Monday, January 31, 2011
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Bumbo Rodeo
It wouldn't be nearly as entertaining if my babies were the same person. Case in point? The Bumbo Seat.
Beau was so much bigger than Lauren, he didn't have the option to wiggle. Not that he wanted to... it was dinnertime after all which was all business with the bear.
Lauren on the other hand considers dinnertime an opportunity to showcase her wiggling, blowing zurburts, smashing crackers, grabbing drinks, dumping drinks, grabbing everything in her 360 degree radius skillz... She's just not as interested in eating...unless Cheerios are involved. It's a rodeo and she is the Rodeo Queen.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
a thick imagination
Beau and I talk, pretty much constantly, sometimes we make sense, other times we make up stories.
Here's some of my favorites...
B - I don't like those roccoli
M- Papa doesn't like broccoli either
B- Nope, he likes Kitty and candy and all that sugar!
B- You're in a school bus. I'm in a truck and Lauren's in a little truck.
M- Where we going?
B - Memphis.
B- WELCOME TO MEMPHIS!!
B- There's a spider on my hat.
M- Is it a mean or nice spider?
B- He's a sleepy spider. He's getting a drink, brush teeth, change clothes.
M- Where's he gonna sleep?
B- In the mud
M- Does he need a blanket and pillow?
B- No, just a story.
Here's some of my favorites...
B - I don't like those roccoli
M- Papa doesn't like broccoli either
B- Nope, he likes Kitty and candy and all that sugar!
B- You're in a school bus. I'm in a truck and Lauren's in a little truck.
M- Where we going?
B - Memphis.
B- WELCOME TO MEMPHIS!!
B- There's a spider on my hat.
M- Is it a mean or nice spider?
B- He's a sleepy spider. He's getting a drink, brush teeth, change clothes.
M- Where's he gonna sleep?
B- In the mud
M- Does he need a blanket and pillow?
B- No, just a story.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
a miracle in the mud
Basketball season is two thirds of the way through. Simultaneously, this Mama is two thirds of the way depressed. This happens to me each year. I struggle with being exhausted from managing a lot on my own {add Lauren this year}. I struggle to have a good attitude towards basketball in general, towards Mike, towards me, towards everything. I pray a lot. Please Lord, give me strength and wisdom to not have a pity party, thank you for Mike's good job. Thank you for his amazing gift in coaching and mentoring young lives, thank you for my precious children and my ability to physically and emotionally care for them. Please help me to have a good attitude. Amen. and repeat.
This time of year I have bad thoughts swirling through my head. This time of year I feel overwhelmed and sad that Mike is missing bedtime prayers. This time of year I feel pride and joy swelling up inside when he leads them to a double overtime win. This time of year I love having the team over for a pizza and movies to get to know them better and hear about high school drama. This time of year I love sitting by my basketball family and watch their joy as they help me wrangle my littles through the 3rd quarter. This time of year I am tired.
Last night I experienced a miracle straight from above. No joke, no sarcasm. I am completely serious.
Sunday was a typical day. We went back to Freewill church and were welcomed back with hugs and kisses for our babies. Mike had practice all afternoon, plus film stats after that. I had recently received a message from my neighbor she was selling Scentsy. I called her house and invited her over to place an order. I've lived in my house 2.5 years and have never called the McDaris' home. She came over and stayed a little while. The kids totally flipped out, whining and crying almost the whole time. Nice visit.
Yesterday was a typical day, I was late to work because I didn't sleep well Sunday night. Beau was in our bed the 1st half of the night (unusual) and I was in Lauren's room the other half of the night. Sinus infections = no sleep for my uncomfortable babies. I went to Joy's house on my lunch break, fed Lauren and then ran to Walmart and did my week's shopping in 30mins. Monday night is ballgame night. I picked up the littles and headed home to drop off the groceries. Ding! There's my gas light going off. I didn't even take them out of the car, just threw stuff on the counter, in the fridge and left. We were already late. I got to the bottom of my road, which is a really steep valley, the Gasconade river, and realized I forgot a really important piece of baby gear essential for ballgame survival. This is our new bridge. The sides of the road are newly sowed with grass seed and slightly steep. I did a quick u-turn in the road, but in my haste (stupidity) my wheels fell off the edge and my trailblazer slid sideways down into the mud. I didn't panic right away. Mike has been wonderful to help me learn the logistics of my 4-wheel drive. I was confident in my ability to get out of the mud.
I was not able to get out of the mud. I started praying as I was switching gears and desperately trying to reverse and then forward and then turn the wheels, 4HI,4LOW, anything, "Sweet Jesus please help me get out of this mud." Beau began to get worried. Lauren started bawling. Beau said, "Mama, where's Jesus?" I said, "Beau He's listening to our prayers. Pray to Jesus that we can get out of this mud." My two year old began to pray "Jesus please help Mama get out of the mud. Please Jesus help us!" and he prayed this over and over again. "Mama, when is Jesus coming to help?" "I'm not sure Beau, but He will." As I mentioned before, my gas light was on. 4 wheel drive sucks gas. As I mentioned before, I was in a steep valley, with zero cell phone service. None of my calls were going through. My truck was up to the front bumper in mud. Two cars past and did not stop. It is a 2.5 mile walk up and down steep hills to my home and it was cold. At that point I was so frightened.
Suddenly I remembered the McDaris' phone number from Sunday evening. I got out of the truck, slid in my tennis shoes up the hill to the road. I looked at my phone and said, "please Lord." I called the number and Scott answered the phone. I quickly briefed him on the situation and he was down by the river with a chain in a matter of minutes. That man laid in the mud to hook the chain and pulled me out with his truck. When he came to the truck Beau said, "Mommy! It's Jesus! He came to help us get out of the mud!" I cried and said, "Beau that's Scott and Jesus sent him to help us because He heard your prayers." and then the two year old said, "Thank you Jesus!"
On a typical day I should not have been able to call Scott. There is no cell phone service at the river. I should not have had their phone number and remembered it to boot. Scott should not have been home because his family usually attends the ballgame. I should have run out of gas. I could have rolled my truck sliding down the river bank.
So as I'm sitting here with tears in my eyes thinking about how I've felt stuck in the mud this basketball season; how the Lord answered my prayers when I was literally stuck in the mud... well, to say I am thankful is an understatement. I am thankful that He cares when I am stuck in the mud.
This time of year I have bad thoughts swirling through my head. This time of year I feel overwhelmed and sad that Mike is missing bedtime prayers. This time of year I feel pride and joy swelling up inside when he leads them to a double overtime win. This time of year I love having the team over for a pizza and movies to get to know them better and hear about high school drama. This time of year I love sitting by my basketball family and watch their joy as they help me wrangle my littles through the 3rd quarter. This time of year I am tired.
Last night I experienced a miracle straight from above. No joke, no sarcasm. I am completely serious.
Sunday was a typical day. We went back to Freewill church and were welcomed back with hugs and kisses for our babies. Mike had practice all afternoon, plus film stats after that. I had recently received a message from my neighbor she was selling Scentsy. I called her house and invited her over to place an order. I've lived in my house 2.5 years and have never called the McDaris' home. She came over and stayed a little while. The kids totally flipped out, whining and crying almost the whole time. Nice visit.
Yesterday was a typical day, I was late to work because I didn't sleep well Sunday night. Beau was in our bed the 1st half of the night (unusual) and I was in Lauren's room the other half of the night. Sinus infections = no sleep for my uncomfortable babies. I went to Joy's house on my lunch break, fed Lauren and then ran to Walmart and did my week's shopping in 30mins. Monday night is ballgame night. I picked up the littles and headed home to drop off the groceries. Ding! There's my gas light going off. I didn't even take them out of the car, just threw stuff on the counter, in the fridge and left. We were already late. I got to the bottom of my road, which is a really steep valley, the Gasconade river, and realized I forgot a really important piece of baby gear essential for ballgame survival. This is our new bridge. The sides of the road are newly sowed with grass seed and slightly steep. I did a quick u-turn in the road, but in my haste (stupidity) my wheels fell off the edge and my trailblazer slid sideways down into the mud. I didn't panic right away. Mike has been wonderful to help me learn the logistics of my 4-wheel drive. I was confident in my ability to get out of the mud.
I was not able to get out of the mud. I started praying as I was switching gears and desperately trying to reverse and then forward and then turn the wheels, 4HI,4LOW, anything, "Sweet Jesus please help me get out of this mud." Beau began to get worried. Lauren started bawling. Beau said, "Mama, where's Jesus?" I said, "Beau He's listening to our prayers. Pray to Jesus that we can get out of this mud." My two year old began to pray "Jesus please help Mama get out of the mud. Please Jesus help us!" and he prayed this over and over again. "Mama, when is Jesus coming to help?" "I'm not sure Beau, but He will." As I mentioned before, my gas light was on. 4 wheel drive sucks gas. As I mentioned before, I was in a steep valley, with zero cell phone service. None of my calls were going through. My truck was up to the front bumper in mud. Two cars past and did not stop. It is a 2.5 mile walk up and down steep hills to my home and it was cold. At that point I was so frightened.
Suddenly I remembered the McDaris' phone number from Sunday evening. I got out of the truck, slid in my tennis shoes up the hill to the road. I looked at my phone and said, "please Lord." I called the number and Scott answered the phone. I quickly briefed him on the situation and he was down by the river with a chain in a matter of minutes. That man laid in the mud to hook the chain and pulled me out with his truck. When he came to the truck Beau said, "Mommy! It's Jesus! He came to help us get out of the mud!" I cried and said, "Beau that's Scott and Jesus sent him to help us because He heard your prayers." and then the two year old said, "Thank you Jesus!"
On a typical day I should not have been able to call Scott. There is no cell phone service at the river. I should not have had their phone number and remembered it to boot. Scott should not have been home because his family usually attends the ballgame. I should have run out of gas. I could have rolled my truck sliding down the river bank.
So as I'm sitting here with tears in my eyes thinking about how I've felt stuck in the mud this basketball season; how the Lord answered my prayers when I was literally stuck in the mud... well, to say I am thankful is an understatement. I am thankful that He cares when I am stuck in the mud.
Monday, January 17, 2011
FooFoo Tutu's!
Cousin Jackie and I were talking at Christmas. It went something like this:
J: Ooo, Carrie I love Lauren's hairbow!
C: Thanks I love making them.
J: I figured out how to make tutu's!
C: Tell me everything you know.
Wha-Laa!! This is happiness on a hanger.
This is Happiness still fitting in her custom made newborn photo outfit at 8mos old!
She's my Lil'Bit.
My Lil'Bit lovin' her new tutu!!
What's in the Freezer?
Steamed, mashed and frozen food puree's to use in recipes for this cookbook! So far I have sweet potatoes, spinach, cauliflower, carrots and pineapple stored.
I previously made pancakes with sweet potatoes which I was politely instructed to never make again.
Hiding Veggies in food - Take Two:
Mind you, no one is in the kitchen with me while I'm whisking together these "scrumptious" ingredients Sunday morning. Those are egg whites in the orange bowl.
How did it go? Oh just look at that sweet face, unable to swallow the big bite of scrambled cauliflower eggs!!! Hmmm.
Mr Crews: "What did you do?"
Me: "I put cauliflower in your eggs. It's yummy."
Mr Crews: "No. No it's not yummy. Here put more Chipotle powder on there. Please don't make these again. Please."
These ingredients were added to his awesome eggs.
Beau? He didn't even touch them. HOWEVER, he already had a muffin so I'm sure he wasn't hungry anymore. Stop snickering. I can hear you!
So we're 0-2 on the hiding veggies recipes. Phooey. My thoughts? Well, honestly I thought they were ok. They have a chewy texture and we don't eat a lot of egg whites (which I just so happened to have left over from those Buttermilk cupcakes. No veggies were hiding in the cupcakes) I would eat them but I wouldn't make them for company. Stay tuned because I'm not giving up. Whahahahaa...
Thursday, January 13, 2011
someone's cookin' the kitchen
This cupcake recipe is from the Nellys. It has 21/2 sticks of butter in 12 cupcakes, including the frosting. These were a birthday gift and are no longer in my house, thank goodness. I know that's a scary picture of me, but these babies are scary good.
Friday, January 7, 2011
Two Point Five
That's right, Mr Bear is officially 2.5 years old! So that means we are officially half-way through the "terrible" twos, which hasn't been that terrible. We are officially not potty trained, oh well. He officially loves adores his baby sister. He is officially awesome.
Beau embraces what it is to be a little boy. He is loud, he is emotional, he is so very articulate (except when he's frustrated, but aren't we all?), he is loving and kind, he is ornery and sneaks candy with an endearing smile on his face. He makes friends with whomever we are sitting near at ballgames.
He loves his Mama and Daddy and yogurt. He has trouble understanding there are times to be quite and times to talk. He is our commentator and navigator. He is inquisitive and enjoys in-depth answers. We search for wild animals at the dinner table and watch out for race cars speeding by, "Close you ears Mama! That's loud!!"
He is helpful and will pile toys on Lauren when she's upset and pick up whatever she drops. His favorite place to be is on the kitchen counters helping us cook. He actually broke down raw broccoli for a Christmas dinner we had with no instruction. He's a natural, I wouldn't be surprised to see him host a show on the Food Network.
He knows what he wants and is strong-willed to get it. Daddy calls him a problem-solver. I call him hard-headed like his Mama. He is strong and sturdy and likes to run fast, especially naked! Wrestling with Daddy is oodles of laughs, and their goodnight prayers together will absolutely bring a tear to your eye. "... and Jesus, please let Lauren sleep good so Mommy can sleep good."
We have really good days when he says, "oh you're so sweet!" when you give him a drink and then we have rough days when the toddlerisms are a lot to handle.
This is from my favorite book we read, 'I Love You So' - "I can't imagine life before you came along; me there singing senseless, no meaning to my song. Call it meant to be or simply blessed fate, you fill my heart with Love and for that I celebrate!" Beau, I love you way way more than you ever know.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
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