Random cuteness!

I think, maybe...just maybe, my children are feeling better! *knock on wood*.


Happily, I was able to capture the kiddos in some sweet moments! They have been playing better together lately~HALLELUJAH~and it is so much fun to watch! Parker is sometimes clueless about what will hurt his sister, but his heart is sweet and he loves her so much!

Here they are playing the piano together.

*yes, that is strawberry all over Paige's face and hands.

yes, I frequently let her run around looking like a hobo.*

Aren't those just the cutest shoes ever?! --Thanks neighbor!
One day Parker kept running to the back of the hallway to "take a nap" in a pile of blankets (clean or dirty? I'm not telling). He would just lay (lie?) there and play w/ his toys. We had a drip running down from our bathroom vent (gotta love the rain) so we had some roofers come and fix it. Parker loved watching them and I think they loved him too!

What's not to love?

And Paige has caught the "roley-poley" fever! She loves it!

*for those of you not blessed to know it by that awesome name, it's the game where you roll the ball back and forth*

what's that you say?

I just read this over here:

Many people, even Christian mothers think, that it is sufficient and enough to occasionally listen to their kids. At these times, they sit down with them, and ask questions about school and life, and they are expecting ‘talk-flood’ from their youngsters. But usually, that flood doesn’t happen- and no wonder why. Because nobody can force another person at a certain time to open his heart up for him for ten minutes or for half an hour- just to be neglected for days or weeks after that.
The key is availability.
Many loving parents don’t realize, that there’s no such think as quality time by itself! QUALITY COMES FROM QUANTITY. You need to spend many many many hours (and I mean it literally) watching and listening to your children. You don’t even need to ask questions. Just be with them, and let them feel your presence. And then, you need to listen to them.
I think, this is the hardest part. To sit still smiling, and look into their eyes while they are chatting, talking and talking to you about everything. Sometimes it is so hard for me not to close my ears and my heart at them – even when they are talking almost continuously all-day-long! But I know, there is no other way I can have their quality time. Because in this way, I build relationships between me and each of them uniquely. So that each of them get to know, that mom is a person that he can trust with his secrets and one who he can count on- probably one of few in the early years… I think this is very important.


--This topic has been on my mind a lot lately. I am so guilty of tuning out Parker who seems to talk endlessly. Or when I'm busy and he wants/needs attention, he generally has to wait.

I know right now he's only 2, but if I don't start listening now, when will I?

This quote hit home with me and has inspired me to make a better effort to really listen.

Refinished Credenza

Which is just a fancy way to say...check out my awesome sideboard!

It started out like this:

Then ended up like this: *I got the idea from Blue Cricket Design*

What makes this even better is that I scored this solid beast for frrrreeeee!

This was so much fun to do, but I am glad to have it done as it consumed my life for about 3 days straight.

Tonight a dear friend is picking up a free armoire for me which I will finish to go w/ this. maybe. we'll see. We're going to use it as our entertainment center.

I guess my piled up laundry will just stay piled up a while longer.

The Next Top Model

A tutu model was needed, so Paige got the fun job!
Thanks to Trina for sharing the pics!

hhhmmm...I just love this girl!

1 year old already?!

Our little Paigenator, Paigey, Paiger, Paigey-waigey turned 1 last week! I can't believe it.

I love this little girl! She is so quick to light up and she loves to laugh when everyone else is laughing. She loves to "conk" noggins, give eskimo kisses, blow kisses, bounce up and down, bite ANYTHING that goes in her mouth, be with Mom, copy her brother, tackle her brother *in the crawling fashion*, and she loves to talk on the phone w/ Dad.

She knows what she wants and she tries her darndest to get it. Parley would call it stubborn, I call it determined and strong-willed. Plus, she is fiercely independent! Where on earth did she get these traits from?! Not me! ;)

At 11 months she finally started really crawling (not just army crawling). She says: mom, dad, please, Parker *"ba-ba"*, and baby. And she still has her gorgeous reddish hair!

We are so blessed to have this content and happy-natured baby! She brings so much joy into our lives!

Here are pictures and a video for padre and family who weren't able to be here:

Eating her banana nut birthday muffin! She love LOVED it!

For dinner we had her favorite things: Spaghetti, green beans, yogurt fruit salad, and bread sticks. She was in Heaven!

Fair warning: the last bit of singing "Happy Birthday" and then watching her take a bite and clap

A few of my favorite things!

The only thing missing? My big hunk!

Luscious Jr.

Parker checkin' his reflection out in the mirror! This reminds me of a brother of mine*who happens to go by the nickname of Luscious*. ;) No telling though, because he'd probably beat me!

And Paige with her crazy hair after a bath.
There's something about this pic that reminds me of Parley.
I just love her wavy hair!

I have a new best friend!

That's right! The doctor and I are chums! We like to hang out at least once a week, if not more.



It all started when Parker swallowed a bell just 2 weeks ago. It was a Christmas bell that I was letting him play with because I had no idea he would put it in his mouth and swallow it!

I wasn't sure if it was a big deal or not since it had the little loop on top and the sharper edges. So I called the doctor's office to see if we needed to see anyone and she highly recommended that we take him in, but since they had no openings she told us to go to the ER. Really? Okay.

We went to the ER and they were so great! They were so kind w/ Parker and they rushed him through. The place was pretty busy and we were out of there within 2 hours. They did X-rays and did see the bell so I got the super task of searching through..his...hmmm...poop. *Seriously, I feel like every other post on here is about poop*.

Well, a week went by and I still had not seen it. And as disgusting as it was, I swear I was diligent because I'm kind of freaky about those things. So I made an appointment w/ his doctor, they did another X-ray and there was no bell. Hooray! But that also means that I was probably searching at least 4 days longer than I needed to. Sweet.

Last weekend both the kids were sick. Sunday we stayed home and I am so glad because they were so emotional *I'm not sure where they get that?;)* I just had to laugh (in a very loving and motherly way, of course). It was either that or get mad. They were finally better on Wed. Then last night Parker experienced some extreme pain and I suspected a ruptured ear drum. He had only slightly complained of ear pain once or twice over the past 2 days and all of a sudden he grabbed his ear and started sobbing. Then after about a minute, he was completely fine. SO, I called the doctor again this morning and we went in. His eardrum definitely did rupture and his other ear was also very inflamed. Now he is on antibiotics.

whew. that was a long story.

Normally we are in very good health. And I know that these experiences greatly pale in comparison with what many people go through. However, these times--even though so minimal--help me to appreciate the health we do have and modern medicine!

p.s. A ruptured ear drum, especially in this instance, normally heals correctly and very quickly on it's own. So Parker should be a-okay!

Sunny side up, please!

We all have bad days. Sometimes Life hands us situations we feel we just aren't ready for. Or sometimes we don't get those things we think we really need. And sometimes, Life gives us something we've handled before but then multiplies it by a thousand. Those moments, those days, those weeks, those months, and maybe even those years will happen to all of us.
But why are some people more resilient than others?

I would like to propose an answer that will be quite obvious to most of you. Yet, I believe, it might come as quite a surprise to some.

The answer...optimism.

Optimism.

Definition from The Free Dictionary:
op·ti·mism
n. 1. A tendency to expect the best possible outcome or dwell on the most hopeful aspects of a situation: "There is a touch of optimism in every worry about one's own moral cleanliness" (Victoria Ocampo).

Just the recently I came to the realization that I was not the optimistic person I considered myself to be. I found myself dwelling on the negative things that my children were doing. I found myself frustrated with the spousal separation that our livelihood necessitates at this time. I found myself being judgmental of others.

However, I am not alone with this problem. I see it all around. I see it in people I love and care about. It has become so commonplace to see the negative--even to seek the negative. And I have realized that it is nearly impossible to avoid the trap unless we make a conscious effort.

Do you remember the movie Pollyanna? She liked to play the "Glad Game" which consists of finding something to be glad about in those less-than-desirable situations. One of my primary goals for this year is to implement the Glad Game. Specifically, I will look for the good during those times of frustration or disappointment; I will look for the good in all those whom I associate with; and I will only speak kindly of and to others.

It is said that happiness is contagious. You better watch out, because I'm going to be spreading the germs!