Movie Night, Segways and Grapes with Frosting

We started off the weekend right with Pizza and Movie night starring Shrek and Little Caesars.  That means Mommy doesn't have to cook! 

I'm trying to figure out why my grocery bill has shot up the last couple of months.  I know food in general has gone up in cost and we are feeling every bit of it!  This week I tried something a little different.  My local produce stand has reopened for the season and I went shopping there before going to the regular grocery store.  I got zucchini, yellow squash, fresh corn on the cob, and local strawberries all for $10!  Then when I went by the grocery store, I only had to get the dry goods and some milk.  Not sure if its going to save me or not, but we will see.  I'm also going to forgo W-Mart since they are just not cheaper anymore on a lot of stuff, like milk.  The Lion was a whole dollar less on milk!  And since we average about 3 gallons a week, that adds up!  I think I'm going to the Lion for most stuff and then maybe make a run to the Mart to stock up on cereal and the things that are a lot cheaper.  I'll update in a few weeks and we'll see how it goes.

Saturday we took the boys for haircuts and then attempted to shop for sandals for the boys.  I'm throwing in the towel on the sandals.  So frustrating!  I didn't want to spend a ton of money on them, but all the decent priced sandals are super ug!  I guess I'll be ponying up the cash after all.

Saturday afternoon, J and I got to go on a Segway tour of Hollywood Cemetery! 

The Grays, us, my brother and the Martins.

It was so cool!  I can't believe I call myself a Richmonder and had never been there!  We had a blast and a really good tour guide who knew so much history.  We saw Monroe's gravestone, John Tyler and Lewis Ginter too.  I had no idea that guy brought rolled cigarettes to the US and also started the concept of baseball cards.  We grabbed dinner at a local spot that makes a really good burger and then picked up the kids.

When we got to Pops and Ve Ve's B greeted us at the door with a big ole whole in his mouth where his front tooth has finally come out! 

This thing has been hanging for a week and its actually been painful for him.  This is the one that got very loose after he busted his mouth while running at Pops's house a month or two ago.  I gave him a little pain reliever on Saturday morning because it was bothering him so much.  Apparently he bit into an apple and out it came!  He said it felt so much better!  (After a little dramatic blood "gushing" situation)

Sunday we headed to church and our youth pastor had a great message on false faith.  I'm telling you, that guy doesn't mess around!  He's got a little Bible Belt in him and we love it.

We ate lunch at Pops and Ve Ve's house and went for the walk with the cousins.  It rained in the morning so there were some excellent puddles to jump over and throw rocks in. 

  It looked like so much fun, that I had to run with them and jump over the puddles too!  In my dress and boots!  No wonder I just don't care if the boys get dirty... even in their church clothes.  They are boys.  They are supposed to get dirty and play outside.  That's why God blessed us with a washer and dryer!  That's also why we buy clothes at Target and not Janie and Jack!  Of course, not everyone came back dry. There was one costume change when we got back.

Mr. Zander ran right through those puddles and didn't even stop to notice he was soaked from the knee down.  I wish I had gotten a picture of that!

Sunday afternoon is my time to cook for the week so we can have a good dinner all week that I can just heat up after work.  Since we have a ton of things going on this week after work, we need easy stuff.  A chicken pot pie, big pot of spaghetti and some squash and rice will work!  It also makes for a nice Sunday night buffet.  Of course my boys just want pepperoni, cheese and grapes with cream cheese frosting.

Yes, frosting.  This was an accidental "thing" I started.  I was buying red grapes since they were on sale for a while and B wouldn't touch them because they weren't the green ones he usually eats.  I was trying to get him to try them since I knew he would like them if he did. So I took some frosting I had leftover from some cupcakes and put a little "dip" on the side.  He ate them up!  So I've been serving them with a little frosting on the side and there are never leftovers.  Now if that would just work for squash...

The boys finished the night by pulling out the old Nintendo 64 and playing some of the old games.  They love making the guys on the wrestling game.  They look so cute with their little haircuts.

Great weekend and even got to see my brother for a bit.

Blast from the Past ~ Christmas 2011

I just had to share the poem I wrote this past Christmas.  Honestly, I'm afraid I'll lose it if I don't blog it and I thought it was very relevant to the kids at that time.

Twas the day after Christmas and all through the house,

was the beep beep of Leapsters and Dad yet to rouse. 

Memories of a 2 year old being bratty will fade,

and fun ones riding new scooters will be made. 

Snuggly PJs are worn, wrapping paper is torn,

and excitement for the upcoming holiday, I will mourn. 

But the church pew overflowing on Jesus' day,

with those whom I love all joining to say, 

"Happy Birthday to Jesus, the baby, our Lord!" 

Better gift than all those that we could afford.

My little monkeys in their Christmas PJs.  It was a great Christmas.  My sister and her family came in too so we were all here and got to do some caroling, opening a ton of gifts and had a lot of fun.  We all went to church together too which I loved.  We filled an entire pew!

Love Spring

I just love spring coming to my house.  I love all of the changes and season and although summer to fall is by far my favorite, spring is so pretty.  My house looks very pretty in spring. 

My hanging basket.

From my garden out back.

Best thing about warmer weather?  The ice cream truck starts riding through our neighborhood again!

 

Yay Spring!

Spring Picture Shoot!

I gave up on taking the boys to a photographer a while ago.  I get super stressed out and the boys don't ever do well for the photographer.  So here are some I snapped that are candidates for my picture wall.  I love the current pictures, but they are pretty outdated.  Let me know which you like the best!

So handsome!



Baseball Weekend!

This past weekend was all about baseball!  We had B's Opening Night Ceremony on Friday night and Saturday was his very first game!  The boys were so cute in their uniforms!

This is Alexander and B, the Muck Dogs and the Iron Pigs!

For Opening Night, the kids wore their uniforms and were announced by team.

This is what Ty was doing the whole ceremony.

Afterwards, we headed to the Brickoven with the Martins.

A little ice cream for dessert.

We were afraid Saturday would be a wash out with rain, but it held off until right at the end.  And B is so funny, he said his favorite thing about the whole game was running off the field as the rain started and screaming into the dugout.  NICE!

Waiting his turn to bat.

Great little stance!

Go B!

Tearing up the out field.

I'm so proud of my  little ball player.  Go Pigs!

Sad little question

Braden asked me a sad little question the other night.  He asked me if J and I were ever going to break up like one of his school friend's parents did. 

This is us in high school, our senior year.  High school sweethearts.  I just can't seem to shake him.  :)  Yes, it was a Hollywood theme.  Corny.  And we were the first people on the dance floor.  Maybe corny?  Or at least corny-cool?

This is the note I wrote on the back of our Prom picture back in 1997.  Yes, I'm ridiculous.  I'm sitting here grinning ear to ear just looking at this. 

I knew I wanted to marry this guy, and thank you God for answering that prayer! 

Ten years and two beautiful boys later, we are still very much in love.  The laughter we share forging through this life (same team!) is just inexplicably wonderful and fulfilling.  I look at these pictures and this little note, and I have an enormous sense of having every single thing I need in life.  (Something Target can't even supply!)

This is my all time favorite picture of us.  It was taken at our Senior Year Picnic. 

I have no idea why this picture makes me so happy (maybe its the french fries and burger I'm holding?).  Justin thinks I'm nuts.  I think it just shows us as "us" at that time.  No posing, no false smiles.  In high school so much is about looks and perceptions.  J and I were always for being "real."  That was very important to us then as it is now.  No games.  Just truth.

This picture resided in a small weird little frame I put it in 15 years ago and I never took it out, afraid the picture would flake like old pictures do.  B was playing basketball this weekend and knocked it off of the ledge it sits on and broke the frame.  I scanned it as soon as I could and have it in a ziplock bag ready for the frame I'll buy today and will place it back into a very prominent place in our home. 

Ten years is a lot in this day in age.  I'm extremely proud of it and how hard we have worked to get where we are. 

Sure, we have had some rough times.  We sure have had even more fun and wonderful times.  And I'll work on and fight for this marriage with everything in me until I'm in heaven.  Its the one thing on this earth I know, without a doubt, God wants for me to succeed in.  I thank Him daily for my man and what we have.  We high five often (me and J, not me and God.  Although God did high five me once, but that's another post entirely).

I told Braden, that no, we weren't ever going to break up.  And I asked if he knew why, fully preparing to talk about the covenant of marriage and God's plan for us etc etc.  B's answer?

"I know why, its because he's cute, right?"

Yep, that's exactly why.  :)

Spring Break ~ Potty Training Edition

DAY 1 - Wednesday

Wednesday after we got home from DC was Day 1 of potty training.  I put Ty in big boy underwear as soon as he woke up and announced for all to hear, "no more diapers!"

We watched movies, ate salty snacks and drank plenty of fluids.  My potty prep table.  TP, extra underwear, goldfish, and three different kinds of liquids!

What I did not expect or plan for was B's demand for attention.  Not sure what that was all about.  He wouldn't get more than about 4 feet away from me and was "Mommy look" and "Mommy watch me" -ing me to death!

These are the Ninja weapons he made to help us with potty training.

It took all morning to get a score in the potty but the candy was ready and waiting.

  Fully expected to clean and do laundry all day the first and possibly second day.  Hoped he would start getting it by Friday.  He liked his new potty right away and could sit on it all by himself.

 
Finally after one accident, we got a score!  After he figured out he would get candy, he would sit and get in a couple of drops and yell "candy!"  And since B would get a piece of candy too, he was a great encourager, asking him over and over if he wanted to try again.  Ty did mostly drive-by squats the entirety of Day 1.  He would run around and play and then sit down for a second and put in a few drops and move on.  Sometimes he chose to just leave off the underwear all together.  I'm really proud that he wants to take them off and put them on himself.  Night and day from B!

Prayed for patience for me and an agreeable spirit for Ty and some understanding on B's part as I was fully planning to be in the house for the next 3 days.

DAY 2 - Thursday

I don't have many more pictures from the rest of the week.  This was basically his uniform for Day 1 and 2. 

It was chilly outside but we had the heat up in the house, don't worry!  Ty did amazing on Day 2.  He woke up from bed and nap dry.  He scored many times in the potty and we even had a successful #2 on Day 2.  We played outside some and he had one accident while out there.  He needs to figure out how to stop playing for a minute when the urgency arises.  Day 2 was a big deal!  I was very encouraged.

DAY 3 - Friday

Day 3 started out great.  I decided to try a couple of short excursions outside the house since things were going so well.  I needed a grocery store run.  The flip side of the kids being home all week is they ate me out of house and home.  We had almost nothing left.  It was like Locusts had landed and devoured everything edible.  Pretty sure I will need a second job when they are teenagers just for the amount of food they will consume.

I made everyone use the potty before leaving.  Ty did awesome!  He stayed dry the whole time.  I did feel like I had a ticking time bomb in my basket.  Whew!  He did have an accident shortly after we got home.  Note to self, he needs to go as soon as we get home.

We also tried to go to the playground for a bit, but both boys were acting really tired and grouchy, so that was very short lived.  We got home and had lunch and naps.  I decided to stop asking Ty every 5 seconds whether or not he needed to go and just see if he would go on his own.  The potty stayed in the very prominent place in front of the TV in the great room.

He did great after nap!  No accidents!  We went to Sweet Frog to celebrate and he even had a successful trip to the public restroom with J and B!

DAY 4 - Saturday

I went on a girls day shopping trip with some good friends.  It was crazy nice to actually get dressed and swipe on some mascara after being in PJs for 3 days.  Ty did awesome for J and no accidents at all!  I think we are on to something!!!

DAY 5 - Sunday

Church today and potty training set backs.  He just wasn't comfortable there.  I was really upset about it, but then when we got home and he did so well the rest of the day and evening, I realized the training was not necessarily out the window.  Thanks for the encouragement, Tracy!

Day 6 - Monday

On to daycare where he will be observed by professionals!  Thanks, Miss Francis!

All in all, the 3 day potty training bootcamp worked great for Ty.  Much much better than the 8 month of bribery and tears method that we used for B.  He is not 100% potty trained, but we are out of diapers and not looking back.  I'm going to follow our friends, the Martin family's, lead and get a travel potty for the back of the Tahoe.  They never have to worry about finding a potty for the boys when we are out and about.  Great for emergencies! 

What a big boy Ty is!  And thanks for B for all his encouragement and help!  He got to go pick out a toy and J brought him home "Open it Kai" which is the last Ninjago he was missing from his collection.

Spring Break 2012 ~ DC Trip!

We had such a fun trip to Washington DC! 

Just a warning, I have pictures galore. 

I was worried when we got there since the wind was crazy and kicking up a lot of dirt.  The kind that swirls around like mini tornadoes and your eyes feel gritty.  The boys were not happy, and then I remembered that since Justin has suggested carrying a backpack instead of my diaper bag, I had packed that puppy with all kinds of goodies including the boys sunglasses!  Dirt crisis averted!  Thanks, Babe!

The kids loved loved loved the metro!  We got day passes on Monday when we got there and rode it a bunch. 

B figuring out how to put in his ticket.

We did realize Monday night that our hotel was across the street from the museums, so the metro was probably not necessary, but we rode up to Chinatown and jumped on and off a few times so the boys could get a feel of what people do.  Ty was so funny on the escalators and would count until the "big step."

"One two three, BIG STEP!"  That's would be his big step to get on or off the escalator.

The first thing we did was walk up to the Monument.  Well... I walked.  The boys ran up the big hill and then J joined them.  B even said running up to the Monument was his favorite part.  Crazy child.

Oh, a tree!  Of course we should climb it!

B was so helpful pushing the stroller. 

We walked around to the Martin Luther King Memorial.  Its just beautiful. 

You can feel a hush there as people really take a look and reflect what Dr. King's life meant.  I reminded the boys that he was a Pastor and got his views and love of all people from God and His Word.  The place sits right on the Tidal Basin where you can see the Thomas Jefferson Memorial across the way. 

We were going to take some peddle boats across the water but with the winds gusting 25-30 mph all day we thought that would not go over well. 

While sitting there I got the phone call from my sis that she is going to be having a little baby boy!  So excited for her and for me to have a new nephew!

We walked on to the Lincoln Memorial.  Before we got there we realized we were starving so we stopped and had hot dogs at a stand.  It was a beautiful day and we sat under trees and rested a bit.  B got a Sprite, so he was happy.  Special occasions only for soda.

Waiting for his $6 hot dog.

J and I had gone to DC for our anniversary which is what prompted this trip.  I just couldn't explain how huge Lincoln is to B and I knew he just had to see it!  I was not disappointed with his reaction!  B has just the right amount of wonderment and awe for all of this.  Such an awesome kid! 

He kept wanting me to take his picture standing next to the Memorials so we could see how small he was compared to them.  At Lincoln, he kept standing on his tip toes and asking for me to take another picture to see if he looked taller.  So cute!

Tyler demanded to do all the steps at Lincoln "all my myself!"  And he did!  Some of the people sitting out there were cheering him on and he would stop and make his shy face (I have got to get that on camera) and then keep rolling.  He made it up all of them. 

After Lincoln the boys looked a little tired.  We started walking back to the metro and got ice cream on the way to get a little sugar energy so we could make it.  It was a long way back!

B being goofy and entertaining Ty.

They got their energy back for a bit and ran all over the beautiful park we were walking through.

Marco!

Polo!

Oh, there you are!

Ty fell asleep on J's shoulder while we were walking back and he stayed that way until we walked into the hotel room!

I thought the boys would be exhausted, I know I was, but they were bouncing around the room and having so much fun on the beds. 

Since no nap was happening, we went down to the Promenade Shops under our hotel.  They had an entire indoor mall under the hotel with a food court and even a metro stop.  Talk about convenient!  We got some supper and then rode the metro around again.  Bad picture, but look at B's face!  He loved the metro!

We got back and got cleaned up and passed out!

This was our hotel.

Tuesday we got on up pretty early as usual and headed out to the Smithsonian Castle. 

Favorite picture!

We watched a little movie to get the guys excited for the museum and went to The Museum of Natural History.  The boys loved the dinosaurs best. 

We looked around for about an hour and noticed the boys were fading fast.  That's the great thing about the museums being free!  We just left!

On to Sprinkles Cupcakes in Georgetown!

Ty eating his Black and White cupcake.  My Lemon with Coconut Creme is below.

I just love Georgetown.  Its beautiful.  The trees, the homes, the little shops...

After cupcakes for everyone, we walked back to the car and headed on home.  The kids were DONE!  They slept most of the way home.

We had an awesome trip to DC.  We plan on coming back on the train and just do the zoo.  I just love spending time with all of my guys and getting away overnight makes such special memories!

We didn't even spend a ton of money since I got the hotel on a last minute deal and most of the stuff there is free.  I did score some T-Shirts from the hotel gift shop since it was the 100th anniversary of the Cherry Blossom Trees.  Of course, I don't really remember seeing any since they peaked a few weeks back.  Mildest winter we've had that I can remember.

Can't wait for the next adventure!