Wide awake past midnight... again!

well, there is a thunderstorm in december. wth? it woke me
up about 20 minutes after i fell asleep, my body thought i'd
napped, so here i am, messing with my blog at 12:15am. i
tried to make it cute but somehow managed to really mess
it up! somebody, please tell me how i get my text to fit inside
the designated area that shabby blogs created for my cute
new christmas background!!! im frustrated!


anyway, i hope you can read this ghetto, poorly aligned
post. the girls and i had a such a fun afternoon. we made
our 1st batch of gingerbread cookies. i cheated a bit and
im so glad i did. i bought the ready made dough so we just
got to cut out and decorate. the 1st year we lived in this house,
i made russ gingerbread cookies and they were SO nasty.
not only did they burn, but after i was finished decorating, i
noticed that they resembled little black sambo, so i ditched the
whole batch. i digress... skylar had so much fun helping me.
she took her decorating very seriously, and baby b decided to
suck the icing right out of one of the decorating tubes, and skip
the gingerbread. silly girl.

at christmas, i insist on listening to john denver and the muppets

christmas cd on repeat for pretty much the whole season. why

decorate the tree to anything else? '-) anyway, i searched

high and low this year, and could not find that darn cd anywhere!

wouldn't you know, when i went to pick up the girls from

their sleepover with grancy and grandpa, my mom had purchased

me the cd... and she didn't even know i'd lost my copy. yay! i got

my favorite xmas music back! thanks mom!

1st haircut

baby bianca - who now answers to the following...

b

b'ster

bia

biatrice

b-bop

b-bop-a-loo-la

b-nut

b-nut butter

b-nut butter and jelly

paloma

got her 1st haircut today! it was getting a bit mullet-ish so i decided to take my little sweetie to the hairy elephant (hair salon for kids). she got a nice little swing bob, stacked in the back of course. my baby is getting big!

miss pig tails/miss mcdonalds/butterfly house

this really should be 3 different posts, but i just don't have it in me to get organized for that today. plus, sky isnt napping, so i've got a lot to do during her 1 episode of dora (including this posting).

bianca wanted to be just like skylar and wear pigtails. here's her new signature look. how cute is she?

skylar's aunt mimi sent her the coolest gift... a mcdonalds drive though set! let's just say its been a non-stop drive through around here! she is hilarious bc she takes her job as a mcdonalds employee SO seriously. let's hope that doesn't become her goal career. she's got it down to the pickles, and is sure to ask her customers if they need katsup with their order. she even suggests desserts. ;-)

today was a perfect day for the butterfly house. that place is so cool. i love it because; the video is short enough for the kids yet informative, all the tarantulas and scorpions are behind thick glass, its free for kids 3 and under, there is a stellar park nearby, and of course you get to walk among a million butterflies!

bianca absolutely loved the butterfly greenhouse. she literally ooohed and ahhhhed as we walked though. skylar loves it until a butterfly gets too close. she's silly about bugs (and yes, even butterflies) these days. it is so humid in there and my camera lens kept fogging up!

after the butterfly house, we headed over to the park where the girls played hard.

we followed it up by a trip to the bread company, which was suggested by skylar. a stellar idea, if you ask me! we had a nice lunch together. its a bit of a cold and dreary sunday, so now we are all snuggled up in the house and im sitting by the fire. love it!!

Swell Foop!

I have some exciting news to share! My sister and I purchased an organic clothing company! We are thrilled to be working together and promoting a truely "green" product line. Our shirts and totes are 100% organic and are made, printed, and finished right here in the USA. Please take a look at our site www.swellfoop.com to find a shirt or bag that is right for you! They are great for gifts too. We donate 10% of our profits to groups that keep the world healthy.

We appreciate your support!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

we had a great halloween! skylar helped me make little pumpkins out of cheese, & monster eyeballs & i carved a watermelon to look like a brain. we made a big batch of soup and invited family & a few friends over. thank goodness, it FINALLY stopped raining in st louis! we were blessed with a beautiful fall day. it was what i would describe as "perfect." a cool 55-60 degrees, full sun, and the peak of fall colors on the trees. we were so glad that the chicken and the rooster were able to head out and go trick or treating! skylar and her little buddy sayde lead the way, but bianca was not far behind. she got the hang of it pretty quickly! she took the candy and put it in her bag just like a little pro. ;-) great night!

i cant sleep!

why you ask? i have no freakin idea!! maybe its because my husband is in dire need of those breathe right strips. however, he only snores when he has gained some weight and let me tell you im not complaining! russ has been a workout machine! he's beefed up to 210 lbs! huge arms, back, chest, and he's even getting a badunkadunk! i wish i had a picture to post. thats right, my husband is lookin good!

maybe i cant sleep because both girls are running fevers. skylar has a cough and a mild fever. she seems to be doing ok, except for the fact that cough wakes her up at night. its not draining her too badly because she is still skipping her nap on occasional days like today. bianca's fever came on fast, but didn't slow her down either! she ate 2 pieces of pizza, about 10 grapes, and dessert with her milk before going to bed. this swine flu (no, my kids dont have it, that i know of anyway) scares the crap out of me. i saw on the news tonight that 86 children have died from it. isn't that awful?

everyone is sleeping soundly but me! since i am working on gratitude, let me just say that i am glad to have a little time to myself. i watched my tivoed episode of project runway (i should've been a fashion designer) and got a lot accomplished work wise.

GRATITUDE: it is the essence of good mental health and spirituality! I try to focus on the things I am grateful for. I suggest you try this! Before you go to bed, make a list (for me, written is better but mental will work) of all the things you are grateful for, while reflecting on your day. Tonight, mine looked like this.

I am grateful for Skylar's clothes that I saved and organized for Bianca. I don't have to fret over her wardrobe each season or size change. I am also grateful for the money this saves.

I am grateful for my husband, and all the hard work he does outside of the home. I am grateful that he is happy to stop and grab something if I just dont feel like cooking!

I am grateful for my internal love for our planet. I find such joy in keeping things green! recycling, reusing clothes, getting creative with toys, cooking with fresh vegtables, etc.

I am grateful for the heat in our house! The motor broke a week or so ago, and we were able to have it fixed before the cold really set in.

I am grateful for my working body! I have no ailments, or alergies, and I am able to stay in good shape by working it, and keeping up with my exercize plan. I have a new found love for running and I am grateful that my children dont mind a 30 minute stroller ride every morning.

I am grateful for russ, and the fact that he sets up the coffee pot at night, so all I have to do is press the button in the morning!

I am grateful for my family of origin. I love that we have stayed close knit and connected as we've grown and developed our own families.

THATS IT FOR TONIGHT! And tomorrow, I will wake up feeling great, ready to tackle whatever those 2 little ladies throw my way! Hopefully we will be able to get out of the house!

WAIT! I simply cant post a blog without a picture or 2. Here are a few from bianca's 1st birthay celebration. we kept it really simple... just family and 2 friends. I learned from Skylar's 1st party that kids get pretty overwhelmed when 30 people are singing and staring at them. ha!

here's the B's! B for Bailey and B for Bianca!




the B-Nut and her Uncle Charlie. He brought her an awesome toy and a super cute dress!

me, and my 2 best girls and their girls. guess who was being a stinker and wouldn't get in the picture. 3 is the new 2, let me tell you!

mmmmmm.... chocolate cupcake!

outdoor play

bianca loved this monkey that my cousin, justin brought for skylar. she got a frog and she loves him too.

and our best attempt at a family photo...

bianca turned 1

can you believe it? time has flown by with my second child! it seems like yesterday she was just born...

to celebrate her birthday, we went to our favorite cafe and had lunch. bianca had her 1st cupcake! you'd never know the petite little thing that she is eats like a horse! she honestly ate the entire thing! and aside from her face, she didn't make much of a mess. we followed lunch with a trip to the park where she went down the slide and swang next to skylar. last night for dinner, i made her her favorite lasagna and skylar baked her a chocolate cake.

today we went to the toy store and i let her pick out her own present. it was such a nice treat to be able to spend some 1 on 1 time with her while skylar was at school. b and i played at the store for about 45 minutes. the thing she liked the most was a pull along barking puppy. (go figure) and a glockenspiel. ;-)

sweet skylar

skylar is such a good little lady! shes just easy. for example, i needed to mow our lawn so i decided to do it while baby b was napping this morning. i blocked off the driveway and gave skylar a box of sidewalk chalk. she played happily and entertained herself outside for 1 whole hour. not many 3 year olds would do that. she only interrupted me 3 times. once to show me what she'd drawn. (7 circles, but according to her, they were 1. the letter O, 2. a zero, 3. a circle, 4. a pillow, 5. a cloud, 6. a ring, 7. a lady.) the second time was to ask me why i tipped up the lawn mower when i turned around. and third, to give me a boquet of dandelions she'd picked for me. what a sweet girl. i love that she can enterain herself by playing with rocks, sticks, in her sandbox, coloring, etc. its awesome. love you skylie girl!!

carnival

i took the girls to a carnival down the street. it was hosted by a daycare so it was perfect for these little ones! everything was catered to the children, sans the lines. skylar was such a patient girl. she waited for 3 rounds to get onto the swings.

she also got a butterfly painted on her arm.

jumped in a bounce house with a bunch of other kids.

and played a ton of games for silly little toys. remember those lips with the whistle built in? i remember them making me light-headed. her daddy said "be careful, you may pass out!" a valid concern.

both girls got balloon art. skylar got a princess wand and baby b got a rattle.

our friends stephani, matt and bailey were there but unfortunately we didnt get a pic with sky and bailey. next time!

who is 3 years old and starting pre-school? not my baby!! can't be!! well it sure is. skylar is officially BIG (she pronounces it beeeg and we love that). here she is heading off to her 1st day of school. she will attend the pre-school where i went and also where my mom tought for a really long time! its fun that we have that history with the school. big girl skylar has 2 friends in her class already and im sure she will know everyone's name pretty soon. she's super excited to go to school! she will do tuesdays and thursdays... just for 2.5 hours each day. hmmm. what will momma do?!?!

15 reasons i love our cabin

1. occasionally i get to sleep in.

2. instead of watching tv at night, i read or just visit with my husband.

3. we can have a fire in our wood-burning stove that heats the whole place.

4. i let my kids stay in their pjs all day bc no one sees them except russ and me.

5. we can go out on the boat and fish in a flash.

6. there are tons of nature trails of varying lenths and levels.

7. the lending library has new free options all the time.

8. outdoor concerts and movies with popcorn are so fun for the entire family.

9. buzzing around in our golf cart is an adventure in itself.

10. seeing all the deer, owls, turkeys, turtles, etc.

11. the outlet mall is close if i feel like shopping.

12. i only feel it neccessary to dust/vaccum about every 4th trip. its a cabin, who cares?

13. playing on the beach is fun even when it isnt hot outside.

14. during naptime, i usually just sit on the deck, or take a nap myself. at home, im cleaning or doing laundry.

15. its only 45 minutes, door to door.



we have so much fun at our cabin! here's the highlight from this weekend. russ and i were laughing so hard! im so glad i brought the video camera and was able to capture this.

days of summer

the girls and i went wide open yesterday! we were non-stop from 6am to 10pm. well, i was anyway! ;-) we started the day with a visit to the church. i had a meeting to attend and the girls went to the daycare. they always have so much fun there! skylar got to play play-doh and go out side on the playground since it was such a nice day. after that, we headed to the bank for some business stuff. skylar pushed b around in the stroller while i met with a banker. it was awesome! she's getting so big! i love that she can entertain b for me. since she was such a good girl, she got a blue sucker. we took a short walk down to a local restaurant for a nice patio lunch. unfortunately the service was poor, but oh well, i enjoyed the time with my girls. we headed home for naps and thankfully, both girls passed out for about 1.5 hours. when they woke up, we decided to head to the local pool for an evening swim. it was so nice to be there without the crowd and to not have to worry about sunscreen! they have a fantastic baby/toddler area where skylar plays independantly. after about 2 hours of play, we headed home to see daddy and to make dinner. after dinner, sky and i ran out the door to go see kung fu panda! our local town center shows an outdoor movie now and then. i decided to spoil her and go to coldstone creamery first. she picked out chocolate ice cream and had m&m's folded in. (she gets that from me, for sure!) she sat on my lap throughout the entire movie, eating her ice cream and having blast. we didnt get home until 10.00 and she swore she STILL wasnt tired. (YEAH RIGHT!) it was a fun day! unfortunately i didnt take any pictures all day long, but i cant leave a blog photoless, so here are a few just for good measure.

bianca, the glass eating machine

babies put everything in their mouths, everything! i thought my floors were pretty clean until bianca started crawling. now she finds all the little things that i've missed and insists on eating them. a shelf in our tv room broke, and a piece of artwork went crashing down. there was glass everywhere! i picked up all the pieces i could see, and vacuumed twice, of course thinking i got it all up. the next day, i left the girls downstairs and ran up to get miss b's swimsuit so we could go meet some friends at the local pool. when i came back down, she had that look on her face that said, "ive got something in my mouth, and I'm going to swallow it!" of course i ran over to her and did the mouth sweep. her mouth was bleeding from a gash way back on her gums but there was nothing to be found. i assumed she swallowed a piece of glass, and i was right. i took her right to the hospital, where they did a series of x-rays. the 2mm x 6mm pointy piece of glass was in my baby's stomach. ;-( they decided it was best to go in and retrieve it before it got into her intestines. we were sent off to GI. bianca was the star of the GI unit! all the nurses, drs and anesthesia team had to stop in our room and see the cute little glass swallowing baby. she got a ton of attention, and everyone was so nice and helpful. dr. udderson was the best. after another series of x-rays they went in after it. unfortunately between the x-rays and the endoscopy, the glass moved to her intestine. dr. udderson suggested that we switch hospitals, to be where a pediatric surgeon is on staff, just in case the glass would injure her internally and they'd have to do surgery. i packed my little hospital gown wearing baby into the car and drove 5 miles down the road to a new hospital. her little hospital crib was so sad, but the functions were pretty cool... i just hated that she was in it. luckily, the next 12 hours of observation were pretty uneventful. in the morning, we went home. of course, after being home no more than 20 minutes, she decided to pass the piece of glass. digging for that was tons of fun!! (ewwwwww.) we are just relieved that its out of our baby and seemed to pass without any internal injuries. oh the joys of parenthood. ;-)

later that day, i remembered that russ told me we had very little coffee, so i HAD to go to the store. do you think kids are a bit resilient? look at that grin!