05.29.13

Our brand new niece, Emery June!

05.28.13

Baby piglet.

05.27.13

Husband + God Son = Love

Lovey Lamb: Part 2, The Resurrection

I have written about Aaron's Lovey Lamb before.

People always ask when he got it, or when he became attached. I know we got it at his baby dedication celebration, but I really feel like Lovey Lamb has been part of the family as long as Aaron has.

However long it has been since Aaron became attached to it, is the same amount of time that I've been looking for a back up Lovey Lamb in case it got lost (which it has MANY times). I searched every Christian book store, baby store, EBay, Amazon and Google and always came up short. We even bought a few fake look-a-likes but Aaron was never fooled.

Then, two weeks ago Aaron was in my bed playing with Lovey Lamb. When (for the first time in over 4 years) it dawned on me - does Lovey Lamb have a tag with a company name I could Google? The fact that it took me 4 years to think of this just proves what being pregnant so many times does to your brain.

It was almost illegible, but I could still make out the "His Gem" label. A quick Google search for "His Gem Lamb" and ten seconds later I am staring at Lovey Lamb on my computer screen.

My excitement level was right up there with being proposed to or finding out I was pregnant or watching the Caps win the Winter Classic. Except more irrational because we are talking about a child's security blanket.

Obviously I ordered three right away. One for Aaron and two more for friends who are having babies.

When it came in the mail, I could not believe the difference:

New:

Old:

 Side-by-side:

Last night, my friend, Sarah, the mother of my sweet God Son, MJ, opened her new Lovey Lamb.  Her first word were - I think we should just frame it now, before he gets attached to it!

Full Moon

Some mornings when the boys wake up and Brett and I are still in bed, Peter and/or Aaron will climb into our bed and snuggle for a little while.

Yesterday morning it was Peter. I had my head laying on Brett's chest, so I felt him get into out bed, but couldn't see him. After a little while Peter started talking.

Peter - what is the weather today?

Me - probably sunny, but cold.

Peter - ok, I will wear pants. I need medicine for my butt. (He has had a rash that itches him).

Me - ok, I will get it in a little while.

Peter - ok.

Five more minutes pass with no talking or movement.

Peter - mom! I NEED my butt medicine.

Me - ok Peter, I'm getting up.

I turn to look at Peter for the first time and there he is next to me. Pants around his ankles, downward dog position with his naked butt inches from my face.

Talk about waking up on the wrong side of the bed.

05.26.13

Our God son, MJ.

05.25.13

Hiking

05.24.13

Campbell found a new best friend.

05.23.13

They grow up too fast.

05.22.13

Cheeeeeeeese

05.21.13

Big boy nap time.

05.20.13

Peek-a-boo!

05.19.13

Fourth Annual MOMS Club of Annandale End of the year mani/pedi party!

Rangers Suck!

My dad passed away 14 months before my first child, Peter, was born. His death has proven to be a hard subject to talk about with my children, as I break down at the thought that they will never meet him.

As the years have passed, I have opened up to the kids a little more regarding my dad. They know that my son Peter was names after my dad. They know he is in heaven. They know how to recognize his picture and that I miss him a lot. But shockingly, until this morning they apparently didn't know he played hockey.

Recently, I have been working on cleaning out my mothers house to sell and have found a few treasures. One was a framed photo of my dad in full hockey gear. I put in up in my living room a couple days ago and this morning Aaron noticed it and brought it to me with questions.

Aaron - Mom, is this guy your dad?

Me - Yes.

Aaron - Your dad played hockey?

Me - Yes

Aaron - Was he on the Caps?

Me - No, he wasn't quite good enough to play for the Caps.

Aaron - So he played for the Rangers?

05.18.13

Sick in bed together.

05.17.13

Photo by Aaron

05.16.13

Three bald boys

05.15.13

Just like a man to have his foot in his mouth.

05.14.13

Eating is such hard work.

Baby Imp

I was a somewhat difficult child (from what I've been told). My first trip to the principals office was in kindergarten.

At story time we were supposed to sit on the carpet. I would purposely sit with one butt cheek on the carpet and one on the hard floor. Just to push the limits. After a while my teacher, Ms. Bundy, wanted to crack and that's how I ended up in the principals office.

I wish I had Ms. Bundy's phone number so I could let her know I am getting paid back on a daily basis. Apparently, being an imp is passed down in DNA.

This morning I stopped at Wendy's for drinks because I forgot our water bottles at home. I handed Campbell her drink which she did far more playing with than drinking.

Me - Campbell, if you aren't going to drink it give it back, drinks aren't for playing.

Campbell - I'm thirsty.

Me - If you take the straw out, I'm taking the drink.

Campbell - This straw?

Then she proceeded to pull her straw ALMOST out of the cup then push it back down over and over and over and over. Each time saying - Take out the straw. Nooooooo.

Ms. Bundy, if you are reading this, I apologize!!!

05.13.13

Campbell's first haircut.

05.12.13

Happy Mother's Day

Pin-spired: Homemade Jewelry Cleaner

I never take my wedding rings off. Ever. So, as you can imagine, they get pretty nasty. Especially due to the way my diamonds are set (see right). I also wear my diamond studs almost as much as my rings, so they are equally dingy.

I try to get to my jeweler a couple times a year to have them cleaned, but in case you haven't noticed, I have 4 things keeping me from doing much these days.

So, I have been searching for a homemade remedy for my jewelry nastiness.  I tried one of those little at home sonic jewelry cleaner things with a store bought solution that promised sparkling jewelry in 30 minutes.  Yeah, that was a HUGE waste of money.

Next step - Pinterest, of course.  I found a bunch of "recipes" with different amounts, but all with the same ingredients: baking soda, salt, and Dawn.

In addition to the same ingredients, all the recipes had aluminum foil in common.

I totally forgot to take a photo of how nasty my jewelry was before, but it worked GREAT - here is what I did (sort of a combination of the 3-4 links I looked at):

1. Line a bowl with aluminum foil.

2. Drop your jewelry into the bowl.

3. Cover jewelry with baking soda.

4. Cover jewelry & baking soda with salt.

5. Cover the salt layer with a layer of Dawn.

6. Pour in hot water to fill the bowl.

7. Let sit. (I am not sure exactly how long I let it sit - maybe 2 hours?  I have no idea how long I should have left it, that was just how much time it took me to make dinner, feed the kids, get them to bed and remember to take the jewelry back out.

After I took my jewelry out I rinsed with water and dried with a paper towel.

Here are some after shots of my wedding and engagement rings (please ignore my serious need for a manicure - remember those 4 things keeping me from doing things I mentioned earlier?)

And the diamond studs (can we say "BLING"!?!?!)

Success!  Plus, in addition to my newly sparkly jewelry, I didn't have to leave the house and the solution costs pennies! 

05.11.13

We uncovered a keg we rented for a party back when we were dating (over 7 years ago). Think we can still get our deposit back?

Work

A few weeks ago Peter came home from school announcing that during a class about careers, he had told his class that my career before becoming a mom was: Professional Cheerleader.

Then this morning I was driving with Aaron and noticed we were passing my former office building.

Me - Hey, Aaron, I used to work in that building!

Aaron - That one? Wow, mom. What was your job? Cleaning?

Me - No. Why do you think that was my job?

Aaron - Because that is your job at home.

05.10.13

Playoffs Baby

05.09.13

These two.

05.08.13

Best buddies.

05.07.13

Snoozing on the floor, while I pack up my mom's house.

05.06.13

Bedtime kisses.

05.05.13

This is how they roll.

05.04.13

Teeth!

05.03.13

He <3s writing.

05.02.13

Slave labor.

05.01.13

Steven woke up to find his two brothers in the crib with him.

04.30.13

What a misfit.