Been Awhile!

Yes, yes, I know I haven't posted in like a month! Things have been busy and hextic, but all good/great and exciting!!

Cody started his intermediate class 2 weeks ago, he did pretty good. We have to rework on watch me. Last week there was no class since our trainer was on vacation, so I had two weeks to work on watch me and well, I haven't! I know bad girl, but I've been a little busy...you'll see in a little bit.

M is doing great in speech therapy! She had a test done a month ago to find out what type of speech delay she had. It came out that she has speech apraxia, which is what I figure all along. Now her therapist knows how to better teach her and it's going great!

N is also doing wonderful! He loves his new teacher. On the first day of school this year his teacher(who he just adored) told us she was retiring at the end of the first week. N was out of sorts for the next week, which we figured cuz he loved her so much. He then got to meet his new teacher two weeks later(they had a sub/helper from last year come help out the assistant for two weeks to help the kids adjust to being with out their teacher and getting a new one.) His new teacher is his old teachers daughter! And I love her(well I loved his old teacher too!) and N loves her too! Then he gets extra bonus cuz his old teacher comes to visit for a few hrs here and there.

I've been busy starting my business! I'm so excited, it's going pretty well so far. I've had a few orders which is good. M's loving it cuz she's getting new hair bows, and it's really funny cuz all the ones that I didn't make she will not wear now! I'm sure she will again soon(I hope so!) but it's still really cute and funny! N's been a little jealous about M getting all the bows though he knows that some of them are for other little girls, so I told him I'd make him a smaller afghan for school. He loved that idea! And it will be better for his back since he keeps wanting to bring the other one I made him to school and I swear the thing weights like 6lbs! Anyways, back on track! I ended up opening an Etsy store since I love that site and I loved that I could set it up like a little store, unlike if I did Ebay where it wouldn't be as cute and nice looking. It's also easier then setting up a whole website, and more traffic, at lest that's the idea!

Well, I'm off to come up with a few more bow ideas and help Daddy get the kids to bed!

Excited and Nervous

I'm going to attempt to start a hair bow business. I'm so very excited about it, I'm jumping for joy(ok not really, but I feel like it). At the same time, I'm very nervous, what if it doesn't work out, all those sort of things. I thought about doing this when M was about 9 months old, but I was still working part-time, and it seemed like there was always something going on. Then last week I made M a Chicago Bears Bow and remembered how much I liked doing it. Hubby and I talked about it and I decided I would give it a shot. I'm still working a lot of things out so it's still going to be a little while before I get everything up and running, but I feel really really good about it. I've had a few stress moments trying to come up with bow ideas, but I think it was the nerves coming through and not letting my creativeness come through. For now I'm just trying to get all my ducks in a row and pray it does good.

Wandering

I've been meaning to post for awhile now, and about a lot of things. It's weird we'll be doing something during the day and I'll think O I want to blog about that, I'll do it tonight. Then bedtime comes, I check my couple of websites, and then all I want to do is go play World of Warcraft. I'm trying to level up my Death Knight, she's so much fun. I just want to get her to 80 so bad.....anyways, back on track. I end up playing that till I'm ready for bed. Needless to say this post will more than likely just wander around about everything I've been wanting to post about.
It's amazing how a little everyday item can make you feel like a better mom, or even a little closer to someone. My mom had this Tupperware pitcher, that always had ice tea in it. It was an ugly thing, almost a browny-orange color. I never thought much of it, even after she died, it was just a pitcher. I've of course purchased pitchers since then, just cheap ones. Lately I've been making lots of lemonade and Koolaid, and my pitchers have done, just fine. Then a few weeks ago an online friend who just started selling Tupperware, asked if anyone wanted to buy any. I love Tupperware(I mean really who doesn't), but it's pricey, so I figured I'd just pick up a nice divided dish so I can do cute bento lunches for N. As I was looking at the catalog I ran across their classic pitcher(of course in a much nicer color!) Though I've looked at their catalog a few times of the years I never noticed it before, but this time it just seemed to stand out to me. I felt like I should get one, so I spent the $32(I know for a pitcher, but I know we'll have it for the rest of our lives where our $5 ones hopefully will last til next yr). I got it last week, and immediately fell in love with it and felt......I don't know.....more like a mom, more like my mom. It's crazy how every time I open the fridge and see it I feel more connected to her, and great that I made something good for my family.
On the subject of my mom, (another little back story sorry) I'm not 100% sure how the frog came about or how it came to look out the door(though I know my mom told me the story more than once, I just don't remember it lol). She had this bean bag frog, that sat on a shelf and looked out her bedroom door(sort of watching out). When her and my dad got married, the frog came and sat where he could look at the front door. When we moved he was the first thing to get put in it's place, on a curtain rod looking at the front door. When the Beanie Babies came out my brother and I both got a frog(I do believe my mom got them for us, but I'm not 100% on that one) we both followed and put our frogs where they could look out our door, and when we moved out they came along and did the same thing. When I was pregnant with N I know he had to have a frog and I had a second one(a little different looking that my Aunt had gotten me) so I dug it out, and put it on a shelf, but this time I put him so that he was watching over the crib. When M came we got her a frog too, and the same thing he watches over the crib. Both the kids know that the frogs are there to watch over them and they know which one is theirs, and they know that mommy's sits in the living room and watches the front door. Last night after we had tucked the kids N came to me and said "Mommy I need my grabber hand so I can get my frog down." I thought this was strange since they have never asked to have them before. So I asked him why he needed to have it down. He told me"I want to hold him, I'm scared!" It was just to cute, so of course I let him have it for the night, which of course made M want her's which she then laid on her pillow next to her and petted.
For Halloween, M is going to be Tinkerbell, and N is going to be Snake Eyes(from GI Joe). We have already purchased the costumes and accessories they need for them. N of course can just where his regular shoes since they are already black, M would need some fancier ones(or at lest plain white). They had cute green Tinkerbell ones, but for $15 and she can't really wear them again, I don't think so. Instead I found these silver shiny ones for $12 and she can wear them with her Christmas dress(well at lest for pictures), and of course everyday. The girl is in love with them....one day she wore them ALL DAY even to nap I finally had to make her take them off cuz she was starting to get blisters(we only had them for one day they were not broken in at all). And she's the one that is normally taking off her shoes as soon as she gets in the door. Which still cracks me up, the girl LOVES shoes, but hates to wear them much....don't get it.
I know there was bunches more I wanted to tell you all about, but for the life of me I can't remember, plus I think this is long enough lol!

Disney World!!

FINALLY after 29 years I made it to Disney! It was really for the kids, but I was so darn excited! For as long as I can remember I've always wanted to go. For the last few years I've been "bugging" hubby to go, but he hasn't really wanted to and since the kids haven't been pushing, I've been losing the battle.

N telling Grandpa who he wants to seeM sitting with Daddy

Tuesday we finally went with Grandpa. Our first stop was to Splash Mountain. On the way we saw a vendor that sold Mickey ears so both the kids got a pair. I let them pick out the ones they wanted and go fig my kids like the classics.

N in his ears

His eyes were bugging him so he wouldn't open themM in her ears

Splash Mountain's line was 40mins so we got fast passes for later in the day, and headed to Fantasyland. On the way N saw some raffle guns that he wanted, so we got him one. Across the way they had a shooting range, N had fun on that and went through all 35 shots in a min!

N shooting!

Once in Fantasyland, I found the Tinkerbell store, and amazingly only got M a Tinkerbell doll(trust me I wanted everything, but I was good). I almost got a cute mug but thought I don't need need it, so I passed.

We headed to see Ariel, but the line was huge(or so I thought), so we passed. Next on the list was the carousel. Hubby took both the kids so that Grandpa and I could sit down and relax a bit.

Next we ran into the speedway so N and daddy went on that. At this point it started raining(a heavy drizzle). Grandpa, M, and I found a nice spot under a tree that we could sit down at and barley got wet.

N and Daddy heading into the pits!

We where starting to get hungry and there was a food place right there so we decided to eat before continuing on. After food, was Minnie Mouse's house, it was just M and me, the boys didn't want to come. The house was packed, we made it through two rooms when I decided we would just leave(should have stayed). Then it was time to try and find the fairies. We did find Chip(or Dale) and Aladdin, they passed us as we were trying to figure out where we were, so I snapped a quite pic as they passed.

Chip(or Dale)

We finally found the fairies(this is the point that I realized how you meet the characters and how long it really takes)! The fairies and the princesses were right next to each other, princesses=30mins; fairies=60mins(according to the sign). At this point it was almost time for Splash Mountain so daddy and N went to Splash Mountain and M and me waited for the fairies. She did amazingly well(I also think it was only about 45min wait). The wait was totally worth it!

M's face when Iridessa talked to her

She loved meeting the fairies she sat down like they do in the movie right next to Tinkerbell and Iridessa. You would have thought they were her best friends!

With IridessaChatting with Tink
She could have sat there all day!With Rosetta
She gave her 2 hugs I think she's her new fav

On the other side of the park N was also having a great time(and I wish I could have been there to see his reaction). Daddy said he was begging to go on it again, but the wait was just to long. After that it was time to go, everyone was wore out. On the way out the parade was going on so we walked and saw it at the same time it was good! When we were walking in N saw these huge balloons and wanted one, so we told him on the way home we would get one, so we got both the kids ones.

The parade

Hubby had to run across the "street" to get them cuz of the parade ending, so I took M into one of the stores since I didn't get to go to all of them. They had some ornaments that said 2009 and had the characters all over it. I got that to show us going to Disney for the first time. As I was looking around they had the Tinkerbell mug I was looking at before, this time I got it! I figured I saw it twice it was trying to tell me something. It's totally me thought, it's got Tinkerbell in a robe, hair all messed up, eye mask on her head, holding a coffee mug, and the back says "Mornings aren't Magical!"

N's balloon(s)

The kids had a great time! We had a great time! Hubby even was excited about going and I think he's looking forward to going again(bonus for me!!). The kids took a good nap on the way home!

N took about an hr before he fell asleep,

usually he's first to sleep in the carM fell asleep about 10mins after we left

We did learn that the kids really wanted to and enjoyed seeing the characters. And that you have to wait to see characters so next time, we will take that into account!

Collaboration

Tonight the kids painted! I got them an easel at the beginning of the summer along with a paint set and shirt to cover up with, but they have yet to paint. Something always comes up or they change their minds right before, so it just hasn't happened. Tonight after dinner N came up to me and said can we paint? I jumped on it, we got down the play dough mat(ie a vinyl tablecloth), got them in their paint shirts, put up the paper and got the paints! They were off and running.

Painting

M only used the same piece of paper(it's going to take forever to dry too!) N made three different "pictures". During the whole process M would go over to N's side every few mins, say "Brother come" and he would walk over to her picture say "Sissy it's beautiful!", then work on his a little more.

N two brush paintingBeing silly she does this look all the time trying to be cute

For N's fourth picture he asked M if she would like to help him(really I wish I had a camcorder to record the whole time, they were so cute). They did such a good job together. N would say "Sissy put some green here." and she would.

N telling M which color to use next

I'm so going to get a frame for it and hang it up I'm so proud of them working together and it looks good.

The finished piece hanging on the fridge to dry

Puppy Graduation

Last week Cody graduated from puppy class!! I was so proud of him! We got his picture taken with a little graduation hat so cute! He didn't really think so, but I did lol.

Next is the intermediate class, but we have to wait till Oct. We could start next month with another instructor, but we really like your instructor, but she doesn't have another intermediate class til then. Plus I want Cody to really have down what he already knows before we start another class.

First Sleepover!

Last night the kids had their first sleep over, and bonus with their best friends! A few months ago my friend T and I were talking about how neither one of us had been on date with our hubbies in a long time. Hubby and I are lucky and get a couple hours here and there, but haven't had a whole night or even dinner and a movie since M was a few months old! It's our fault I'm just so nervous about leaving the kids with anyone we don't know I haven't really persuade a babysitter. Anywho, she's in the same boat(except they don't have any family down here and don't get the couple hours here and there). T came up with this great plan of us switching off watching all the kids and the other couple have a date night. It's great all around cuz we get date nights and the kids get to spend extra time with their best friends!!

Everyone watching some cartoons!

Cody confused he wants to play and none of the kids want to play with him

Last night was the first test for all the kids. Her kids to be at a sleep over and N and M to have friends sleep over. They dropped them off about 7:30ish, they got to play for a little bit then watch some TV and lights out at 8:30. We planned to have the boys sleep in a tent(thanks to grandpa for letting us borrow it), daddy sleep on the couch in case the boys needed anything and the girls sleep in the kids room M in her bed, S in N's.

The boys in getting ready for bed in the living roomThe girls getting ready for bed in the kids room

That was the plan anyways! It quickly changed when the girls didn't want to leave the tent so I set up one of the little play tents in the kids room for the girls to sleep in~that helped. Then at about 9:30ish both girls wanted their brothers so the boys ended up also in the bedroom, soon after the play tent came down cuz the boys wouldn't calm down. For the most part everyone was doing ok, M was in her bed, Sam was in N's bed N was on the floor by M's bed, and So was on the floor next to the toys. M wasn't doing good with all the change in routine so I finally had to bring her out to the living room to get her to stop crying and calm down. About 15mins later N then wanted to be with his sister, Sam wanted to be with N and So with her brother, you see the endless circle forming right! We then put the boys on the couch, M went in N's bed, So in M's(still not sure how that happened that way, but whatever). Nwas the first to fall asleep at 10:30ish, next was the girls not far after. Sam was a little more stubborn, he wasn't bad, he just didn't fall asleep he finally made his way to the tent and fell asleep just before 11:15.

This morning Sam was the first to wake up at 7:45, then N, and the girls followed around 8:20. We had mini eggo's and T came and picked them up at around 9:30 this morning. It was a little crazy there for awhile, but over all it wasn't terrible....Though I can't wait for our turn!!