Babies and Bluebonnets

Even before I had children, I have always wanted to take pictures of my babies in Texas bluebonnets.  Today I  finally pulled it off!
At first, it wasn't looking like a promising photo shoot...

Thankfully, we dried the tears quickly and got some great shots of the boys...

Mission accomplished!

Reflecting...

This week I have been sorting through old pics in efforts to finish begin Jack's first year scrapbook.  Jack turned 2 in January...I am a little behind.  This pic is of him at about 3 months old, which was 2 years ago!  Time flies.  Baby Jude is about to turn a year old, and I haven't even started Jack's scrapbook or even thought about poor Jude's. 

It really bugs me.

It bothers me that I am so behind.  Not scrapbooking major events for over 2 years is just not me.

Neither is...

allowing the floor of my car be coated in cracker crumbs and fruit snacks,

tolerating mixed up colors of play dough and paint,

not noticing the smell of sour milk,

driving with an expired inspection sticker and registration,

enjoying an Imagination Movers concert,

putting on a t-shirt inside out,

preferring Diego over Dora,

getting excited about a sale at Carter's, and not even knowing the dates of Nordstrom's half yearly sale.

Becoming a mother is an incredible adjustment.  I've changed my sleep, personal life, work load...the list goes on and on.  I think I have handled those adjustments fairly well.  I have the occasional, sometimes frequent, meltdown.  But what I never expected, was that I would have to adjust to a new me.  The me that lets things go and is a complete mess at times.  It's hard.  It's not easy to look down at my inside-out t-shirt, covered in sour milk.  It's nearly impossible not to think of the me that would have been wearing a crisply ironed, white shirt, with stain-free khakis, while wearing those cute new heels I picked up at the Nordstrom's sale.  

Just like going to college, moving into my first apartment, getting my first real job, getting married...I changed.  Motherhood is the same.  It brings a change of self much more overwhelming, but with many more benefits.  So, I'll give myself a break and embrace the change.  Except maybe the car inspection and registration.  I probably should take care of those.

Mardi Gras Road Trip

As I type my post title, I am laughing to myself on how much the meaning of a "Mardi Gras Road Trip" has changed for me in the past twenty years...has it really been that long ?!?!  
Twenty years ago a Mardi Gras road trip would have meant a great time in New Orleans with friends, fun, great food, beads, and several hurricanes. If you have ever been to Mardi Gras you know I am not talking about a major weather event went I speak of hurricanes.
Now a Mardi Gras road trip consists of a trip to Shreveport with family, five children under the age of six, fun, great food, beads, and several sippy cups.  Not to mention the diapers, wipes, and "lovies" that need to be packed.  
For my Louisiana readers, I am happy to report when Jack realizes we are heading to Granny and Papa Joe's, he has the over whelming desire to bring every piece of clothing, toy, and book that is purple and gold or has this image...  

He must think that they will send him back if he isn't prepared to prove that even if he is a Texan, he has decided to grow up a Tiger.
Needless to say, getting ready for a trip to Mardi Gras is dramatically different than it was twenty years ago.  I am beyond thrilled to be with my entire family and share this special event with my hubby and kids. 
I look forward to watching all the baby cousins play, spend quality time with my siblings, and enjoy my parents.  I am also looking forward to teaching my kiddos how to catch these...

The appropriate, family-friendly way that is.
I can't  wait to overeat on treats such as these...

After I poke my fingers through it to make sure my kiddos don't choke on this...

Stay tuned for pics and I am sure entertaining stories on my first Mardi Gras as a Mommy.  Since I have no doubt that our car will be fifty pounds heavier with Mardi Gras beads, I am already planning ways to store and organize them...more like plotting ways to get rid of them without the kiddos noticing.

Looking Back

About this time in...
2008...We were engaged to be to married.

2009...Had a brand new baby Jack.

2010...Enjoying that sweet face!  And me in the background with baby Jude about ready for his arrival.

2011...My precious boys playing so nicely together.  I wonder how long that brotherly love will last?!?

I still can't get over how much my life has changed in 3 short years.  I am so incredibly blessed!

Enjoying the Moment

I am working from home this week with both toddlers in tow.  No, I haven't officially lost it.  I just have some schedule juggling for the week.
Day one has been a hectic blur to say the least.   After juggling office duties with mommy duties, Jack and I are taking a little break.  It's moments like these that make the chaos a distant memory.

Jack's Turning 2!

I cannot believe that today is Jack’s last day of being a one year old.  I can’t stand it!  Like every new mother, I am wondering where the last two years have gone.  I knew parenthood would bring me joy, but I never realized how just how overwhelming that joy could be.   These are just a few things Jack is doing right now that keep the joy overflowing…

• His love of anything that beeps, roars, zooms or crashes.
• If it doesn’t beep, roar or crash…he is going to make the sound effects to make it do so.
• When he doesn’t want his picture taken, he says “No cheese, Momma!  No cheese!”
• He says “cookie” in the same voice as the Cookie monster.
• If allowed he would stay in his pajamas all day long, and Elmo slippers as well.
• How he says “hi” to every cow, bus, fire truck, bird we pass on the road…”Hi cow!”…”Hi bus!”…
• How proud he is of himself that he sleeps in a big boy bed.
• Every container turned upside down is a drum.
• That he thinks his tricycle is a bicycle and corrects us if we call it a tricycle.
• That every ball now has its own special name….soc-cer ball, feet-ball, bass-ball.
• When he wants to go home, he says he wants to go to “Jack’s house.”
• That he loves to eat breakfast for dinner, and if given the choice would eat pancakes for all three meals.
• His love of books, books and more books!
• His infectious and precious laughter!  Once he gets going it’s hard to stop.  Jack LOVES to laugh!
• His protective nature of his baby brother Jude.
• But most of all…how he lights up and says “Hi Mum!” when I walk into a room…every single time.

I am so proud of the amazing little boy he is growing into.  His smile, laughter and sweet spirit remind me daily that I am blessed beyond measure!

Bobots on the Brain

I have so many goals and plans for my house this year.  It is time to whip this place into shape! Hopefully I will accomplish the projects/ideas that are piling up in my head and filling my notebooks.  I have probably set my goals a little high, but I figure high expectations equal positive results.  Right?  I look forward to sharing all my decorating, organizing, and remaining sane ideas on a very limited...oh let's face it...a nonexistent budget!

But right now, I have robots, aka "bobots" on the brain.  Jack turns 2 this weekend.  I can hardily stand it!  I am planning a totally cool party using his love of robots and teleporting skills as my inspiration.

Stay tuned...lots to share!

Another New Tradition-Christmas Baking

I've never really been a baker.  My mom has always been in charge of desserts at holiday dinners, so I haven't been forced into it either.  To be honest it intimidates me.  Planning and cooking Thanksgiving dinner equals bliss.  Baking for the holidays...not so much.

During another late night of blog browsing, I found this post from My Blessed Life.  Just the pictures alone will have you reaching for your keys to go stock up on semi-sweet chocolate!  Halfway to the store, I remembered I have no idea how to perform a soft ball test or how to identify the consistency of melted caramel.  The amazing thing about this list of treats is the recipes are REALLY EASY!

I enlisted my friend Mel, with promises of dinner, wine and a sugar coma, and together we started a new Christmas baking tradition.  We tackled the Peppermint Bark, White Chocolate-Covered Oreos, and Homemade Twix Bars.  I am proud to say they were all a success...our judge being they lasted about  45 seconds in the office kitchen this morning.

We kept the children happy and involved at bay with the jobs of "spoon lickers".  They were more than eager to take on the responsibility!

The Teleporting Toddler Strikes Again!

Cracker Jack lived up to his reputation today...no doubt.  While I was out braving the crowds at Walmart, I stopped to check on the boys by sending Jer a quick text.  This is what I get in return...

"Caught red-handed!!!!"

"I looked away for 2 seconds while cleaning."

"Bathing BOTH of them now."

"Jack thought he'd fix his bro's hair too!"

Jack had obviously teleported again...ending up with his hands straight into his hair pomade!  Sigh...at least he knew how to use it.

The good thing about getting texts like this while battling the crazies at Walmart, is that I pretty much forgot about the holiday chaos.  I was too busy laughing hysterically and causing everyone to think I was the one who was insane!

Starting New Christmas Traditions

The first year Jer and I were married it was our turn to have Delaney Bug on Christmas.  Even though I was VERY tired and VERY pregnant with Cracker Jack, I was determined to continue the many Christmas traditions I had as child with Delaney.  Candy canes on the tree, birthday cake for Baby Jesus, and a cousin gift exchange are just a few of the many small activities we began with Bug that year.

The next year I was pregnant, AGAIN, with Baby Jude and EXHAUSTED from chasing Cracker Jack around.  We continued the traditions and activities with Jack that we started the previous year with Delaney, but failed to start any of the new ones I had planned.  I felt guilty for a bit, but then decided to give myself a break…it was an exciting and overwhelming year to say the least.

This year is different.  Most days, due to the fact that I am not growing a baby, I am energized to make new Christmas memories with Jer and our sweet kids.  Elf on the shelf, making Christmas candy and advent calendars are some of our new traditions this year. 

Completely unplanned and by surprise, which is totally not me, we started a new tradition today.  My friend Mel convinced me that we needed to visit the downtown Dallas Neiman Marcus' window displays.  It was A.M.A.Z.I.N.G!  So glad we did.

If you know Cracker Jack, you know he LOVES rockets and robots, or “bockets and bobots”.  He was over the moon, that Neiman’s theme this year involved a ton of retro rockets.  

It was like Santa had delivered his presents several weeks early…he was in awe!

I really didn’t think the boys would care much about seeing the decorations and such, but even Jude was excited and happy to join in on the merriment.  

We were so touched.  Jer was in tears over the boys’ delight, but you're not allowed to tell him that you now know about that.

As you can see, sitting on Santa’s lap was not so traumatic due to the fact that he was sitting in front of a too cool gigantic rocket.

  

Well, maybe just a little...

Jack was so enthralled with all the rockets that he was convinced that every skyscraper in downtown Dallas was a “bocketship”!  

How did I get so blessed to have such a stinkin’ cute and charming little boy!?!

What an incredible day and a great new Christmas tradition!

If you live in the area, it is a MUST see.

What are some of your families' Christmas traditions?

Thankful

The alarm went off way too early this past Saturday.  I don’t know what was going on in my brain at the time, but I had made an 8:00 am appointment to have the kiddo’s pictures taken.  So much for sleeping in, then again, I don’t think I’ve had a Saturday that involved sleeping past 6:00 am since Cracker Jack was born.

I am not even sure how all three of my darlings got up, fed, and “picture ready”.  I can’t even remember how we got out the door and to the studio on time.  Don’t ask me how I made it with two diaper bags packed with formula, snacks and other various bribery materials.  It’s all a blurry memory now.

What I do remember, once when we got everyone set up in their first pose, is that…

1.  I was frazzled from my morning feature in the Roden Family Circus.
2. Jer was just plain grumpy about being in a kid’s portrait studio at 8:00 am on a Saturday during the holiday season...don't blame him.

Then I looked up and saw this…

I can’t really even describe the feeling I felt other than a rush of gratitude.  I was joyful, overwhelmed, and grateful…all in the same moment.

I am so proud to be “Mommy” to these precious angels.

Blessed.

Thankful.

Blessed to have a wonderfully happy, healthy family.

Thankful for the people in my life that have helped me to become the kind of woman that knows she is beyond blessed and thankful for it.

Jack the Nibbler

Look at that face!

This darling little baby would never hurt a fly, right?

Wrong.

Cracker Jack has turned into Jack the Nibbler.

He has taken to nibbling on his friends at school when they disrupt his toddler world.

Yes, my sweet boy has entered the stage of biting, and it is causing me much stress.

Monday was bad, but today was better.

Let's all pray that Jack learns to use his growing vocabulary instead of his teeth in times of dispute.

He will either outgrown this stage or become the star of the next Twilight movie.

Halloweens Past & Present

Some Halloweens of the past were made up of friends, fraternity parties and probably a few too many adult beverages.

Others were all about crafts, carnivals and a few dozen 5 to 6 year olds.

Halloween this year consisted of office parties, costume contests and acting like a kid again.

Along with enjoying some trick-or-treating with a very Good Witch, a Star Wars bounty hunter,

a sparky little Rocket, a stinkin' cute Robot,

and a squeaky little Monkey.

Add in being swept away by Clark Kent...

And I have had the BEST Halloween yet!