of the road, in the middle of Alligator Alley, in the middle of the Everglades!  Bryan missed him, I don't know how, but he did.  We did not go off the road, we did not hit the dog...and for the second time that night, after about 15 minutes of non-stop talking and adrenaline rush, we were ok. 

It was a fun night, with a fun set of friends.  We are thankful that we have friends we can hang out with, laugh with, sit with and just enjoy...both with kids around, and without. 

Tadpoles

Several weeks ago when rainy season went into full swing, we were talking an evening stroll when we happened to find zillions of baby tadpoles.  Armed with a plastic bucket and a tupperwear container, Jeremy and Nicole began collecting tadpoles.  We put them in  large 5 gallon bucket at home and spent the next few weeks observing our tadpoles while learning about the lifecycle of frogs. 

Checking out our bucket of tadpoles

"eye" see you little tadpole

Drawing our observations

 Hannah even tried to draw a tadpole

 Nicole's tadpoles.  The blue thing on the right is a drawing of some small snails that were also in the water.

After several weeks, the water got so yucky that we put the tadpoles back where we found them, in the ditch.  We never got to see them get bigger and swim with their legs. 

Back to School Deals - Staples

I had a fun time at Staples this week and just had to share.  OK, first, I know that you are probably rolling your eyes thinking I'm such a weird-o for having fun at staples...sorry, I don't get out much! hehehe.

Here's what I bought.

2 Reams of 500ct Multi purpose paper
1 package of photo paper
2 8ct of pencils
2 2ct of preschool scissors
10 2 pocket folders with tabs inside.

Total $27.09 plus tax
Used $10/$25 Office Depot Coupon
Used $2.80 Staples Rewards Certificate
Used $14.20 Staples Rewards Certificate

Paid $0.09!!!!
I'll also get back $23.95 back in Staples Easy Rebates
So...with coupon math, I earned $23.86 to visit Staples this week and purchase their products.  Thank you Staples!

Also...you can get $2 back on every ink cartridge you recycle there, up to 10 a month.  I dropped 7 off on this trip, so I'll get an additional $14 back in Staples Rewards.  Did you get any back to school supplies this week?

I just found out a 24 ct box of Crayola crayons are $.25 at Walmart.  I'm going to go buy several....Crayola is usually pretty pricey.

Sisters and Friends

Last night, I walked into the kids' room to check on them and I saw the sweetest site, that I couldn't capture on camera.  Nicole and Hannah were cuddled up to each other in bed, Nicole had her arm around Hannah's shoulders and they were fast asleep.  It was a precious, perfect moment for me to see. 

It is so important to me that my children grow up knowing they were chosen to be together.  That is was not an accident.  They need to love each other, trust each other, look out for each other, share together, protect each other and be there for each other...because they are a gift to each other. 

I treasure the moments I catch of glimpse of their growing bonds.

Ephesians 4:32

Our new Bible verse to memorize and live by is Ephesians 4:32

"Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you."

I think that's a great verse to meditate on for both preschoolers and adults, what do you think?

Hold your Breath!

This morning, we went swimming with my mom. 

I'm pretty sure Hannah is a fish.  She has practically been begging us to let her swim (without using words though). For instance, last time I took her swimming, she took her floaties off and somehow made it right in front of me with big huge "help me" eyes.  She jumps in, whether or not anyone is there to catch her.  A lot like how Nicole was at 2. 

So, today, my mom and I (well...my mom really, she had some great tips), starting helping Hannah swim.  She literally jumped from the steps and swam to us for almost an hour.  She was so exhausted that she was asleep before I was even out of the parking lot on our way home.

Nicole had a blast as well.  She is more afraid to learn to swim now.  But, she tried a few times.  She just loves kicking around with a floaty around her.  I wish I would have "let her go" when she was Hannah's age....if you have a little one eager to swim, I say...let them swim. 

Back to School Deals

Hey my money saving friends,

Back to School deals are starting.  There are some awesome deals this week at Staples and Office Depot.  You may have to pay out of pocket for some things, but do the instant or easy rebates,and you'll get most of the money back.

Remember last year, I was able to stuff 2 backpacks full of back to school items for needy children, and spent just a few dollars.  This year (she doesn't know it yet, she might find out on here), I have a dear dear friend who will be teaching in a very low income, very needy school district.  Most of her kids probably won't have much in terms of school supplies, so I'm going to give a lot of the stuff I purchase for her.  I've heard from other friends that have taught out there that often times, teachers end up buying a lot of supplies for their students, out of their own pockets.  So, hopefully I can help my teacher friend not have to do that (and Brooke....hit up these sales too!). 

Do you know of someone or an organization you can donate school supplies to?  This is an easy and cheap way to help them out.  Plus, it's so fun and such a "high" to get all this great stuff for cheap or free!

15 seconds....

....is all she needs!!!!

btw...it's not permament marker, it's eye black, you know, the stuff football and baseball players put under their eyes.  Thankfully, it wiped right off.

Memories in the Kitchen

When my children look back on their childhood, I hope that one memory that comes up is time in the kitchen.  Daily my kids help me with breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks.  Not always every meal, but they are always there for at least most of them.  As Nicole is growing up, I am enjoying the opportunity to teach her more and give her more freedom to work with me in the kitchen. 

Lately, we have been making homemade semi-whole wheat hamburger buns on a weekly basis.  First, let me tell you they are DELISH!  Super yummy.  I don't think I ever want to buy a pack of hamburger or sandwich buns again.  The recipe, found here, is really easy and quick.  She calls them 30 minutes hamburger buns (it's more like 40 though for me). You can also make little dinner rolls our garlic bread from this recipe too.  Whatever you want. 

Anyway, Nicole loves to make these with me.  This is such a terrific learning opportunity.  We get to talk about yeast and why it's needed in bread (which then leads to conversations about how Jesus used the example of yeast in several parables), she gets to practice fractions, addition and division with me as we manipulate the recipe, she gets all kinds of practice in gross motor skills like scooping, pouring, mixing and even kneading.  Yes, kneading.  I think that is her favorite part.  She loves trying to knead the dough, and she's getting pretty good at it. 

(she's eating flour....gross!  To each her own though)

Sometimes I think I can teach them almost everything they need to know while we are in the kitchen.  Maybe I'll try:-)  Today I was teaching both Nicole and Hannah how to peel a carrot (with MUCH supervision).  There are some definite dangers in the kitchen, but I feel like if I teach them how to listen to me, use the tools properly, and follow recipe instructions, they will be more comfortable, and more safe cooking in the kitchen.

Hannah also likes to help in the kitchen, but she usually gets kicked out for eating all the ingredients before making it into everything...and I'm not talking a little nibble here or there...I'm talking about eating ALL of something.  I even want Nathan to cook with me...for now, he just watches from the bumbo or the exersaucer.  As long as I turn around every now and then and make a goofy face at him, he's content.

Here are a few random pictures from today of the kids.  I love these three.  They are precious to me!

Is anyone there?

I have not been very good about updating my blog lately.  I feel like I haven't really had the time.  When I do have the time...or least a few minutes of it, I sit down and can't think of anything meaningful to say.  I guess I'm in a slump. 

Yes, I have pictures to share.
Yes, we have been doing things.
But, I just don't feel like taking the time to download, then upload, then describe the pictures. 

The children are doing well.  I took Nicole to a lunch theater presentation of Cinderella last week.  It was a lot of fun spending time with just her.  She enjoyed the show and got to meet most of the cast afterward.  After meeting Cinderella and sitting next to her for a photo op, this was what Nicole had to say, "mommy, her dress was kind of crunchy and kind of soft".  She also wanted to know why her dress was not blue.  For lunch, Nicole chose to eat Jello, french fries and cake.  It was her special day with me, she got what she wanted:-)

Hannah has gone back to struggling between being a baby and a big girl.  1 1/2 - 2 1/2 is a really hard stage mentally for children, I think anyway.  They want to be "big kids" (especially if they have an older sibling), but they also want to be babies to (especially if they have a younger sibling).  So, she's been a little emotional lately and just struggling to get through it.  It's actually really sweet to watch.  She gets frustrated because Nicole can do things that she can't yet (like, pour her own milk, or make her own PB&J).  But, then a moment later, her only mode of transportation will be if I carry her around, because she refuses to walk.  So....she's in a bit of a rough spot, but I know it will pass and soon, she won't want to be a baby at all anymore!

Nathan is sitting up extremely well now. We got rid of his baby car seat.  He's in a large convertible car seat now, and seems to love it.  He went grocery shopping with me the other day and got to sit up in the cart.  I'm pretty sure he loved it.  He is working on getting into a hand and knees crawling position, but still isn't there yet.  It's ok, I'm not ready.

Speaking of crawling, I have been working hard getting my house in order for a crawling baby around.  I'm training the girls to find "choking hazards", and working to pick up clutter. 

We are trying really hard, as a family to eat better.  It started with the removal of soda from our home.  Jeremy and I both were drinking several cans of soda a day.  So, we stopped, cold turkey....had some serious withdrawl headaches...but we've been soda free for 3 1/2 weeks now.  It's good.  We both feel better.  We watched a movie called Food Inc....a documentary about where our food comes from, how it's  processed and how the businesses run.  It's repulsive, I wanted to just stop eating all together, but I didn't.  So, I am working hard at trying to make healthier meals and snack choices.  It's MUCH more time consuming, but between eating more veggies and drinking less soda, we are feeling better physically than we have in a long time.  Now we have to add exercise to the mix.  That's the toughest one for us.  We seriously do not have time, unless we give up family time, which we are just not willing to.  So...we'll see about that.

Jeremy is working hard, he has some big jobs over the next couple of weeks. I am just doing my thing here.  I'm working on keeping a more orderly home, cooking fresh, healthy meals, and trying to get back in routine teaching my kids through fun activities.  So....that's it.  I'll try to think of something more exciting to share next time.