Some Things I Like

I was going to do a list of my favorite things but "favorite" might be a little too strong of a word. I was just thinking of listing some things I really like.

Before I get to the list, I was wondering...do you think it is weird that I was wishing that I had on Spanx today when I did my very first workout in over 3 months? I was needing something to hold in all the jiggles. I think Spanx should totally make work out clothes. And Wow, I am so out of shape it's not pretty. I have a long road ahead of me. And I think I will start with these chocolate covered pecans I am eating right now!

Back to the list.

These are in no order and I have already forgotten a few of them. What a great a build up, huh?

1. I have said it before, but I still love it: Clairol's Root Touch-up! What a great product. I like the shade called Medium Golden Brown and I guess Clairol does too! At Target, it was almost three dollars more than Medium Brown. What up with that? Of course, I'm a sucker and bought the one I wanted anyway.

Tip: If you try this product, go with a lighter shade rather than a darker shade.

2. My BFF Jenny. For a lot of reasons, but this week because she literally made a menu for me of dinners for this week. And she included recipes that I might not have. AND she made a shopping list for me. And she said she would do it again! How awesome is that? The only thing better would be to have a personal chef. And since I'm not Oprah, that's not happening. Thanks Jenny.

3. Tivo or DVR. Seriously, do I need to explain this one? Awesomeness. And I will be using this fabulous bit of technology in the next weeks to record shows like American Idol, Project Runway, Community, Glee and White Collar. Maybe a couple of other shows but I don't want to seem like a loser!

4. My precious baby Hank. I know it might be weird to list only one of my four children here. But I am doing just that. He is almost 3 months old and I adore him. And you know what? He adores me. He likes to be held and likes me to talk to him. He doesn't whine or complain or talk back. He is so sweet and lovable. He is starting to have a little personality. I can't wait to see what he will be like. Hank is everyone's favorite over here.

Well, I never heard of list with just 4 things but that's all I got for now. All boys have been asleep and that is a miracle in and of itself. That could be my #5!

I just want to apologize for the unusually poor grammar in this post. Sorry Mom and Jenny.

Horse Time

After Thanksgiving, Kyle and I and our two youngest children came back to Dallas for the weekend. Rhody and Lainey stayed with their grandparents for a fun weekend in Texarkana.

Bo needed a little special attention.

Isn't that what you say and do when your child is acting out and all other things seem to be ineffective?

Well, with a new baby and two older siblings, Bo doesn't get a lot of one-on-one time. So he got to spend some time with Kyle one day. He got a hair cut--sort of looks like Jim Carrey from Dumb and Dumber but he's still precious. He got to spend a lot of time with Nana and Pops as well. He loves them and that is always a treat!

I asked him what he wanted to do in Dallas during the car ride home. He said, "go see horses." Random, but ok. (since Bo doesn't say "H's"--that sounded more like orses)

Kelly and Paul Gittemeier (two of my most favorite people) allowed us to go visit their horse that weekend. The stable is right around the corner from our house!

Here are some great pics of our horse visit.

Bo loved it! He fed the horse. He sat up on the horse. I am sure he would have gone for a ride if the horse was set up to carry a 3 year old.

My other two children wouldn't have done half of that. They would have been afraid to touch him and especially feed him. Bo is fearless (most of the time). That's part of what makes him difficult at times but also what makes him so great.

Kelly G. (who has four of her own children--now grown) said it best about Bo.

She said, "He will keep life interesting!"

I bet he will.

Interesting

I keep thinking something interesting will happen and I will HAVE to blog about it. Just to tell a great story to all my friends. (even though a lot of my friends don't actually read my blog. huh.)

Nothing too interesting has happened in my life lately.

Unless you consider projectile spit up hitting you at point blank range and then going down your shirt interesting. Or possibly finding your 3 year old pulling the clean, dry clothes out of the dryer while holding something suspicious in his other hand and then asking him why and he says he is trying to wash his underwear because it has poop in it and then you notice some poop on his leg. Only made more interesting that this happened about 3.5 seconds after you just changed clothes from the projectile baby vomit.

Can you say run on?

Or that your precious 9 week old baby boy (actually maybe 10 week old) is going thru an awkward phase--losing his hair, crusty eyes that don't always open right or at the same time. He sort of looks like a pirate baby, Arrrr!

Or that I did my laundry and literally every pair of pants of mine that got cleaned (probably a weeks worth) were all in the black family. All also having some sort of Lycra material. What's up with that?

Or I could write about my hatred of nursing bras. That would be good one for sure.

Or how much I am looking forward to the new season of Project Runway.

Or I could definitely give some reviews of all the Christmas made-for-tv Movies on Hallmark and Lifetime. The Hallmark movies always have characters that have lost a loved one and need a new love, a spunky kid or golden retriever to help them thru the holidays. Just try watching one without shedding a tear! The Lifetime movies always have "has been" actors as the stars. Baywatch's very own Nicole Eggert starred in two this season. Plus, what is a good Lifetime movie without Tom Arnold? He's a network favorite for sure.

Wow. I know way too much about that. All I can say is I'm nursing. And I like to watch something when I am nursing and the kids aren't around.

Gotta go. We are having family movie night. We are watching Frosty the Snowman. Or as Bo calls it, Costy the No-mam.

Photography 101

We are so thrilled to have Hank here. But you would never know it if you look at my iPhoto. I haven't taken many pictures of this precious child.

Is this what happens to the 4th child? No pictures? No videos?

I will work on it.

Another issue with photographing my children: I am the family photographer, so there are hardly any pictures of me with the kids. At all.

I am trying to work on this one as well.

Here is one with me and Hank.

Big Yawn!

All the pictures I have of me and Hank have ALL been taken by either Lainey or Rhody! (including Big Yawn!)

Seriously!

Here are a few more shots taken by my amateur photographers.

Big Hug!

The next two shots are what you get when a 4 and 6 year old are taking the pictures.

Got Hank, where's Mommy? Look at those awesome guns! :)

Cute of Hank, some of Mommy.

It's the end. . . of a season!

After many cancelled and rescheduled soccer games, the season is over!

Rhody and Lainey enjoyed their fall soccer season.

But Rhody really did! Look at his face below. Priceless.

Rhody really caught on to the game this season. He was always ready to play and never got frustrated or beat down. He was definitely into scoring goals and knew how many he got every game. He just never knew how many the other team scored! Perfect.

Go Sharks! Go Blue Angels!

A bunch of Nothing

So I haven't blogged in a while.

I promise that not all of my posts will be about how I haven't posted. Maybe.

I once explained how I have these "blog" moments. Let me explain. I have some random thoughts about life and I quickly think about how to make these bits of wisdom or insight into a blog post. Most never making it to the blog. However, because of having four kids and needing to watch important things like the finale of Project Runway, my ability to post is thwarted. So then 3 weeks passes and no post.

You understand, don't you?

I have new blog moments these days. In the middle of the night when I am up feeding Hank, I have more blog thoughts. Like the other night, I had the most interesting and enlightening blog post all written in my head. I thought to myself, "I wonder if I will remember this in the morning so that I might share this great info with my adoring public. Or just my mom and jenny." And as quickly as that thought came to mind, I remember thinking, "There is no way that I am going to forget this!"

However, it was four in the morning and I totally forgot.

I just want to leave you with the bits and pieces that my sleep deprived brain did remember.

It was SO funny. (my thoughts that is) It involved making fun of Kyle Kaigler and his jean shorts that he wore in 1987 and still wears today. I think it had something to do with a ski trip with my friend Missy Giles and Young Life in the same year. And that I had a sweat suit from Sam's that I wore on aforementioned trip. And that I lied about my weight on the ski trip form.

The lie about my weight wasn't probably included in my funny blog post dream. Of course, I don't even remember my real weight--but I would be happy to be there now!

So as you can see, it would have been such an interesting read. Full of life-changing thoughts and ideas.

It's a wonder why I don't post more often.

And I kind of wanted Carol Hannah to win Project Runway. Irina just isn't very nice.

Halloween Pics!

It's been a while since I posted.

It could be because I have a 3 week old baby and a slow recovery from a c-section.

Or it could be that I read the entire Twilight series since giving birth--or having the swine flu--I can't remember.

I need to be clear on something. I am not a reader. I don't read. Not exactly true--I read InStyle to see how not in style I am. I read Real Simple to learn ways to make my life run more efficiently--ways that I probably won't incorporate into my real life.

But I got sucked in to the Twilight series. I am not a 'vampire' person. Or a reader. But it is a page-turner. (is that "reader" talk?) I recommend it.

Anyway, back to the post at hand.

Here are some of our halloween pictures from this weekend. It was such a great night to be outside. We met the Bindras and walked thru our neighborhood. It is our tradition now!

Lainey (mermaid) and Hank (cute cow).

The four of them. This will probably be our life in pictures for a while--like years. Someone always crying.

Hank (3 weeks old)

The Bindra girls and Lainey were all mermaids this year! And they are all smiling. As Jenny said, "it's a Halloween Miracle!"

All the kids (minus Hank who stayed home with Nana). Rhody had evidently cheered up by then. Or the sugar-high was beginning to take effect!

Who are these bandits? Clearly it is the Apple Dumpling Gang! I mean what 4 year old doesn't want to be Don Knox and/or Tim Conway for Halloween? The boys watched that old movie and decided that's what they wanted to be! It was all about the gun and the bandana!