The Fellas and I...

A hug

2012-01-19T14:29:00.002-06:00

I was dropping Remi off at preschool today, just like I do every Thursday.
We find his hook, hang up his coat and backpack, say hi to the other kids waiting for the door to open, run to the bathroom.
Today was no different.
I had a sleeping Marshall in my arms so movement was kinda limited. We were about to walk into the classroom to get signed in when Remi stopped in his tracks jerking my hand back and whispered something very urgently. At first I though he had seen something or someone that made him nervous. His tone was very serious. When I leaned in closer to him to ask him what he had said, he answered in the same urgent tone.
"Mom, give me a hug!"
So sleeping Marsh and all, I got down on my knees and hugged that little boy. He returned with the most earnest hug he has given me in a long time.
I don't know what I did to deserve it, but I'll give him all of the hugs he wants, while he's young enough to want them!

Love my boys!

Train Day

2011-12-17T18:28:00.007-06:00

What will a boy do in order to take a very special ride on a train with Bomb-Bomb and Daddy? Let's just say it involves potty training and let's just say that it wasn't potty that ended up in the toilet.

It was a really cold morning, so we all bundled up and headed to the Front Runner station.
The first train going the opposite direction arrived. He is getting anxious.

Waiting is hard to do. He can't stop talking so we couldn't get a decent picture.

Finally the train arrives and the fun begins.

Now that's happiness!
Remi held onto that ticket like it was a precious, precious cookie. He didn't let it go all day.

We rode to the end of the line, meeting Brenna and Bridget in Ogden.

We popped over to the old Union Pacific building, grabbed some pretty good grub at the Union Grill, and browsed the gift shops and played on the elevators. Admission to the museum was a little pricy for two increasingly tired boys, so we didn't bother going in this time. Maybe next year.
Marshall enjoyed this outing almost as much as Remi.
All aboard!!!
Good end to a good day.

Hip

2011-11-17T22:59:00.002-06:00

We were driving past a coffee shop in Sugar House and their were scores of people sitting on the patio. People doing smug, coffee shop appropriate things with their Mac Books and Buddy Holly glasses.

I said, "Look Remi, hipsters!"
He promptly replied, "Me no like hipsters!!!"

Love that boy.

4 Years of Halloween

2011-11-01T13:34:00.001-05:00

Remi's first Halloween was pretty uneventful. He had a pretty strict bedtime and I think we only managed to trick or treat at a few houses. Keith was stuck late at work anyway. Low key at best. Every kid in our family is required by law to be a pumpkin for their first Halloween, so here he is in keeping with tradition.
Remi's second Halloween was more fun. We visited a place in Texas called Old Town Spring, then over to a pumpkin patch with friends. Remi was a bat. A costume a bit to warm for that 70 degree day. Marshall was on the way.

Remi's third and Marshall's first Halloween. The first year Remi got to decide what he wanted to be. His first choice was his final one. This was probably the beginning of his long running obsession with elevators. Marshall was recovering from surgery to cut his frenulum (tongue.) He was the requisite pumpkin, we just didn't keep him out very long, or get a good picture in his costume!
This year Halloween took on a whole new meaning to the boys! They both fully understand that it's cool to bother strangers at home and ask them for candy. With Keith out of town, we had to make the most of it and treat-or-treat on Main St, at She-She's trunk-or-treat and around the block with Emi and Buddy. We will be eating candy for a long, long time. Remi willing let me dress him as Dwight Schrute from "The Office" and Marshall semi-willingly let me dress him as Mose (Dwight's strange cousin)

Skyline

2011-10-17T23:50:00.006-05:00

We took a drive this past Saturday. Just drive to the "B" and straight on til morning. I keep looking up to the mountains just craving to go back. Stunning views, fresh air, happy babies. What more could you want?

The Great Bothwell Experiment: Early Fall Visit

2011-09-26T23:59:00.000-05:00

It was simply time for a visit to good ol' Bothwell. The light is shifting, the air is cooling, and I'm actually itching for the day when we can sit on the back porch watch the sunset.

On the drive up we passed this random spectacle. Nothing like dirt bikes to break up a boring drive.

We're lucky the weeds didn't require any mowing, probably won't until Spring...

Remi was so careful to make sure brother didn't fall on a "pokey."

Peek-a-boo

2011-09-25T23:14:00.000-05:00

I see you!

A Lovely Day at the Aviary

2011-09-25T15:13:00.000-05:00

I love birds. Wouldn't it make sense then, that I love the Tracy Aviary? Yes! Birds are beautiful, comical, surprising smart and majestic all at once.

Gigi and I took the kiddos to enjoy some avian fun this past Saturday. Located in Liberty Park, Tracy Aviary is clean, well-kept, spacious, educational and beautiful.

Remi and I made the perfect pelican treat

Nizhoni (Navajo for "beautiful") was so striking and trusting of her handlers. She's over 32 years old.

Gigi nearly ran over the kids so she could be the owl!

I love flamingos, even though they waste a lot of time eating and sleeping!

Remi loved the "jungle."

No clue what these guys are, but I love their rockin' 'do!

We'll be back!

My tuba

2011-09-21T23:46:00.000-05:00

I love this boy. He makes me laugh everyday.
He is doing really well in preschool. Always excited to go and leaves me sniffling in the dust. Even earned a free dinner out for his hard work in speech.
He is sharing more willingly with brother. They love to wrestle around on the floor.
He is trying really hard to potty train. We're taking it slow. He has become a champion hand washer. "Scrub. Fingers. Top. Other top. Rinse."
He calls his potty stool his "tuba." Don't ask me where he got that.
He knows his letters.
He even started singing the alphabet with me (he has hated singing up to this point.)
Whenever I type his name on my new phone it calls him "Remix"
I love this boy!

Gonna buy me a Ford

2011-09-18T16:39:00.001-05:00

How convenient that the kids start fussing right as we are driving by the tractor store...

Coke Tasting

2011-09-07T01:16:00.001-05:00

While browsing through the Coke store in Vegas we noticed tables in the cafe stacked high with trays holding lovely sorts of carbonated beverages. We figured it must be the sampler "Tastes of the World." We had to try it! You get 16 cups of soda for about $8 with a guide (reminiscent of a box of chocolates) showing which drink corresponded with each number. Stacked two trays high, it can be a bit intimidating and the amount of soda you get is really better suited for 4 or more people, the two of us didn't stand a chance of finishing even one drink.

The first tray was pretty tame. We found ourselves enjoying the Vegitabeta from Japan the very best.

Tray Two had a few hidden surprises. Some were just flavored iced tea, one tasted very strongly of Listerine, but the WORST by a long shot was Beverly from Italy. Went down like seltzer water but with the most horrid aftertaste imaginable! Like a pound of anise being shoved down your throat. And I do not exaggerate.

Outdoor Wall Art

2011-08-27T23:12:00.003-05:00

While walking up the steepest hill in La Jolla, I spotted this interesting idea. I have no idea how to execute it, but it sure looks awesome...

Cali Fun

2011-08-27T23:08:00.003-05:00

Marshall woke up with a start and started "bawking" at birds in La Jolla.
This is the kid that never poses for anything, yet somehow I got him over to the lobster just asking one time...

My Boys

2011-08-26T23:25:00.001-05:00

Even though they aren't looking at the camera, they melt my heart.

Big Disaster

2011-08-25T00:26:00.001-05:00

Remind me not to give him an entire bag of Goldfish on a road trip!

He still loves them...Vacation style

2011-08-24T23:30:00.004-05:00

Just in case there was any doubt!
A two hour detour just to ride this baby!
Coolest elevator he's ever seen!
Had to pose at the Caesar's Palace parking garage elevator.
And on the way to the restaurant in Manhattan Beach.
Trader Joe's elevator got to see him about 5 times

And this is only a tiny cross-section of all of the elevators we rode on our trip to SoCal!

Roseola

2011-08-08T08:00:00.000-05:00

After a week of unexplained fever, diarrhea, non-existent appetite and general lethargy and malaise, Marshall broke out in a rash on his stomach and back. My mom immediately recognized it as roseola, a virus that generally only affects kids under 3. Poor guy lost a bunch of weight. Once the rash appeared he did a complete 180 and was his old self again in no time! Eating 3 servings of dinner in one sitting!
You can see his glassy-eyed stare and sunken little eyes.

Be Bear Aware

2011-08-07T14:19:00.004-05:00

How could you not be with these at every campground, picnic spot, and bathroom?

And no, we didn't even get a glimpse of a bear!

Grand Tetons

2011-07-29T23:48:00.022-05:00

And boy, are they grand! Please excuse my unorganized photo essay while I gather my thoughts! I can't wait to go back!
The jerky man, who parks his trailer literally in the middle of nowhere on the Idaho/Wyoming border. He was positively smitten with my MIL and asked if she was a "hugger!"
This is the lovely view driving towards Grand Teton National Park's via Moran.

For some reason this is one of the only group photos I have. This was taken on our short hike to Swan Lake by way of Jackson Lake.
Remi got too tired to finish.
Simply stunning!

To my great displeasure, we discovered at 4am that Marshall doesn't like camping in the cold. He cried at the top of his lungs for about 20 minutes and then settled in my arms for the next 4 hours.
How can something so sweet be so wicked???
On the bright side we got to see these young bucks walking through the camp at 6am a first for me!

The majestic Lewis Falls, set back from the road. About 11 miles north of Yellowstone's south entrance.

Bubba and Katie taking our rented canoe out on it's maiden voyage. I highly recommend a peaceful day on String Lake!

Two-Tiered Diaper Cake Tutorial

2011-07-13T00:01:00.010-05:00

What to give a mother who is having her 5th girl??? Something practical, useful and a bit special! When my mom asked me to think of a baby gift, I was instantly reminded of the booth next to mine at the farmer's market. They sell two-tiered diaper cakes, diaper motorcycles, washcloth cupcakes, all with cute coordinating ribbon and plush toys. Problem is, they run about $60! I figured if I made one myself buying diapers and using crafty things I had on hand, I could walk away spending $30. Not bad.
My mom had a decorative 12" plate she picked up at a thrift store for a dollar, white tulle ribbon leftover from a previous project, dozens of rubber bands and safety pins. I picked up a package of size 1 Pampers Swaddlers with wetness indicators 40-count (a must for newborns-simply the best,) a 12 pack of Gerber baby washcloths, a giraffe rattle, three yards each of three coordinating ribbons, a 16oz bottle of Baby Magic baby wash, and Chips Ahoy cookies for mom to eat while I got started.

Step 1:
Using your stash of rubber bands, roll 36 diapers starting from the top. Try to hide as much of the color and the characters as you can.

Step 2:
Using a rubber band, secure two of the extra diapers around the base of the baby wash. You want your base form to be as circular as possible. Take your wrapped diapers and surround the bottle to make an inner ring. Secure with a rubber band.
While I opted for baby wash for my inner base, other good ideas include champagne or sparkling cider, baby powder or lotion, a piece of pvc pipe or a paper towel cardboard tube.

Step 3:
Form a second ring around your inner ring. Our rubber bands weren't big enough to secure this layer, so we used a small ribbon and two pairs of hands to get this nice and secure.

Step 4:
Repeat the step 2 on your second tier. We again used 2 of the extra unrolled diapers on the inside and used about 10 rolled diapers for the ring. A rubber band around the whole thing was perfectly snug.

Step 5:
Using tulle ribbon, we wrapped each tier individually. I cut it to size and tucked the top in over the top of the diapers to give it a more polished appearance.

Step 6:
Hide the rubber bands with the largest of the ribbon, securing it in the back with the super- nifty "as seen on TV" U-Glue. Secured coordinating ribbon just below.

Step 7:
Top you cake with whatever you like, silk flowers, ribbons and bows, stuffed animals. I chose to make 8 rosettes using the washcloths attaching them to the tulle with small safety pins. I shimmied the base of the rattle in between and called it good.

Place your cake on a plate and voila!

Attach a homemade card with a clothes pin and deliver to a very deserving mother!

Wrap in cellophane if you are traveling a long distance or if you want to present it as a wrapped gift. These cakes also make perfect centerpieces for baby showers!

After all was said and done we only spent a total of $21! Not bad!

4th Fun!

2011-07-08T12:31:00.006-05:00

Even though Keith was gone over the 4th, we tried to keep busy with homemade t-shirts, running, dancing, fireworks and food! We enjoyed two incredible fireworks displays. One at Eaglewood Golf Course in Bountiful and the other at Liberty Park in Liberty, just outside of Eden. It was a quintessential small town affair with quilt raffles, mutton busting and a chicken catch. The fireworks in Liberty are hands-down the best show I've ever seen! I don't know if it was our proximity to where they were being launched, but I've never enjoyed fireworks so much, and I LOVE fireworks! Although we desperately missed Daddy as usual, we had a great 4th!

BALLOONS

2011-07-05T22:28:00.004-05:00

Balloons. When brought into this household they bring happiness and tears, joy and pain, never-ending attachment. Remind me to never let Marshall see another in his life!!! He notices them everywhere we go.

Bothwell Experiment...Weeds

2011-06-28T20:50:00.004-05:00

Let me take you back to the beginning of May. Remi could run wild through our little patch of country:
Now you can't even see him...and he can hardly run wild!
Can't you tell how enthused he is?
After Keith waded chest-deep into the fray, he made an executive decision to pay the neighbor across the street bushwhack the whole property. It took her 2 days to get the job done!

Red Butte Gardens

2011-06-22T12:18:00.012-05:00

A few weeks ago I took the kid fellas to meet my parents and sibs at Red Butte Gardens at the University of Utah. We wanted to take advantage of the cool weather, the weekday lack of crowds, and a few free passes. The gardens are kinda pricey...$8 for adults and $6 for kids 3 and up. But, if you are into horticulture or photography, fresh air and the occasional rattlesnake, this place is pretty cool. Oh...and it is BEAUTIFUL! It was surprisingly fun for the boys. The trails gently slope through the hills, making it a nice little walk for all ages. My favorite part was the Herb Garden and Remi and Marshall seemed to like running on the grass of the Wedding Lawn the best. The Garden also has an awesome children's area that is perfect for Remi's age on up. The only downside about visiting is you might get distracted and not realize that dinnertime has come and gone. Then on the way home when you have two children crying because of hungry tummies, you might stop at Crown Burger and your toothless toddler inhales a grilled cheese sandwich with the hunger of ten men. Other than that, Red Butte Gardens is a beautifully stunning, clean and relaxing place to be!

While I'm Young

2011-06-07T01:08:00.003-05:00

Calling to wish me a happy birthday over the weekend, Keith commented that now I'm an old lady. But wait! I'm only 29, which in my mind means that I won't be old for another year.
I once read a blog where a recent 29 year old resolved to reach 30 goals before she turned 30. Goals like growing a vegetable garden and going on more family outings. I wanted to do something similar and was looking for inspiration when I came across this website: Conkerr Cancer
I've already made my first pillowcase to donate and I want 12 of my 30 goals to include service or volunteering. I'm still formulating ideas and I think I'll spend another week or so finalizing my goal list.

Hopefully my little fellas will give me a chance to achieve 30 goals in the next year!

Day of Words

2011-06-02T22:29:00.003-05:00

Remi is talking, folks! He's saying two and three word sentences independently with little or no prompting. This means that he has met some of his education plan goals almost 9 months early. Wow! When I originally received his goals from his teachers I wanted to cry and now that he has reached these goals I want to cry even more for very different reasons. I've been his proud little translator for so long. My heart swells knowing that he is finding his way in speech!
The list goes on! His vocabulary has grown exponentially over the last two weeks. His attempts of all different words are more common, which is a huge step. Here are some of the words and phrases he gets better at each day:

train track
stop sign
happy face
sad face
she she's house
no, me!
help me, mom
hold me, mom
my turn
dentist
park
thomas (still unclear)
word world (unclear)
thirteen
work
beach
show
snack
toast
bagel
pizza
juice
milk
chocolate
more please
vitamin
I want...
numbers 1-12

We attended a Memorial Day service at a cemetery on Sunday where the boy scouts were serving hot dogs and Remi said "hot dog" over and over broken-record style for a good chunk of the evening. Today we drove past a different cemetery decorated with flowers from Sunday. He quickly noticed and said, "Mom! Hot dog!"

And most importantly, for the first time ever, Remi looked at me and said, "Love you, Mom." Then looked at Marshall and said, "Love you, baby."

Melted. my. heart.

Meat, glorious meat!

2011-05-30T12:19:00.004-05:00

Hello, Keith here. I made the mistake of watching the documentary Food, inc. on Netflix. What an eye opener! I knew that the meat processing industry was pretty gross, but this really made me sick. I have had the hardest time ordering food with meat in it ever since. Candice the vegetarian looks at me with a smug little smile and rubs it in my face. I am not opposed to eating meat, it is just the way it is being produced that is grossing me out. I decided to find a place to buy some real meat until we can raise our own. We stumbled on a little family farm in West Jordan. They raise grass fed beef, chicken, hogs and sell eggs. http://www.utahnaturalmeat.com/
I bought 2 rib steaks, 1 lb of ground pork and a dozen eggs. I grilled the steaks along with a rib eye I bought from Smiths just to compare the tastes. The grass fed won hands down. I made breakfast sausage with the pork and it was unbelievable. And the eggs, well if you have never had fresh free range eggs you are really missing out. The yolks are orange and stick straight up in a frying pan and the flavor is unbelievable. I am not turning hippie or anything like that, but we should know where our food comes from and demand something better than what we are getting. Watch Food, inc. You'll see what I mean.

The Great Bothwell Experiment

2011-05-18T16:08:00.006-05:00

It's official! We are now the proud owners of 5 acres in farm country! Together, with a lot of gentle prodding from Keith, we have formulated a tentative plan to build on and cultivate this little slice of heaven. The area is breathtakingly beautiful, quiet, and charming. We can't wait to see what the future holds!
View to the west.
View to the east.

Remi seems to approve.
Marshall is still undecided.
Watch out, here we come!

Thanksgiving Point Tulip Festival

2011-05-10T12:36:00.004-05:00

Never mind the pricey admission, Thanksgiving Point knows what they are doing when it comes to tulips! We spontaneously joined my parents and siblings for an afternoon of soaking in the stunning beauty of the seemingly millions of tulips. To Remington and Marsh, it probably just seemed like another day at the park. They enjoyed running along the trails, playing with the kids and splashing in the water. For me, it was one of those days I wanted to kick myself for not bringing my fancy new camera. I think I only captured a small glimpse into how gorgeous this place really is in the springtime.

Wheeler Farm

2011-05-05T14:42:00.003-05:00

The first thing we saw when visiting Wheeler Farm was this precious little lamb basking in the sun with its mama. Boy, that's the life.
We went with a friend and her brood. Three boys is triple the trouble.Trying to get them to hold still was a joke!
Keith was in heaven with all of the barnyard animals around. A little inspiration for things to come.

Fascinating

2011-05-02T10:16:00.002-05:00

or is it? He can't decide.

Crepe Paper Carrots

2011-04-18T16:00:00.004-05:00

This is about as far as I've gone with Easter decorating this year. I saw a very basic tutorial on the Martha Stewart website. It suggests putting a trinket each carrot, but trinkets and little boys don't mix so I left them empty. Do what you will, but I think they are adorable either way!

Simple Crepe Paper Carrots:

1. Loosely wrap orange streamer to form carrot shape, making it thicker at top. Tuck in gifts as you work. Press end of paper down into top.

2. Fold green crepe paper in half across its grain. Cut out leaf shapes; bunch up. Tuck leaves into carrot top; secure with dab of hot glue.

A Blanket is Best

2011-04-18T15:43:00.002-05:00

Who needs umbrellas?

My Little Remi

2011-04-12T00:17:00.004-05:00

Thoughts and reflections about my little boy have been running through my mind today. I don't want to forget them

He is surprisingly obedient, except when it comes to not harassing little brother.
He never runs off in public, always asking in his way if he can venture a bit further.
He is cautious and follows directions incredibly well in parking lots and crowded places.
He gets embarrassed easily and doesn't usually want to be the center of attention.
He is observant, noticing when I miss a turn while driving and responding with a "Whips!" (Whoops!), noticing when something is out of place, noticing when I close the garage when I had previously promised that he could do it.
He has never thrown a tantrum in the store over a toy or candy.
He has an amazing sense of direction. Wherever we happen to be he can point to home and Mama She-she's house.
The things that delight him make me laugh. He squeals with a delighted "ma MA!" every time we pass the bowling alley, Taco Time, McDonald's, or any two or more story building that might have an elevator.
Yes, elevators. DING!
He has taken to playing pretend elevator in any enclosed space, making others play pretend elevator, watching youtube videos of people filming themselves riding on elevators, guessing which buildings we drive past might have elevators by repeating "Ding, Ding, DING!" until someone acknowledges him, hoarding toys that have elevators (we have at least 7 or 8) and he LOVES riding on an elevator. He gasps and shrieks with glee as each level is met with a chime or bong. He even knows proper elevator etiquette.
He loves counting and the alphabet.
He hates being hot. I catch him turning over his pillow to get the cool side and kicking off his blankets and sheets when he's in bed.
I let him have a say in what clothes we buy for him. I think he appreciates that I respect his opinion.
I see him maturing before my eyes, even though his language is so limited. He and I have a perfect understanding between the two of us that it makes it difficult to see outside our little world. I'm never quite sure if I'm helping or hindering his progress, but for now I love the special bond that we share. His new words as of the last few weeks are: home, big, in, me, you, Dan-dan (Danielle,) walk, car, sit,
His first independent sentence: "I want you in." Trying to get me to move so he could shut a door and the same day saying "I want Dee-dee," when we pulled up to Mama She-she's house and he wanted to go inside.

I love this little boy so much. I love to see him grow.

Popping in to say hello...

2011-04-07T23:48:00.002-05:00

Still recovering from our whirlwind move, so in lieu of an official newsletter, here is a Marsh (Mar Mar, Me-Mu, Brother, Little) update.
Marshall is falling more in love with food everyday. He's loving bowtie pasta, scrambled eggs, cottage cheese, waffles, peas, butternut squash, and much more. He gets insulted when I break food into tiny pieces. He would much rather be handed a whole piece of toast to gnaw on.
Our sweet little fella. He is snugly. He walks and nearly runs. Waves hello and goodbye. He is all too forgiving of his older brother's attacks. He is babbling and trying to talk. Is is highly emotional. He loves sleeping with a pillow. He give kisses and high-fives. He parrots the tone of nearly everything anyone says.
His teeth are coming in. Well, tooth is more like it. I know the others are lurking under surface making everyone miserable and moody.

Dani the Lady

2011-04-07T23:21:00.003-05:00

Made tissue flowers using a tutorial from Martha Stewart found here
Assembled a paper pennant banner:
Printed a banner with the birthday girl's name with the help of Ruffled found here

All for one of our favorite little ladies.
We love you, Dani!

Ladybug Birthday

2011-03-23T00:41:00.002-05:00

One of the great things about being back in Utah is being able to celebrate my darling Emily's 9th birthday. After about an hour of grilling her, we figured out that she loves ladybugs! I was so excited to help decorate for a girl for once.
I started where else? Eighteen25 for a adorable and girly subway print.
I earned many pinpricks making this ribbon topiary, inspiration found out a Michael's store while waiting in line. Tutorials are all over the interweb.
I love to decorate goofy little cakes and cupcakes. Emily chose a moist banana cake with cream cheese frosting. Recipe found here
With help from Beth, mother-in-law extraordinaire, I completed this banner the night before the party.
A lovely ladybug afternoon!

This is what we get?

2011-03-22T01:06:00.004-05:00

Here for five minutes and it snows over a foot!
Marsh the cockatoo, warm and dry, watched from the window:
While an uncharacteristically adventurous Remi stomped outside to help Dada shovel.
Thanks for the warm welcome!

Birthdays, birthdays, everywhere!

2011-03-22T00:43:00.005-05:00

Someone was turning 1. Someone was turning 3. Someone was turning 31. Someone made a cake.

Last Days in Texas

2011-03-21T23:28:00.008-05:00

The reason we have been so absent from the blogging world is because we sold our house in Kingwood and moved to Utah! It has been a wild and crazy few weeks. We've postponed anniversary celebrations, 3 of 4 family members birthdays, packed up and moved a household including babies and pups, said goodbye to beloved Texas family and friends and said hello to the Utah ones. We have had unbelievable amounts of help and support from so many people near and far. Thank you, everyone!
We experienced so many bittersweet "lasts"
Last day at our neighborhood park:

Last chat with Ray
Last dinner at Pete's
Goodbye to friends and movers
Goodbye to our first house, and the only home our boys have ever known.

Three

2011-03-10T23:40:00.001-06:00

Hello, I'm now three.

Lucky Subway Art

2011-03-09T13:42:00.002-06:00

My red frame just got unpacked and still held my Valentine's Day printable. I wanted to keep up to date with a LUCKY printable found here: St. Patty's Day Subway Art Printable

I got the idea when visiting eighteen25 Check it out!
So cute!

One

2011-03-03T23:36:00.000-06:00

I'm one today.

To Keep it Interesting...

2011-02-21T23:30:00.003-06:00

It's gonna be a little quiet around here for a little while during our crazy transition! Go enjoy some cake!

Marshall Newsletter: Eleven Months

2011-02-03T20:51:00.002-06:00

Nicknames: Mr., Little, Moo-me, Bubba, Mar-shall be quiet, Miggy

No teeth yet, but we can see your gums swelling with little white buds.

You cry if you get talked to too sternly.

Daddy used a serious voice with you when you were being a little reckless. You cried and screamed like the world was coming to an end. Daddy went to sit down on a chair, you stopped crying, followed him to the chair, touched his leg, looked at him, and started scream-crying again, reminding him that you would not forgive him.
You have a similar reaction when I'm trying to change your diaper and you are using all of your might to roll away. If I dare speak your name with too harsh a tone, you cry like I have beaten you with a stick. I don't know where this emotional little creature came from.

Once you started crawling, I tried to confine you to the carpeted area of the family room with cushions, the pack and play, toy baskets and pillows. I did the same thing for Remi when he started crawling. Barriers be damned! Nothing can hold you back! How many times did you climb over the pillows and bump your head on the tile trying to free yourself? I learned very quickly to not fence you in! I hope this is an indication of what kind of person you will grow up to be! Never giving up, no matter the obstacle! Your destinations with all of your freedom generally tend to be the dog cage, the kitchen table, or the lazy susan (or "lazy b!tch" as Dad calls it), but has expanded to the breakfast room windows, the laundry room and the dog dish. Lovely.

Remi has been inviting you to play trains with him in the front foyer, even though he can't stand it when you take apart his tracks. Even so, he wants you around. He tries to distract you by giving you things to play with, or just getting fed up and forcing you to the floor. He is always asking for "Bebe, Bebe, Bebe!" He hears you cry and he gasps for you. Big brother is still rough with you, but he is learning that you can be a lot of fun if treated properly. He is also starting to push you to your limits, and I'm starting to see glimpses of the future when you two will be trying to seriously beat each other up. I have caught you screeching at Remi with your toothless mouth, twisted into a snarl, attacking brother with tiny little claws. Even so, you obviously love him. You love going to Remi's preschool, I swear you have more fun than he does! You clap to the music, dance, and flirt with the teachers and other parents.

How can a little nugget be so cantankerous and yet so sweet? It is a question I ask myself almost daily. This stems from the fact that you still don't sleep through the night and barely take naps. You always end up in bed with us during the night. I swear you get up and levitate out of your crib and under our covers. When morning rolls around, I have no recollection of going to get you. Mama can't operate off of the amount of sleep you are giving her! On the flip side, you love to snuggle, be bounced and you just recently started giving kisses.

Your vocabulary is starting to blossom. You imitate tone perfectly, and you can say "Dada," "Mama" and a version of "all done." Sometimes if my back is turned, I can't tell between your jibber-jabbering or Remi's. Your favorite thing to say is most definitely "Dada," and you say it with such tenderness that it makes me want to cry.

You are a kid on the go! You are the fastest crawler I have ever seen, you are right on the verge of walking, you love toys that you can climb or push. You love to give high-fives, and you love to stick your fingers in the mouth or nose of anyone who dares to get close enough.

You are so fun, I love your square-pumpkin smile and your wicked little giggles. I love the joy you bring to our family.

I love you, Little!

Love, Mama

Sold!

2011-02-01T22:06:00.003-06:00

Bittersweet, but still happy to say: SOLD!
Our house of 4 years sat pretty stagnant on the market for 5 months. Suddenly received an offer after nearly a dozen showings. If everything goes well we will be homeowners no longer by the end of the month!

The garbage truck cometh

2011-01-30T20:17:00.003-06:00

Our garbage is picked up twice a week, which means two weekly opportunities to wave to the garbage truck. Since Remi got his Waste Management truck in December, he has been dying to show the garbage men his toy. We caught them just in time on Friday. It was a dream come true! He was so proud!

What a Cute Couple!

2011-01-24T20:35:00.003-06:00

We snuck down to Galveston on Saturday to be with Dada. While there, we met the most adorable couple:

He can't stay away from the cold, cold beach!

Yard Clean Up

2011-01-18T08:00:00.003-06:00

Last weekend we realized that the pine needles have finished falling for the season and that we were grossly behind on cleaning them up. Instead of filling up over 100 garbage bags (we've come close in the past) Keith rented a UHaul. Our intention was to fill it up quickly, run it to our friend's burn pile, and return the trailer in a couple of hours. It turned into taking over two and a half hours to borrow a wheelbarrow and rent the stupid trailer...HUGE fiasco with UHaul...then 5+ hours to blow off the roof, rake the needles into enormous piles, chase kids, chat with neighbors, load the trailer, drink a Diet Coke, load some more, and repeat. The trailer was OVERFLOWING by the time we were done and we didn't even get close to finishing the flowerbeds. It is was dark by the time Keith finished and it took another hour and a half to dump the needles. My advice? Think twice before buying a home with over 30 trees in the yard.

Won't You Be Mine?

2011-01-17T15:30:00.004-06:00

Still going crazy for Valentine decorations around here! I'm working on a heart-themed bowl filler, but in the meantime, I printed out one of these and trimmed it down for a red 8X10 frame.
Here's the download:Valentine Poster
Compliments of a very talented: it is what it is
Check out her clever uses for this free printable!

Valentine Project

2011-01-15T10:31:00.005-06:00

My crafty friend Morgan mentioned that she had a craft night and made Valentine wreaths. Since I totally slacked on making a felt advent calendar, I "felt" I needed to redeem myself and use the excess red, pink and cream felt I had lying around. The red was the only wool felt I had and the other colors were synthetic. If you can find a deal on wool felt, snatch it up. I've gotten it on sale before at around $3.50/yd. If you buy the end of the bolt, they'll sometimes give it to you for 50% off. It's really high quality and holds it shape nicely.

The original source of inspiration: Ruffle Felt Wreath Tutorial

Heart Inspiration found at Eighteen25
I could only find a glitter-covered wreath, but it was half price so it ended up being cheaper than white styrofoam.
Diet Coke: an essential crafting tool.
The rotary cutter made the circle cutting easy. I initially cut 20 circles of each color. I needed a total of 120 circles to complete the project. It's not necessary to group the circles too closely. Once you fluff them up, it covers the styrofoam nicely.

I love it! It looks luxurious and extra-fluffy, just like love should be!

Remember when....

2011-01-14T08:00:00.002-06:00

Remember when you could crawl around on hard tile, wood floors, cement, and it didn't hurt?
Remember when you could sit like this: without a care in the world?
Hurts just looking at him!

It's just this cold...

2011-01-13T19:44:00.002-06:00

At least he can see.

Mini Bowling

2011-01-12T21:37:00.003-06:00

We have bowling on the Wii, a foam bowling set, a mini bowling set AND we go "real" bowling. There isn't a form of bowling out there that this kid hasn't tried!
It takes careful planning...
To get it just right...Ready! Set! Go! Just imagine the sound of pins knocking together...One more to go...

Classic

2011-01-12T19:58:00.001-06:00

Need I say more?

Anyone for a game?

2011-01-08T21:18:00.002-06:00

He could probably beat you. Seriously.
This one...not so much.

Marshall Newsletter: Ten Months

2011-01-03T21:55:00.011-06:00

Dear Marshall,

Today you turn 10 months old.

You are a crawling, whirling, dervish...

I have never known a baby to be so on the move. You only just started crawling this month but you are a seasoned pro by now. With crawling came climbing, standing, scooting, and oh, falling. Lots and lots of falling. I tried barricading you on the carpet like I did with Remi and what did you do? Crawled over a pile of pillows taller than you and landed head first right onto the tile floor. My back was literally turned for 30 seconds. Big bruise. I earned the award for worst mom ever that day.

You love chasing Remi up the stairs and taking a bath in the evening with him. He worries about you when he hears you crying on the baby monitor and he starts to cry if he thinks we are leaving you in the car when we run errands. He loves you, yes, but that doesn't mean you are immune from his fury, either! Luckily you are quick to forgive, but he has been in timeout more times this month than ever before, all because he knocks you over or bops you on the head when you least expect.

You are scared of small black animals, but for some reason not of our dogs.

We celebrated your first Christmas (early this year, Dada had to work Christmas day) and your first New Year (you slept through the noisy fireworks.)

You love to snuggle and somehow always end up in bed with me by morning.

You are a great eater! Your favorite thing on the planet is cottage cheese. You also love what I like to call "Turkey Crack" or Gerber Puffs.

You want to hold my phone and you babble to whoever is on the other line.

You are not a good sleeper. Sometimes you wake up 6 times before midnight. However, you are learning to fall asleep without being held. I'm afraid your days of yelling yourself to sleep may be over. A little bittersweet, if I'm being honest.

You finally graduated from your infant car seat. I think you are really proud to be a big boy. That, and this guarantees that you get to sit up in shopping carts, one of your favorite things to do. Freedom! Naps in the car are quickly becoming a thing of the past.

You are my snuggly little lovebug. A perfect addition to our growing family. You complement us in the best ways.

I love you.

Love,
Mama

Christmas on the Beach

2010-12-29T19:56:00.006-06:00

Decmeber 24th wasn't really Christmas Eve to us, we celebrated that on the 21st. Keith was stuck in Galveston so I carted the boys down for a visit.
We started things of at an awesome park by the airport.
Then we took the boys to the beach for a stroll.

Where we saw dozens of these Man-o-war.
It was cold and windy. Brr!
A fun walk on the beach!
Ready for the long car ride home.

Out with the old...

2010-12-28T23:30:00.002-06:00

Before I make my goals for 2011, I wanted to do a quick review of my goals for this year...Here's where I stand:
1. Read 20 books I read about 8 1/2
2. Stick to a budget Quite successful. First time ever I can say that! Paid for a baby, emergencies, school with proper planning. Even saved a little!
3. De-junk the house Did we ever!
4. Learn to make a patchwork quilt Complete and utter failure
5. Start making felt baby shoes {Crickets}
6. Lose 40 lbs I lost 60!
7. Learn more about photography, and hopefully improve upon Learned more, still trying to improve with my dopey little camera. Let's just say I won't ever be charging for my services!
8. Find a hint of a green thumb I killed off my basil, but the Italian parsley is still thriving.
9. Be a better and more effective homemaker Mixed feelings on this one. The babies keep it interesting.
10. Practice civility, generosity, and graciousness in everyday situations A never-ending struggle. Being aware of my actions has made a huge difference. This will have to carry on every year.

Christmas Come Early

2010-12-22T22:09:00.003-06:00

Keith works on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, so we decided today was our Christmas! As usual, I get so caught up in the flurry of flying Xmas paper that I neglected to take many pictures.
Here are the highlights. Oh, and I'm posting this from my new laptop!
Remi got a power wheels Jeep and a G scale train, Marshall got a fun ball giraffe. Many presents arrived for the boys from all over the country, so thank you family!
What a wonderful and Merry Christmas!

African Forest

2010-12-21T14:54:00.002-06:00

The Houston Zoo just opened their fancy new African Forest exhibit. I couldn't wait to go! The animals were awake and alert and it was a beautiful day for the zoo.
Here's what my boys opted for over animal watching:

Hiding:
Drumming:
Playing:
Snoozing:Spinning:Okay, he did watch the sea lions swim for about 3 minutes.

Rhino

2010-12-20T22:49:00.002-06:00

He wouldn't pose with the real Rhino...Just this cutout.

Cockatoo Baby

2010-12-20T22:20:00.004-06:00

That hair refuses to be tamed!

Ho! Ho! Ho!

2010-12-20T16:57:00.004-06:00

This has to be one of the best Santas I have ever encountered! Our locally owned Toys and Candy on the Park hosted Santa for the holidays and the boys finally got a good look at him. He was everything that Santa should be! I managed to snap this photo while Marshall wasn't crying. No easy feat!
Remi told Santa he wants a Woo! Woo! (train) and that Marshall wants a Neigh-neigh.
We'll see what Santa has in store for the boys!

A Boy and a Truck

2010-12-20T16:48:00.003-06:00

Remi has a sudden obsession with garbage trucks since seeing Toy Story 3. I remember seeing the merchandise for the movie and one particular item was a WM garbage truck with Lotso Huggin' Bear strapped to the front.
I thought, "How stupid! Who would ever buy their kid a garbage truck?"

Well, apparantly I am the stupid one!

Remi took one look at this toy at Kohl's and fell in love! Luckily for him, I had a $10 gift card a got the darn thing. He has insisted on taking this truck nearly everywhere he goes, even to bed! He gasps when he hears the WM truck rumbling down our street twice a week, delights when he sees the garbage men on their lunch break at the gas station, and last week we even waited outside as the men came down the street with their big, orange barrels. The truck driver was kind enough to wave to us, and we waved and waved until he was out of sight. Now Remi tries to find any excuse to take things to the outside trash and he tries to pull the can out to the curb. He doesn't usually get very far. We can't wait for the next garbage day!

Marshall Newsletter: Nine Months

2010-12-03T22:53:00.000-06:00

Dear Marshall,

Today you turn nine months old.

A few tidbits about you:

Feeling all better after surgery and ER visits.

Cockatoo.

Scream-laughing. Hoarse yell.

Sitting up.
Crawling.
Trying to pull up to standing.
No teeth yet.

Loves to eat, eat, eat!

Scared of small black dogs.

Babbles "Dada"

Likes to imitate.

Our little drama king.

Wearing clothes meant for an 18 month old.

You love your family. We love you.

Love,
Mama

A Yummy Surprise

2010-12-01T21:51:00.001-06:00

A small town farmer's market is the last place on earth I thought I would find amazing Indian food...but wait!!! What's this? Amazing Indian food at a farmer's market!
OMG, this paratha is truly an inspiration. I want to duplicate these SO much! I feel a tear-apart-the kitchen-cook-all-day-load-the-dishwasher-twice kinda day coming on.
For my manly meat-eater:

And for me, a little Chana Masala:
Each item cost five bucks but we stretched it out into three teeny tiny meals. Me-o-my. So good!

Moody Gardens Festival of Lights

2010-11-21T15:11:00.004-06:00

Dada and I took the boys to Moody Gardens to see The Festival of Lights and the aquarium on Saturday. The weather was perfect, the crowds were light, and everyone was getting into the holiday spirit.

While Marshall looked on...
at the flame thrower...At his happiest when he thinks he is in an elevator!
Insisted on a picture in front of what he thought was a train-crossing gate. His favorite attraction of the night, by far.
He gave a shy smile when we stopped for this picutre

Car Crash!

2010-11-10T21:36:00.002-06:00

We were blown away by this music video...
Which led Keith to create this clever little stop motion animation bit. His first attempt.

What a clever fellow!

Ah-Ah-Apple

2010-11-04T16:37:00.003-05:00

Strange thing about this picture...I don't eat apples this way so I don't know where he learned it.

Marshall Newsletter: Eight Months

2010-11-03T15:02:00.002-05:00

Dear Marshall,

Today you turn eight months old.

The most significant event this month was the surgery to fix your tongue. You were a trooper baby, but you made mama worry like crazy! It was not a tough decision to fix your tongue. Coping with the decision to put you under was the hard part! I kept thinking, "What if the little boy I love changes after anesthesia for some reason?" I didn't want to cause you unnecessary harm or discomfort. Here we are a week later and while you are still healing, I think you are recovering beautifully.

What a squirmy, chatty guy you have become! You are getting the hang of army crawling and rolling to get where you want to go. You love to play with things that will hurt you, like Remi's wooden train tracks or Baxter's face. You LOVE Daddy and all the giggles he's able to get out of you. No Dada is face around you! You love to slap his bare head, pull his chest hair, and scratch any tender skin left unprotected.

You are completely obsessed with Remington. You cannot eat, play or do anything else without watching him like a hawk to see what his next move will be. Sometimes Remi is a little too rough and tackles you or smacks you in the face, but you are very quick to forgive and you love brother's kisses.

You had visitors this month. Mama SheShe and Papa Gaga brought the kids to Texas for a little trip. It was fun for you to be held by so many different people. We went all over Houston and you hardly gave us any trouble.

You are, therefore you eat. A lot. You scream at anyone that is eating and not sharing with you and this month you tried mint chocolate chip ice cream, potato soup and you stuck your fist in my bowl of minestrone. You eat normal baby food too like bananas, sweet potatoes, broccoli, butternut squash, applesauce, and lentil mush. Yum.

Your sleeping habits are a bit out of whack. Sometimes you refuse to nap ALL DAY LONG. Do you have any idea how that is for the rest of us??? Well, I guess you'll find out in 30 years when you have your own kids. Other times you sleep for an hour in the morning, and then at 20 minute intervals here and there. At night you are a pretty solid sleeper. Your favorite thing is to wake up at five for breakfast and
then snuggle and snooze until Remi wakes up.

Did I mention your violent streak? These bruises should be proof enough! Let's just say you are an intense eater...You really like to beat up my right arm...

No matter...

I'm still desperately in love with you.

Love,
Mama

Happy Halloween

2010-10-31T22:19:00.008-05:00

Well another gluttonous Halloween has come and gone. It was a lot of fun. Candice made pumpkin pancakes for breakfast.

We carved some pumpkins while Marshall soaked up some sun in the swing.

We went trick or treating with Callie's family and Sam, Remi's buddy. Marshall was a pumpkin and Remington dressed up as an elevator since he is totally obsessed with them.

Candice designed his costume out of an old diaper box. She is so clever!

A New Tongue

2010-10-30T17:08:00.004-05:00

Marshall was born tongue-tied. It never was a problem because he was a great eater. We've been eye-balling Marshall's tongue for a while, hoping his frenulum would stretch on it's own. We wanted to avoid any future problems with speech. After asking the doctor over the course of several months, he told us to visit a pediatric ENT to get a second opinion. She kind of hemmed and hawed over cutting his tongue, saying it's a bit controversial until he opened his mouth. She quickly changed her tune when she took one look and said "Oh yeah! We need to snip it!"
With no one to watch Remi at 5am, we agreed that Keith would stay home and I would cart Marsh to Texas Children's Hospital for outpatient surgery. It was much more traumatic for me than for Marshall. He didn't cry and hardly whined, even though he had to fast. The staff at Texas Children's is so friendly and professional, they really held my hand every step of the way. I was never left wondering where to go or what was happening. I even got valet parking for free! Because it was Halloween every staff member on the floor was dressed as a character from Toy Story. Too bad Remi missed it!
When the nurses(one dressed as a fairy) came to take baby away from me I was a nervous wreck. They let me carry him to the outer doors of surgery and I watched him be carried off by the glittery fairy. It totally broke my heart but the experience was strangely comical at the same time. Marshall's actual procedure only took about 5 minutes, the hard part was coming out of anesthesia. Walking into the recovery room , it was so sad to see my little baby with an oxygen mask, heart monitor and a tube down his throat. He ate when he woke up and then I took him home. Daddy and Rem were waiting anxiously to see little brother. He was so tired that he took two four hour naps and slept through the night. Today he is much more alert and only slightly cranky. What a champ!
This before picture shows his forked devil tongue. That's as far as he could stick it out.A teeny tiny hospital bed.
Waiting for surgery in his hospital jammies. 6:30AM.
I'll take some after pictures when his tongue heals!

Lovely LeFevres

2010-10-30T16:27:00.011-05:00

My parents and siblings FINALLY came to Texas for a visit! What fun to have a house filled with family. Keith made us marvelous food including Kolaches, sweet potato pie, burgers, beef ribs, homemade barbecue sauce, smoked chicken, orzo stuffed tomatoes, strawberry napoleons, and an authentic New York Cheesecake, red velvet cupcakes, gingersnaps, apple strudel and homemade marinara. All from scratch!!! Wow. Typing that out makes my head spin!
I think everyone enjoyed themselves with trips to Old Town Spring, the Houston Zoo, a visit to see the Piper families, an all-day Galveston extravaganza at the Strand and the Beach, a dolphin boat tour and many hours spent playing Wii.
A few highlights...

A DATE!!!

2010-10-28T16:19:00.003-05:00

Keith and I never thought we would again see the day when we could sneak off together for a date!

We took full advantage of my parents while they were here. With the boys tucked into bed, we disappeared into the night to see a 3-D movie, which will remained unnamed for the more sensitive of our readers...
We had such a fun! It was really fun to spend time alone, even if just for a few hours. We had a bucket of laughs and returned home to find that our kids had screamed most of 2.5 hours we were gone.

Oh well, it was worth it!

Marshall Newsletter: Seven Months

2010-10-03T22:09:00.004-05:00

Nicknames: Little, Brother, Baby Marshall, Mr., Miggy, Miggedy

Dear Marshall,

Today you turn seven months old.

You have been on the go this month! You've been sitting up, rolling, twisting, turning, kicking, grabbing and even writhing. In a broader sense, you've been to the zoo twice, the children's museum, and many stores. You are a great little travel companion, very rarely do you protest sitting in your carseat on long journeys. I know the days of you in a baby carrier are coming to an end, so I'll just enjoy it while I can!

You have found true happiness in a little thing we like to call Cheerios! If I let you, you would seriously eat an entire box in one sitting. I have never seen a baby eat so fast, and then beg for more! I've got my eye on you kid.

You continue to be our delightful, snuggly boy. Every morning when I get you out of your crib you burrow into my shoulder for a little hug. Although your napping schedule isn't perfect yet, you are finding a balance that is working for all of us... most of the time. If you don't feel like sleeping, household beware! You could lift the house off of it's foundation with your protests! When I go to calm you you have kicked and screamed yourself every which way. I often find you with your head pressed against the crib or completely opposite of the way I placed you in a matter of seconds. Hell hath no fury like a baby Marshall scorned! Of course, no one will believe me when I say it, but I have to document it for my own amusement!

Marshall, you have complimented our family in more ways than we could have ever imagined. Your unique personality and kindness already shine through!

I love you now and always, little nugget!

Love,
Mama

On the fritz...

2010-10-02T22:04:00.000-05:00

Our trusty old Totally Awesome Computer has seemingly bitten the dust. Posting here will be sporadic at best for the next few weeks while Keith builds a new computer from the ground up. Goodness gracious I love that man!

Ouch...

2010-09-30T22:48:00.002-05:00

Can you imagine having to wear flip-flops this way? It's the way Remi likes to wear Dada's shoes!

Yippee!

2010-09-25T21:27:00.004-05:00

We agreed to go to Museum District Day and brave the crowds (CROWDS!) with friends to have some free kiddo fun. I avoid crowds like the plague, a trait given to me by my darling husband. We don't go shopping on the weekends, or to parks or pools. We enjoy attractions during the week when no one else is around. So going to a children's museum on not only the weekend but a free weekend seemed like complete madness to me, which it was. Scores of people lined up halfway around the block in the blazing sun. But what do you know, Remi had a blast! He has gotten a taste of independence and he loves it! Besides being a bit tired and having the tiniest breakdown when saw toys floating in the Flow Works water, we had a great time. He got to ride the elevator, play in a grocery store, play in the outdoor water feature, and play with an awesome train. Marshall was a dream and loved pushing buttons and especially watching brother Remi play. The only thing that could have made it betteris if Dada could have joined us!

The definition of "tasty yum-yum"

2010-09-24T21:08:00.002-05:00

Apple season is upon us! I am a fan of Pink Lady Apples, but I can't stomach the $2.49/lb price tag so I try to find the next best thing. Enter Honeycrisp apples!

Honeycrisp fruit is characterized by an exceptionally crisp and juicy texture. Its flesh is cream colored and coarse. The flavor is sub-acid and ranges from mild and well-balanced to strongly aromatic, depending on the degree of maturity. It has consistently ranked as one of the highest quality apples in sensory evaluations.

Honeycrisp was produced from a 1960 cross of Macoun and Honeygold, as part of the University of Minnesota apple breeding program to develop winter hardy cultivars with high fruit quality.

And get this, the Honeycrisp has a patent, so if you want to grow them you have to obtain a license from the University of Minnesota!

Trust me, after one bite you will be hooked!

A Discovery

2010-09-19T15:33:00.002-05:00

Keith wanted "good sandwiches" for dinner the other night. A good sandwich to me includes alfalfa sprouts, so while at the store, I scoured the produce department in search of them. To my delight, I came across a variety of sprouts to choose from, including alfalfa. What really caught my eye was the manager special (clearance) sticker taped over a package of very large Daikon sprouts. Sixty-three cents! I love a good deal so I grabbed those instead. Having never eaten them, we were a tad bit skeptical. No worries! The sprouts had a delightful yet light peppery flavor, with a good amount of crunch. Upon further research, I found that Daikon is also called an Oriental radish. The only place I can ever recall hearing about this was on Iron Chef, so you know it's gotta be good!
I know I'm a nerd, but I wanted to share my food discovery with you anyway!

Behold, A Cupcake! With an Update!

2010-09-14T10:00:00.002-05:00

I'm really digging the word "behold" for some reason. Forgiveness?

Anyhow, last weekend Keith and I had the ultimate cupcake extravaganza. It started with a trip to the famous/infamous Sprinkles Cupcakes in Highlands Village in Houston. I got 5 cupcakes. It cost over $16. I chose a Gluten-free red velvet(for Celiac sister,) a chai, a strawberry, a coconut lemon, and an almond dark chocolate. I know I'm gonna get in trouble, but they were all completely unremarkable. Except for the chai. The cake part was kind of standard spice cake. However, the frosting has the whisperings of something great.
Next day. We had a family event to attend, so I decided to continue the cupcake trend with the glorious Bakerella's Banana Cupcakes. The turned out really well, not at all like banana bread. They were light and lovely.

The next day we were invited to a very impromptu neighborhood cookout. Having been inspired by the promise of the Sprinkle's chai cupcake, Keith scratched his chin and said, "I'm making cupcakes." I begged him not to, simply because baking is the only thing on this earth that I do better than him, or so I thought. He really one-upped me with these life altering Vanilla Chai Tea Latte Cupcakes. They were simply divine. And they have changed the balance of our marriage so much, I'm not sure we can ever get it back to where it once was. Honestly. My man is a master at baking. I still might have the edge on baking bread, but I'm sure that won't last long.

UPDATE:
A few days after I originally posted this, Keith was inspired enough to try his hand at making Red Velvet Cupcakes. I am a known hater of red velvet...or so I thought! These are quite possibly the BEST cupcakes I've ever tasted! So moist, so light and the frosting! Don't get me started! He made 24 and gladly I can say we gave half of them to family and friends. That left 12 cupcakes for 3 solid food eaters, one of which refuses to eat any sweets but cookies. I'll give you a hint as to who that is. His name starts with an R and ends with an emington.
For any fans of red velvet, the recipe is posted below.

Modified from Bobby Flay Throwdown Red Velvet Cupcakes
Ingredients - Makes about 20-24

o 3 1/3 cups cake flour or 3 cups all purpose (Use cake flour, trust me)
o 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
o 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
o 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
o 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
o 2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
o 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
o 3 eggs, room temperature
o 2 tablespoons red food coloring (as red as you like it)
o 1 1/4 teaspoons vinegar ( white or apple cider can both work)
o 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
o 1/8 cup water
For the cream cheese frosting
* It's up to you, I prefer a more cream cheesy taste. This recipe is nice
and soft at room temp, it hardens up in the fridge.
Keep tasting as you mix in the powdered sugar. Stop when you like it.
o 1 1/2 sticks of unsalted butter, softened
o 1 1/2 packages of softened cream cheese, get the good stuff, like
Philadelphia.
o 1 lbs or so powdered sugar, sifted
o 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, I like the double strength stuff.

1. For the cupcakes:.
2. Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
3. Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder into a bowl and set aside.
4. In a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, mix oil, sugar, and buttermilk until combined. Add eggs, food coloring, vinegar, vanilla and water and mix well. Add the dry ingredients a little bit at a time and mix on low, scraping down sides occasionally, and mix until just combined. Be sure not to over mix, or the batter will come out tough.
6. Line cupcake pan with paper liners, scoop the batter into the liners (fill the wrappers up almost to the top, leave about 1/4 inch of paper showing) and bake at 350 degrees F for 20 to 30 minutes or until the toothpick comes out clean. (Mine took 27 min) Let cool in the pan for 5 min, then remove and place on a cooling rack.
For the cream cheese frosting:.
8. Whip the butter and cream cheese together in a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until creamed. Gradually add powdered sugar to the mixture and scrape down the bowl as needed. Add the vanilla and mix until combined.
9. The frosting can be used right away, or stored in the refrigerator up to a week.
10. Frost cooled cupcakes with the cream cheese frosting.

Waiting

2010-09-13T22:29:00.004-05:00

Little guy patiently waits while I try to get his shirt and shoes collected from the car. Hurry, Mama! There are elevators to behold!
Once properly adnorned in the new elevator shirt, the hunt for fun ends up here:

Because he's two and a half...

2010-09-10T23:11:00.003-05:00

I took Remi to Pete's Burger Place (our favorite little dive) to celebrate turning two and a half today. Marshall is part of the package deal so he came as well. It was so fun to have a Remi-date. To mark the occasion I want to highlight somethings about the past six months:
Remi has been such a joy since one of his molars broke through about a month ago.
He sleeps like a dream and he is always bright eyed and bushy tailed in the morning.
He's been "real bowling" twice and he has a bowling set and goes bowling on the Wii.
His love for elevators and clocks has intensified.
He likes the moon.
Prefers a regular chair instead of a highchair now. If Keith is gone he points to the empty spot at the table and yells "Dada!"
He worries about my toes when I wear green nail polish.
He loves to sit in Daddy's helicopter.
Asks about Dada about ten times a day!
Discovered a love for swimming the day before the pool closed for the season.
Very good at helping me cook and plays pretend with the pots and pans.
Plays a game called "I have something for you" with clenched fists. We open his fists to discover a tickle!
Cries when forced to wear his Charlie Brown shirt (the one HE picked out)
LOVES brother Marshall.
Had a lovely visit to Utah and had many visitors come to Texas when Marsh was born.
Loves to help swipe my debit card at stores and pay at restaurants.
Can operate and play games on the Wii better than any grown-up. Especially likes to go to youtube and watch elevators, planes taking off or cuckoo clocks chiming. Plays bowling, sword fighting and bicycles like a champ.
Still hums a lot but with help is learning to speak. Despite that little hiccup, he is an excellent communicator.
Loves stickers as evidenced by the following pictures. He really likes the expensive scrap booking stickers!
He is an absolute delight and gives kisses and hugs to everyone in the family.
Posing with his first love: a clock.
Actually, I said "Say Cheese!" Not, "Say Please!"
Notice the little salt pile at the bottom left. He does that everywhere we go. He eats little grains throughout the meal. Yum.
Loves expensive stickers. I tell him 3 is the limit...see how well that goes over? He hides in my closet and frantically puts them on before I catch him.

Remi...DING! A Homemade Graphic T

2010-09-10T21:56:00.006-05:00

After doing a whole-lotta research on how to do such a thing, the planets finally aligned and I found everything I needed to make Remi a homemade t-shirt featuring his one true love. Honestly, when would I EVER come across an elevator t-shirt in a store, I ask you? I want to share the step-by-step, otherwise I will forget how to do it the next time around.

It starts with freezer paper. It MUST be freezer paper, not wax or parchment paper. I found mine at an actual grocery store for about $4. Not to be found at Super Target.
Either trace or free-hand an image on the dull side of the freezer paper. Plan the negative side of the drawing carefully! Once you start cutting, you can't undo your dastardly mistakes!
Using a hot, dry iron, press freezer paper waxy side down onto clean article of clothing. I chose a plain white t-shirt that I picked up at Hobby Lobby for $2.99.
Place a piece of cardboard under the area to be painted to prevent bleeding through. Using a dry foam brush and a good fabric paint (I chose Tulip brand matte paint-a mixture of holiday green and classic blue $1.69 each at Michael's)dab the area with a layer of paint, dry on a flat surface for 4 hours and repeat with another layer of paint, dry at least another 4 hours.
Once dry, pull out the old iron again and cover shirt with a clean dry cloth. Iron over the cloth to set the paint. Shirt cannot be washed for 72 hours after this step.
As Remi said when he saw this for the first time..."DING!"
This elevator looks exactly the way the other hundreds of elevators look that Remi has made me draw over the last few months. I know this is amateurish but I was so excited a share a fun little project that can made your child's wardrobe unique and fun!

Marshall Newsletter: Month 6

2010-09-03T16:22:00.007-05:00

Dear Little Marshall,

Today you turn six months old.

You are our little steamroller. Heavy. Cylindrical. A solid mass of kid. You really do roll, by the way. It was something that came quite easily. I have no worries about motor skills. You are right on the precipice of sitting up and crawling as well.

You began eating solids this month. The recommended one serving per day of rice cereal only cut it for one day and we have been forced to include applesauce and homemade sweet potatoes to your repertoire. Oh! What a glorious exisitence you have led since then. Sweet potatoes are your manna from heaven. What a stark contrast from Remi's slow and deliberate ways of eating. You positively inhale any food that dares come near your mouth. Dada's first response to hearing this was, "Wow! we're going to have to watch that one's intake!"

You are a dramatic child. Everything exciting is EXCITING to you. Being alone in a crib is LONELY! And makes you want to WAIL! You turn up the VOLUME of the household by a million. You coo at ridiculously high decibel levels. Once you see Remi you get even louder. You still YELL! yourself to sleep practically every night. You certainly do not appreciate being ignored, and you expect to be entertained by whomever you share the room with.

Brother Remi and I took you on a trip to Utah this month. Your first set of airplane rides went nearly perfectly and you didn't even poop! You met many many family members for the first time. You were completely spoiled both by family members that wanted to hold you constantly and by me letting you sleep in bed with me every night! You came home with a small cold and were miserable company for days.

Since recovering, you have turned back into the smilely boy that we know and love! Still having the tiniest issue with naps but other than that, you are a go-with-the-flow kinda guy. We love you for it!

Love,
Mama

Happy Birthday, MOM!

2010-09-01T01:00:00.001-05:00

Mom, Beth, Grandma celebrates a birthday today!What a special lady! We are her biggest fans! She has been the ONLY person to visit us everywhere we have lived! On top of that, she has been the first family member to meet both Remi and Marshall.
She was one of the two that attended our wedding!
She came to San Diego the first chance she got!
We have strolled the beaches...
Taken flight...
Carved a pumpkin or two in Pueblo...
She has inspected Keith's bird...
Held Mr. Remi for the first time...
Admired the beauty of a simple flower...
Explored space...
Witnessed a rodeo Houston-style...
Tried her hand at Rock Band...
And cared for Remi when this little nugget came along...
I am about the luckiest person alive to have her as a mother-in-law! She has fed us, housed us on numerous occasions, diapered the boys, spoiled us with creative gifts, cared for us when sick, lifted our spirits, given great advice, provided the most comfortable of places to lay our heads, made us laugh and much, much more. The reason I love her the most is because she has taught us to appreciate the simplest things in life, whether it be a bright red cardinal on the back porch, a plant with colorful blooms, or a quiet road trip through the country.
We are luck lucky LUCKY to have you in our lives.

WE LOVE YOU!

Zzzz...

2010-08-28T21:58:00.003-05:00

Shh! He's never been quite this tired before! This is the kid who MUST fall asleep in bed EVERY time he goes to sleep!
This is Katie's cute reading room at her school. I'm in love with the Ikea rug. It makes me hope future and un-conceived #3 will be a girl.
Speaking of tired:

Kids with some fam

2010-08-25T21:55:00.004-05:00

I was really bad at taking pictures while on my trip to Utah. Most of them are of Remi or Marshall, not many with others! So while I'm kicking myself for being a dummy, please enjoy the following!

Officially on the Market

2010-08-24T23:49:00.003-05:00

Not me, sillies! Our house!!!

A Surprise

2010-08-24T17:30:00.012-05:00

The babies and I bravely boarded a plane at the beginning of this month and headed to Utah to surprise my mom for her 50th birthday. The flight was amazingly easy, and it made me forever grateful for my two little boys. After careful and sneaky planning, and with mounds of help from my aunts and my in-laws, we threw my mom a Hawaii five-0 themed party.
Katie helped me prepare decorations while I ran around madly like a chicken with it's head cut off!
My sis-in-law Brenna and Beth and Frank put together this amazing birthday cake while I continued to run around crazy...Brenna made the gorgeous fondant flowers!

I managed to make these tasty little nuggets. By far the VERY BEST CUPCAKES I have ever tasted, and I have tasted a lot. Coconut lime cupcake with lime buttercream and toasted coconut topping.
Beth helped me assembled this lovely edible arrangement.And my dear aunties Sally, Shannon, Sauni, and Nicole provided this dazzling array and the vast majority of decor. The uncles helped, too!But this is where they ended up!
The spread comes together
Little sis Danielle helped me with the fruit tart cookies and pretzel "thingies"Papa with his newest great-grandson.
And finally, 45 minutes behind schedule...
I think she just might have enjoyed herself...
I love you, Mama!

Marshall Newletter: Month Five

2010-08-02T21:42:00.014-05:00

Mr. Marshall, Marshy, Brother

Today you turn five months old.

What happened to my little helpless nugget? You have grown into what seems like an indestructible tank of a baby! Wearing size 3 diapers and tipping the scale at 17+lbs! Already wearing 12 mo outfits and trying to sit up like a big boy!

Marshall, you are a ham! You love to smile at our little family, you even smile at the dogs. You love brother Remi to bits. You take baths with him and help tuck him in at night, and he in turn wakes you up in the morning with a smile, holds your hand in the car, and NEVER complains when you cry! He actually gasps instead because he is worried about you. He tries to carry your carseat out to the car because he worries I'll leave you behind. When we talk about elevator rides (which is everyday) he points at you because he wants to include you in his favorite activity. Remi loves to shake your hand and give you little kisses on the cheek. What a pair!!! Seeing the love you already have for each other warms the deepest corners of my heart.

You are the king of babbling. You talk and almost yell yourself to sleep, talk when you are alone in bed, talk in the car, talk over my talking. Many times during phonecalls Daddy has to tell me to call him back because you are too loud in the background.

This month has been a month of firsts for you. First time attending a parade, first time at the swimming pool, first time shopping with me at the outlets all day, first time getting portraits taken (you were an angel,) first mosquito bite (back of your head,) first time pooping all over me (at the outlets!)

Your personality is shining through and you are quite the giggler. Well, it is more of a choked scream right now, but every now and then when we tickle you we get a belly laugh. You love to play "puh-choo!" Where we squeak "puh-choo!" every time we throw you in the air. Lame, I know but it makes everyone laugh.

You aren't the best napper, but sometimes that is okay. You are such a pleasant presence in my life that it doesn't matter. You are content to sit and watch me do dishes, no matter how tired. It is SO much better than having to sit in your crib all alone! The best indicator that you can't stay up another minute is that the whites of your eyes turn pink. At that point I am 100% sure I can get you to sleep in five minutes flat. Even though you don't like the whole napping thing, you are a champion night sleeper! I can almost guarantee a good 12 hours of sleep from you every night, and I love you for it. Our days our so lovely when everyone gets good sleep!

Other things you love: eating, sitting in your saucer or bumbo, playing with your "flutterfly," sucking on your thumb or pointer finger, singing "swimming in the bubbles" during bathtime,
For memory sake: no teeth, not sick this month, not eating solids yet, never had a bottle, you scratched your face up quite a bit when I made you nap, Auntie Katie came for two weeks and helped bounce you to sleep on numerous occasions, she even brought you your first pair of shoes, you still have beautiful, soft baby skin, your fat rolls have fat rolls

Keep up the good work, kid!

Love you to bits!
Mama

Preview

2010-07-28T22:22:00.003-05:00

Here's a preview of the little ones recent "photo shoot" Remi politely declined to be in all but one picture! Good thing Marshall decided to be such a cutie!

Puddle

2010-07-28T16:28:00.003-05:00

I love this little progression.
Spot puddle from afar...

Gingerly step into said puddle...Puddle intrigues...But not enough...
On second thought...I like puddle...
Ta-ta for now!

A boy and his helicopter

2010-07-21T21:43:00.005-05:00

Remi got a special treat this week while Katie and I took him to visit Dada in Galveston. He got to sit in Dada's helicopter and tour the flight deck! The boy was thrilled to say the least! Marshall came too but was not as thrilled.

A Swimming We Will Go

2010-07-21T19:14:00.004-05:00

While Katie was here we took Marshall swimming for the first time ever! Remi is not much of a fish and he prefers to stick to the kiddie pool, so it works out great for all of us. We are very fortunate to have our neighborhood pool literally in our backyard, because our outings never last long! It's too darn hot around here.

KATIE!!! PRIME RIB!!! FUN!!!

2010-07-16T15:43:00.009-05:00

Oh, how we love when Aunt Katie comes for a visit. I think she has beaten all records when it comes to the frequency of her visits. Remi is her #1 fan. His face lights up with a smile every morning when he sees her and realizes she is still here.
We have been having a great time shopping, eating, shopping and playing Wii. Katie, the little ones and I made a special trip to the newly opened Sprinkles Houston. An over-priced yet delicious little place to satisfy your cupcake cravings. We were worried that we would have to wait in crazy lines, but 5 minutes later we walked away with 8 cupcakes, two of which were free because we whispered the secret word provided by Facebook (and you thought FB was a worthless waste of time!)

My favorite was the carrot cupcake
Remi liked the counter better than anything else.
Time-out for a cute pic! Marshall is NOT eating the lollipop, this picture is just deceiving.
Remi has been obsessed with bowling on Wii Sports Resort, which is actually quite dull, so we decided to take him "real bowling." Our boy was in 7th heaven! We set up bumpers and he used a ramp to bowl. Remi was so good at taking turns and cheering us on. He looked great in these little kicks:
Showing off his ramp skills:
We won't be world champs anytime soon...
How did I let a toddler beat me?
Two thumbs up for bowling!
Just a side note: Katie got a kick out of dressing Remi in 12 mo girls pants. Just a cool dude following the fashion trends.
I swear Remi owns shirts, but it's HOT here!
I don't know if I really need to explain the following pictures...Keith loves to cook and he'll try anything once. He claimed he wanted to make Kaite a special dinner while she was here. But he obviously had some selfish motives when it came to preparing this Salt Crusted Prime Rib. He and Katie battled Houston rush hour traffic to pick up this chunk at a specialty meat market (who in their right mind travels 50 miles round trip for meat???) Keith made dinner while we watched the world cup. Needless to say he was quite satisfied with the results.
Spices...
Salt...
Crusty...
Ta Da!

My Darling Remington

2010-07-06T21:49:00.003-05:00

Had to share some videos of the boy. He cracks me up.
Remington is learning to talk at his own pace. We are trying to encourage him by using flashcards. He imitates Candice by holding the cards to his face like she does. So cute.

Rem-o has been great at communicating with hand signals. While he is working on saying "please", I taught him how to beg. Cracks me up! How can you say no to that face?

I Love a Parade!

2010-07-04T17:01:00.003-05:00

The little ones and I braved the scorching heat and oppressive humidity to watch our small town 4th of July parade. Nothing fancy. Shriners, horses, bratty kids who think they can sing. No frills, but it has been our fun little tradition since Remi was born. They give out boatloads of candy, one huge incentive. This was Marshall's first parade, and we marked it by having him wear the same outfit Remi wore to his first parade. We got a great spot and met up with Remi's friend Sam. They did great waving their flags and catching candy. Trying to keep them cool was a nightmare, so we ended up bailing about 3/4 through. That evening we visited Callie's fam to do sparklers and ground blooms. Remi was not a fan, not in the least. Let's just say we won't be attending any big fireworks shows for a few years. He wouldn't even watch from my window our neighbor across the street light his roman candles. Funny, he loves seeing them on TV...

Marshall Newletter: Month Four

2010-07-03T21:10:00.005-05:00

Dear Marshall,

Today you turn four months old!

Nicknames: Mister, Angry Kitten
You are a spunky little thing! You have decided many things for yourself this month. Firstly, you determined that a baby of your caliber no longer requires a pacifier unless it is of the thumb variety.
Secondly, you love to be a part of things. Whether it be sitting in your Bumbo during mealtimes, or hanging out on the couch with us when we watch TV, or even sitting in your bouncer in the bathroom while I get ready for the day, you always want to be included!
Thirdly, you love to talk and sing! You often yell yourself to sleep. It's not crying, just very loud talking. You will jibber jabber at anything with a face. You seriously talk more than Remi does.

You have abandoned need for your swing, my crutch. I have to do all the legwork to get you to sleep now. You love sprawling on the couch for naptime. I just moved you from the pack and play in the master bedroom to the crib in your room. I was worried at first, but you do great and sleep through the night pretty consistently.

You love your big brother and he loves you! Remi always kisses you goodnight and snuggles with you first thing in the morning. Remi gets worried if he thinks I'm leaving you behind when I put him in his carseat before I load you in. He often gasps when he hears you crying and I can pretty much trust him not to clobber you when he plays near you. He loves it when you get to lay in his crib. I hope you will be best buds.
You are a fatty! Wearing 9 month outfits and size 3 diapers!
We love you, nugget!
Love,
Mama