Cindyland

Ahhh! New format!

2011-12-28T14:23:00.000-08:00

So, I just clicked the "try the new blogger format" and I can't get back to the old one! I'm all all discombobulated...it's like when Facebook keeps changing their postings! I knew I shouldn't have pushed that button!We ended up staying home for Christmas this year because of Colton's night terrors. They are worse than Caitlin's were and that makes traveling (or rather staying the night) anywhere really challenging. Caitlin loved waking up on Christmas morning and couldn't get out of her bed fast enough. She was shocked and delighted that Santa actually ate the cookies and informs those that pass in public of her discovery. Colton got a LOT of pacifiers for Christmas and he couldn't have been happier.I will post more as soon as I upload the pictures. For now, I must go get Colton up from his nap!

Trudging through errands...

2011-12-19T20:23:00.001-08:00

It seemed like my errands were against me today. No matter which one I did, I was hit with some problem or another that wouldn't quite let me fully complete my errand. For instance, at the post office, I thought I had Colton's carrier in the car but was horribly bewildered that it wasn't there. Luckily, Caitlin has been loving piggy back rides, so that is where she was the entire time in line while Colton was snug in the stroller. At Joann Fabrics, they were neglecting to use the number system and I was lined jumped by someone who decided to buy half the store of fabric. Then I forgot to go to the bank. So, finally at home, I decided to work on a WAY over due project, only to find out my pictures are not the right resolution.

Let's just say this, there will be no errands for me tomorrow.

On the other hand, Caitlin is doing really well. She loves everything Christmas and no matter what type of decorations she sees, she just yells "Christmas!" The first thing Colton does in the morning is ask (or rather demand) us to plug in the Christmas lights strung up around the house and on the tree. Although, Colton has begun to have night terrors like Caitlin did at that age. We're trying to wake him up 30 minutes before they usually happen in order to reset his sleep cycle. We did the same thing with Caitlin and it worked pretty well. It's so bizarre that they both got them.

I hope you had a wonderful Monday, and an even better Tuesday!

November Post

2011-11-27T07:03:00.001-08:00

Apparently, this will be my only post in November since I haven't been able to get it together to have posted anything earlier.

We have been doing well. I have been really busy with work and Caitlin has been telling EVERYONE in public that she was Spiderman and Colton was Darth Vader for Halloween. We celebrated her 3rd birthday at a local pizza parlor with lots of balloons, cake, and of course, pizza. I made Thanksgiving dinner again this year for just the four of us. It was really nice and Colton loved the sweet potatoes and turkey. I did get a little taste of Black Friday. Our Michaels craft store opened at 4pm on Thanksgiving day, so I headed down there to pick up a wreath I'd been eyeing. Dennis had to work on Friday, so the kids and I stayed home and put up all our inside Christmas decorations, including the Christmas tree! This year I decided to put the lights up in our living room as well as the kitchen. Yesterday, after Caitlin's impromptu hour and a half nap, we all headed outside to put up those Christmas lights too. We have a few new lights this year and I will have to post those and all the other ones I have too.

First Surgery

2011-10-28T14:18:00.001-07:00

Today Colton is having is first ( and hopefully last) surgery. They are going to remove a cyst in his right eyelid that has been growing since he was born. He's such a trooper! He's just been sitting in my lap calmly this whole time! His nurse is really nice too.

Pumpkin Patch

2011-10-08T15:26:00.000-07:00

It was a great day to go to the pumpkin patch! We had a bright blue sky and the sun was REALLY warm when the breeze wasn't blowing. The kids had so much fun and Dennis and I loved watching them walk and run all over the patch. Caitlin put about 6-8 pumpkins in the cart before she chose the one to take home. Colton was able to get one teeny tiny pumpkin in the cart. I think he rather enjoyed pushing and trying to pull the cart along the path. The pumpkin patch also had pony rides. We'd seen them a few weeks ago at the medieval festival, but I'm a little leery about having her do that yet. We finished the day by having pizza and BBQ wings for lunch. Colton and Dennis are napping while I blog and Caitlin watches TV (and hopefully doesn't fall asleep!).

Pictures!!!!!!!

2011-10-06T14:23:00.000-07:00

I have 5 new posts with pictures! I FINALLY uploaded all my photos to our now working computer. Too bad our printer just died. Anyway, I hope you enjoy!

More Photos

2011-10-06T13:57:00.000-07:00

Here are some of the only photos I have from Colton and Will's joint b-day party. Sometimes I kick myself for not taking more!

Happy again.

First Tonka truck!... courtesy of Aunt Brenda and family.

So much yogurt! Colton actually developed a rash all over his face from the yogurt....not sure what that was all about.

Playing dress-up at Uncle Buck and Aunt Kelly's house.

Helping Daddy clean up.

Popeye and the kids!

My dad and Chi-Sai came over for my birthday for a visit. They took Dennis and I out to a REALLY nice dinner at Looking Glass House, while Nancy watched the little ones. I had a wonderful dinner and was super happy I got to share it with family and friends.

Grandma Chi-Sai walking with Caitlin at the zoo.

Super Caitlin!

Cousin Wedding Photos

2011-10-06T13:53:00.000-07:00

For Labor Day weekend we went to my cousin's wedding.....we also had another birthday party, but that's another post. It had been a long time since Caitlin and cousin Kate got to play around, and they had a blast rolling down the nice green grass!

Poor, stuck baby!

Playing peek a boo while driving to the wedding.

And here they are!

These girls were meant for dance lessons!

Colton's First Camping Trip

2011-10-06T13:50:00.000-07:00

We went on a camping trip the day after Colton's birthday with some friends and their two boys. We went about an hour south of here and it was really warm. We were able to play in the dirt and the river. The kids (and adults) LOVED the river. It was a perfect temperature and the perfect depth.

Caitlin's first time in a river!

You can see how much Colton likes the water.

Lunch

So sleepy the next morning!

Colton's 1st Birthday

2011-10-06T13:48:00.000-07:00

Chocolate cupcake cake with a peanut butter buttercream

He actually grabbed the flame and put it out!

Not so sure about eating with fingers.

Caitlin helping.

Things got messy after I gave him a fork.

It was ALL over the floor too!

Opening presents!

Misc. Photos

2011-10-06T13:46:00.000-07:00

Mmmm, yogurt.

Tuckered out.

Awe!

Super Colton!

Cousin lunch.

Box girl.

So busy!

2011-10-02T20:06:00.000-07:00

We've been really busy here lately. I've been getting ready for my long term sub position in sixth grade that begins on October 10.....if nothing happens sooner. I also subbed in my class on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. I was originally supposed to sub for one day, but it turned into three. I think it was a perfect way for the class to get use to me and vice versa. And I just have to say, I love them already! I can't believe what a sweet group of kids they are! Of course, they LOVE to talk and that's about the only thing so far. While the regular teacher is on maternity leave, I'll be doing History Day and Science Fair! I've never done either one of them! It will be a pretty good learning curve for all of us!

This weekend we went to an apple festival and a thing called "Arts Alive." The latter was a spontaneous decision we made that let Caitlin dance for a good hour and us not getting home until 8pm! It was one LONG (but uuber fun) day.

I really must post pictures soon.....I have so many! And if we go to the pumpkin patch like we plan next weekend, then I'll really be overloaded with pictures!

and the results are.....

2011-09-17T09:49:00.000-07:00

I will be teaching 6th grade at South Bay School in south Eureka starting October 10!!!! It is a long term sub position for a teacher going on maternity leave. She plans to be back mid January, but of course it's all tentative since the baby could come earlier or later. I'm meeting with her on Sunday for the first time to go over some things. When I talked to her on the phone, she sounded just as anxious to talk to me as I was to talk to her. I'm so VERY excited!!!!

Nancy (who also works in the same district :) took me out for drinks to celebrate! We had a fabulous time and uuber yummy raspberry lemon drop martinis!....and yes, martinis is plural for a reason...hahahaha!

Well, it sounds like it's my turn for the shower. We are headed for the North Country Fair and I'm running behind schedule! Colton had a doctor appointment, so I'll have to blog about that later, but he weighs 24lbs 6oz and is 30.5 inches long!

Ooooo, this is my 666 post...creepy!

2011-09-13T14:48:00.001-07:00

So many things have been going on each weekend and I have so many pictures to upload that I have blogger's block! Well, we've been camping, to a wedding, a joint birthday party, and a teaching interview. I have a job!!!! But, it is yet to be determined what grade and where it is yet. I'm hoping to know ANY MINUTE NOW!!!!! It's driving me crazy! I need to start planning, but I don't know what to plan yet. I'm on the edge of my seat just itching to get a jump on things!

I've also been baking way too much. I think I've probably gained a good 10 pounds in the last several months. And today was no help. I made chocolate croissants AND a blackberry pie. I also really want to make smores cupcakes that Dennis sent me a link to.

All this, and I have a TON of caffeine pulsing through me! I think I need to go for a walk when Colton wakes up!....can you see all my exclamations?!

Happy 1st Birthday Colton

2011-08-26T22:45:00.001-07:00

I seriously cannot believe its been a year already! Colton has his year checkup in September so I will post his state then. We celebrated tonight by having a fantasy football draft and a football cupcake cake (more pictures will follow soon). Earlier today I did turn his carseat around. He was looking and pointing everywhere before I even finished buckling him in! I think he's going to really like facing forward.

I will post more in a few days. Right now I'm exhausted and need to go to bed ASAP!

Tuckered Out

2011-08-24T14:50:00.001-07:00

She was awake one minute and asleep the next. I guess the zoo really tires her out! Better get her up and moving to avoid a crazy night. Maybe we'll go to target.

21, 22, 23

2011-08-22T15:22:00.001-07:00

THREE NEW JOBS TODAY!!!!! They are all in Eureka and all of them are for reading intervention. I am really hoping for the 80% position. I believe it is the position that is in charge of all the other ones....but really, I'm getting ahead of myself and should just be hoping for an interview. I will also find out Wednesday or Thursday if I get an interview for planned parenthood.

On another note, we had a fabulous weekend! We went over to Redding and Y-town to visit family and also celebrate my step-mom's 70th and brother's 50th birthdays!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was one RAGING party!!!! Caitlin stayed up for the WHOLE thing which meant she didn't got to bed until midnight! We also stopped by and saw my really good friends on our way home and to drop off some baby clothes. We didn't get home until 5:30 and we're pretty tired today.

Alright, I hear my printer has stopped. Back to it!

Lucky Number 20?

2011-08-16T21:59:00.001-07:00

So, it looks like I didn't get an interview for either one of the HSU positions or an interview at Pacific Union Elementary or Eureka City Schools. I have one outstanding application at Planned Parenthood for a Health Education and tonight I just submitted my 20th application to Enterprise Elementary for a position that is practically identical to my old one at Ferndale. Some sort of break (any break) would be really nice at this point. And since I have depressed you all again, I will leave you with some adorable pictures of the children!

Yard Sale Round 2

2011-08-09T08:29:00.000-07:00

Saturday morning started off with Colton sleeping in and me getting up an hour late to start our yard sale! It was the one time I actually didn't set my alarm clock because I was sure Colton would wake up at his normal 6:30am time....and I was so wrong! Dennis came in at 7:30 and asked when I was getting up. Panicked, I dressed as fast as I could and rushed to the garage to start putting out all of our stuff. At that point, I was SO happy we weren't starting until 8:30!

Our neighbors were also having a yard sale and had lots of furniture for sale. Well, those people interested in furniture, are not the same ones who are interested in baby clothes. I started cleaning up our sale a little after 11am and put about 90% of our stuff along our fence with a big 'ol FREE sign above it. Turns out, that was a pretty good tactic. When I got back form a movie a few hours later, a lot of our stuff was gone!

But here is the funniest thing of all, as I was leaving for the movies, I saw a lady with a whole pile of shirts slung over her shoulder. Perfect, I thought. Someone is benefiting from all these free clothes. Then I saw her turn the corner and go to her house down the street and put them in HER yard sale! WHO DOES THAT?! I couldn't believe what I was seeing! I wasn't mad at all, I was in more of a state of shock at the b@ll$ on this lady! In the end, she probably needed the money more than we did and as long as she didn't bring them back, I didn't care.

And with all our leftover stuff, I will be donating it. We still have so much girl clothing left that I'm really hoping my friend finds out she's having a girl so I can give it ALL to her...hehehehehe!

:(

2011-08-04T18:01:00.001-07:00

Defeated, yet again.

Bounce House Fun

2011-08-04T09:02:00.001-07:00

Caitlin's new bounce house arrived yesterday! She was so excited to see it on the porch, she could hardly wait until Dennis got home to set it up....and neither could I! Colton loves it too! He loved the slide and would squeal with delight.

And now, at 8 am, Caitlin is asking to bounce! She needs to wait a bit until my coffee kicks in and it warms up a bit.

2011-07-31T23:55:00.001-07:00

Walking Machine

2011-07-31T23:53:00.001-07:00

Colton started walking today!!!!! He was standing by the couch and I was sitting about 2-3 feet away and called him several times and he took several steps in a row! Then to make sure it wasn't a fluke we tried it about a dozen more times...and he walked to me again and again! Its sooooo exciting! Yes, a few more bumps and bruises are in our future, but at least he will walk slower than he can crawl...hehehehe.

Colton 11 Months

2011-07-26T21:31:00.000-07:00

I realize it has been FOREVER since I've posted any pictures. I just hadn't gotten around to uploading them, so I didn't have any new ones to post. So I figured since today Colton turned 11 months old, I thought it was time. As you can see from the pictures, he's standing now. I could very possibly start walking on his own if he tried. He also has four teeth and LOVES pasta with tomato sauce. He also has disliked bananas and avocado because he doesn't like to pick them up. He will eat bananas if they are freeze-dried though. He still takes 2 naps a day as my nap consolidation didn't go over very well....for all involved. Tonight he thought it was absolutely hilarious to put a plastic spoon in my mouth and wait for me to yelp.

Caitlin still loves him and gets REALLY excited and FULL of energy everytime he wakes up from a nap. She's going to be a flower girl in a wedding on Monday, so we are trying desperately to avoid anymore scrapes and bruises. But the way that girl loves to play....and play hard, I'm not sure how successful we are going to be. So, I will be putting her in tights just in case. She has also been doing fabulous on the potty training front and it has been quite awhile since she's had an accident. Her last gymnastics class is this Thursday and I am determined to remember the camera this time. This class is way more up her alley than the soccer one. I think it's because she can be more physical and crawl over and under everything!

An avocado is best when eaten from the source, according to Caitlin.

Look! Two kids in a box!

We couldn't keep him awake any longer. His sister was the perfect pillow.

Colton's super cute new jammies! I just LOVE the way he crosses his little feet! And he does that all the time too!

What A Night!

2011-07-21T08:54:00.000-07:00

Wow, we haven't had a night like that in a while.

It all started with me feeling very achy all day and then getting a fever around 7pm. The kids all went to sleep at their normal time and routine. Then Colton woke up at 11:30.....and then again at 12....and he wouldn't stop crying. Within an hour and a half Dennis and I took turns trying to calm him down, gave him a bottle, teething tablets, gas drops, and tylenol. Nothing seemed to be working and then around 2 the crying seemed to stop....then the phone rang. I came out to see who it was and found Colton playing around in cooler jammies and Caitlin watching TV. Turns out, Dennis had to go into work and didn't get home until closer to 5am! Meanwhile, I was finally able to get Colton down at 2:30 and Caitlin down at 3. Around 4ish Caitlin came into our bed and then Colton woke up and I brought him in as well. So when Dennis got home, he found all of us in bed and had to push over Caitlin to make enough room for him.

And now, at 9:07am, I still don't feel well and Dennis is catching up on the lack of sleep last night....and I'm sure he doesn't feel that well either. Caitlin has gymnastics at 10 and I'm not sure if we're going to make it.

Quite a sleepless night to say the least.

Great Weekend

2011-07-18T13:03:00.001-07:00

We had such a great weekend! Our yard sale was successful and we are going to have another one in a few weeks with our neighbor...well, not with, but alongside (you get it). But the best part was that my sister came over with her kids to help! And I just can't believe I did not take a single picture the whole time!

The kids stayed inside most of the time during the sale. Caitlin made several appearances to "help," which really meant singing and playing the drums on rock band. She was pretty sad when we sold it and didn't quite get why the people were taking it away. Most of the people who came were really nice but you always get the occasional odd-ball. We did feel really bad for a mom who came with four kids. The oldest was about 6 and the youngest was a month old and only in a diaper. It looked like they all hadn't had a bath in a while and the kids were in PJ's that were too small with the feet cut out. We helped her find the sizes she needed and pack it to the car. Then I looked through my free box of baby clothes for all the boy stuff I could find to give her. I was glad I had a lot of stuff that would work for her.

During the afternoon, Colton stood up in the middle of the living room all by himself....without holding onto anything!!!! Too bad I wasn't there to see it! Since then, he's been letting go of everything so he can stand by himself. We may just have another walker on our hands in a few weeks.

Saturday night, my sister took us (except for Caitlin, Colton, and Dennis) out to teppanyaki. I had never been to that restaurant here, but Dennis said it was pretty good....and he was so right! We had a great time and there were so many leftovers! I just finished the last of it for lunch today and I'm wondering when I can get more!

Sunday was bagels for breakfast and then my sister and her clan left for home. Dennis did a ton of laundry while I went to the mall to do errands with Colton. I think this week is going to be back to normal since we are all healthy again. Oh, and I did not make the cupcake explorer list. There were over 700 entries and she only chose 50. Once the recipe is published, I'm definitely going to have to give it a whirl!

I hope everyone has a great week. I'm off to give Colton a bottle and put him down for a nap!

Explorer Project

2011-07-12T14:23:00.000-07:00

Well, since I love cupcakes and I really LOVE the blog cupcakeproject.com, I signed up to be a possible tester for the ultimate vanilla cupcake. If I'm selected, I have to bake the cupcakes between certain dates and then provide feedback. This would be a perfect project.....and ultra secretive, until we get the go ahead to share. But, I'm getting ahead of myself again. I just sent in my request and I will let y'all know if I'm selected.

Oh, and on the job front, I think I've now applied for a total of 15 jobs....3 of which are non-teaching jobs. It will be several weeks before I hear anything from anyone though.

Plus, I still have this dang cold. I thought I was feeling better this morning, however, I was sadly mistaken several hours later. I must be better by this weekend....we are having a yard sale! We've been wanting to have it for seven years now! Anyone in the area is welcome to stop by and load up your trunk or a whole trailer if you'd like!

Defeated

2011-07-05T13:40:00.000-07:00

Defeated....that is the word that I've found that best describes how I feel. I really thought I'd be feeling better by now, but it turns out I'm not. So, I'm trudging on hoping that everyday will be a little bit better.

Meanwhile, I am applying for two more jobs. This will bring the count up to 10 positions that I've applied for. Both positions are a 3rd/4th combo. One is at a brand new charter school in Fortuna. I don't have high hopes that I'll get an interview at either school, but I thought applying would be good therapy anyway.

Such a Bummer

2011-06-30T16:33:00.001-07:00

It's been a depressing 24 hours. I did not get a teaching job in either Ferndale or Yreka. This really sucks. Yes, everything happens for a reason....but right now, I can't (or don't want to) see the light at the end of the tunnel just yet. Maybe in a day or so, but not right now. It's just so very sad. I just don't know what to do now. I was really hoping to be planning for a classroom right about now. Utterly bummed out.

Waiting, Waiting, Waiting

2011-06-27T10:34:00.000-07:00

I am waiting for my interview in Ferndale tomorrow night. I am waiting to hear the results of my interview in Yreka. I am waiting to see if Caitlin's fever is going to go up or stay the same.

Caitlin came down with some sort of flu bug Sunday morning around 2am. Her fever has been staying in the 102 range, but this morning it was only 99.5. It's been creeping up little by little and I'm really hoping it stops...otherwise, I'll need to break out the Tylenol again. The poor girl just lays around on the couch and looks just so sad. Her poor thumb is so waterlogged from sucking on it so much that it looks like a raisin! Her appetite seems to be coming back a little. She's eaten a few Ritz and is now munching on Goldfish.

I will keep y'all posted on the happenings of the week as I hear them....it should be pretty eventful (I'm hoping).

Next Possibility

2011-06-16T18:05:00.000-07:00

Well, my next possibility called just after 4pm today. I have an interview in Yreka next Thursday and I'm really excited! Oh my, oh my, oh my!!!!

Big Boy

2011-06-16T13:28:00.001-07:00

I took Colton to his checkup yesterday and he didn't have to get any shots! He weighed 22lbs 10oz and measured 28 3/4 inches long. Caitlin only weighs about 2 more pounds than he does!

Well, no interview for me for the Eureka school I applied for....definitely bummed, but I'm looking toward the future for the next possibility.

Dancing Kids

2011-06-14T22:10:00.000-07:00

No Word

2011-06-14T09:03:00.000-07:00

I haven't heard anything, from anyone. I'm in a waiting pattern and I don't know when it will end. I am an anxious mess! Mainly because I can't plan anything. The only things I've been planning these days is our dinner menu and shopping list! I need a bigger project.....and a job would be a perfect solution!

Well, I must cut this blog short. I hear the children in Caitlin's room playing on the piano and being really loud!

Catch 22

2011-06-10T13:49:00.000-07:00

Bottle success has come with some disadvantages. Colton has definitely began to show signs he is not interested in nursing and would prefer a bottle instead! He only tries to nurse for a few seconds and if he doesn't get as much as he was hoping, he starts fussing and crying. So for the last two nights, I've had to give him a bottle in the middle of the night! I don't know if I'm ready to stop nursing yet, but it kinda looks like I don't have a choice anymore. Now I gotta figure out how to maneuver in this uncharted territory. Colton has a doctor appointment next week, so I'll ask his doc for some advise too.

It was another sleepless night last night. I woke up exhausted and in a REALLY bad mood. But I decided to force myself to snap out of it. I drank more coffee and went to the library with the kids. A good choice in the end. I'm still super tired, but I don't think I have a permanent glare on my face anymore.

Buzzing Brain

2011-06-09T08:36:00.000-07:00

My brain has been a buzz for the last few weeks with all the possibilities ahead. Things didn't work out in Ferndale like we thought they would.....so as of date, I have applied for 8 different teaching positions all over....Eureka, Yreka, Ferndale, and Redding. The deadlines for Eureka and Yreka have already closed. Ferndale closes the 24th and Redding is open until filled. The competition is outrageous! There were 120 applications for the 3 jobs in Yreka and probably double or triple that for Eureka! It's the waiting game that is going to drive me crazy. I don't know when or even if I will get called for an interview. It would be lovely if I got an interview at all 4 places! Hahahaha.....I would be one lucky and fortunate girl if that happened. I would LOVE to be working next school year and I really hope it works out. I have had major ups and downs in thinking about my chances for interviews. Somedays I think I have a good chance, and others, not so much. Today, I think I'm nervous. There is a possibility I may hear something as early as tomorrow or Monday. My poor family and friends have been bombarded with phone calls the last several weeks of my craziness and buzzing brain of thoughts and scenarios!

Plus, I've had some bad cell phone luck the last week. My cell phone started to break and I attempted to fix it with duct tape. It worked okay until Caitlin got a hold of it and brought it to Dennis in two pieces. So after over an hour on the phone with US Cellular, I got all my calls forwarded to Dennis's cell and discovered I had another month on my contract, not a week like I thought. Then yesterday I called in because my texts weren't going through. It turns out it is a problem with Dennis's phone. So I have been doing lots of research as to what I should do and what company I should go with. I feel like a fish out of water, constantly flip flopping back and forth. However, I think I finally figured out what I'm going to do. Now all I have to do is go down to actually LOOK at the phones in person to make my final decision....when that will happen, I have no idea, but I hope it will be soon.

Now that I have vented about what's been happening, I hope I'll be able to get over my writer's block and blog a bit more.

Caitlin still fits! She LOVES to play in the carseat!

One of Colton's favorite places to play!

9 Months and Bottle Success!

2011-05-27T15:14:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Colton turned 3/4 of a year old!!!! He is crawling EVERYWHERE and pulling himself up on EVERYTHING! Many times he thinks he only needs one hand to hold onto things and sometimes he even lets go! I don't know what I'll do if he starts walking soon!

He still only has one tooth, but that doesn't hold him back when it comes to eating anything he can get his hands on. Baby food is slowly becoming his least favorite if he has a choice between that or something he can pick up himself.

And finally, FINALLY, he will take a bottle! He will only drink from a playtex ventaire, so I will be picking up an extra one within the next day or so. He will also drink formula now. Since he's been into solids a lot, my supply has reduced so I wanted to get him use to formula while I still had breastmilk to mix it with. And after a few 50/50 bottles, he took a full formula one yesterday without a problem. I can now breathe a sigh of relief. Caitlin NEVER took a bottle, so this is such an exciting achievement in our house!

How Time Flies

2011-05-17T11:13:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it has been so long since I've blogged. Although, given my recent history of my lack of blogging, it shouldn't be any surprise to my readers.

We have been doing well. Caitlin is officially a no-napper and when she does fall asleep, bedtime is oh so fun. We went to Six Flags on Friday before Mother's Day. We went with J, K, B, and M. Caitlin had an absolutely fabulous time with her cousins, Uncle, and Aunt. The dolphins were her favorite and she kept on asking for "more dolphins, please." Colton handled the trip better than anyone. He didn't make a peep the whole time and stayed in the stroller and nodded off when he needed. I was shocked and delighted at how well he did.

Caitlin (with the help of Dennis) made me breakfast on Mother's Day along with a card. The pancakes didn't turn out (as she did all the work except flip them), but the eggs, bacon, and toast were lovely. I made Nancy's meatloaf and mashed potatoes for dinner...per my request.

Caitlin had her last soccer game last Tuesday and scored TWO goals! She was excited, but I think she would rather cheer everyone else on. She spent a good deal of time on the bleachers clapping and "woo hooing" everyone else. While Caitlin was cheering, Colton was trying to get on to the court to play. We kept on having to chase after him so he wouldn't get clobbered by a kid or ball.

So Monday, I caught Colton standing up in his crib! Now it's official that we must raise the crib rail everytime. We have a drop side crib because I'm so short that I can't lay Colton down all the way in his crib. I'm really happy that our crib has never been on a recall list. I guess I'd have to get a stool to stand on.....but at 3am, I'm not sure that would be such a safe thing for ME to stand on! Hahaha.

Colton is still working on his second tooth. I really hope it comes through soon! Last night was the first good night of sleep I've had in a really long time. It would be nice if he did it again. Although, I would really appreciate it if he slept in until 7am instead of 6am....it's really hard for me to fake being awake at that hour!

One more note, Caitlin dropped an ENTIRE---completely unopened---gallon of milk on the floor in the kitchen and it split open and went EVERYWHERE! I had to call Dennis to come home to move the fridge because at least half of it was under there. I know you shouldn't cry over spilled milk, but you should have seen it!

Caitlin and I on the teacups....I think I'm waving to JT.

Dennis feeding Colton his breakfast before our big day at Six Flags.

Hanging out in the backyard on an unusually warm day.

Caitlin making me toast for Mother's Day.

Colton wound up completely in the cubbie shortly after this picture.

Easter Fun

2011-05-02T15:12:00.000-07:00

We had fun filled Easter day. It was only mildly sprinkling in the morning and then the sunshine came out and it was VERY warm...at least for us. That made easter egg hunting very nice. We started off by going to the Eggstravaganza at our zoo. It was way more packed this year because of the nicer weather. Last year it was POURING down rain. Caitlin started out by doing the egg hunt and then moved on to the bumble bee toss. Then she decorated an egg carton shell and planted seeds in it. The monkeys and bear were next on her list and of course we couldn't forget the ravens....I think they are her favorite next to the monkeys. We headed to the barnyard and made a butterfly with sticker eyes....I would have used googly eyes (but that's just me). They turkeys followed us all around and out to the giant spider web. Caitlin just loves to play on it! We left shortly after that and headed home for lunch.

Lunch was followed by naps and it was during naptime that the Easter Bunny showed up! We had to de-layer Caitlin because it was so warm, and then headed outside to hunt for eggs. She had so much fun looking for and finding them that we may end up hiding eggs again in a month or so. Colton got some cars from the Easter Bunny and Caitlin got a bubble machine, bubbles, stickers, and candy. She probably had WAY to much sugar because she became a crazy child that night!

We had a ham dinner and I completely fouled it up! For some idiotic reason, I thought our ham (from Costco) only weighed FOUR pounds! Dennis had asked me about the cooking time earlier and I told him this with no worries....he had actually never looked at the ham before it when in, so he took my word for it completely. Well, it did not weight four pounds. It was probably closer to TEN! This meant that after the 40 minutes of cooking time that a 4 pound ham required, our ham was still refrigerator cold!.....and all our sides were already done! Back in the oven for another hour, 25 degrees hotter than required. Thank goodness it was already precooked because even after another hour, the center was still only warm! But it tasted really good regardless of my lack of math skills. We finally finished eating it on Thursday after ham and cheese sandwiches everyday for lunch, breakfast burritos, ham/eggs & toast, and then tossing the rest into a potato and mac & cheese casserole.....did I mention I gave a good 1/4 of it away? I think I'm set on ham for the next year.

I hope everyone else had as wonderful of Easter as we did!

Colton 8 Months

2011-04-27T20:33:00.000-07:00

Wow! I just can't believe it has been 8 months already! And, just to top things off, Colton sprouted his first tooth the same day! It FINALLY broke through and it wasn't one of his eye teeth that we thought it was going to be! It was the same one Caitlin got first....the bottom right one. He is really close to crawling. It seems that every day he gets on all fours more and more. Food ( in any form) is still his favorite. Tonight (while we were cleaning up BBQ sauce---another story----Caitlin kept on saying "Colton share." Finally, we turned around and saw that she was sharing her green beans with Colton! He was happily gnawing on it and wasn't too thrilled when Dennis took it away. Have no fear, it was promptly replaced with puffs. It will be really nice if he continutes his oh so happy willingness to eat anything...edible, that is.

Okay, now the BBQ story. I made tater tots to go with our breakfast burritos tonight for dinner. I know, you're thinking "Tater tots with breakfast burritos?" Yes, it's not common, but we have been out of the good tater tots (the ABC kind) for a while and I had made regular fried potatoes on Monday and wasn't really in the mood for them again....but I digress. So, Dennis likes to dunk his TTs in a spicy BBQ sauce. Since it is made locally, it separates and needs to be shaken vigorously......and that is exactly what I began to do when the lid came flying off and BBQ sauce went EVERYWHERE! Thankfully, Dennis had just rotated Colton in his arms and the sauce just barely missed him! It was so funny and all I could do was stand there and giggle to myself for a while. Good thing tomorrow is Thorough Thursday!

My wonderful friend Nancy came over today for a visit to chat and play with Caitlin. It's been a while since I've seen her, so I was very happy to see her. Then just after she left I got a text from my other really good friend I haven't seen in a while either, and she's coming over for a visit next week! It's great to be surrounded by good friends, family, and an awesome husband!

Colton's First ER Visit

2011-04-21T20:37:00.000-07:00

Oh my! Last night was quite a night. Colton woke up around 11pm breathing really funny. He went to bed just fine...no runny nose, cough, or even crying. When he woke up it sounded like he had something in his throat and was wheezing. I thought he may be choking on something, but there was nothing in his mouth we could see.....so we decided to take him in. Thankfully, the ER does not fool around with children and we were rushed in. Colton was still upset and crying and he just sounded horrible! They listened to his lungs and asked if he had been coughing and what it sounded like. I told them he had coughed a few times on the way over, but I couldn't recall what it sounded like. In the end, they said he has Croup. He had an x-ray, a breathing treatment, and an oral medication. After the breathing treatment, he was SOOO much better! The x-ray showed nothing in his lungs....thank goodness! The x-ray guy was by far his favorite person....Colton just couldn't stop smiling at him! We got out of there in just under 2 hours and he fell asleep shortly after we got home. And when he woke up this morning, he sounded and acted like nothing had ever happened! I really hope he doesn't wake up like that again, but at least this time we'll know what's going on.

First Soccer Class

2011-04-19T19:08:00.000-07:00

Caitlin had her soccer class tonight and it was a lot of fun. She was the only one who cried, which is a huge shocker if you've ever been around when she's taken a tumble. She was a bit shy at first and Dennis stood with her for the first part. Then she was comfortable enough to play on her own, but then she collided with another girl which brought on the tears. I took her out to get a drink of water and she was ready to go by the time we got back. I think she had a really good time. She definitely didn't want to leave. We have a basketball class on Thursday but I think we are going to postpone it until later.

No Nap

2011-04-19T12:48:00.001-07:00

I didn't think it would happen so soon! I think Caitlin has officially reached the no nap stage! A total bummer! She hasn't been wanting to take a nap when when have playgroup or library, and today (with none of the above) she didn't want to go down at all! The only naps she has been getting is on the couch with Dennis on the weekend. This whole no nap thing will take some getting use to....especially if she becomes really crabby in the late afternoon evenings. A week ago Monday, she was so crazy she seemed like a completely different child! It may all just be worth it if we have less drama when it's time for her to go to bed.

Tonight, Caitlin has her first soccer class! We are really looking forward to it and I will post pictures as soon as I can.

Oh, and Thorough Thursdays have been going very well.

A Week of Events

2011-04-11T16:03:00.000-07:00

After almost a year of staying home with the kids, I have finally filled up the week with activities....at least for the next month or two. We have been going to the Library on Fridays for storytime which has been loads of fun and today, I just filled up the other four days of the week. My friend called this morning to tell me about a free playgroup on Monday and Wednesday mornings. So we got ready in record time to meet them down there. Caitlin AND Colton had a great time! There was plenty of things to do for the both of them and since it was all indoors, we didn't have to worry about the weather! I was really happy they had an area for babies and Colton was happy about that too. They even had circle time and a snack. We left around 11:30am and I thought for sure Caitlin would be asleep in no time..... apparently, I was wrong. After 45 minutes of trying to get her to fall asleep, I gave up. She has been pretty melty so we may actually have no problem when it's time for her to go to bed tonight.

Anyway, while we were there, I signed her up for soccer on Tuesdays and basketball on Thursdays. Dennis and I were planning on doing that today anyway, but it's just kinda funny that most of our new activities are all in the same place! This schedule will take us until mid May and then we'll have to see what's next! I'm super excited!!!!!!

Thorough Thursdays

2011-04-07T15:38:00.000-07:00

I declare that Thursdays will now be referred to as Thorough Thursdays. This means I will make an attempt to clean the house every Thursday. I'm talking sweep, mop, bathrooms, and laundry! Plus, I will try to include one non-usual cleaning spot....say the medicine cabinet. I have decided to do this because I really hate to clean....organizing, I love...but cleaning, I despise. Most people would say to clean one thing a day to make it seem like no big deal. But that means that I would be cleaning something EVERYDAY! I prefer just to get it over and done with. So last Thursday before my brother and his girlfriend came over, I cleaned the house like above...and it wasn't so bad. Then today I did the same thing. It actually feels really good getting it all done in one swoop and not having to worry about when I'll get to the floors or the bathroom. I discovered that if I put on a show for Caitlin and get Colton down for a nap, I have plenty of time to accomplish my tasks. I so hope I can keep this up!

Now, don't get to thinking that I am the only cleaner in the house. This is only a recent development for me. Dennis is most definitely the cleaner in the house. He does the dishes, vacuuming, trash, bathrooms (every single surface), dusting (ooo, my LEAST favorite)......you name it, he cleans it. However, since I'm home with the kids, I should really try and make more of an effort. Therefore, Thorough Thursdays has been declared!

Nook Color

2011-03-31T22:12:00.001-07:00

This is my very first post using my nook Color! I am emailing this in
because I haven't quite figured out how to type my message because the
little keyboard does not pop up in the post box....weird. Anyway, I
am loving my nook and I am very happy I chose this ereader rather than
a kindle. I just love that I can check out books for free on here and
have web axcess...especially since I am sitting in Caitlin's doorway
waiting for her to fall asleep. She slept well last night but she did
not have a nap. We have thought about giving up her naps but she goes
down for them very easily and when she does not nap, she is a bit high
maintanence (sorry about spelling...I do not have spell check). So I
just don't know what to do and I keep going back and forth about them.
Tomorrow I will be taking her to daycare where she usually is too
excited to nap so we will see if without another nap, she falls asleep
okay.

Back to the nook...it is heavier than most ereaders I think,but since
this is my first one, it doesn't make any difference to me. The
screen is very pretty and I have already read 2 1/2 books for free on
it! The screen can get very bright and for the most part I keep it
dimmed because I haven't needed it to be super bright yet. The real
test will be when I have it in bright sun...which(considering where I
live) will be a while.

Alright, I must go. Caitlin is asleep and I must get ready for
bed...which is precisely the time that Colton will decide to wake up.
:)

Food Finds

2011-03-20T20:07:00.001-07:00

Caitlin is a grazer. She pretty much snacks all day long, stopping for the occasional breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Her snacks tend to wind up in containers of all sorts. Many of them are part of her kitchen "toys." Some have even made their way into her vehicles. It took us at least two weeks to find her milk cup (full of milk) in the trunk of her push car.....yuck!

The other day she had to go potty. So I left Colton surrounded by toys on the living room floor while I helped her in the bathroom. I came out to check on Colton and found him gnawing on a granola bar! Caitlin had wedged it down into her wooden teapot and Colton managed to maneuver it out and into his mouth! Thank goodness he didn't choke! But he was so MAD that I took it away. I felt bad, but a granola bar is above his skill level...at least for now anyway.

Well then tonight I put him in the exersaucer while I was cooking in the kitchen and noticed he was quieter than usual. I came out to find him eating one of Caitlin's peanut butter sandwich crackers! She had two hidden on top of it and Colton was going to town on one! Again I took it away and he was really mad about that. I guess now we'll no if he has a peanut allergy. Oh my. So in the spirit of his adventurous eating, I gave him his first sweet potato puffs.....and he loved them! I have to help him get it into his mouth, but he sure does enjoy them once their in!

And to avoid any mishaps, I will be triple checking all containers and surfaces before putting Colton down....you never no what that Caitlin Marie will stuff into a container of any kind.

Pain

2011-03-17T22:11:00.000-07:00

Way back in November, I had a filling that needed to be replaced.....and that is where all my pain began. The new filling was uneven and caused quite a bit of jaw pain. After having it fixed, all the pain went away, except a new born sensitivity to hot and cold. When that became too much, it was decided I need a root canal a few days before Christmas. The first visit left me with a HORRIBLE taste in my mouth that lasted for weeks. The pain wasn't so bad. At the end of January, I had the second installment on my root canal. No bad taste, a little more pain afterwards, but really no problem. The third time (and I thought the last) went much faster, however within a few days my jaw was killing me! I finally gave in and went back to the dentist. He took out the temporary and put in cotton....yes, cotton. This provided much relief and I went back this Tuesday to get the temporary put back in. Well, last night my tooth erupted in an overflow of pain! Since I'm nursing I can only take Tylenol or Advil. The pain was so bad I had to piggyback them every two hours. The pain finally calmed down enough for me to sleep. So back to the dentist I went this morning....for the SIXTH time! He took out the temporary and put in more cotton to relieve the pressure. He finally gave me an antibiotic that I can take while nursing to help clear up any infection that may be lingering. Now (if my pain stays away) I go back in on Tuesday to get my temporary put BACK in and then Friday (hopefully) my root canal will be finished! This whole situation has been a complete nightmare!.....okay, a HUGE nightmare! I really hope I stay pain free for the next several days to make it to Tuesday.

Blah

2011-03-08T14:39:00.000-08:00

My brain is a scrambled mess right now. I can't think or even blog straight. I feel like there are a few hundred bees in my head....and it's not the caffeine. There are so many what if's about my employment future, I feel like I'm about to snap. I really just need to calm down and let things unfold for the next few months. But it's just so hard knowing that what you've been wanting for years is just at your fingertips, and yet still so far away. Aaaahhhhh!

Colton 6 Months

2011-03-01T14:28:00.000-08:00

Colton's first snow day was also the day he turned 6 months old! He has his checkup next week, but the last time I weighed him he weighed 19 1/2 pounds! Last night was pretty rough for him...and me too. He is teething and the poor little guy is just uncomfortable. Normally, babies tend to get their top or bottom teeth in first, but Colton's eye teeth are coming in first! These were the most painful for Caitlin. Because of his teeth, his naps and nights have been all over the place. So he was up early this morning for about an hour and then fell back asleep for another hour. He didn't really take his normal morning nap and was really wanting to go to sleep around 11am. However, we had company over and I brought him out to play. It turns out that was a good plan. I put him down at noon and he's still napping! Caitlin is napping too! Oh, but it sounds like she's awake now....and the boy too! I must go investigate!

Snow!

2011-02-26T07:16:00.001-08:00

Yesterday I was driving in a blizzard and today we wake up to snow on the ground! This hardly ever happens here and when it does, everyone gets so excited!

When I was driving on the freeway, I just couldn't believe how hard it was snowing. It was like I was in Y-town again! Plus, the snow was sticking EVERYWHERE making it interesting to drive in. There was quite a bit of slush building up on the freeway and I thought for sure the mail truck ahead of me was going to slide of the road....thankfully, it didn't.

The sun is coming out now, so we should probably get the kids in it before it all melts away!

Napping Milestone

2011-02-21T20:23:00.000-08:00

Today, Caitlin took a nap without a pull up or diaper for the first time! And, she woke up dry!!! Like I said a few posts ago, she'd been waking up dry for a good while, so I picked today to try it out. I almost forgot and mindlessly put her in a pull up, but thankfully Dennis was there to remind me of my plan. We are so proud of her! She got an extra special treat when she woke up....a sour licorice rope.

Colton has really been enjoying his adventure with food. He had carrots with apples today and ate them with gusto! I made 9 jars of baby food today. Along with the carrots w/ apples, I made butternut squash and mango w/ pear. I was also going to make yams, but Colton woke up from his very short nap, so I didn't have time. I have a few jars left in the freezer so it's no biggy.

Alright, it's time for me to dig into yet another Sookie Stackhouse novel!

Caitlin petting her first goat at our zoo.

Food for Thought

2011-02-20T10:03:00.000-08:00

Have you ever seen a particular food item and immediately thought of a person? When I see or think about certain foods, I associate people with that food. It's odd, but hey, it's me we're talking about! So here is some food for thought:

Noodley Doodleies - a.k.a. Ramen Noodles -- I always think of my Nana because my cousins and I ALWAYS had these after school at her house

Squeeze Cheese - another after school Nana food

French Toast - my uncle Ray because it was decided he makes the best

Pancakes - my dad because when I was little, my cousins Amy and Clint, decided he made the best

Brussel Sprouts - my sister LOVES them and would probably eat them every day if she could

Lasagna - my aunt Donna because she makes the best

Mushrooms - my mom because she puts them in everything

Diet Mt. Dew - Nancy because it's her thing

Pulled Pork - Caitlin because it's what I craved when I was pregnant with her

Vinegar - my older brother because he doesn't like anything with vinegar

Tomatoes - my little brother because he can't stand them

Lay's potato chips - my father-in-law because they're his favorite

Strawberries - my nephew Hunter because he LOVES them and eats them even if they are green

Malibu Rum - Dyani because it was the second craziest night next to NYC

Soup - this is a tie...my step-mom because she makes really good soup and my niece Kayla because she will eat it in 100 degree weather

Chocolate Cake - Kelly because she loves it and we always have some form of it when ever we visit

I'm sure I can relate a person to everything I eat, but that post would take forever and we all have things to do today :)

Two Weeks

2011-02-17T08:38:00.000-08:00

When can you say a child is potty trained? Is it when they can go all day using the potty or when they stop needing to use a pull up during their sleep as well? Maybe it's a combination. Either way, I'd say Caitlin is mostly potty trained. Today marks two weeks that Caitlin has been consistently using the potty during the day. And for about a week now, she's been waking up dry from her nap. I am still in awe at how well she's doing and how NOT stressful it has been. It's funny, there are quite a few books on potty training and how to potty train in one day or a weekend, but there is something to be said for taking your time. When I was in college I watched a little girl during her potty training stage. Her parents had read one of those books and used some of the listed strategies. It was the most stressful week watching her....ever! And, it just didn't work. It seemed the whole family, including the little girl, was stressed out by the venture. So after that first week, things slowed WAY down and she eventually went back to diapers. Having this only experience with potty training, I was a bit nervous about how to go about training Caitlin.

We started in the simplest way when Caitlin was almost a year and a half by putting her on the potty before her nightly bath. Dennis and I have had the mentality, when ever she's potty trained, she's potty trained. We never had a specific date we were shooting for, but took things day by day. The hardest part was for me to take the leap to switch her from pull-ups to panties during the day. Once that happened, BAM, she got it within a few days. Then she became more consistent and started telling US that she had to go!

We are so proud of her......and so excited for her! In fact, we ventured out of the house on Tuesday without a diaper or pull-up on! It was a very quick trip, but a HUGE first for us. If she continues to wake up dry from her nap, I may just put her down without a pull-up! And of course, I will keep you all updated on her progress.

Happy Birthday Aunt Donna

2011-02-16T09:05:00.000-08:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AUNT DONNA!!!!!! I hope you have a wonderful (and not too wet) day! Although, all the rain will do wonders for your beautiful flowers around your house.

My aunt always has the most beautiful yard. She loves to garden and I have fond memories of her gardening and pruning her gorgeous flowers. I also remember her making the best lasagna I've ever had! I haven't had it in YEARS, but it had thin layers of noodles and lots of cheese. She also introduced me to the deliciousness of butter on saltines as a child! Mmmmm. I wish I had some saltines right now.

Happy birthday Aunt Donna!

Happy Birthday Bill and Jason

2011-02-16T09:02:00.000-08:00

Today...okay yesterday, was my cousin Jason's birthday and it was also my little brother's birthday too! My little bro turned a whopping 30 years old!!!!! For him to turn 30, makes me feel even older than I am!

I hope these two had wonderful birthdays!

Superbowl Weekend

2011-02-12T14:27:00.000-08:00

Touchdown! Caitlin and I were a bit under the weather on Superbowl Sunday, but we made the most of it. We layed around the house and I made sliders for dinner. The first touchdown of the game, struck the pose above, which had us laughing quite hysterically. The next day she actually did the same thing when they were replaying the first TD of the game....uuber funny. Anyway, we danced our way through the half time performance of the Black Eyed Peas (as we are all big fans) and Colton found himself in a box sometime around the end of the game.....although, I think Dennis may have had something to do with that. Colton seemed to enjoy the box because he certainly wasn't making any effort or complaining to get out.

Most every morning I find Caitlin covering up Colton with her blanket. This is a HUGE deal because she LOVES this blanket (I can't even pretend to use it). On this particular morning, during tummy time, Caitlin decided to join her brother....wild hair and all.

And while I type Colton is happily snoozing on the couch beside me and Dennis and Caitlin are napping in her room. And in about 17 minutes, I'm going to have to put an end to their nap party.

Oh, and tonights dinner.....PULLED PORK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can't wait!!!!!!!!!

Colton 5 Months

2011-02-09T15:16:00.000-08:00

Again, this is a bit late. I finally managed to upload photos on the main computer and the laptop. It's been a while! Colton is growing like a weed! He's really trying to crawl, but can't quite figure it out. When his knees go up, his face goes into the carpet and when he straightens his arms, his little knees go flat. It's quite funny to watch. Caitlin still loves him a LOT and I'm surprised he doesn't have more to say about this since most of her loving involves squishing him in some sort of way.....which I can't blame her because he's so squishable!

Colton's first bite of food....squash! He didn't necessarily like the squash, but he liked the eating part. We have since tried applesauce, pears, peas, and peaches. He eats the ENTIRE jar without hesitation and acts like he really wants more! So far, I'm keeping him to one jar for a while.

The other day I walked in the living room to find Caitlin reading Colton a story. You couldn't understand a word she was saying, but she was definitely telling him a story and turning the pages as well. Super adorable.

Oh, and last night Caitlin and I did a puzzle together and she matched all the colors up without me helping....at all!!! Dennis and I couldn't believe it! We're so proud! Oh, and potty training has been going exceptionally well. The only time we've had to change a diaper in the last 5 days is after she wakes up. And yesterday, I got her a special magazine to read while on the potty! It's a National Geographic for little kids! It's about 6" by 6" and has thicker pages than a normal magazine. The photos are beautiful and it has fun rhyming and sound games! I'm definitely going to have to get a subscription!

Curried Away

2011-02-04T13:40:00.000-08:00

Hahaha! But not for Colton. It turns out the curry I had on our anniversary did not sit well with Colton. He woke up screaming several times and I couldn't calm him down. Thankfully, Dennis came in the first time he woke up and calmed him down pretty quickly. And last night, Colton was much better...only waking up to nurse. So I guess no more curry for me....at least Indian curry. I also may need to watch my spicy food intake.

And now I don't feel good. I think I caught what the kids had. I'm tired, my head hurts...in fact, my whole face hurts. I have a slight sore throat and my skin hurts, which makes me think that I may be developing a fever.....I so can't wait. Thank goodness I did all my grocery shopping this morning before I felt too bad.

Oh, I must go. It sounds like one of the children is awake and I can't quite tell which one.

TGIF!!!!

Happy Anniversary

2011-02-02T21:24:00.000-08:00

Today, Dennis and I celebrate our 9 year wedding anniversary! We've been together for over 14 years and it still seems like we just met! We celebrated tonight by going to one of our recent favorite restaurants. I had a salad with apples, candied walnuts, and an apple vinegrette for an appetizer and Dennis had hot wings that were spiced with cinnamon! Then I had a creamy chicken curry with bananas, coconut, raisins, cranberries, and coconut rice. It was good, but it had a very strong curry flavor. I realized that I prefer Thai curry rather than Indian curry because it's sweeter and not as strong. Dennis had crab flautas which he liked, but probably wouldn't order again. For dessert, Dennis had a deconstructed apple pie and I had wonderfully dense mini Kahlua mint cheesecakes! They were wonderful!

And where were the children during our wonderful meal you ask? Why they were with my amazing friend Nancy. She came over after teaching her 4/5th graders all day, to watch our lively pair! Caitlin had a blast and was still riled up when it came time to go to bed....although that could have been her father wrestling with her once he got home. But after 3 attempts, she's finally asleep.

Oh, and another great thing about our anniversary.....it always falls on Groundhog's Day!!!! I just love that! And it looks like spring will be coming early this year!

The Day After

2011-01-31T23:58:00.001-08:00

The day after Dennis's very fun birthday party, we all fell ill. I felt like I had been hit with a truck because my body was so tired. Caitlin developed a runny nose and sneezing....plus she woke up with her first night terror in quite some time. A few hours later, Colton woke up crying...or almost screaming (I can't remember which because I was exhausted). Dennis thinks his tummy may have been upset because of a new food....peas or apples, I'm not sure. And Dennis wasn't sure if he was having allergies are the beginnings of a cold.

By morning, we were all exhausted. Dennis stayed home to help take care of us...and him. I got in a 3 hour nap mid morning and could have probably slept the rest of the day. Colton and Caitlin seemed to be doing better when I woke up, but Dennis appeared to be heading downhill. So while Caitlin and Dennis napped, Colton and I watched my DVR'd Kathy Lee and Hoda. By the end of the evening, I was feeling much better, Colton was super happy, and Caitlin was still runny but in good spirits. Dennis on the other hand, had to seek out the Nyquil. We'll see what tomorrow brings.

And now, I can't sleep. It's past midnight and I can't shut my brain off. It's SOOO funny (hear my sarcasm) that I couldn't get enough sleep last night or today, and now I can't even fall asleep! I am so not amused. I guess that is why there is coffee. Because when I wake up tomorrow morning, I will be super groggy and exhausted....oh, I so can't wait. :)

Happy Birthday Sweetheart!

2011-01-30T20:56:00.001-08:00

Happy 32nd birthday to my wonderful husband!!!! He celebrated by
throwing a Pro Bowl party for his Fantasy Football league. We had a
potluck tailgate party food and there is SO much leftover. It looks
like I won't have to go shopping for the Superbowl now!!!! I helped
him start off his birthday early when he got home on Friday with his
first (and most likely his favorite) present.....an Ipod Touch. It is
a really nifty gadget and last night we played the LONGEST game of
scrabble on it that we have ever played. The game took about 2 hours
to play!!!! Caitlin and Colton made him a plaque with their hand and
foot prints. I used Colton's foot as a tree trunk and Caitlin's hand
as branches. Then we used our finger prints for the leaves and
blossoms on the tree. It turned out pretty cute. Ooooo, and for his
birthday cake, I made him an ice cream cake....cherry chip cake,
vanilla frozen yogurt, and buttercream frosting. I don't think I've
ever had cherry chip cake and I don't think I'll try it again. It's a
bummer really. The frosting and the ice cream were really good, but
the cake kinda had the same effect as when Colton takes a bite of
peas. Maybe I'm exaggerating a bit, but you get the point.

I also have to wish a very happy birthday to my Nana as well. She
always likes to celebrate by going to the Thai restaurant in town. So
funny that my Nana likes Thai food....I've never thought of her as an
adventurous eater.

Fun Facts Part 2

2011-01-24T13:11:00.000-08:00

We are still potty training around here. Dennis got this pic of Caitlin and she had no idea he was there! Some days are better than others, and the one's that aren't so great.....are soooo gross!!! Now if she can only master the art of telling me BEFORE she goes, then we'll be good.

This is what happens when your toddler gets into the hair clip container! Surprisingly, she kept them in for a while before strewing them all over the house.

She wanted a tattoo...so daddy gave her one! The belly is probably her favorite spot to get tattoos.

Her very first LBD! Wait.....I think I've already posted these once before. Oh, well....

Mederma

2011-01-20T11:31:00.000-08:00

After having two children (especially Colton), my stomach stretched
more than it wanted and I was left with blasted stretch marks! They
weren't so bad after Caitlin and soon disappeared. But my skin had to
stretch even further with Colton and my stretch marks are
horrible!.....and not disappearing!!!! They are just plain ugly and
purple to boot! So, I started using some samples of Mederma for
stretch marks and I could actually see it start working!!!! I decided
it was worth it to fork over the $40...yes FOURTY BUCKS to reduce or
eliminate this eye sore. I just can't believe how well it is working!
I've been using it for a a little over a week and already they are
not nearly as purple as they were before. I have to use the lotion
for 12 weeks to get the full effect, but already I'm loving what I'm
seeing!!!! So, if there are any of you out there that hate your
stretch marks as much as me, it's absolutely worth it to check this
stuff out!!!!

Woo hoo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

Fun Facts

2011-01-15T20:55:00.000-08:00

Since I cannot remember what I wanted to post, I have some random fun facts. Just before Christmas, Colton rolled over for the first time! He has also been trying to roll over while I'm holding him on the couch! He is such a wiggler! I know he's going to take off running as soon as he can. He also has started inching his way forward. I left him on his tummy in the middle of the livingroom floor for a minute and when I came back, he had moved about 2 1/2 feet forward!

For Christmas, Caitlin got a DJ Lance Rock (Yo Gabba Gabba) costume from J and K. It's so cute to see her with them on. She also loved to have me wear them....but that wasn't as cute....therefore, no picture for you.

Caitlin's first braid! I never thought about braiding her hair until I saw one in Maddie's hair. So, I thought I might try it out on Caitlin....and it turned out so cute! She's been really good about letting me do her hair in the morning, and she hardly ever takes her ponies out anymore.

New Year's

2011-01-11T20:40:00.001-08:00

Dennis had a friend over for New Year's eve to watch the Lord of the
Rings trilogy.....and apparently, Caitlin really wanted to watch it
too because she didn't go to bed until 6am!!! We tried to let her cry
it out several times and laid down with her, but she did not want to
sleep (at least by herself). So, she stayed up with Dennis and his
friend watching movies. I guess she didn't play around or
anything....just sat there and watched. Then around 6am, she crawled
into Dennis's lap and fell asleep. I, on the other hand, stayed up
watching SATC and The Nanny and soon fell asleep around 1am. Colton
rang in the New Year by nursing. Fun was had by all.

Back in November, I thought of my New Year's resolution and couldn't
wait to start it. Every month I will be writing a letter (an actual
snail mail letter) to someone I haven't spoken to or seen in a while.
I really miss getting hand written mail and I thought if I did, there
are probably others out there too. If I plan out each person every
month in advance, I think I will be able to keep my resolution. Wish
me luck!

Colton 4 Months...a little late

2011-01-10T22:34:00.000-08:00

Okay, so Colton's 4 1/2 months now, but I finally have his 4 month pictures uploaded to my computer. I also had to add a picture of Caitlin and Colton's outfit today. I didn't mean to have them both dressed up at the same time, but it just worked out that way. I just got that hat for Colton on Saturday, and I just LOVE it! And that's Caitlin's FIRST little black dress!.....thank you Dyani!!!!

Ouch! Four month shots! Thankfully, he took them in stride!

Maddie's Birthday

2011-01-10T22:28:00.000-08:00

The day after Christmas, Maddie turned 2!!! For lunch, we made our own pizzas and had yummy Brobee cupcakes for dessert! We stayed to watch her open her gifts before we had to head back home. I think next year, Maddie is going to celebrate her half birthday to lesson the craziness of having a birthday the day after Christmas!

Christmas

2011-01-10T21:35:00.000-08:00

Christmas day was very busy for us. In the morning, we headed over to my Uncle Ray's house to meet up with my dad's side of the family to exchange gifts. It was the first year we didn't go to my Nana's, but we all had a great time anyway. I got to see everyone that I haven't seen since my cousin Clint's wedding. That's the thing about living away from your hometown, you don't get to visit with family as often as you'd like. Anyway, after Uncle Ray's house, we went to my big brother's house to meet up with my sister, her family, and mom. Caitlin got an adorable zebra striped jacket with a matching umbrella! The wind was blowing like crazy so we didn't stay long because we needed to drive down to J, K, B, and M's house. We almost turned around because it was snowing so hard. Then the snow turned to rain....and lots of it! Dennis hydroplaned half a dozen times....and we were only going 40mph! There was literally a river running down the freeway! We finally arrived safety and had a wonderful turkey dinner. In fact, it was the best turkey I had EVER eaten. Kelly brined it and it was so moist and tasty!!! I ended up making a turkey dinner a week later. Anyway, the kids had cupcakes and then we opened presents. There were toys and wrapping everywhere!....just the way it should be with kids. Bedtime that evening was a different story. Caitlin didn't want to sleep....at all. She finally went to sleep when we did, around 11ish.

We had a wonderful Christmas day filled with lots of family. I only wished it would have lasted longer. They day just seems to go so quickly and there's never enough time to visit with everyone like you would like.

Second cousin Kate

Caitlin and Kate

My dad and brother Bill

Grandma Chi-Sai and Colton

Caitlin and Cousin Tyler

Caitlin and Mickey Mouse Potato Head

Aunt Brenda and Caitlin in her new coat and umbrella!

Aunt Brenda and Colton

Caitlin and Cousin Hunter

Brady, Caitlin, and Maddie

Christmas cupcake.

Night, night baby.

Sleepy Cousins

Christmas Eve

2011-01-10T20:49:00.001-08:00

On our way!

Dennis had to work Christmas Eve, but he got off early and we were headed over as soon as possible. It was a pretty uneventful trip over and the kids did really well....as usual. We had a wonderful ham dinner when we got there and opened presents soon after, followed by Boston Creme Pie! Mmmmmm! Colton and Caitlin each got a recorded storybook from my dad and Chi-Sai.....I love them!!! The kids went to sleep really easily considering they had slept quite some time in the car ride over. Thankfully, as soon as we arrived, there were plenty of people ready and willing to chase and play with Caitlin. This was a contributing factor for her exhaustion that night I think.

Krista's crazy hair....courtesy of Kristopher.

Christmas Eve Eve

2011-01-10T15:25:00.001-08:00

On December 23rd, Santa visited our house since we would be in Y-town on the 25th. Dennis took Caitlin out to look at the lights in the neighborhood and when they came back Santa had delivered presents!....such a shocker, I know. It was a wonderful evening. Caitlin LOVES opening presents so she was all too willing to open all of Colton's gifts. Dennis surprised me with a mini video camera, so I had lots of fun recording little videos over the holidays. I will try and post one as soon as I can figure the whole thing out.

First Staple

2011-01-06T21:20:00.001-08:00

Okay, so this wasn't the first post of the new year that I thought I'd be writing. I will definitely post about Christmas and such soon, but first....

Yes, Caitlin can officially add staples to her list of medical records. While I was at Colton's 4 month check-up, she ended up getting a cut on her head from a falling block. She didn't cry at all
and the cut didn't seem like it was that bad. But Dennis decided to go pick her up and then called me while I was just finishing at the doctor's office to let me know it was still bleeding a bit. So, with some info from the doctor, Dennis brought her in. When she walked into the office she was super happy and bubbly! You'd never even would have known she got hurt. The doctor took a look at her and said she needed a staple because the glue wouldn't work very well since it was in her hair. The doc didn't even have to numb her up because it was only one staple and it was just like getting a shot. She was such a champ! She barely cried! So when she got home, it was plenty of fries and Umi Zoomi for her!

The boy on the other hand was also a champ. He weighs 17lbs 9oz and is 25.5 inches long. He got three shots and only cried for a brief moment. And the rest of the time we were there with Caitlin, he was very happy and really smiley. He's such a good boy!

I will post more soon.

Sweet Sugar

2010-12-21T23:12:00.000-08:00

Here are all NINE creations from left to right:
Sugar Spice Coffee, Snickerdoodle, German Chocolate, Chocolate Chip, Lebkuchen

Sugar

Coconut Candy, Caramel, Cake Pop

All I can say is....I AM DONE!!!! And I really couldn't have done it without Dennis's help. He watched the kids all weekend while I baked in the kitchen all day. At one point on Saturday when Caitlin didn't nap, she calmly watched me mixing and rolling and slicing, while she was perched on the bar stool. That would be the only time she was calm around the cookies because once she realized they WERE cookies, her paws were all over them. So Dennis decided to occupy her by making a gingerbread house together. They had a great (and sticky) time to say the least. Colton also got to pitch in a bit too!

Sugar cookie madness!

So pretty

Let the decorating begin!

It needs a bit more icing.

And time for a taste test.

And now for the demolition!

I think I finally got all the stickiness off the table!

Cookie Land

2010-12-20T14:40:00.001-08:00

I'm up to my eyeballs in cookies! I've been working on them since Friday night. It started off pretty bad with all my new recipes not working out. But then I started in on the tried and true and that has helped a lot. I made 8 doz cookies this morning and I have another 8 doz to go. I also have to frost 8 doz within the next 24 hours. Then I will proceed to assemble platters. That is to say if I don't add in another cookie in the meantime. This is what I have so far:

1. Chocolate Chip

2. German Chocolate

3. Cake Pops

4. Lebkuchen

5. Snickerdoodle

6. Coconut Candy

7. Caramels

8. Sugar

9. Sugar and Spice Coffee

Giddy

2010-12-16T15:01:00.001-08:00

Is it crazy that I get so giddy at the idea of Dennis coming home from work? Or that I look forward to the weekend because he won't be working? Even yesterday when he stayed home sick and was in bed most of the day, I was just so happy he was there. Yes, I didn't see him very much, but his presence was greatly felt. He just has a calming effect on me. When I'm having a bad day or super stressed, Dennis comes home and it all just melts away. He is my Prozac for sure....and I'm completely addicted!

Grama Visit

2010-12-14T10:08:00.000-08:00

Last week my mom came over for a visit! It was so nice and Caitlin (Colton too) had a great time. Caitlin LOVED my mom's border collie....Peggy. As soon as she would wake up in the morning, Caitlin would be asking about Peggy and looking out the window for her. On Tuesday, Caitlin and I went for a walk while my mom and Colton took a nap. We took Peggy with us and Caitlin held the leash the whole time! It was really nice to see her interacting with a dog without being super nervous and unsure. Plus, my mom's dog is very nice and really calm. It was really wonderful to have my mom around....especially during the week when I'm usually by myself with the kids!

This week Caitlin has been making real progress on the potty training front. For quite some time now, she has been peeing on the potty. She usually doesn't tell us when she has to go, but when we put her on, she always pees. Well, for the last two mornings when I have put her on she has pooped on the potty!!!!! SO EXCITING!!!!! I know...it's weird, a post about poop. But if you have ever potty trained before, you know my excitement!!!!

I have been searching through all of my cookies recipes lately. I think I will be starting on my Christmas cookies sometime next week. I have no idea how many I will make this year. It will probably be scaled down a bit. But knowing me, I'll end up getting carried away! :)

Stolen Mail

2010-12-05T21:36:00.000-08:00

Yup, you read correctly. Our (and our neighbors to the right of us) outgoing mail was stolen on Saturday morning between the hours of 9-11am. Who would do such a thing!.....and broad daylight too!!!! Thankfully, it was only a NetFlix movie. I called them to let them know what happened and they were completely awesome about it. I also called the sheriff's department and they could care less. The dispatch lady wasn't even sympathetic and made me feel like it was my fault. Lovely. Unfortunately, for the past several weeks, we have noticed open mailboxes in our neighborhood. Some still had mail in them, but most were empty. We thought it was probably kids playing around. Well, apparently, they are doing a little more than fooling around! So this morning Dennis installed a locking mailbox instead of our regular one. He also talked with one of our other neighbors who said that in the past 20 years of living on this street, this is the first time mail has ever been stolen.....and I hope it's the last!

On a brighter note, I replaced our regular LED Christmas lights in the kitchen with the color changing ones instead.....and it's like I'm at a disco party every waking minute!!!! WOO HOO!!!!! Then tonight, I installed the regular lights down the hallway and tomorrow I'll install some in Caitlin's room. Caitlin absolutely loves the lights! She grabbed Dennis's hand once they were done in the hallway, and took him down the hall to sit on the floor and look at the lights. She's such a sweetheart!

And I leave you with a few pics!

We now have two thumb suckers in the house!

Enjoying some cereal with daddy.

Going for Walks

2010-12-02T21:48:00.000-08:00

That is what I call it instead of "exercise." Dancing with Caitlin also falls under that category. I figure if I just try to go for a walk when ever I can and dance with Caitlin on the days it rains, I will actually be exercising without thinking I'm actually exercising. Okay, I know it sounds crazy, but it's the only way I can trick myself into sticking with it. I am not an exercise person, nor a walker, jogger, and definitely not a runner. I need to do what ever I can (trick my mind, yes) to get moving (i.e. exercise) so I can get rid of my baby weight and all the extra desserts I've been consuming since I have this horrible addiction to baking. So far this whole mind game seems to be working. I've actually been going for walks for the past month and a half (or so) for 30 minutes 2-4 times a week! And since I'm carrying around an extra 17 pounds on me with Colton in the front pack, it's quite a work out! I've had to add the dancing with Caitlin since it has started to rain. I imagine it would be quite hilarious to watch us with our little dance routine. Caitlin certainly seems to like it though as she tries to imitate all the moves with me.

So here's hoping I can stick with Going for Walks and Dancing with Caitlin for a while!

Colton 3 Months

2010-12-01T22:10:00.001-08:00

The day after Thanksgiving, Colton turned 3 months old! I think he weighs about 17 pounds now and has slept through the night 9 out of the last 10 nights! Completely shocking on all fronts! He is still really mellow, extremely happy, and an absolute morning boy. He has a beautiful voice and his favorite word right now is between "goooo" and "oooooo." And for the past few days, I've been trying to get him to sleep in his crib during his naps. He seems to do well, which is good since I think we may have him sleep there at night after Christmas.

Oh, my wonderful friend Nancy surprised me by stopping by this afternoon. We chatted for a bit and she read to Caitlin too. She also brought over an adorable outfit for Caitlin for her birthday and a scrapbooked framed photo of Colton....which is absolutely adorable!!!! Thank you again Nancy!!! You made my day!!

Don't you just LOVE it!!!!

Thanksgiving

2010-12-01T21:59:00.000-08:00

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving at our house....just the four of us. I made all the usual holiday fixing with some minor tweaks. We had turkey breast instead of a whole turkey, dried cranberries and pecans in my stuffing (Dennis gets oysters in his), and a new recipe for pumpkin cheesecake. It was a very yummy and I'm sorry that we've eaten all the leftovers already. Caitlin really liked the turkey and didn't mind eating it for the next few days.

We didn't go out for Black Friday this year for the first time in I can't remember how long. Dennis had to work, and bringing two kids to a packed mall probably wouldn't have been a great idea. So on Saturday I took Colton shopping. Since most of the deals we were interested in were 2 day sales, we scored without having to wait longer than 3 minutes in a line! Woo hoo!!!

First Attempt

2010-11-30T22:37:00.001-08:00

Here is my first attempt at emailing in my blog. I've also added a setting (because of my lack of blogging recently) that will email some people in the event that I blog. Apparently, I can also add pictures through email as well. If this whole thing works, it will be the coolest thing EVER!!!!!

Here's hoping!

P.S.
Trying to do sit-ups with a toddler laying on your stomach is quite interesting.

Christmas Lights

2010-11-29T08:54:00.000-08:00

Lowest Price of the Season...

2010-11-29T08:49:00.000-08:00

Is the most annoying phrase EVER!!!! Especially during the holidays, this phrase shows up to entice buyers into a spending fury. However, when is it really true? For example, one advertisement I looked at this weekend displayed this "lowest price of the season" proudly over its page, when I know in fact that it was cheaper a few months ago. ARG!! And this wonderful phrase is all over the commercials as well, so when I hear it, it's like nails on a chalkboard.......or a fork scrapping a plate! When will it ever end!? Ooooo, another word that has been really bugging me lately is......oh, I blocked it...give me a minute to remember........okay, here it is "woot, woot." Again, it completely annoys me. Why? I have absolutely no idea on this one. Maybe it has replaced my favorite phrase of "woo hoo" and I give it the cold shoulder because of that. All I know is that every time I read it, I can't help but roll my eyes.

And while I'm on a roll, what is up with people not using their blinkers! It's easy enough to use the windshield wipers, right? So why not give the other knobby some attention! You turn, you blink. Are these people trying to pull one over on us? Do they think their blinker is not worthy of being used? Are they changing their mind at the last minute? I just don't get it. This is something that Caitlin (and Colton now) has heard a lot about in the car while we are out and about. Even when Caitlin is playing around with her keys, cell phone, and purse in hand, I reminder her to use her blinker when she's out. Not using your blinker is like going out naked in public....why would you want to do that.....they'd see all your jiggly bits!

And I will now leave you with that image.....hahahahaha.

Is it true?

2010-11-24T13:31:00.000-08:00

It cannot possibly be true that Colton has already reached the "sleeping through the night" phase of his babyhood! But for 4 nights in a row now, he hasn't been getting up until 7am!!!! I'm in such disbelief (and rather well rested)! Caitlin didn't sleep through the night until she was a year old and here is Colton at almost 3 months snoozing away until the morning! I'm not sure how long it will last, but I will cherish every full night of sleep I get!

On a side note, I just noticed how many exclamation points I used in that paragraph. Hmmm, maybe I drank my iced coffee a little too fast this afternoon! I bribed Caitlin with fries so Nancy could take photos of her and Colton and I couldn't resist getting an iced coffee as well! Oh and I confess, I did get a cheeseburger too.....and ate some of the fries.....okay, maybe a LOT of her fries. But I digress.

I don't have very much more to do to prepare for turkey day tomorrow. I just need to prep the potatoes, onions, and make the cheesecake. But I developed a bad case of Christmas fever pretty early this year so I'm washing Christmas towels, pillowcases, and tops for the kids as we speak (or type). I've also consumed ridiculous amounts of gingerbread cookies (with sprinkles of course). On the downside of this Christmas fever, I haven't really thought about what gifts we need to get. I think when we pick up the Black Friday ads, I'll be more inspired.

Alright, it's time for me to......drat! All this caffeine has made my brain a scrambled mess and I can't focus (or remember) what I was just going to do! Time to retrace my steps!

Happy Thanksgiving Eve!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy 2nd Birthday Caitlin

2010-11-15T12:53:00.000-08:00

Well our little bug is now TWO years old! Her birthday fell on a Wednesday and we celebrated by having her favorite dinner (pesto ravioli, broccoli, and avocado) and mini cakes for dessert. We followed that with presents and Toy Story 3! Caitlin seemed to like the movie. We had watched the first two movies the two weeks before her birthday to get ready for the event. When she watched the first movie, she was shocked to see Buzz and Woody (both of which she has) talk!

On Friday we all headed over to Y-town to celebrate her birthday with family at my brother and Sarah's house. Before we got there, we stopped in Medford at Toys R Us so Caitlin could pick out ANY toy she wanted. This was a total daddy/daughter thing. Dennis had been looking forward to Toys R Us for weeks! Caitlin ended up choosing a little ball. She almost went for a dancing Mickey Mouse, but in the end, she couldn't let go of the ball....at least it's fushia!

We stayed at my dad's house and then Colton and I headed in early to get ready for the party. My mom made chocolate and funfetti cupcakes and I decorated them to look like sunflowers. We ordered mexican food platters which were REALLY good. Caitlin got quite a few new outfits, two baby dolls, a sticker book with crayons, magna doodle, record player, purse, stroller, and a retro red kitchen! It was so awesome of everyone to get her such cool stuff! After the party we had planned to drive back home, but Dennis was really tired so we decided to stay with J, K, B, and M. Caitlin had a great time playing with her cousins and it was nice to relax after the party.

On the 10th we took Caitlin for her 2 year check-up. She weighed 23lbs and was 32 inches tall. She still is a tiny thing putting her in the 8th percentile for her weight! Thankfully, her daddy was there to comfort her after the shots. I also had the doctor listen to Colton's lungs because he'd had a cough for a few days.....and he was just fine. Back at home, it was Yo Gabba Gabba and a cookie for the little bug for her big day at the doctor.

I really can't believe my baby girl is already 2! Before we know it, she'll be going to kindergarten!

Princess Peach and Toadstool

2010-11-01T09:53:00.001-07:00

So we made it out to the mall yesterday and Caitlin had a blast! She said trick or treat and thank you to almost everyone who gave her candy. In fact, she was so cute in her costume, two different businesses gave her special treats! We also ran into another brother/sister combination of Princess Peach and Toadstool! Colton was super cute, but about half way through, he just wanted to be held. On the way home, we let Caitlin eat her candy (yes, before dinner too). Then she got into the candy bowl at home and opened her first Milky Way! She ate the whole thing and went back for more! The bowl soon found its way onto a higher shelf.

We had several trick or treaters and Dennis decided we should give whole candy bars next year! It should be fun!

Oh, and I don't think I did so bad on the homemade costumes! I may even do it again next year!

Colton's 2 Month Check-up

2010-10-31T13:17:00.000-07:00

I seriously can't believe Colton is 2 months old already! On Tuesday, Dennis and I took Colton in for his check-up and his first shots! He's growing very quickly and already measures 23 inches long and weighs 14lbs 7oz! Caitlin weighed only 10lbs 13oz at her 2 month check! We were unsure if Colton would be as good at getting his shots as Caitlin is. Turns out, he handles it pretty well. He definitely cried, but he was fine by the time we got him into his carseat. Thankfully, he never got a fever, but was a bit fussy and just wanted to be held. I ended up giving him Tylenol a few hours later which made him feel better. The next morning, he was his usual smiling self again.

Colton also has been sleeping well lately (except last night of course). He sleeps for about 5 hours the first run and then 2-3 the next stretch. The other night he slept for 7 hours straight! And then night before last, he only got up once!....at 4:30am!!! Last night was a different story and I don't know what was up with him. He slept fine until 1:30am and then he would scream and scream anytime I tried to put him back into his bassinet. As soon as I would pick him back up he'd stop and go right back to sleep. He just wanted to be held all night long.....great for him, but exhausting for me.

Dennis didn't have the greatest luck with Caitlin either. She was up quite a bit...either crying or playing in her room. Dennis has taken to falling asleep in her room if she gets up in the middle of the night. She got so used to him being there while we were in the hotel room in Gresham, it's been hard to break that habit. But last night he had taken Nyquil for his cold and woke up to find her Woody doll on a changing mat beside him and her stretched across his legs with her head facing his feet! Crazy girl!

Since today is Halloween, we will be heading to the mall to go trick or treating. There are several Halloween events going on around the area, but since Caitlin is suffering from a cough and runny nose and Dennis is recovering from a cold, I thought it best to keep everyone out of the cold and choose one inside event. I'm really exciting to watch Caitlin trick or treat....and to see her reaction to all the other kids!

I will post pictures as soon as I can. Oh, I also ended up making Colton's Toadstool costume! And now I will leave you with pumpkin carving pictures.

Very excited to help daddy.

Kinda slimy!

Mmmm...raw pumpkin! And she kept on eating it throughout the night!

The aftermath! She had a blast "cleaning" up the mess!

Pumpkin Patch

2010-10-24T15:29:00.001-07:00

On Friday we took Caitlin and Colton to the pumpkin patch. We went to a different patch than last year and we're so happy we did. Last time Caitlin wasn't quite a year old so we had to carry her everywhere. This time we were chasing HER everywhere. She had an absolute blast of a time! It was hilarious to watch her trying to choose a pumpkin. Throwing the ones that were smaller like a ball and trying super hard to pick up the others. I was very thankful that it wasn't raining. The rain was heading our way, but held off long enough to get our pumpkins safely home.

A running start!

Helping daddy pull the cart.

Searching for the best pumpkin.

If I can just get my fingers underneath it!

This is hard work!

A nice man working on the farm gave Caitlin a sunflower.

It's like "Where's Waldo" but with Caitlin.

Our pumpkin score.

Colton's pumpkin.

Zombie Caitlin

Say cheese!

Grateful Neighbors

2010-10-24T15:24:00.000-07:00

The other day I opened the door and found a gift bag lying on the porch. Puzzled, I opened the card inside and discovered it was a thank you card/gift from one of our neighbors. Inside it read "Thank you for the wonderful seasonal decorations. Your Grateful Neighbors" And inside the bag were several handmade candles. How sweet was that! The only problem is that I don't know which neighbor gave it to us so I can't thank them for the thank you. Regardless, it was a very sweet thing to do.

Dentist

2010-10-16T13:46:00.001-07:00

While waiting for her turn in the dentist's chair, Caitlin saw the need to read a good book in the waiting room. And of course she had to go for the super awesome desk! So proud!!!

When Dennis was finished with his cleaning, we took Caitlin back to introduce her to the idea of a dentist and have her teeth looked at briefly. And they are perfect! Super white and no spots and she got kudos on letting Dennis brush her teeth every night. So our next dentist appointment won't be until she's 3 and then she'll get to go to the special pediatric dentist that caters to kiddos like her. Woo hoo!!!

Work in Progress

2010-10-14T14:40:00.001-07:00

This is my first attempt at making a dress! I make quilts and quilts only, so when Dennis suggested Caitlin be Princess Peach for Halloween, I got this brilliant idea to make her dress myself....without a pattern!!! It turned out pretty well and actually fits! I still have some details to finish like the blue gem that goes on the bodice and pink hip thingys. This is what I've been working on instead of blogging these past few days.....not to mention catching up on all my DVR'd shows!

Keep reading, plenty of posts below to update you all!

Stew

2010-10-14T14:37:00.001-07:00

Tonight I'm making beef stew for the first time! As you can see, I'm making it in my crockpot and I certainly hope it turns out! It certainly smells good. And really, how can something that slowly cooks for 10 hours be bad?

Locked Out

2010-10-14T13:52:00.001-07:00

My darling daughter thought it would be funny to lock me out of the house yesterday morning and refuse to unlock to the door when asked!!! To give her some credit, she may not have remembered how to unlock the door, but she clearly didn't want to as she sat in front of the sliding glass door telling me "no." Not quite panicking, but certainly in a hurry since Colton was crying, I remembered our bedroom window was unlocked and proceeded to get the ladder from the garage. I then discovered that the handles to remove the screen were on the inside of the house. Back into the garage I went to find anything to pry it off. Armed with a tiny saw and a pair of keys, I was determined to get the blasted screen off! After some wedging and an prying, I was able to pop the screen off and climb into the house and onto our bed. Good thing our bed is by the window because it would have been a long way to the floor, had I fallen!

Caitlin had no clue that I had made it back into the house and was shocked to see me walking down the hallway. The look on her face was priceless! She knew she was in a pickle when she saw me and had to ponder over things in time out while I put the ladder, saw, and pair of keys away in the garage.

Moral of the story: Take her with me next time! Or remember where the hide-a-key is hidden!

Mastitis

2010-10-14T13:44:00.001-07:00

About 2 weeks ago I came down with a wonderful infection called Mastitis that affects lactating women. At first you feel like you have the flu with fever and body aches and if not treated right away, it can lead on an abscess requiring surgery! It was awful! I had a fever for 3 days before the antibiotics kicked in and a fever that reached 104.5. I felt so miserable, not to mention how painful my right ta-ta was! Thankfully, by Sunday I was feeling back to normal. I'm almost finished with my antibiotics now. I had to take them 4 times a day for 14 days!!!! I thought I would never see the bottom of the pill bottle!!!

Colton 1 Month

2010-10-14T13:39:00.001-07:00

Since I've been neglecting my poor blog these days, I didn't post Colton's 1 month picture.....so here it is. Now he's almost 2 months and I just can't believe how time is just flying by!!! He's getting so big and Caitlin just adores him! His next check up is on the 26th which means that he will be getting his first round of shots!!!! Poor guy!

Here's Dennis giving Colton his first bottle of breastmilk. It's going better than it did with Caitlin, but he still doesn't take it very well.

Berry Voluntary

2010-10-14T13:35:00.001-07:00

My new favorite Ben and Jerry's flavor!!!! Too bad it's only sold at Target....and our Target hasn't gotten it yet. Dennis and I have been searching for the two new Target only flavors for the last 2 months....at least! So finally when we were in Gresham I found them both!!! The other flavor is Oooey Gooey Brownie. But this flavor is amazing! I didn't think I would actually like it as much as I did. I liked it so much in fact that I ate the WHOLE thing in ONE day!!! I think I'm still working off those calories!

Birthday Flowers

2010-10-14T13:31:00.001-07:00

My wonderful mommy sent me these beautiful flower for my birthday! A cupcake was delivered with it, but I ate it before I took this picture. It was chocolate and it just looked (and tasted) too good! Surprisingly, they have still lasted until now....but I think this will be their last weekend in the land of the living.

Thank you mommy!!!!

Oh, and BTW, my mom has FINALLY moved back home to Y-town!!!! Woo hoo! I've been waiting for this day since she first moved to Nevada!!!! I'm so glad to have you back home Mom!!!!

Gresham

2010-09-26T15:45:00.001-07:00

Caitlin sporting her "Big Sister" shirt from grandpa and grandma.

Napping on daddy.

I know I've been lacking a bit on my blogging, but I do have an excuse for the last week. We all went to Gresham, OR (near Portland) with Dennis on a business trip. The trip up takes a normal person 7 1/2 hours to drive. But since we are not normal (traveling with two kids), we chose to split the trip into two days. We left on Saturday afternoon and stayed the night in Grants Pass. Sunday we drove the rest of the way, stopping twice with a total travel time of 6 1/2 hours. This wouldn't have been that bad since the kids were traveling VERY well, but Dennis was coming down with a cold....and it was getting worse every hour. We finally arrived at our hotel and I went out to stock our fridge and get dinner....soup for Dennis and a sandwich for me. Monday was my birthday and we (except Caitlin) were all under the weather. Dennis was the worst and didn't go into work until just before noon. I decided not to venture out since I wasn't feeling good and Colton was pretty stuffy. No matter how I was feeling, I was determined to get something good for dinner. I chose Red Robin which I love and haven't had for a very long time....and it was so worth it! The best thing about it was that I found a Cold Stone Creamery on my way and I picked up some ice cream cupcakes!!! On Tuesday, Colton and I were feeling a bit better so we checked out a shopping center. In Old Navy, I put Colton in the backpack and planned on putting Caitlin in a shopping cart....which I couldn't find. When I did find the ONE person who had just started shopping with one, I asked her where she got it and she told me she just waited for a lady to finish checking out. And that was all she said. So here I am obviously in need of a shopping cart way more than her and she doesn't even offer it to me!!!!! Normally this wouldn't bug me at all, but I really needed to get a few things from there and Caitlin was trying to get into everything, so this was one of the few times I desperately needed a cart! Completely annoyed, I quickly picked up what I came for and left the store. Then I promptly headed to the car to put Caitlin in the stroller. Now I know better. The rest of the outing went very well and I enjoyed browsing all the shops I never see.

That night for dinner we decided to be brave and go to Red Lobster for dinner. It was fabulous! Not just the food, but they got us in and out in less than 30 minutes!!!! Who thought that getting in and out of a restaurant as fast as possible would be so awesome? I guess that's what happens when you have two kids in tow! :)

Wednesday we checked out Target and had dinner at Joy Teriyaki The food there was SOOOO good. I had chicken teriyaki and tempura veggies. Dennis had sweet and sour chicken and kimchi. I really wish we had this place in our town! Oh so yummy!!!

Thursday was Dennis last work day and we left around 4pm. We stopped and had dinner at IHOP. I don't know if I was super hungry or the food was just that good. We devoured practically everything and Caitlin couldn't get enough bacon. Since it was getting so late, we stayed again in Grants Pass. We finally got home around 11am on Friday. Dennis had to go back into work for the rest of the day, and I stayed home with the kids in a fog of sleepyness. Somehow, we both manages to stay up long enough to watch Date Night after the kids went to sleep.....a very funny movie by the way.

Now, sleepy and suffering from hot flashes, I blog. I also am longing to finish the latest book I started.... "Living Dead in Dallas," book 2 of the Sookie Stackhouse novels. My parents gave me some money for my birthday so I ordered an 8 book set of those novels and "The Red Queen" by Philipa Gregory. They will arrive on Wednesday. I am also eagerly awaiting the arrival of the new birthday necklace Dennis got me. I have one with Caitlin's birthday and so he got me another for Colton's. I'll try and remember to take a pic when it arrives.

Alright, I'm about to fall asleep at the keyboard. Best wishes for a happy Monday!

My Apologies

2010-09-26T15:33:00.000-07:00

My apologies to grandpa and grandma. In my last post (a gazillion years ago), mommy brain took over and I neglected to write about my parents coming over for Colton's birth. It was so nice to have them over for several days just to hang out. When Caitlin was born, they just made it as I began pushing, but this time (since my labor was so quick) they arrived a few hours after Colton was born. Caitlin certainly had a fabulous time playing with grandpa and grandma....especially outside. She showed them the garden and how she LOVES to eat the strawberries (no matter their color). It was very nice having them and my sister watch Caitlin and Colton while Dennis and I napped during the first days of bringing Colton home. They were definitely missed when they left and I feel awful that I didn't write about this the first time. But I'm sure this will not be the last time mommy brain takes over and kidnaps my memory!

Going Well

2010-09-07T14:18:00.001-07:00

Colton is 12 days old today and we're all doing well. We survived our first stomach flu without the whole family getting it. Caitlin was the unlucky one, but with a high temp of 104 and a yucky stomach, she handled it remarkably well.

Caitlin really likes her little brother and is very motherly towards him. In fact, after we let her hold him, she tried to take him from me and was not happy that I didn't return him to her. If she was only a few years older, I could totally get her to change his diaper!!!

We had a great labor day weekend with a visit from J, K, B, and M. They had brought kites to fly at the beach, but oddly enough, it was one of the few days there was NO wind! And then the day they left, it was SUPER windy! What's that about? Anyway, it was great to get the cousins together and at times it seemed like there were quite a few more than 3 children running around the house!

And yes, I'm trying to nap when I can. Although, Dennis went back to work today so no more sleeping in for me or napping whenever Colton naps. Caitlin's nap is my only opportunity now....so why am I blogging instead of snoozing? I'm crazy!