WHAT was he thinkin'?

This picture needs a caption, any ideas??



When Maddie was born, Hot Rod's cousins Melani & Curtis gave us the cutest, most cuddly pair of pajamas. Since they were not gender specific, all three of our children have worn them. In fact, Carter has them on in the photo above. I'm kind-of thinkin we might need to replace them...what do you think?




And while we're on the subject of Carter, I feel like I should mention he has added a couple of new teeth to his collection. So now he has both his top two front teeth. (the left one came in on Saturday) On Sunday, another one on the bottom popped thru. I noticed it while we were driving through Prestonwood looking at Christmas lights. That brings our tooth total up to five. He's eating anything he can reach to put in his mouth. (Which is not necessarily a good thing. He has an attraction to shoe strings!)


BTW - if you are in Houston, you should really check out the house that has the lights set to blink with music. I could just sit and watch it. Plus, they have a Santa that moves around in the window. That's pretty neat too.

The girls have asked Hot Rod and me if we can do that to our house...I told them, "we'll see." (Such a typical Mommy answer -- LOL!!)

When I was younger (much younger)

I remember playing lots of fun games: Ring Around the Rosey, Duck Duck Goose, Red Light Green Light and.....TAG.


Well, folks it appears I've been tagged - TWICE! In one week! No fears, I'm ready!

First lets tackle the "Crazy Eight" meme that my friend D'Lyn tagged me with:

Eight shows I watch

1. How I Met Your Mother (If you don't watch this one...you should!!)
2. The Big Bang Theory
3. Desperate Housewives
4. American Idol
5. Biggest Loser
6. Two and a Half Men
7. Scrubs
8. CSI: Miami (or NY)

Eight Favorite Restaurants

1. Chili's
2. HB Japanese Steakhouse
3. Logan's
4. Pappasito's
5. EJ's Pizzeria
6. Pei Wei
7. TGI Friday's
8. Chick-fil-A

Eight Things that Happened to me today

1. Woke up at 4 AM to play with my 8 month old (Argh, 8's!!!)
2. Enjoyed Maddie reading to me during school
3. Took advantage of "Happy Hour" at Sonic (Route 44 -- Oh, how I've missed you!)
4. Experienced 2 girls with NO naps
5. Washed, dried, folded and put away LOADS of laundry
6. Ate dinner at Logan's
7. Visited Santa (pictures to follow) at the neighborhood clubhouse
8. Cuddled with Hot Rod on the couch - w/o a baby in my arms

Eight Things I Look Forward to

1. Weekends
2. Time with Hot Rod
3. Christmas
4. Birthdays (any of my immediate family)
5. Seeing my Mom again
6. Our Disney World vacation
7. Cuddling my babies (all three of them)
8. Shopping

Eight Things I Wish

1. That my children will live Christ-centered lives
2. And they will marry Christians
3. We lived in a neighborhood with acreage
4. That I had more time to cook
5. And I had more time to sew
6. I could throw things away
7. I enjoyed cleaning - since I "get" to do it so much
8. That Hot Rod will be here on Christmas Day

Eight People I Tag

1. Mrs TD @ The TD Family
2. ErinKH @ Who's at the Helm
3. Laural @ Laural Out Loud
4. Mrs De Miranda @ The Road Less Traveled
5. Carly @ Our Family of Four
6. Euphrony @ Euphrony Rambles
7. The Character @ The Character's Craziness
8. Erinlo

Second, my friend ErinKH tagged me to post my Christmas Decorations. Actually, it was originally a pic of my front door. Since I don't really have anything more than just a simple wreath that I snarfed from my Mom's old Christmas decorations, I decided to pick just a few of my favorite decorated spots from the around the house.

So, without further ado (just felt like saying that) here they are...

Our tree:

((Ooh, that picture came out dark!))

The girls' tree (they decorated it themselves):

((Shoot! I forgot to turn the lights on!!))

My village (this is my favorite spot!)

Did you see Elfie? He's sitting on top of the Pharmacy.

So, Kelsey, Sharon, & Heather - Ladies, show me your stuff!!

I think tomorrow I'll take better pictures of the trees when it's light outside and post those, but until then...

...TAG, you're it!! Be sure to add a comment so everyone can read your post!

Up High, Down Low, In the Hole...

I forgot to mention that Carter has gotten rather good at giving "FIVES"

He doesn't care if it's high or low, just don't expect him to stick his finger in a hole 'cause I think he's still too slow.

I Slept Alone Last Night

...well, Hot Rod was there, too. BUT, all three of my children slept in their own beds.

ALL...NIGHT...LONG

Yes, this is the longest Carter has ever slept. 10 1/2 hours straight!!! Saturday night, he slept 8 hours straight. Before that, I had only gotten typically 4 or 5 hours.

This is probably the most rested I will ever be for the next 18 years.

I am NOT kidding!!! WE...HAD...SNOW!

I can't believe I'm actually writing this, but...it snowed yesterday. Kind of makes "Dreaming of a White Christmas" more attainable.

The kids were all down for a nap when the flurries started to fall. Oh, to have video of this crazy Momma running around like a wild woman trying to dress three kids (and herself) warm enough to brave the outdoors before the snow stopped falling! I'm sure that would make a much better post.


Here are a few pictures - you know, for proof!


This is the snow falling in front of our house:





Snowflakes keep falling on my head...






















Carter even had a few flakes on top of his little cap!

It really showed on the top of the stroller

Here are the girls running around with the neighbor kids. If you look closely, you'll see a few neighbors in front of the other houses in the cul-de-sac.



We had so much fun!

Thank you, GOD, for snow!!!

Side note: I called Hot Rod to tell him about it...he was in a meeting. About 2 minutes later, he called me back, "Who would have thought that YOU could break up one of MY meetings!" Apparently, they were all eavesdropping on our conversation and decided to take a break to go outside to enjoy the snow. You're welcome, Honey!

10 things I'm thinking on the 10th

1. I've been in a state of blahs lately. I haven't felt like doing anything. In fact, for a week now, I've had to force myself to do the smallest things. I don't know what it is, but I think it's fading. I've started to get my "oomph" back. I'm blaming it on the weather...and being sick.

2. Speaking of the weather, what is with this ridiculous Houston weather? I mean, I've lived here my entire life and I still cannot get used to it. I know what to expect. It happens every year. Besides, where do you think the following quote came from: "If you don't like the weather, wait 5 minutes, it'll change" Yep, Houston, Texas! It is hard to get into the Christmas spirit when the weather is 75 degrees. (That was yesterday...today's a whole nother story -- COLD!) YAY, break out the hot cocoa.

3. I love the Starbucks Peppermint Mocha that comes out this time of year! My hubby is such a sweet man, he figured out how to take a simple hot chocolate drink and make it minty. Being the awesome man that he is, he made it for me to help get me out of my "funk"...at least, that's what I'm telling myself.

4. With the birth of each child, we wondered how in the world we could possibly love another child so much. How in the world would there be enough love to go around? Now that the children are "one up" on us, we can't imagine life without any of them. It seems that you find room in your heart to love each one of them for who they are.

5. Maddie, at 5 (almost 6) years old is a second "mom" to her younger brother and sister. She is very helpful to Mommy and Daddy - especially when it comes to her siblings. She loves to care for Carter and entertain him. When it comes to Hailey, she couldn't have a more perfect playmate. All girls should have a sister. (I should know, I have 3!) She's doing well in Kindergarten and is proud of herself when she successfully reads her papers for school.

6. Hailey, now 3 years old is my cuddler. I have to soak it all in while Daddy is at work or traveling because she is a major Daddy's girl. (Drives me crazy! If it were up to me, they'd all snuggle up to me on the couch every night.) She can pick up on things quickly when she has the desire. Just a few days ago, she said, "I dropped my baby and I catched it." Daddy corrected her that is should be caught. The very next day, she was playing and said, "I catched--I caught it." So proud! You won't find better manners than this little one.

7. Carter, a whopping 8 months old...not that you'd know that to look at him. He's always looked older for his age. It's funny to hear people say, "He looks like a little man! He doesn't look like a baby anymore." (Truth be told, he never looked like a baby...okay, maybe when he first came home and for the first month) He's a strong little boy. He continually amazes me with his physical abilities. I keep waiting for him to just stand up and walk over to me, but he is still just crawling - and FAST! Unfortunately (for everyone else - not me), he is a Momma's boy. Drives most people crazy. If I am anywhere in the room, he wants to be held by me. I don't mind. I'm afraid one day, he won't want his crazy Mom around. So, for now, I'll just soak it up!

8. "As Seen on TV" - this just cracks me up! Who comes up with these crazy things that they sell on television. And don't even get me started on the bearded guy that pushes them all. He ALmost makes me believe in the amazing power of whatever product he is peddling. I can hear him now: Just look at the (grass, chocolate, red wine, you name it) stains lift right out of this bright white shirt - it looks just like new! OR This putty can hold a two-ton truck being towed. OR Just watch how it melts away hard water, lime, rust, and mildew from this old tub. IF ONLY...

9. Someone should write songs for Independence Day that make everyone feel the way that Christmas songs make you feel during the Christmas season. "Line the rockets in a row, fa, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la! Light a match and watch it glow, fa, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la!" and "City sidewalks, busy sidewalks, dressed in red, white and blue. In the air there are fireworks glowing" and let's not leave out "Sparklers, sparklers, hot dogs all the way. Picnics by the bright moonlight it's Independence Day!" (Don't blame me for the shotty lyrics...I'm a singer, not a song writer!)

10. It's been a while since we've gone to the movies...until recently. We took all three kids to see Madagascar 2 - SO GOOD!! Now, I am dying to go see movie after movie. I can't wait to drag Hot Rod out to see Four Christmases. I don't know about any of you, but it looks hilarious to me.

He's Happy and You'll Know it...

Carter has learned (he must have picked it up from his friend, Justin) how to clap his hands.

Two Sunday's ago, we were in the "Baby Care Room" at Church with Danielle and Justin watching Justin show off his latest talent: Clapping! As of that point, we hadn't really worked with Carter on clapping his hands, but from that day on, he thinks it's hilarious to clap his hands whenever he hears someone cheer. YAY!!!

And he just LOVES when big sister Maddie sings "If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands!" He claps right along. Sometimes, he even squeals with delight.

Thanks, Justin...clapping is fun!

The Truth Tooth Hurts...

Why are little pieces of grass or fuzz so appealing to little hands and mouths? Must all babies pick up every spec of anything they can spot and cram it into their mouths? And WOW, they HAVE to have the best eyesight EVER...because they always tend to find things that I can't even see. (It makes me feel better to think it's just because they are closer to the floor where those specs reside.)

Well, yesterday, we found something new in Carter's mouth. Tooth number three - on the right in the front, his first upper tooth has finally poked through the gums. That would explain the massive amounts of drool pouring from his mouth non-stop. And his desire to chew on just about anything...Mommy included. (Ouch!)

I'm havin' one of those days.

Ever had one of those days where you just don't feel like it? Well, I've been having a couple of weeks like that.

I've got lots to post on the blog, but I just don't feel like it.

I've got cleaning to do...Christmas decorations to display...laundry to finish...dinner to make...projects to start...projects to finish...Thank you notes to send out....I could go on, but I JUST...DON'T...FEEL LIKE IT.

Maybe I've just got a case of the BAH-HUMBUGS!

Can anyone out there provide me with a little inspiration?

I know it was wrong...and I'd do it again!

Riding in the car with my kids can get a little crazy.

We were on our way to meet Daddy at work last night to eat dinner and do a little shopping when this conversation began...


Maddie: Mommy, Hailey said Toot-toot. (It's something that I don't like them to say. It is not said to be funny, but unkind or rather disgusting.)


Hailey: I did not!


Me: Girls! Hailey, don't say that. Maddie, stop tattling.


Me, again: You know who knows whether you did it or not - for sure?

----------------GOD!

----------------and Santa Claus!


Hailey: Sorry, Sissy!


I know it was wrong, but it worked, so I'd do it again! Don't judge me...

The Hands of a Two-Year-Old

This is a two-year-old:

These are the hands of a two-year-old:

Lotion left within the reach of two-year-old hands becomes this:

A camera in the hands of a two-year-old produces something like this:

Markers, scissors and glue held by two-year-old hands compose masterpieces such as this:

Sometimes, the hands of my precious two-year old come together like this:

Or even like this:

And in the kitchen, like this:

Tomorrow these little hands turn three and I just can't wait to see what their future holds...

My little Hailey-Bug, I love you and I hope your birthday is just as fantastic as you!

Three Special Wishes

Today is an extra special day. We honor two very special people. Poppy (my Daddy) and Paw-Paw (Hot Rod's Dad) celebrate their birthdays today.

So, raise your glass and help me toast two of the greatest Christian men I've ever known.

Happy Birthday Poppy/Daddy and Paw-Paw may you have many, many more years to come! We love you.

Tomorrow, Poppy will marry his sweetheart, Tanya (Nanna to my kids) She is a wonderful woman who brings happiness to my Daddy where once there was sadness. Congratulations you two! May you celebrate many happy years together.

I Decided to Just FACE it!

It's time for me to admit...I was wrong. It doesn't happen often. (The admitting, not the being wrong part!)



For so long I've been spending my computer time in Blogger. I have my bloggy friends to read about and to share with. Lots of my friends IRL have blogs - and I read them almost as soon as they are updated.



And all this time, there's been this whole other world out there.


I just didn't get the hype. But everybody kept on talking about it.


I held out for as long as I could. I refused to get involved. I was NOT going to let it invade MY space (tee, hee...)



So, I decided to check it out. Now, I get it...But, I can't stop. I have found friends from high school, pals from college, people that used to attend church with me who have moved out of state, and even people who live across town that I just haven't kept in touch with over the years. (Even some of you were out there before me)


And that, my bloggy friends, is where I have been.


FACEBOOK.


I officially have no more room in my schedule for any more online addictions. (I mean, naptime is only so long...)

Consider me all "BOOKed" up.

10 things I'm thinking on the 10th

1. I'm glad that Carter is starting to get more independent. He's finally playing on the floor more by himself so that I can do things without having to carry him everywhere. Although, I must have some really strong arms...and back for that matter!


2. I think it's funny how many people ask me if the girls are twins. Obviously, they're not. I mean there is a 3 year difference in their age. But if they are sitting down, I can kind of see why. Like in this picture:

3. Hailey is turning 3 in less than two weeks! I remember her birth like it was yesterday...it's hard to believe time can fly by so quickly.

4. I'm trying something new. I've got to get a handle on things around the house. It's so easy just to play with the kids or on the internet. So, I have a plan. One that will help me get organized. One that will help me clean. One that will (hopefully) keep the Hubs happy.

5. It's hard when you've got three kids and you don't want one to wake up the other two while they're sleeping at naptime. The best way to keep him from crying is to hold him while he sleeps. So, I just hold him. (Now, before any of you "Baby-Wiser's" start in on me in the comments section, keep in mind that I went from working outside of the home to staying home, homeschooling, and a new baby all in one swoop - I'm still getting used to this whole thing! Give a Mom a break)

6. Speaking of Moms...I really miss mine. I wish she was here. For so long I looked forward to the day when I could quit work. The day that I could visit with her all day long without worrying about a schedule. The day she could teach me to sew and to cook and bake and make candies. The day that finally came, but didn't. The day that came without her. That day is now, that day is here...but she's not. And there's this hole. This huge gaping hole. One that will never be filled. And in a way, I don't want it to be filled.

7. I think my luck might be turning around. Just the other day I managed to outrun my little dark cloud. Hot Rod met up with the kids and me at Chili's for dinner on Friday night. After dinner, he took the girls home and I took Carter to the grocery store. The Hubs called me while I was shopping to tell me that Maddie informed him once they got home that she had lost her shoe getting into the car to head home. And he wasn't going back for it - could I run by and see if I could find it? Of course, I had to! It was a shoe...I am a woman...you do the math. Anyway, here I am thinking "How in the world will I ever find a small pink Croc in a Chili's parking lot, on a Friday night, during the dinner rush?" I drive into the parking lot down the side where I knew he had parked looking for an empty spot to pull in so I could get out and look around. Lucky for me, there was an open spot and two other people getting into their cars to leave. Even luckier for me, I look over into said spot and there was that stinkin' shoe. I am NOT kidding. It was like God knew I needed it. That is the only way I can justify what happened.

8. Boys are born stinkers. Carter does things that Maddie and Hailey never did. He grabs and pulls hair, he grunts at people, he bangs on things (computers included) I could go on. Then, when I get annoyed with him and say (in that "Motherly way") "Car--ter," he gives me that little grin. As if he's saying, "I know Mommy, but I'm just too cute for you to be mad at me!" And he's right.

9. Funny...I love the sun. I love the way it shines in through the blinds during the day. I love how it makes everything outside look when it's out from behind the clouds. I love the warmth that it gives. I love that I never have to shovel its heat from my driveway so that I can go somewhere. But then, I also can't wait for the cool weather to come so I can wear those long sleeve t-shirts 'cause I think sometimes I love them more than the sun.

10. I also love the 10th of the month. I enjoy my randomness. Since I'm a SAHM, I don't get all my visiting done during the day, so it's kind of a nice way to 'talk.' It doesn't matter how long these 10th posts get because they're numbered. You can either read the whole thing word for word or you can skim the list and if something catches your eye, read it. I don't really care...as long as you leave me a comment when you're done. :)

He is OutSTANDing!

I'm behind in my updates...Carter has been crawling around for a few weeks now. In fact, he's gotten so bored with just crawling or sitting on the floor playing that all he does is crawl to the nearest spot where he can pull himself up to stand.

He pulls up on everything...couches, tables, toy boxes, and even Mommy's legs! (or anyone else for that matter)

On the left, it's the ottoman and on the right, Aunt Cheryl's legs at our Sunday night Connection Group.

More recently, he has been stopping in the middle of the livingroom floor in an attempt to stand on his own. And he's getting close!

Before we know it, he'll be running up and down the stairs! Where does the time go?

The Closest Thing to a Political Post You'll See on My Blog...

Dear Candidates,

Please stop calling me. I have come to hate the sound of my telephone ringing - especially during naptime.

You will not persuade me to change my vote. My mind is made up. In fact, my decision was made months ago. There's no going back. All you're going to do is wake up my children while upsetting and frustrating me.

It's bad enough I am forced to watch your television commercials if I wish to enjoy anything besides the Disney Channel.

And lets talk about these TV spots you've been running. Can you not talk just about yourselves and what you plan to do if elected? Must you really slam on your opponent? 'Cause to me, that seems a little 'high school' of you. Seriously, are we not all adults here? Just the facts, guys.

In this day and age, with all the internet and Google (oh, Google, how I love thee) don't you think we can research anything we need? There aren't any secrets once you enter a public office. You can kiss your personal life goodbye when you start campaigning.

All your dirty little secrets you think you'll be able to hide, we'll know about them - whether we want to or not.

Your financial records, your charitable donations (or lack there of), your heritage, your work/military experience, and your family. It all becomes our business.

I'm an informed voter, I did my homework and I know which candidates are best suited to do the job. So, please stop calling me.

Besides, I voted early last week...

No Tricks Here...

I just love this time of year. I really enjoy seeing all the kids dressed up. What other time of the year do kids (young and old) get to dress up like whatever they want? It doesn't matter if it's something that they want to be when they grow up or something that they'll never be, it's just plain fun pretending. And they ALWAYS look cute. Take these three for instance...

We "suited up" and headed over to the Halloween bash at the rec center in our neighborhood. We were pleasantly surprised. Okay, so the bat-shaped ice sculpture was a little much, but they had hot dogs, nachos, Frito pies and lots of candy! We jumped in moonwalks, slid down the inflatable slides, and took down the inflated obstacle course. (No, really, while the girls were climbing through the last time, the thing started to deflate. It was a mad scramble to pull all the misc children out - actually quite humorous from the sideline - if I do say so myself!) We took a hayride, danced (Note to self: Enroll Hailey in dance class, she LOVES it and seems to have some natural ability to groove.), had our pictures professionally taken and....

The girls got to hold a real-live monkey! Her name was Abby Grace. She was so sweet and waaay cute, see?

Check out this proud look on Hailey's face. Sorry, Bug, we can't get you a pet monkey for your birthday! The clown that owned her (I'm not being tacky, she was dressed like a clown, sheesh!) had her all decked out in a cute little dress. Oh, and her little ears were pierced.

I had to include this photo. My caption, "In the jungle, the mighty jungle, the lion sleeps tonight!"

What?! Too long? Well, what would you caption it?

We left the party to go do a little Trick or Treating. The girls had a blast going door to door ringing doorbells. Although, I found it quite nice that lots of folks hung out in their driveways, yards all decorated, large bowls of candy, just waiting for all the kids to come by. National Night Out's got nuthin' on Halloween!