Quick post :)

Today was another wonderful day though hubby did have to go work at school a bit. We spent a lot of time outside enjoying the gorgeous weather and went out for a nice meal at our favorite non-chain Italian restaurant. Nothing too crazy but a wonderful day none the less.

I'm just putting this post in quickly before bed so to add to it here's a couple pics of Miss E.

Hubby took the first one randomly but I love how it turned out even though it cropped the side of her face a little.

I took the second one and it definitely gives a glimpse at how she lights up when happy (especially when C is making faces at her from behind me too lol).

Almost done with School and a Day Off

This week has been a long one. Hubby's been at school late most nights working on finals. His biggest final project came to it's pinnacle last night as his group presented their work.

All went wonderfully and it feels like a weight has been lifted off all of us. Hubby still has one more paper to finish and his final exam Tuesday so we're still counting down (4 days to go) but getting through this week and that huge project is definitely an accomplishment and I'm so proud of him.

I can't believe we're so close to him having his degree and all the exciting nerve-wracking changes to come. We're still searching for the job that will lead us wherever God wants our family and can't see what's in store for us next.

Today, we got a little break though as a family to celebrate hubby being almost done. We went out for the day, had a nice time and lunch together. We also had some excitement but I'll share more on that when I have more time to write more next week.

Our family is so blessed and as we approach this next week and this threshold of change in our lives to come I am so excited to see all God has in store for us. I am so proud of my wonderful husband and blessed to have him sharing my life with me. Today has been one more reminder of how blessed we are as a family.

Wishing many blessings to you and your families for the weekend and coming weeks as well!

Storm Scares

Last night we had a rough night though thankfully it was much better than expected.

A huge thunderstorm front came in from the West. There were tornado warnings and several fronts of storms predicted throughout the day. Ami (my mom) was still visiting which helped us because I wasn't worrying about her in North Ga and I had extra help calming the kids and I while hubby was stuck at school.

We were missed by the worst of the storms thank God but hearing the weather reports on tv all night long and seeing the devastation the storms left in Alabama and our neighboring counties, we definitely were taking the systems seriously.

I put the kids mattresses in our hallway and we all camped out. Hubby about gave me a heart attack when he decided to drive home after the power went out at school, but once again we were blessed and he made it home safely.

This morning if you look outside here there's little signs of the storm but unfortunately our northern and western neighbors weren't as lucky. Sending many prayers to those across the South who we know and those we've never met who've lost their loved ones and homes in the past day. We are definitely reminded once again how blessed we are and that God is watching over us.

This April has been horrible weather wise, as the news anchors have mentioned often. Hopefully May will be a lot easier and bring a calm from the storms.

Hope everyone reading locally stayed safe through the storms as well!

Dirt Cake

Always a favorite among kids (of all ages) I started thinking about making dirt cake with the kids. So with Ami here to help we went for it. And it was just as cool, fun, and of course yummy as I remember. C and J are definitely fans and we'll have left overs for a few days it looks like.

Hubby was amused when he came home to the flower pot which was actually a cake as well (even though it was almost midnight I still managed to pull it out of the fridge and add flowers for when he came in). We will definitely be making this again :).

We used this recipe as written and it was wonderful http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/dirt-cake-i/Detail.aspx

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 2 (3.5 ounce) packages instant vanilla pudding mix
• 3 1/2 cups milk
• 1 (12 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
• 32 ounces chocolate sandwich cookies with creme filling

Directions

1. Chop cookies very fine in food processor. The white cream will disappear.
2. Mix butter, cream cheese, and sugar in bowl.
3. In a large bowl mix milk, pudding and whipped topping together.
4. Combine pudding mixture and cream mixture together.
5. Layer in flower pot, starting with cookies then cream mixture. Repeat layers.
6. Chill until ready to serve.
7. Add artificial flower and trowel. Enjoy!

The Incredible Amazing Ami

My mom being here last night and today has been wonderful. I have had a bit of a break from the normal routine while the kids have been distracted by the excitement she always brings, and all smiles.

Whether simply playing with their toys, play dough, helping make chicken casserole, or doing crafts with Ami and Mommy everything seems more exciting for all of us when Ami is involved.

We all needed this help after the busy holiday weekend and with hubby being stuck at school most of the week and Ami also brings with her the contagious smile and positive outlook we all love so much. And of course her wonderful hugs.

Yes she may be a bit of a Hoot at times (owl reference :P) but it's another wonderful quality of my mom.

We all had so much fun. E soon had her wrapped around her finger. We got lots of yummies (the kids and her made chicken casserole, I made chicken with spaghetti, and the kids and I made dirt cake!) and wonderful company.

Only complaint is her addiction to laundry. She rewashed our clean clothes. Yes really. But even that I'll forgive for the incredible amazingness which is Ami.

Thanks again so much for your help Mom! We love you and appreciate you so much!

Home again, Home again.....

Today started bright and early with a long car ride home. Hubby was very sweet to take the longer highway route again despite having to be home in time for an early meeting at school. We left so early though everyone was exhausted and the kids were a little on edge ready to go back to sleep. Luckily they decided to nap for the whole second half of the trip and it was pretty good.

However, I can't say the same about the first half. J was especially distressed to not be in his nice warm bed. The trip seemed to be getting longer and longer literally. We would look at the GPS on a 4 hour trip and though we'd gone an hour and a half there was still 4 hours left *sigh.*

Now let me go on a small tangent about GPS. I love not having to print out directions and read while riding (not helpful to the car sickness for sure) but GPS and phone navigators can cause other challenges.

Today's was an unplanned detour. We were sent several miles on some curvy backroads of a random exit only to be told 20 minutes and a school bus stop later that we'd missed the exit. Looking at the map and turning around we realize the road we were supposed to take didn't actually exist.

I told hubby how some hacker was probably messing with maps and getting us lost for kicks. I was joking but the thought reminded me that in our technology dependent world right now that could be totally possible. I may grin and bear it and find my own directions from now on. I know being lost so out of the way on a wild goose chase definitely didn't feel good and the extra time writing our own directions out would've been worth it.

Anyway though we made it home safely and Daddy got to his meeting in time.

This week looks to be exciting and a bit stressful too. This is hubby's last week of school! His big project is due Thursday and then he has his last exam a week from Tuesday.

Prayers that all goes well are very appreciated.

Because hubby will be working late most nights that adds a little more stress but a surprise blessing, Ami will be coming in late tonight and staying a couple days! This is exciting for the kids and I and I'm sure will be a great distraction for us as well as a reassurance to Daddy while he's working.

Well I'm still tired from the trip and have to get prepared for Ami's wonderful visit so I'm off for now. Hope you all have a wonderful week to come!

The Hunt

Some pics from the Egg Hunt

Amazingly without our help C and J both got 22 eggs each and with a little help E got 1. We couldn't have gotten such a perfect split if we'd tried. The kids loved having their own private hunt in the Great Grandparents' yard. This was a vast improvement to the hunt of 2010 at our old apartment complex when they managed 3 eggs total between them (though that was better than the many kids who didn't find any, and I hear this happens a lot at those type events when the staff underestimate the number of kids versus eggs unfortunately).

The weather was perfect. It was a lovely Easter and if my mom had been there it would've been the perfect holiday.

Easter 2011

Some pics of the kids in their Easter finest. We woke up early and went to church with the kids' grandparents (the in-laws) and Great Grandparents (it's their church).

It was a nice service and the kids were fairly well behaved. E was ready for a nap half way through but ready to greet Great Grandma's friends afterward.

After church we went out to eat Chinese with everyone. Definitely different than the cookout I'm used to but it was really fun and really good. The company made the meal of course though.

We tried to get a pic of all of us but it didn't work as well so just got some of me and the kids, though of course they weren't being as cooperative though cute as always :)

She got it! E's standing!

Just in time for our arrival in NC to visit the Great Grandparents and her first Easter, E is standing on her own (as long as she wants :) ). She also managed 2 steps between a toy and me and a chair and me so walking is definitely going to be here before we know it!

I love that her grandparents (hubby's folks) and great grandparents got to be there for this milestone and she was so proud of herself too. :)

And thanks to hubby for charging both my cameras for me for the weekend (definitely came in handy).

Happy Easter everyone!

I don't like car trips

I am very blessed. My children do very well with car trips in general. Though I'll admit the dvd player helps and watching the food they eat (healthier is better though more difficult on the road of course), for J especially. We planned today's trip at a good time relative to E's naptime too which helped a lot.

I on the other hand have issues with cars though. I used to just get a bit dizzy, but nothing too bad. Well since having C and being pregnant and having my other littles since car trips are miserable. I get awful car sickness and though I'm blessed to not get fully sick usually *knock on wood* it still is not fun.

Today wasn't as bad. Thankfully hubby took the long way which was more straight and flat. We got lots of stops and all was great overall but still that familiar wooziness and nausea reminds me why I dread car trips. Once again though at least it wasn't the constantly curving mountain route we usually take.

Hubby has mentioned a few times how not sure we could ever do long road trips though I'm sure I'll have to grin and bear it some for the trip to Disney World or whatever. In the meantime lots of stops and taking it as slow as possible on the most boring route as possible (as hubby sees it :P).

At least it adds one more element of excitement when we arrive at our destination and I can feel normal again right? That's something to be thankful for I guess :P

Last minute plan making

Better than never I guess but we've finally figured out our weekend plans for Easter.

Hubby and I decided that since FIL is in town and he'll be up in NC with MIL, and his parents (the kids' Great Grandparents) that it would be worth the trip up even with Mommy's nerves and car sickness.

Luckily hubby has also agreed we'll be taking a longer route of full highway up! Yay for no curvy mountain roads.

I went out tonight for some last minute formal wear shopping and maybe to help the Easter Bunny out a bit. Yay for awesome Easter sales but boo for it being soooooo easy to go overboard on kids' clothing. I'm also a bit obsessed with matching as you'll see in Easter pics later though I'm happy with the resulting stash.

Also must note that boys toddler clothing sections are tiny in comparison to girls it feels like but luckily I still found a sweet outfit for my handsome little man J.

It's funny how often it feels that I buy something for J then have to find things for C and E to match him, since the opposite approach is much more difficult and often impossible.

Okay well I've got to get back to packing and preparing for the drive tomorrow! Wish us luck and hope everyone has a wonderful Easter holiday! We are so blessed to celebrate Jesus' resurrection and all the blessings he's bestowed upon us!

Definitely Counting Down

It's only Wednesday but this week has already been a lot different for us. As the countdown to hubby's graduation continues he's been busier and busier.

Usually he is home by 6-6:30 most days and Mondays and Wednesday are our more relaxed days in which he's only gone a couple hours here and there and then home. Yes we've been spoiled a little these last few weeks on extra time with Daddy.

Well this week we're getting used to a much different schedule with him leaving early and getting home late. I know he's working hard and though his work schedule after school ends will be more regular than the school one was it will be less time spent away then these final couple weeks.

We're still figuring out job applications, interviews, etc. The kids seem to miss Daddy and feel our anxiety a bit but are as always just looking forward with little idea that we may be moving and big changes may be coming in the months to come (for the better of course).

I am still excited about the unknowns but also anxious to know where we're heading. Less than 2 weeks till hubby is out of school and hopefully we'll know for sure on the job front by then or before then as well.

Praying lots and crossing fingers in the meantime :)

To Do List for Easter

This is more for my planning. I can't believe for so long Easter seemed so far away and now it's less than a week from now and I find myself scrambling to get ready.

With all the focus on in-laws and hubby's last couple weeks before he has his degree I've been distracted to say the least. We still don't know for sure where we'll be next weekend other than with family.

The choices are to NC to visit hubby's grandparents (along with the in-laws) which would be wonderful, but a bit of a drive and my likelihood of car sickness makes me a bit weary at the thought. And to North GA to visit my Dad and family there....which is a shorter drive and no overnight time spent away but honestly I do not feel welcomed by one family member who would also be in attendance and though I don't want to let one person keep me away from everyone and spending the holiday with my Dad the idea of her drama makes me a little sick to my stomach too.

*Sigh* who knows. Maybe we'll stay home and try and celebrate locally some how or have our own egg hunt in the back yard.

I'll admit the last option sounds the easiest, but since we could be potentially moving far enough away that next year an Easter visit would mean a plane ride instead of car to visit NC or North GA I'm torn if we should attempt more this year.

The rest of my to do list for the holiday include figuring out food, eggs, bunny gifts, and clothing for wherever we end up going. I have some cute casual wear/tutus and a cute set for J for the kids but those won't work for going to church, just after.

I did do well at buying everything in advance craft wise for Easter so the kids have lots of activities for daily crafts later in the week.

I feel somehow prepared and not, mainly I think because I don't know our weekend plans. Hopefully we'll figure that out sooner rather than later.

Either way though I know as long as we're together the holiday will be wonderful. :)

In-Laws and Job Apps.

Our big activity today was reintroducing the kids to Pak (aka Daddy's Daddy) who is in the states for a couple weeks on break from his work in Indonesia. Hubby and I enjoyed seeing his Dad again of course but the kids were over the moon excited to play, challenge, and test this "new" person.

I've mentioned before but my father-in-law work for an American company in Indonesia and hubby and his sisters grew up there. Since hubby's closest sister is in college now and there's grandbabies to visit MIL has spend a lot more time in the states the last couple years and has a local apartment but FIL is still back in Indo and only gets to come visit on breaks.

These breaks aren't as often as we'd like but are very appreciated when they happen. Hopefully we can make the most of his time in town this week and we are still figuring out Easter plans since we will be spending it with either hubby's or my extended family.

Another big exciting development hubby's been working on is the job applications (while in school he has been working as a research assistant at GT). A few applications were sent off last week and a couple more went out today. It's exciting and nerve-wracking as Daddy applies and we wait hopefully for a great position and to find out where we will be living! There are several local positions as well as some cross country ones as well but it will all depend on what's offered of course. We are praying a lot and I'm trusting that God will lead our family wherever we're meant to be. Local would be easier of course but if that's not His plan then I'm sure we will be blessed wherever we go as long as we are faithful to Him and are together.

All prayers are appreciated as we approach this turning point in our lives together!

Time is flying by and hubby will be done with his degree in a little over 2 weeks! Isn't that crazy?! I feel we've been working towards this so long and it's amazing that it's almost here now! Definitely a blessing and I know we wouldn't be here without God's help and guidance! We are so blessed and I know God has more wonderful things in store for our family in the year to come.

I'll be keeping family and friends updated as soon as we know more about our plans!
And wishing you all a wonderful week and Happy Easter (one week till!).

With Siblings comes Patience

I often think how much more patient my children are than I was their age. I definitely think a lot of this is due to them having siblings so close.

C doesn't remember the time before she had to share. She has a very mothering personality which I think plays a lot into her patience as well. Even at only a year when J came home she was always looking out for him and ready to share. She was the first at his crib if he cried, yelling at us to come over, and loved to bring us diapers and wipes.

J and E have fallen into the second and third child positions having to share as well. We do have a few special toys the kids don't have to share but even those they end up wanting to share as well. It makes me proud and I hope they keep this up as they get older.

Today I was reminded of the kids patience with each other as C and J were building castles with their wooden blocks. E crawled up and borrowed a few blocks to taste lol. C said "Mommy can Eva eat the blocks?" out of her concern, but I said it wasn't too small and she'd realize they didn't taste good so C was content for E to do her thing as long as it was safe (see the mothering persona again). J on the other hand was getting a little more frustrated. E stopped tasting and seemed to just enjoy seeing which blocks she could take from brother to get a reaction.

I watched carefully but wanted to see how J handled his frustration, and I was surprised. In the midst of a frustrated look examining his little sis grinning up at him in delight J let out a sigh, relaxed his shoulders and said "This is what you do with blocks" and began showing her how to stack them. Though she didn't quite get it they both seemed to love the interaction and I loved that instead of letting his frustration get the best of him my little man decided to change his play to teaching E instead.

At 2 or 3 I would not have done this lol. I would have been more likely to yell to my mom that the smaller child was ruining my castle or just taken the blocks from them. Despite how much I loved little kids when I was older and babysat from 12 till I had my own kids I did not have the experience of close siblings or this lesson in patience. I'm glad my own children have this as well as the friendships, snuggles, and daily fun and challenges of growing up together. I love watching them interact and grow with one another. They've all learned from each other and even in the roughest arguments (which thankfully are few and far between) the best punishment threat for C and J is they'll have to stay in different rooms or won't be able to play with each other if they don't get along. It's definitely one more reflection on how much they love each other and want to be around one another even when they may not be on the best of terms in that moment.

I can't wait to see what the future years have to come and hope they always keep this patience and love for one another as they continue to grow up with and learn from each other.

Miss E is 7 months!

I hope my cousin doesn't mind me using her pics of E for my 7 month post, but they're so good I had to share! Check her other stuff out at her blog or website if you're looking for a photographer in the Atlanta/North Atlanta (Woodstock) area!
http://www.lisarappaphotography.com/

On to the subject of the photos :) E is now 7 months old! Crazy to think about I know. She is constantly on the move and looking forward still to what feat she can accomplish next. This month has been about working on the independent standing and teething. 3 days after she turned 6 months she got her first 2 teeth on the bottom row (beating both older siblings by a month or so). She loves to babble, cruise the furniture, crawl after people (me especially) and play with her big siblings. Another big development of the last month has been E's starting real food! We're still nursing and keeping the veggies and fruits homemade or those with no added ingredients. She definitely loves all the new tastes, smells, and textures.

With the age (and teething) it seems E has become a little more clingy. She has to warm up to people now (even Grandmas) but once she does she goes back to her happy silly self. I'm hoping that her independence will return again with walking in a few months as C and J's did but am loving the extra snuggle time too I'll admit.

At 7 months:
-Saying Mama, Nanna (for C), Hi, Baba (her call for milk though no bottles here :P), Daaaaa (her version of Dada) and many babbles. She's very vocal whether saying something or not though. I thought my third might be quieter but the opposite E wants to make sure she's heard at all times. She's definitely my loudest little one yet and that's saying something lol.
-Is very mobile. Will crab crawl, crawl on all fours, climb everything to stand and cruise with it (couch, table, Daddy, whatever she can use to hold onto lol)
-Only needs 1 hand to hold on and balance with and can stand for about 5 seconds on her own before falling. She does control her fall though either moving herself to land on her bottom or dive at Mommy if I'm close).
-Will crawl to me and climb up to standing at my legs then put her arms up when she wants up while leaning against me
-Has 2 teeth working on more which will hopefully pop soon
-Is still nursing and eating several fresh fruits and veggies
-Loves to play with big sis and big brother but also likes she can crawl away if she wants
-Gives huge laughs when C plays peek a boo with her on the couch
-Loves her Daddy time and to laugh at him, but still favors Mommy on the generally snuggling
-Takes her time warming up to people but still has the lovely happy demeanor and sweet personality (when not teething that is)
-Loves to snuggle and is still cosleeping
-Loves any toys that make noise or are good to chew on, including big sis and big bro's toys
-Still loves bouncing but standing and trying to walk while holding on is becoming more and more fun
-Enjoys coloring on the magna doodle and with pens but tries to eat crayons. Surprisingly actualy likes to draw already though
-Is definitely still a water baby and loves to attempt swimming
-Still has her storkbite between the eyes and very little hair, though she's getting a blonde sprinkling slowly, just like big sis and big bro

Friday Fun + Popcorn Cauliflower

Today was a lazy day but after the stress of yesterday it was very welcome. Daddy was home and we just enjoyed our family time.

We all slept better last night. E seems to be getting a break in the teething pain wise though she's definitely still drooling and gnawing on everything including me while nursing (not fun to say the least). Hoping any day now that 3rd tooth will pop. E's also 7 months old today so I'll be doing that post later tonight as well!

It was a pretty day. A little cooler but now the rain is coming in. Hopefully it won't be too stormy tonight.

We have had 2 baked treats today. The first being oatmeal cookies and the second which should be ready any second now and is a favorite among family and friends (after being shared by an ICAN friend): Popcorn Cauliflower!

It's so yummy and I will take this over classic popcorn any day. It's definitely healthier as well!

Now I know what you're thinking (Is it like popcorn?) and no it's not fluffy and it doesn't pop but it's very very good and my kids love it! We can easily devour a whole head of cauliflower as a snack.

Here's the recipe. Some people add tumeric but we don't like that spice as much, never have it in the house, and it's wonderful without!

8 ounces cauliflower (we use a head and the bigger pieces are the yummiest! Also warning if you like this as much as we do 1 adult can easy finish a full head as it cooks down a lot. But one head can also still be a good small snack for 2 ravenous toddlers and their parents)

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon paprika

6 -8 tablespoons oil

-Preheat oven to 400F
-Put all spices and oil in ziploc freezer bag
-Wash and break cauliflower into larger chunks (golf ball size but if little pieces break off those are still good too just chewier)
-Toss cauliflower in bag with spice mixture till all cauliflower seems covered
-Put covered cauliflower on pan/baking sheet covered in aluminum foil (the mixture can be a pain to clean after if you do straight to pan)
-Bake 25-30 minutes uncovered. We've found that more brown on the outside is a good thing.


It will be chewy on the outside and soft inside and overall amazing (and healthy too!)

Looooong Day

Today has been very long, thus why I find myself blogging at only 5:03pm most likely. C and J did not want to go to sleep last night so we stayed up a little later. E was fine going to bed as normal. Do you see where this is going? Yep bright and early this morning E woke C, J, and I up even earlier than usual.

Then while Miss E was having her mid morning nap of course we were all wide awake. This put the two big kids off the rest of the morning. MIL was supposed to come over and bring lunch but that fell through at the last minute. Hubby locked himself out of the car so she did bring him a spare key.

About halfway through E's nap teething reared it's ugly head :( She started waking up for a few minutes, drooling and gnawing on everything. Then she'd finally relax and go back to sleep only to wake again and go through the whole thing all over again. Poor baby.

After she finally gave up on napping came the increased nursing sessions, clinginess, gumming every toy in sight, and other general fun of teething

While all this was going on C and J have been nice but definitely testing Mommy in their tiredness and mine. For example let's clean our rooms then dump the entire toy chest out again. They know we don't see No to Mommy and Daddy but in the clever tired place they kind of test saying everything but that. "I'll do it later Mommy," "But I don't want to," etc.

And of course I get the dreaded call which seems destined to come on days like today that hubby will be home late. *Sigh*

Anyway though I'm venting here I still see how these longer days are few and far between and how blessed we are.

Some things I'm especially thankful for today on a positive note.

• What a good nurser E is and that I'm still able to breastfeed her at almost 7 months old (she'll be 7 months tomorrow)
• That C and J get along so well and work so well together, yes even when planning together against me lol
• That my children are so smart, healthy, and beautiful. That they have the energy to run me ragged even.
• That I was blessed with a voice that carries (that comes in handy when the kids split their efforts of mischief across the house).
• That we're in a nice big house versus our tiny apartment of previous days. Space is key with kids, especially today!
  
• That my amazing husband will soon be done with school and God is guiding us in our search for the best job for him, hopefully in the best place for our family.
• That my little E is growing well and getting her teeth, though I wish it didn't hurt her so much.
• That the laundry is done!
• That I bought groceries yesterday lol.
  
• That I have a working air conditioner!
• That my family is so blessed and I am, beyond belief :)

The list goes on and on and I may add to it more later, but off to cook dinner. It seems even on the longest days though I have so much to be thankful for I can't focus on the stress for long.

Cousins Playdate

We had a wonderful play date this morning with my cousin over in Woodstock. The last time I'd seen her was at her baby shower a bit over 2 years ago (actually the same day J started walking) when she was expecting her son. Since then she's had him and her sassy baby girl as well. Of course C and J have changed a lot since then and we've added E to our crew too.

It was wonderful to see her, make the introductions, and catch up. She's still as sweet as ever and the super mom I always knew she would be! She's also an amazing photographer now so I got spoiled a little with some candid shots of the kids she took while we were there.

Dominic is so handsome and adorable I can't see how anyone could be near him and not smile. And I discovered that Ashlyn's sassy personality is definitely not just in pics lol. She's definitely a ball of energy and personality keeping Mommy on her toes and charming everyone in the room (though E was definitely in her warming up stage so she took her time taking all that wonderful smiling energy in lol).

The kids all had a lot of fun and C and J want to go visit again soon as do I. I hope our yard grows back so maybe I can invite them over here as well soon. I'd also love to get together with my other cousin (this cousin's sister) who lives very close by too :)

Here's a couple pics of all the kids from the day along with a major plug for my cousin as a photographer! I'm blown away by her casual pics just imagine what she can do for your memories in a session! Check her stuff out at http://www.lisarappaphotography.com/
or on FB!

Working on the Standing

E and I worked more on solo standing today. In other words I let her go and tried to get pics lol. She's still averaging about 5 seconds but likes to dive for me which makes the time less with me than with Daddy of course lol. She still lets go on her own while cruising the couch and tables but then will grab back on or fall on her booty since she's still working on the balance. I hope to get Daddy's help to get some video of her longer unassisted standing soon. She's so strong and getting to be such a big girl! I can't believe my baby will be 7 months old soon and walking before we know it. I've said it so many times before but time definitely flies by with kids :)

A couple fuzzy pics as I attempted to capture her feat before she dived for Mommy :)

First Black Eye

C was playing with MIL's Zumba weights last night and of course one slipped out of her hand and of course flew across the room to hit J right under his eye. We all knew it would be a black eye soon. J didn't care too much at first since this meant he got an ice cube on his eye and extras to eat but Daddy seemed to consider it a male rite of passage and was a little proud of the mark of honor lol.

J started thinking it was cool as it came up soon after.

For a black eye it wasn't too bad and I'm sure as an active kid with siblings this will not be the last one we see unfortunately. Also thank goodness it was a bit lower than the actual eye.

Here's a pic (taken a couple days after it occurred) of the momentous first to look back on :P You can tell he's more proud of it then anything though if he's not near a mirror he often forgets which eye is the hurt one lol.

A day at Mil's/aka Ibu's

Today we spent the day at my Mil's apartment aka Ibu's.

Ibu is currently staying at a local apartment in between going to visit the SIL's in NC and KY. Home for my in-laws is Indonesia but MIL has been spending more time in the states the last few years as I've mentioned in previous posts.

Anyway the kids enjoyed the change of scenary and time to reconnect with Ibu a bit. They also loved the reunion with Ibu's cat Oafie (who is Ami's cat Zeus' great niece).

We all enjoyed the slower day of playing, watching some movies, having some different food, and spending time away from the house. Though we love our daily routine I'll admit it's easy to get stir crazy, especially with a muddy backyard and the smallest trips away can help give us all a nice break.

Once again I forgot my camera but making memories without it was awesome too.

One big development was E stood for her longest time on her own yet!!!! Well over 5 seconds when Daddy let go! And of course no camera to grab to capture the moment, figures but I'll try and get more pics of this development in the next few days.

Another amusing moment of the day was when Ibu was playing with E and getting really close to her then pulling back. She went in close and E bit her nose! There were 2 little teeth marks on one side. It was unfortunate but funny too. Before this E has only bit me while eating and toys with her teething. I'm hoping this will not be a habit but it was definitely a memory.

An Aw Moment

Just copy pasting from Facebook since I want to remember this here too

Before we left Ibu's house after stopping by
Earlier tonight C was standing beside me at the bathroom mirror. She said "Mommy you have to do this like me." She looked in the mirror and pointed and said "I love my face, I like my eyes, I like my nose, and I like when I smile," then she turned, "And Mommy I love you!"....

This reminded me how many girls stand in front of mirrors, how we pick ourselves apart and miss all the beauty in each of us. Yes C from now on I'm going to try and find something I like each time I look in the mirror and I hope my children always do the same.

I know I'm biased but I really do have beautiful children inside and out :)

"Just Cuteness" and Pizza!

Yep I'm being lazy and doing more pic posts but whatever they're cute and I've been busy so it'll do. Today the kids, hubby, and I went on an adventure to find something we'd all been missing "Everybody's Pizza." When we lived downtown we went to the Virginia Highland location but that has since closed down so this time we ventured out to the Emory location. And yes it was totally worth it! Even with construction on the street outside.

Afterward we went to a nearby park where C and J both surprised us with their climbing abilities yet again. And we made it home with a brief stop by Ibu's place on the way before the rain came in. We're hoping to go to Ibu's for longer tomorrow (been trying to get by a lot recently but it seems to keep falling through).

Anyway no pics of the restaurant or adventures after, but I took some "just cuteness" pics beforehand of the littles so here are those.

Big Kid Attitude and Sibling Love

Though it's so easy to get caught up in baby pics C and J are quite the posers still and often ask me to take their pics. They love snuggling, dancing, hugging, and spending time together you know when they're not doing the typical sibling game of driving each other crazy lol. Also today I unintentionally dressed them to match. Once again crappy camera and I haven't taken the time to edit these but still cute. I love how close they are, in age, and just in general. I hope they always have such a sweet bond.

Maybe Pics?

I keep forgetting to take pics. Yes I know crazy but I usually only have my point and shoot nearby and am caught up in the moment these days it seems.

Here are a couple cute random pics from today anyway though that I did get around to grabbing. No perfect poses, terrible lighting, last minute shots, but cute none the less. Don't you love how the kids can save even the least thought out pic? :)

Happy Birthday Mom/Ami!

Today was my amazing Mom's birthday! She came down late to spend the day with us tomorrow. We had two cakes and presents ready, including cards made by the kids. C and J wrote their names on theirs and drew her flowers and an owl. E did some scribbles, foot prints with Mommy's help and added some of her sugar to the project :P

It was more of a gift to us to have her here than to her I think. I'm sure the kids will have her tired out before she goes home Thursday and I was horrible at getting pics but the memories were/will be all amazing.

I'm so thankful for you Mom and thank you for the gift of spending your birthday night and following day with us! We Love you Mom/Ami!

And here's a pic of C, J, and E working on cards
And Ami's gift that the kids made with my help and Daddy built.

Removing a Tree and Ruining a Backyard

So we've had an old pine tree at the far left corner of our back yard since moving in. It seems the tree officially died though (as it seems many Georgia trees have recently) and our neighbors had been calling our landlord telling them to remove it.

Our landlords told us when the tree was to be inspected but upon confirming it's need to go forgot to inform us that it would be removed bright and early Monday morning since there were storms coming in that night. The tree removal company showed up, surprised me, and didn't even wait for me to come to the door before showing themselves into the backyard.

They asked me the owners names since they didn't know. Used a bobcat in a very haphazard manner making nice loops all over the back yard, and leaving us with a muddy mess. And this was before the rain arrived.

Sigh, I'm glad the tree is gone though the landlords and I agree we won't be recommending them.

I snapped a few pics of the craziness in progress.

Hello Beautiful Spring.....and Allergies

So still catching up on the North GA posts and last week's updates but we've been welcoming April and gorgeous weather so the blog has had to wait a bit.

We seem to finally be cough and congestion free (from that evil cold of two weeks ago!). The kids only had any issues at night when the drainage would back up it seemed and nothing during the day but I am very thankful for not waking up to my babies' coughs in the middle of the night.

Spring is definitely in full bloom and it is gorgeous out, but also all the pollen has come with the season. Hubby's allergies are notorious and usually almost knock him out. Well this year hubby has relief! Some new meds are doing the job for him and he's been out mowing the grass with the flora raging with no issues. But surprise this year though I never have had allergies I've been hit. Sinus headaches and stuffiness galore when I step outside or the windows are open which I can take nothing for. Awesome. I have been using the saline and humidifier and though this isn't fun it has given me a lot more sympathy for hubby's ailment. He's so sweet giving me a cold rag for my head before bed but in the same breath mentioning "Well I told you it wasn't fun." Lol. I hope this doesn't last all Spring.

We were planning a perfect Spring Barbecue yesterday with MIL but it fell through due to some issues with her back. I'm hoping tonight we can still break out the grill for us and I'm hoping to make some Strawberry shortcake. Such perfect Spring weather for cooking outside (as long as the bees stay away).

We're looking forward to an exciting upcoming week. Ami's going to come visit us the day after her birthday to celebrate. We also have several appointments and meetings, including my monthly ICAN meeting.

April is CAM/Cesarean Awareness Month sponsored by the International Cesarean Awareness Network (ICAN). "It is a time for awareness for all pregnant women, all mothers, and all women everywhere. The risks of surgery are not felt only by the women who have cesareans, but by our society as a whole. We owe those women the access to knowledge and the availability of information and support." And the Atlanta ICAN chapter has lots of stuff planned to promote this cause.

Well I want to get back outside and enjoy more of this beautiful day. As the kid's song says "This is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it!" It applies for every day but on gorgeous days like today I'm reminded even more of his glory and many blessings!

The Princess and the Pillowcase

Once upon a time there was a creative and mischievous little princess. Having played all day with her toys she decided she wanted something new to do.

She searched the house and found her mother doing laundry. On top of the unfolded pile was pillowcase. Though it seemed simple enough at first the princess was intrigued.

She climbed into the pillowcase and transformed into many wonderful things. She was a butterfly hatching from a cocoon, a sleepy bear in a cave, and even a sack of toys being carried on Santa's back (with Daddy's help). She had so much fun and proclaimed the pillow case as her new favorite toy and continued to use it in her future adventures (when Mommy didn't confiscate it to put on the pillow on her bed that is).