Happy Fall Ya'll

Okay...so I've been online today researching these crib-tent things. I actually found some on e-bay that were priced really reasonably ($20), so I put in a bid. Then another and another and another until the current bid was no longer reasonable and I could just go to the store and buy one for the same price. One thing that did help though was on Babies-R-Us's site, you can read customer reviews on their products. All but two moms gave it 5 stars (on a scale of 1-5) and even those two gave it 4 stars. The one comment that really got me was "It might be a little pricey...but think about how much it would cost to take your toddler to the ER for a broken arm, leg or neck!" All of them agreed that the money was well worth the peace of mind they got knowing their babies were safe and not climbing out when they should be sleeping. Soooooo....I guess I might have to go get one this evening. Nap time was not good again today...It took several hours to get him to sleep. I just hope he doesn't feel like he is in "jail" when I put it on his crib. It would make me feel claustrophobic...but then I am that way anytime I get in a real tight space.
Well, we haven't been out to the building site yet today but I am looking forward to seeing some progress. It's been almost a week since anything has been done. They did deliver our sheet rock the first of last week...but it's still just sitting in piles all around the house.
Since tonight is Halloween, we are gonna let the kids get dressed up and go to our church for their Halleluah night. It is a lot of fun and the kids end up with more candy than they would if they trick-or-treated for 5 hours. (Oh Joy!!) I will definitely get pictures of them in their costumes for you all to see..so check back for another post either tonight or tomorrow!

Hellllllllllllllpppppp!!!

There will be a reward for the first person who can tell me how to keep a one and a half year old in his crib...!!!???? This is SO not cool! It was cute at first...when he came walking out of his room all by himself...but today, after trying to get him to take a nap for 4, yes I said FOUR hours, I gave up. I actually went to Babies-R-Us today in search of a crib-tent thing to keep him "locked" in. I found what I was looking for but they are $69.99 and I just couldn't justify spending that much money on a little flexible mosquito net thing. I can't be the only parent to have a mini-monkey for a kid...surely there is someone out there who knows the secret...??? The only alternatives that I see are taking his crib apart and making it into a toddler bed (which will enable him to get out even easier...but will also prevent him from falling 4 feet from the top of the crib rail to the floor)-or I could break down and spend the 70 bucks to get the tent thing. Anyway, if any of you have any advice for me...I could sure use it! Goodnight!

Matt and I bought 7 Leland Cypress trees today to plant along the fence line. We had a fun time planting them together! 

See, I'm not a prissy girl...I can do some real work too! 

Kendra and Brooklyn...buddies! 

The next magazine cover... 

Welcome to Parenthood (titled by my big sis Kim---appropriately)

Okay, this is my luck...All week long I have been planning this romantic evening for my hubby and me on Friday night. I arranged for Brooklyn to spend the night with Kendra and we were going to put Grant to bed around 7:30 p.m. (his normal bedtime) and then have the whole evening to ourselves. Ya, Right! Besides the fact that the whole day started off on the wrong note...Grant chose last night to learn how to crawl out of his crib. So, from 7:30 until around 10 pm...he was like a little piece of popcorn. We'd put him in his crib...walk out and seconds later, there'd he be...popped right back out. ARGHHH!!! Thanks to an episode of The Nanny that I saw last season, I utilized the technique she'd taught another family and finally got him to go to sleep. I ended up having to stay in his room, right next to his crib until he finally gave up and laid down and went to sleep (which took about 45 minutes). He only tried to crawl out twice while I was in there...but the little guy was so stubborn that he actually fell asleep standing up, leaning on the crib railing!! Several times he'd fall asleep there and then slide down to the mattress...but just like a kernel of corn in a hot skillet, he'd pop right back up. Meanwhile, I am sitting there in the darkness for nearly an hour trying not to get sleepy in hopes that my "romantic evening" might still be rescuable...which it wasn't. All in all, I started this post out saying "This is my luck" and I am going to end it optimistically with "Maybe someday I'll get lucky!" and you can interpret that however you want! :o)

A progress report:

Today our heating and air was completed as well as our central vacuuming system. They have ordered the sheetrock and it will be delivered tomorrow. Tonight Matt and I went to Lowe's and picked out the shower/tub unit that we wanted for our upstairs bathroom and bought it. Then we had to try to lug it up the stairs ourselves!!! We wanted to get it up there before they sheet-rocked...so tonight was our last chance. Well, I was able to help him get it into the truck and back out when we got to the house...and all the way inside the house up to the bottom of the stairs...but then that was it for me. Whew! I'm strong but I am not superwoman! ha ha A friend of Matt's came over and helped us get it up the stairs. Anyway, the brick should arrive sometime this week and we'll hopefully have walls by the end of the week too! I'll be posting pictures again as soon as there is something to show. (I didn't figure ya'll really wanted to see the electrical wiring or heat/air ducts.)

To those of you who read my last post...I did end up going to the doctor today and guess what I have???.............a little virus! ARGHHH! I did whine and cry about how horrible my throat has been feeling so she gave me some stuff to gargle with. So, the visit wasn't completely a waste, I guess...

What am I doing up at 4 am?

Hi guys! It is 4 am and I am up typing a post because I can't sleep for some reason. Well, it's probably because I took some energy/weight loss pill yesterday and it's still got me "goin'". Plus, I have the sore throat from hell. I know that sounds bad...but literally...my throat feels like it is on FIRE! I guess I am gonna have to break down and go see a doctor tomorrow. I promised myself last time I saw a doctor that I wouldn't go again unless I was about to die. It seems like all they ever do is tell me I have some little virus and to just take some Tylenol or cold meds or whatever. Ugh! I mean, not that I want them to prescribe something that is unnecessary but it's just frustrating to spend all that time and shell out a co-pay just to be sent home in the same situation I started out in. That is the whole point in going to the doctor...because home remedies aren't working. Like, the last time I took the kids to the doctor (a few weeks ago) they both had thick, green boogers and their eyes were all swollen, pink and draining. (I'm talking sealed shut in the mornings kind of draining.) Plus, they both had a cough. Anyway, all we ended up getting was a prescription for some eyedrops...which helped their eyes some...but by the end of that week, they were both SICK (coughing, sneezing, sore throat, fever..etc.) Plus, to top it all off, I caught the eye stuff too so it looked like I was doing drugs or something...the whites of my eyes were all pink and my eyelids were swollen. It was so gross. I had to get up several times throughout the night to "open" my eyes with a warm washcloth. Nasty!! How did I get off on all that? Oh yah, it was because of my sore throat. Well, anyway, I didn't intend to go there with this post....but hey, at 4 am...you just gotta go with it. So, changing the subject, I didn't get to go out to the homesite today...but I hear they got all our heating/air work done! Now we are just waiting on insulation and then they can begin sheetrocking. It will be exciting to see the inside of the house take shape. Right now it just looks like a maze of 2x4's. It seems like there isn't that much left to be done...just sheetrock, paint & texture, cabinets & countertops, carpet & tile. How long could that take? Hopefully not longer than a month and a half...because that will put us just a week or two before Christmas which would be a really nice time to move in (or anytime before that would work too)! By the way, Amy, if you are reading this...is the punctuation at the end of a sentence like the one prior to this one supposed to go inside or outside of the parenthesis? I can never remember that. Well, I've rambled long enough---but hey, that is the sub-title of this blog---so I have a right. But I will end for now and ramble more to you later. I'm gonna attempt to go back to sleep. If that doesn't work...maybe I'll wake up my hubby for a little middle-of-the-night fun! Wow...did I just say that? I must be tired! Okay, so goodnight...well, actually good morning but then that doesn't sound right since I am going to sleep...how about just "bye"!

The Good Ol' Days

A few days ago, we drove by our old house just for the heck of it. Brooklyn decided she wants to go back. She says it's more fun if you live at home and just visit over at Grandma's house. (ha ha...I think we all feel that way right about now!) Anyway, this spurred a conversation about when we used to live in Duncan. I was trying to jog her memory (since she was only 2 when we moved away from there). When I finished talking she said, "Yah......Those were the good ol' days"!!

Quote of the Day!

Experience is not what happens to you, it is what you do with what happens to you!

A woman's point of view on communication...

I've been thinking lately...why is it that men say women are so hard to figure out when men are the ones who never open up and talk? I don't know a single woman, who when asked about her feelings or opinions, would just give a short, 1 sentence answer and then walk away (like a guy would do). We are very open to sharing with you what we think, feel, need, want and hope for. So, what's so hard to figure out about that?
Now men on the other hand...You ask a guy, "How do you feel about our relationship?" He will most likely answer something like, "It's fine." ---and that's it. To him...the question is answered, end of conversation. Of course, we women know that is not a sufficient answer to such a deep and meaningful question..so we have to try to figure out what he meant by "It's fine." Did he say it in a happy,content sort of way...or in an I don't really care--let's just get this over with kind of way? "It's fine" is too broad of an answer and could literally mean hundreds of different things. Which is why I have come to the conclusion that women are not hard to figure out...men are just hard of hearing!
I wish you all a good night and wonderful rest-of the weekend! Happy talking!!!

You're lookin' at one happy couple. Everyone told us the 7th year of marriage is the hardest...but we're provin' em wrong! 

Matt took me on a date tonight to Los Cabos on the Riverwalk and then to the Bass Pro Shop. It was really fun except I wore these 3 inch high-heeled boots that about KILLED my feet! 

This a picture as if you were standing in our kitchen. You can see the bar and it looks into the living room. 

Here is a picture of our entry way (which will be 10 ft. ceilings and hardwood floor.) 

Okay, here is a new picture...this is from the side of the house. Hopefully they will brick it this week! 

Tonight we attended our church's annual Pumpkin Carving Contest. We didn't win..but we sure had fun.  

Me and Kendra havin' fun! 

We're so glad Andee and Karlie (and Wes and Casey) got to come carve pumpkins with us! 

Brooklyn and Karlie...friends forever! 

Best friends in love! 

Grant's already getting pushed around by girls! 

Splish, Splash, I was takin' a bath...

Okay, no pictures this time...I forgot to bring my camera along. But, they have gotten our bathtubs and shower in, the plumbing and electric is done and they have put in our central vacuuming system. Yeah!! At this rate, I won't be surprised to be in it by early December! It is really starting to look like a house now and that is so exciting. You know me, I lay awake at night arranging furniture in my mind...and decorating every square inch of the house. Now if I only had the money to buy all that furniture and decor! (Boy do I sound spoiled..I am already getting an AWESOME new house!) Sorry! (Lord help me to be more appreciative and grateful for what I do have and not so interested in what I don't have!)
Well, on that note, I will leave you with my QUOTE OF THE DAY:
"Blessed are those who can laugh at themselves for they shall never cease to be amused!"

Here's a joke for you!

Disclaimer: I am telling this joke second hand...meaning I am probably not getting it exactly right...but still, it's funny!
There are 3 women in the hot tub. One is American, one is German and one is Chinese. Suddenly the German lady's arm begins beeping. She reaches over and presses on her forearm and says, "Oh that was just my pager. I have a micro-chip installed in my arm." Then the Chinese woman's hand starts ringing, she puts her palm up to her ear and answers her "phone" and explains that she has also had a micro-chip placed in her hand. Not wanting to be out done and look technologically challenged, the American woman gets up out of the hot tub and goes into the bathroom. She returns out of the restroom with toilet paper hanging out of her butt crack. She walks over to the hot tub and says, "Oh, look! I'm getting a fax!"

Me and Kendra being silly! 

My hunky hubby with a green tongue thanks to some tums! 

My thermal cutie! 

Hi! It's me!  

My bubble wrap Princess! 

Moving right along....we got our roof today! 

Jesus and the Leprechaun

Driving home from church this morning, Brooklyn wanted to tell me and mom about her Sunday school lesson today. She said, "There was this guy...he was a leprechaun. Jesus told him to jump in the water 7 times and then he'll be healed."
Now this is why having kids is so fun!

Here is another picture of my "thing." I just need to figure out how to fill in the "holes." 

Okay Amy! Here is the "Thing" I made. Tell me what you think! 

Will work for money, whirlpool bath, central vacuuming system, etc...

Wow! Building a house is expensive, I knew that ahead of time. However, I didn't realize how many things we would think of during the building process that we would want to add! There are an infinite number of "upgrades" a person can make to their house. I thought we'd already added everything we could want...but I was wrong! At the current time, we are hoping to add another window, insulation in the garage and an insulated garage door, a central vacuuming system and a whirlpool tub in our master bath not to mention the septic system that we still have to pay for. The problem with this is that we have already closed on our loan...which means we have to come up with the cash to pay for these things on our own. So, we will begin taking donations immediately...ha ha! No really, I think we can save up enough if I can just quit shopping. But then, I don't see how that is going to happen...Christmas is coming up and the kids have out-grown most of their winter clothes. Most of my winter clothes are too big now...Halleluah! My babysitter has a keychain that I have to agree with. It says, "Money is the root of all evil, so I spend it as fast as possible." Ha Ha! I hope you all have a great weekend. Our forecast is for the low 80's today and tomorrow so I am looking forward to a beautiful, restful weekend. My dad and Matt are putting in water lines today, so they will appreciate the nice weather too. We love and miss you all!

We have windows!--and shingles (they just aren't on yet.) Maybe we really will be in this house by Christmas! 

You have to look closely, but you can see more progress. This is the 3rd day of framing. (Picture taken on 10/12/05)