Look What I Can Do

I can't roll over, and I won't even try, but I can sit all by myself. I love it, and I'm also very good at it.

Carter started sitting by himself on Thanksgiving. He had been trying for a while, but now he's got it. This picture makes it look like he is holding himself up with his arms, but he is really just leaning towards me. Not bad for 5 months!

Wordless Wednesday

This is one of my favorite pictures of Monte (my birthday boy) when he was almost 5 months. Just about the same age my Carter is now. This was also before we had a digital camera, so the picture scanned a bit fuzzy. Scroll down to yesterday to see the 9 year old he has turned into.

Happy Birthday Monte

Today my oldest baby turned nine. This birthday really hit me hard. Nine. Wow! That is half way to 18! Does that mean that my time with him is half over? Were these the good years? Will he dislike me and his father and hide away in his room as a teenager? The first 9 years went by so quickly I can't even imagine how fast the next 9 will go.

Monte is my first born. The one I had all to myself for 3 years. My laid back one. My thoughtful one. My caring one. The responsible one. My helpful one. The child that will do right even when no one is watching.

He is also silly, as I am believing all boys to be. He loves to be outside, to run, to ride his bike, to play baseball. He is also ornery and likes to tease his younger brother.

He is now old enough to go hunting with his dad. He shot his first deer a couple weeks ago. A 7 point buck. I've never seen him so proud of himself. I cried I was so happy for him.

He also likes to listen to music and is old enough to ask for an ipod for Christmas. He loves to build legos, his hobby as he puts it, and doesn't like to play video games. He has also found the love of reading a good book, and watching a NASCAR race.

He is also my picky eater. He even gets upset that he doesn't like things that we all like. As is our tradition on birthdays he gets to pick what we are going to eat for dinner. He picked hamburgers from our favorite place. And I will tell you that one year we ate McDonald's.

He was my first baby, and I'll never forget that feeling of holding him in my arms for the first time. Or the first time I nursed him. After many hours of trying he finally gave in. I gave him no other choice but to nurse or to go hungry. And once he did, there was no turning back.

I should also mention that he was born on his due date. Thanksgiving. At 2:30 when everyone else was eating dinner. My little butterball! And 20 minutes after he was born the hospital brought me Thanksgiving dinner. No, I'm not joking. As if I could eat.

I could go on and on. But I would just like to add that Monte is sweet, and kind, and generous. And I am SO proud of him, and the young man he is growing up to be.

Traditions

I love traditions and a lot of people have been talking about them with the holiday season here. It has gotten me thinking about traditions we do.

When I was a kid Friday night was pizza night. Every Friday night we got pizza. It was something we looked forward to all week. We didn't go out to eat a lot, but we could always count on Friday night pizza. It's not a tradition, but the last few weeks we have had pizza around here on Friday night. Twice we made our own. I hadn't realized it until yesterday afternoon when Hunter asked me what day it was. When I said Friday he wanted to know if we were having pizza. So, of course we had pizza. I asked where they wanted it from and both my boys wanted to make pizzas once again. Maybe that will be our tradition!

My birthday is 10 days before Christmas. As a kid my mom never put the Christmas tree up until after my birthday because she wanted it to feel like it was my birthday, not Christmas. Well, since I've had my own Christmas tree, I've set it up the day after Thanksgiving. Not this year. Our tree is in our storage unit somewhere. When we put it in there we were hoping our house would be done by Christmas I guess. And we really didn't have room to bring it.

So here it is, after Thanksgiving, and I see everyone else putting their trees up, and I have none. The green-eyed monster has come to visit. I want a tree. I want my house to look like Christmas. With everything in storage, except my ornaments (I didn't want them put in storage) we haven't really decided what we are going to do. Maybe get a real tree this year. We have never done that and I don't really want to spend the money on a fake tree when I already have one.

We make a ton of cookies every year. 7 or 8 different kinds and then all our friends and family get cookies. Last year I made none. I was newly pregnant with Carter and sicker than sick. So this year......let the cookie making begin. Hunter is already excited. He loves to help!!

And stay tuned.....Monday is a big day around here and I will be sharing a family tradition we do every year on this day.....and a few other days too!!

Happy Thanksgiving

Yesterday at school Hunter had a Thanksgiving Feast. As you can see he was a Pilgrim. Half the class was Pilgrims the other half were Indians. When it was time to eat the Indians, who were on one side of the room, went to the other side and invited the Pilgrims to eat with them. Hunter's little friend Alex was an Indian and asked him over. They got to eat together and watch a cartoon movie of how the Pilgrims came over on the Mayflower. But I don't think the real Indians and Pilgrims ate popcorn, pumpkin muffins, and cookies shaped as turkeys.

We are watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and Hunter is more excited about seeing Emmit Smith from Dancing with the Stars than he is anything else!!

For some reason I remember this silly little joke from when I was a kid.....

If April showers bring May flowers, what do May flowers bring?...............................Pilgrims!!!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Wordless Wednesday

Carter was jumping like crazy one moment, sound asleep the next.

Are We Having Company?

I used to be one of those women that have a spotless house. I was obsessed with keeping it clean. There was never a dish in the sink and I cleaned my bathrooms every other day. By the time I had 2 kids I had mellowed a bit. By 3....well....lets just say I did my best at keeping up with dishes, the bathroom, the ever multiplying laundry.

I was making my bed this morning and Hunter came in.......

Hunter - Why are you making your bed?

Me - Because I want to.

Hunter - You know your just going to have to undo that tonight when you go to bed.

Me - Yeah, I know.

Hunter - Is someone coming over today?

Enough said..........

Sleep Baby Sleep

Why is it that all week long I have to wake Carter up at 8:30 to take Monte to school - but yet on Saturdays, the one day we can all sleep in, he wakes up at 7:15 with a smile on his face..........

Ready Or Not.......Christmas Is Coming

I am WAY behind. By Thanksgiving I like to be done with my Christmas shopping. Maybe have a couple little things I need to pick up. I have yet to buy a single present. What is wrong with me? I can't seem to get in the groove. There is no motivation.

My 2 older boys have birthdays before Christmas too. No presents or party planned there either.

What is with me? I'd like to blame it on the baby. It's hard shopping with him. Or the fact we are living in such a tiny place until our house is done. Where am I going to hide presents here?. Or maybe since I have such a short amount of time. I only have 2 1/2 hours after I drop Hunter off at school until I have to get back to pick both boys up.

It doesn't matter what my excuses are. Christmas is coming, ready or not. Maybe I'll leave this year up to Santa. Wishful thinking!

I really was going to go today after I took Hunter to school and at least get something. But it's really cold and REALLY windy. Maybe tomorrow.

Do you see the procrastination going on?

Okay, in my defense, I just had to chase the garbage cans down the street it's so windy.

And did I mention the sideways rain?!

Wordless Wednesday - My Oldest And My Youngest

Yummy........Soup

Okay, so I'm not turning this into a cooking blog or anything, but I have been feeling a bit under the weather lately, and combined with the chilly temps, I've really been wanting soup. Good homemade soup. I found a yummy new recipe that I just had to share. I made it last night. I can hardly wait for lunch today for leftovers. Hubby liked it so much I actually told him "don't eat it all....I want leftovers".

Tortellini Vegetable Soup

2 TBLS. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
3 cans (14-oz) beef broth (or vegetable for vegetarian)
1 cup frozen corn (I used canned Del Monte summer crisp)
1 1/2 cups carrots, chopped
2 cups fresh green beans, snapped (the recipe called for frozen....I like fresh)
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 can (8oz.) tomato sauce
2 cups fresh cheese tortellini (or any tortellini you like)

Saute onion, celery, and carrots in olive oil 5 min. Add seasonings, stir. Add tomato sauce, broth, corn, and green beans. (I added corn since it was canned at the end. Plus I steamed my green beans separately and added them at the end too) Bring to a boil and simmer for 20-25 min or until veggies are as tender as you like. Add tortellini and simmer uncovered about 5 more min. I stirred in a bit of fresh parsley at the end right before we ate it. But it's not part of the recipe.

It was SO simple and fast to make.....plus delicious! If you love soup, you won't be disappointed!!

Here's To A Lazy Weekend - I Hope!

After a couple gorgeous days of warm temps and lots of sun, today is gloomy and cold. Plus baby, Hunter, and me, are all fighting off a cold. Makes me yearn for comfort food. A big pot of homemade soup, or as my hubby requested, barbecue meatloaf with garlic mashed potatoes. Okay, sound good to me.

Here is a tip for yummy garlic potatoes. When you boil your potatoes, add your garlic whole. Peeled of course. The garlic will cook with your potatoes, and get real tender and sweet. Then just drain and mash it all together with your butter, milk, however you normally do it. The garlic isn't strong tasting anymore. (which doesn't bother me in the first place) Add a little fresh parsley........Yum-o!

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Monte just said to me -

I'm not trying to be mean, but your voice sounds really wierd.

Thanks!

Wordless Wednesday - Who Needs Clothes When Your PJ's Are This Cute!!

He's Sniffing Me Out

Did you know that a baby can smell his Mama's milk up to 20 feet away? I wonder if they smell other lactating Mommy's or just their own!

This must be why Carter is getting up every 2 hours again in the middle of the night. He smells me and knows where the goods are. Either that or it's a 3 week growth spurt!!

Misery Loves Company

It is almost impossible to nurse a squirmy 4 1/2 month old at one of those Chuck E. Cheese type fun places. The chairs are so close to the table that you hardly fit let alone your baby. And of course the chairs don't pull out. The music is SO loud, the lights SO bright, and SO many kids running around screaming at the top of their lungs, that your baby doesn't want to stay latched on for more than 20 seconds at a time. But don't dare take the boob away. Oh no mom, I'm not really done.

And I'm all for nursing in public, but I like to try to be discreet while doing it. Baby does not seem to understand that flashing a room full of small children is not the way to make friends with the parents. Don't you dare try to cover me up one more time!

But if your there, and this is the situation, sit by the mom that is trying to nurse her 1 1/2 week old baby and become her friend. Because it really is true what they say. Misery really DOES love company!!!

Seriously?

This is the poem that Hunter had to learn this week for his Share Day at school. Seriously? I understand that learning poems is helpful and all - but this one took a while.

"Five Little Pumpkins"

Five little pumpkins sitting on a gate...
The first one said, "My it's getting late."
The second one said, "There are witches in the air."
The third one said, "Oh we don't care!"
The fourth one said, "Let's run, let's run."
The fifth one said, "Isn't Halloween fun?"
Oooo....went the wind and out went the lights.
And those five little pumpkins ran fast out of sight!

It's okay if it's not word for word right?

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Hunter has a favorite shirt. If it is clean he will wear nothing else. If it is dirty he will ask every day where it is. I like to do laundry every day or every other. I can't stand when it all piles up and I have 8 loads in one day to do. I've decided that favorite shirt is staying in the hamper for a few wash cycles. I'd like to see some of the other shirts I bought!!!

Wordless Wednesday - Trick or Treat at Grandma's House