The boys were easy to shop for this year. Logan wanted a lot of Scooby Doo movies from Santa and couldn't think of anything else and Dylan asked for Pixos. Neither one needed or expected anything more(although they did announce that next christmas they were going to ask for whatever was on each commercial that came on.) Santa got them each what they had asked for and under the tree, in a big shiny box was the biggest surprise of all.
KITTENS!!
Dylan has been asking for, pleading for, and doing his best to prove that he deserves a cat as long as I can remember him talking. We've been considering it and putting it off. When Coty saw him interacting with a friend's cat in early November, he was sold. Our boys needed a cat. I got online and started to research how to choose a cat. Turns out TWO are better than one! So the hunt was on. I am not a fan of breeding animals when there are so many homeless ones already, so I knew a purebred was probably out of the question and beyond that I was lost. If you don't know the breed, what do you base a decision on?? After counsel from Jenn, I knew what I was looking for and started searching online for babies. There are sooo many. I found a pair of beautiful six month old sisters that had been rescued as infants, bottle fed by their loving human mommy, Diane, and given a comfortable playful home, with kids and dogs too. Diane was kind enough to have them fixed and keep them until after bedtime on Christmas Eve. We set up the master bath as their room(its big!) and they acted right at home immediately.
Christmas morning the boys opened their stockings first while I hid the big box of kitties under the tree. When they came into the room, Dylan noticed the box moving and Logan opened it. Dylan said "Oh Kittens! what should we name them?" There were no shrieks or excited screams, no tears or happy dances. It was as if they had always been here. hmm. After the suggestions "Kitty & Mitty" or "Mickey & Minnie", we settled on "Minnie and Daisy" as their names. cute.
Minnie:

Daisy:

They are such sweet kitties. Daisy has markings a lot like Mia over her eyes, ears and back with White around her neck, shoulders and tummy. Minnie has white down her front and grey from the top of her head and ears all the way down her back. I attached the only pictures I have on the computer. My cable or camera isn't communicating so I have nothing new, but I will when I can get out to get a cd made. Minnie was the friendliest yesterday. She loves attention and showed off her playful cuddly cuteness all day. She seems like a real lap kitty. Daisy was shy early on, mostly hiding from the dog, but warmed up by the end of the day. She is the most playful. She seems like she has spring on her feet! Dylan loves to just sit and pet them both. He will follow one and sit by it and wait for her to crawl in his lap, then just sit and pet her. Logan loves to play with bells and ribbons with them. He's good with the laser light too. I think Minnie suits Dylan best and Daisy goes well with Logan. I can't wait to upload video to share!
The cats and dog are doing surprisingly well together too. Mia likes to get up real close to check them out and get a good sniff, which really made the cats uncomfortable the first day. Dylan learned it was best not to be the one holding the cat when Mia got too close but there was no blood. Today the cats seem more curios about Mia. Daisy especially will get right up next to her to see what she is doing before running off. They all seem interested in each other and the cats are gradually learning that Mia is no threat. I think in a day or two everyone will love each other a lot.
I've never really been a cat person, so the litter box and the climbing all over everything is really new to me, but I think I love them anyway! :) We're having a lot of fun. All of this is new to me so if anyone has suggestions or comments, they are gladly welcome.

Romo!

Coty just called to tell me his boss gave us tickets to Sunday's game! HOORAY!!!!!

now I just have to get out of work and find someone to keep the kids

My friend Tammy just called.

She's one of my Coworkers at Sids. She asked me what I wore on Monday. I wore the same walmart shorts and Tinkerbell shirt I have worn 8 of 10 shifts since last spring. The only difference was my socks. I bought a bunch of knee high socks and debuted my first pair Monday. I used to wear them a lot in college but havent since. I felt a little silly, but with cold weather outside and hard hot work inside I need to have a good warm/cool outfit. My friend Summer laughed out loud when she saw me. I'm over 30. I don't have to worry about fashion. I wanted to wear knee high stripy socks so I did!
Tammy said people have commented to her several times that I looked good on Monday. One regular even told her he has always seen me as somebody's mom but Monday I looked like a hot chick. I'm a little embarrassed and a little flattered. Mostly I'm surprised.
All I had to do to look good was wear taller socks?

I'm glad I bought several pairs!

am I really so old that people just think of me as "somebody's mom??" :(

Is there such a thing as a bad blogger?

I am always so behind on this blogging stuff. Jeez. I even went to the extreme of pre dating some, but then who will ever see those? I dunno. If I put them all out of order then it doesnt make a very good archive of my life...hmm. I guess it doesnt really matter if no one but me is reading anyway, so I will do it the way I scrapbook. I will make a page when I think of it, then plug it in where it goes. As I get more into the habit hopefully I will be writing often enough that I wont get behind on cute pics :)

I gotted to ride on the bid dreen bus!

As part of my choice to be a stay at home mom, I have accepted the fact that we will have no extra money. Coty makes enough to pay the bills and my job is to squeeze a little more out of what comes in. I am crafty when I need to be and I can cook pretty well(Coty says I never use enough salt) and I am a serious bargain hunter (if its not at least 75% off I dont need it).
Lately I have been feeling sorry for myself because we only have one car. The kids and I walk to and from Dylan's school everyday regardless of the weather- pouring rain with a three year old is an adventure! The boys and I have walked to the grocery store several times to pick up $20 or so worth of stuff. But for the first time Friday there was somewhere we HAD to go that was out of walking distance. Logan had a Dr appointment and Coty was working at multiple locations and needed the car.
Highland Village/Lewisville has a new bus line that we have seen driving by every day in our area. Logan always waves and says he's going to ride the big green bus when he's bigger. So I decided to look it up. I have always been a bit afraid of public transportation. What if I get on the wrong bus or miss my stop or get mugged or who knows what? It seems scary. But I had to get Logan to his appointment. There is a stop right by the grocery store that is only a five minute walk away and another stop a five minute walk from the doctors office. The route runs every hour on the hour.
We ended up babysitting in the morning and we were able to hitch a ride to the doctor. After our appointment, we walked to the library and checked out a couple of books. It was nice to do something just for fun with my little man. We had just enough time to walk to the bus stop and have a snack picnic before the bus came. When we got on, Logan was smiling ear to ear. He introduced himself and the bus driver recognized him from our walks. "Oh you're the big boy that always waves and says hi in the mornings!" That was nice. The bus was abnormally nice inside. Like a mini charter bus with 16 big padded seats and seat belts. Logan loved looking out the huge windows and I loved having the freedom to get out of the house. It was a fun trip and a liberating experience.
Ever since, Logan has been bragging about how he gotted to ride the dreen bus :) Dylan is jealous and wants to go too. I think I have a new weekly plan to go to the library and have a picnic with little man and we will have to do it on Ds next day off too.

Chrismas 2009 spoiler

So my BFF decided she wants to learn to crochet. "I know how to crochet," I told her, "I'll teach you!" but alas I don't.
I can make a straight chain and I have forgotten everything else my grandmother taught me. :(
I bought Summer the Happy Hooker book for he birthday and Myself The Crochet Answer Book. We are going to teach each other and be champs in no time. Everyone will be getting yarn gifts for Christmas next year!

I made a pumpkin pie

out of a pumpkin! and it was good!
Coty seriously laughed at me for trying to pretend that I hadn't used pie filling. It came out very much like a real pumpkin pie. The boys and I pulled the guts out together and ate dinner while the pumpkin cooked then we peeled off the skins and took turns adding ingredients and using the mixer. Poured it into a couple of pie pans and watched a movie, then VIOLA! fresh baked pumpkin pie! Yea me!

here's the recipe I used http://www.pumpkinpatchesandmore.org/pumpkinpie.php

Look what I made!

Dylan's teacher is having a baby. Its a girl. Her room will be pink and brown and her name will be Addison. I wanted to girl her a nice gift and decided to make a blanket. After shopping for the perfect zebra striped pink and brown striped fabric, I gave up and went for solid colors of fleece and the easy no sew method. Then it seemed lame. So I decided it needed a mongram. (which made it no longer no-sew) Then i thought about my favorite blankets of the boys were a set of two matching blankets. One was big enough to cover up in bed or lay out on the floor and the other was small enough for a carseat or a stroller, so I decided I wanted to make her two blankets instead. But alas, I had not purchased big enough pieces of fabric, so the small one had to be made without fringe. I gave it baby fringe so it would still match though. Its made with a really cute daisy print stich around the edge too. :)I can't tell if the colors are a little off because I think everything looks weird on my computer.

I think they came out great! not too shabby for my first time to make a blanket, huh?

Punkin Patch

Every year for the past four years we have taken pics of the boys at the Flower Mound Pumpkin Patch. I have scoured the computer and can't find 2006, but check out these cuties!

Where does the time go?

Seriously I am still out here, just busy. So I am going to post a couple of weeks worth today. :) I wish I could fake the dates on these so it wouldn't be so obvious.

As a waitress I loved this picture

This is the Barack Obama I can relate to. He seems so real. Not a born with a silver spoon, looking for his parents or good ol boys to pave him the easy way, but someone who is actually one of the real people in this country. Someone who has had to work for what he has and will continue to work for what he believes can be accomplished. I found this pic at http://digitaljournalist.org/issue0810/callie-bp.html © Callie Shell / Aurora for Time
I loved that he cleaned up after himself before leaving an ice cream shop in

Wapello, Iowa. He didn't have to. The event was over and the press had left.

He is used to taking care of things himself and I think this is one of the qualities

that makes Obama different from so many other political candidates I've

encountered. Nov. 7, 2007.

Momma's Boy

Monday morning Dylan and I had a little extra time. I had already dropped Logan at Daycare so it was just the two of us and we had a nice leisurely walk to school together. We were holding hands and singing the whole way. It was so nice that I even made a mental note to myself *Remember this moment. You will not be the most special woman in your little boy's life forever. Savor it while you can.* as I was savoring it and thinking about how great it was to be so loved, we walked around the corner to his school and there she was. Jayden. Dylan said "look mom, there's Jayden!" I smiled. Then I saw the way she smiled at him and waited for him. He hurried to catch her. Then instead of holding my hand, he headed off with her. Usually he wants me to walk through the first set of doors with him and give him a kiss to send him off on his day. This time I got a horrified look as if I had cooties and I got the hint. :(

Here's pics from our Halloween party! I believe in making all of our costumes which is usually awesome, but this year I got so carried away with the boys superwhy costumes that I all but ran out of time for ours! They came out well though. Its all about accessories :)




I guess I'm a cowfairygirl? That can only keep one eye open?

Geez. It took me way too long to recover from the big party. I am sooo glad it only comes once a year. I am not as young as I once was :(

Reverse Psychology

Logan asked me several times for some strawberry milk and he had just had some, so I was putting him off. After quite a few requests, he decided to try reverse psychology on me.
"Hey, Mommy! Do you see how small that door is?" "Do you tink you tan fit trough it to the kitchen?" "I tink you're too bid to fit trough that door to get my trawberry milt"
LOL!
I am a bit larger than I wish I was, but seriously. I had to laugh and then I had to get him his drink.
little smarty-pants :)

My big boy

*sigh* I don't know how it could be possible or why it's happening so fast, but Dylan is turning into such a "big kid." Every day I catch him acting more mature and thoughtful. He is getting too big for his size five pants(no more shopping in the cheaper department) He has this whole life that has very little to do with me at school-at least I get to be a room mom :) He is usually the starting pitcher for his TeeBall team, the Red Sox. (He always hears about them on Daddy's radio station ) This weekend I took him to Nathan's skate party and he did sooo well. He couldn't skate worth a lick. He must've fallen 100 times, but his attitude was amazing! He went out there with enthusiasm and kept on trying. He didn't complain once. He just seemed so mature to me. And after it was all over, he said "Mom, I think I need to practice skating more. I want to be really good for the next party." So I think we will start going skating more often. That's good family fun.

DYLAN LOST A TOOTH!

Saturday we went to teeball practice in the morning and I dropped the boys at my parents house while I was at work. When I came back he mentioned that his tooth was loose and I thought he was just anticipating it because kids in his class have been losing teeth, but by the end of the day it had fallen out. We were at B & A's and he came running out of the movie room yelling, "Mommy, it came out it came oouut!" I didn't even get a chance to come up with a good explaination of the tooth fairy or anything. He lost it within hours. we put it in an envelope in my purse and I tucked it under his pillow when we got home. The next morning he found a golden dollar in his envelope! It was a big weekend.

Little Man

Logan is really growing up over the last few weeks. He is becoming a big kid more and more every day. He decided he wants to play tee ball like Dylan but is not old enough yet so he plays blast ball. That kid is so enthusiastic and really gives it his best! I can see him going far with sports. He is also starting to show his intelligence more too. He used to always just look to Dylan to answer when I'd ask about letter sounds etc. Now he belts out the answers proud. He has been asking how to spell words lately so everytime he asks, I make him a sight words flash card. So far he has Logan, Dylan, Daddy, Mommy, and Momma. ♥ He is starting to sound out words in books too. I just can't believe how grown up he seems at times(not nap time, but you know) I have an awesome cute picture from wednesday on my cell phone, but I dont know how to get it to here, so this older one will have to do.

Dylan in school

So Dylan's in school. That seems so crazy to me. I am not old enough to be a card carrying member of the PTA!

He is doing so well. He says he's the smartest kid in his class and I believe him ♥

For the whole first month, I felt so excluded and unimportant in this new world of his, but I have gradually found ways to get more involved. I may have even taken on a bit much. I volunteered to help assemble ABC books for all of the kindergarteners in the school(I've done three letters and its taken six hours). I am one of SIX room moms and have been designated the treasurer/shopping expert for the class. I also worked out a time once a week to go up to school and work one on one with Dylans class mates which has been fun. We had our first field trip Thrusday and it was so fun to walk in and have all of the kids be so excited to see me and all of the other moms looked at me like I must be someone important. That's when it finally dawned on me that I was important. :)

Here's a great picture of Dylan before his first day of kindergarten.

I'M BACK

Hmm, so I dont know where the summer has gone. Let's just skip it- if you need to know, you already do. so anyway, I'M BACK!

My dad loves a good pun and always says "Your back? Your front too!" whatever. Anyway, speaking of my back, Look at my great new tattoo! It's my good ole froggie pal, hanging out with the birth flowers of my family. Lily of the Valley is for May and Gladiolas for August. I think its beautiful. (kinda big, but beautiful) I need to get a better picture next time I am wearing a tank and have the camera out and am not the only one capable of taking pictures... One day I will have a better picture taken.

"New Years" resolutions

My birthday is the start of my very own new year, so I am going to try to take that and make something of it.
Here are my New Years resolutions:

1. Take responsibilty for my emotions
I can't let people make me feel bad or count on them to boost me up when ultimately my feelings are just about me and not anyone else's responsibility--seriously.
2. Be a better Housekeeper
My carreer choice is to be a stay at home mom. It doesnt pay well, but if done right it really helps the family dynamic tremendously. So I need to embrace the responsibilties Ive claimed and do them well. I'm good at it when I try.
3. Eat better
I am a lifetime member of Weight Watchers You have to reach your goal weight and maintain it for a significant time before you get that benefit. Again, I'm good at it when I try.
4. Exercise more
I dont even know where to start, but I'm not getting any younger. Maybe if I actually do 15 minutes a day...
5. Pay off credit by my next birthday
This would be HUGE! We have been spending $600/mo (all of my income) on credit debt and if we could do $800/mo for a year, it will all go away. Then we might be able to play a little more. That means a whole year of no extras, but it will be so worth it. we put all of our tax rebate into it and our return so the end really is in sight. This will be the hardest of them all.


Before I get all overwhlmed, how 'bout some things I already do well:

say I love you every time I think it
Hug my kids
Help them feel smart.
I'm creative with my resources
I see the truth in people
Im not afraid to have a little fun
I put my family's needs first
I smile a lot
I am open minded
I care


so this is where I am today and I am aiming for some balance and peace in my life. I am going to start with FLYlady cause I know it works, so off I go to shine my sink!
http://www.flylady.net/

Hmm how does this work?

My first blog-it looks fun, but what am I s'posed to do? hmm Ok so Ive got some colors picked and a silly caption picture, but I think I'll practice a while before I share with friends...
Today is my Birthday!
I've decided to look at it as a new years day. A new me. I am going to make an honest effort to take better care of myself for a change. Being a self sacrificing martyr helps no one-not that I have really been that bad, but the world deserves to know the real me. She's freakin' AWESOME