The Hood Life

Fire Truck Beep Beep

2012-02-16T10:04:00.000-08:00

Have I told you how much Beckett loves fire trucks? More than his Cars DVD, Elmo and markers combined. And that's saying A LOT! Every time we're in the car he says "see fire truck?!" which usually means I drive by a fire station on the way to wherever we're going. Even if he can see the truck through the garage windows, he's in heaven! Our favorite part is when we ask him what a fire truck does, and he says "Wee-Nu, Wee-Nu!!" So, when his teachers said that the fire truck was making a special stop at his school yesterday, we just HAD to go see it.

All he wanted to do was touch it and stare at it and run around it so he could see it from every angle. The firefighters even did a presentation on fire safety and showed the kids all of the gear they use to protect themselves. It was pretty awesome, I must say! Beckett got such a kick out of the whole thing and I think it might have fueled his obsession just a little more. :)

Happy Heart Day!

2012-02-14T05:40:00.000-08:00

The boys would like to wish you a Happy Valentine's Day full of hugs and Hershey kisses!

Admiration

2012-02-10T14:34:00.000-08:00

We can already tell that Miles looks up to his big brother. He's always trying to get his attention, follow him around or play with his toys. Most of the time, Beckett simply ignores him or plays keep away, but when he does pay attention, they are TOO cute! Beckett was showing Miles how to fix something with his "hamma."

I love these guys so much!

A Giggle for Your Tuesday!

2012-02-07T11:09:00.000-08:00

On The Go

2012-02-04T11:27:00.000-08:00

We got one! I love this too because you get to see a sampling of the facial expressions he makes for us. :)

Oh, and don't worry, Miles was perfectly fine after his little fall!

He's walking!

2012-02-02T08:44:00.000-08:00

Miles can walk all by himself now!!! We're so so proud of him. Apparently he did it for Matt a couple of days ago and I missed it, boohoo. But yesterday afternoon Beckett and I walked from the kitchen to the living room and when I turned back, Miles had stood up and was coming our way! With a HUGE smile on his face. Such a cutie pie! I think I scared him half to death, though, with how loud I screamed. He got so many hugs and kisses he didn't even know what to do with them. :) He still crawls most of the time but every once in a while, he'll stand up and take off, and then I'll scream, and then he'll sit back down. I should probably stop screaming.

I wanted to show you guys a video but every time I get my phone out he quits walking.. I think he's teasing me. We'll keep trying and put one up as soon as I can!

Valentine Love

2012-01-31T08:45:00.000-08:00

Valentine's Day is one of my favorites! Maybe it's the pink or all of the cheesiness? I love it all and am so glad the boys are in school so they can hand out valentines to their friends. I decided to make their valentines this year just because I thought it would be fun. I'm not a graphic designer, by any means, but had a great time playing around and designing their little cards.

I'm kind of a sucker for plaid too so when I thought of "so plaid you're my friend!" I just had to make that one. Matt rolled his eyes at how cheesy it is. :) Oh well, it was a fun project and now we can work on their buckets!

More Insta

2012-01-29T19:03:00.000-08:00

A couple more Instagram pics for you!

The strangest thing happened on Friday. We went to get Miles up from his nap and Beckett insisted that I put him in the crib and cover him up with a blanket. He hasn't done that since then so maybe he was just feeling a little sentimental about his old digs?

B's first piece of gum! He chewed it for an hour without swallowing it. Impressive.

The weather was amazing again today, so we took a walk to the yogurt shop and Matt gave Beckett a golf lesson. He's pretty good for a 2 1/4 year old! :)

Those baby blues melt my heart. Such a sweet little guy.

We are just loving this great weather. The weatherman keeps reminding us that it was just like this before the snowstorm last year.. eek. Well, we'll just enjoy it while we can!

Currently

2012-01-26T13:48:00.000-08:00

current ~~book~~ blog(s):

(I find myself reading blogs more than books these days so I'm changing this one :)

In addition to the ones listed on the side, I'm also loving...

Eat Drink Chic

A CUP OF JO

abode love

current playlist:

Patty Griffin - Children Running Through
(Matt and I danced to Heavenly Day at our wedding. Favorite song of all time.)

current color:

Big Apple Red

current food:

Tacos. We made tacos two nights ago and I swear our house still smells like a mexican restaurant.

current favorite show(s):

Pan Am

Up All Night

current need:

to get over this cold and go outside.

current outfit:

Yoga pants, but I wish I was wearing this...

{via}

current triumph:

Laundry.

current bane of my existence:

Rude people. I'm over it.

current favorite quote:

{via}

current indulgence:

Stilton and Rosemary Cookies. I've seriously made these 4 times in the last month.

current celebrity crush:

Christina Applegate

current # 1 blessing:

My family and friends. I don't think this one will ever change!

current excitement:

My 30th! I'm so NOT excited about getting older, but I am excited for the trip I'm planning with Melissa and our mommas.

current mood:

Caffeinated.

current favorite product:

Benefit High Beam - It's a highlighter for your cheeks and brow that seriously hides the fact that you've gotten two hours of sleep. That and lots of concealer.

A fun post idea from Jennifer at Perfectly Imperfect. Would love to read yours too!

Wreath Toot.

2012-01-25T15:11:00.000-08:00

Hey ya'll! I've gotten a couple of requests for the burlap wreath tutorial and probably should've included it in the original post... oopsies.

Here it is if you'd like to make one too! I put rolled fabric flowers on mine, just because I really like them. :) Here's the toot for that.

Happy Crafting!

60s and Sunny

2012-01-22T15:13:00.000-08:00

What a beautiful day today! Aside from the strong Oklahoma winds, it was perfect.

We stayed outside all afternoon, took a walk and even played "upside down bubba." Beckett named the game, can you tell? These spring like days in the middle of January are divine and just what we all needed.

Lessons For Our Boys - Part 1

2012-01-20T03:00:00.000-08:00

I've recently come to think differently about relationships and it's something that I need to pass on to my boys. And drill into their heads. It all started with a random article and a bible study I came across that spoke to me at just the right moment in my life and I just knew they happened for a reason. Has that ever happened to you? You have that "oooooh.... this was fate" kind of moment and start seeing things a little clearer? I love it when that happens! Well, over the past year or so I've been let down by some friends and hurt by people that I thought were there for me. When you have kids, trust me, you find out quickly who your real friends are... anyway... I won't go into details, for obvious reasons, but I was crushed and hurt and disappointed. I let it tear me down and started to doubt myself -- "am I not good enough?" "do I smell?" "is my hair too curly?" kind of stuff. Ridiculous, but true. I've always been a strong person (from the get go my mom would tell you ;) but when I let things get to me, they get to me hard and I have a hard time coming up for air. It's my weakness. And a trait I really don't wish to pass on to my kin. I would much rather they inherit Matt's easy going, let it roll of his back disposition, let me tell you. It would be so much easier! Being a sentimental, transparent, heart on my sleeve kind of girl is good too, but mix it with a little insecurity, and you have yourself a destructive cocktail. I did NOT like being that person and I hope to never be again. After a lot of reflection and old fashioned nitty gritty truth, I learned a few very important lessons. Below are just a few things I need our boys to learn early on.

#1 - Someone is judging you right this second. As I type this, someone is judging me for being TOO transparent, or a bad writer, or a rambler, or a bad mom, or whatever. You just can't let it get you down. You can't live your life to please other people and worry about "not being good enough." If someone doesn't want to be your friend, no matter how hard you try, then they don't deserve you... ya know?

#2 - Don't let your quest for acceptance (or perfection) affect the relationships that matter most. The peeps that care about you, the ones that make an effort and support you and love you are the ones that deserve your time and attention. Not the ones that couldn't give a flying floozie. Your family, "true" friends, and relationship with God are the most important. Focus on the ones that matter most and work on those relationships instead!

#3 - Tell the truth and be yourself, always. period. There will always be someone cooler than you, more handsome, taller, richer and more popular. But there will never be a better you. And I happen to think you is pretty great. If being you means that someone doesn't want to be your friend, then so be it. Life's too short to be worried about what other people think.

Now, clearly, I'm still working on these things, and they are much easier said than done, but never give up. There will be people that hurt us regardless, but if we work towards these goals, we're on the right track. And always remember that mommy and daddy love you no matter what. We are your peeps. Period.

(via pinterest)

Instagram Love

2012-01-19T13:22:00.000-08:00

I know, I know, I'm really late to the game but I recently downloaded Instagram to my iPhone and looooove it. I'm just so used to editing my pictures in photoshop that I never really felt any urgency to get the new app. But I'm glad I did! It's super easy and cool for all of these phone pics I've been taking lately. Like these from yesterday. We didn't get out of our pajamas the entire day.... don't judge.

mmmmmmm.... sghetti!

This guy woke up at 5 and then was so tired at 10 that he tried to take a nap on the chair. Ummmm, I don't think so buster. You're just going to have to be tired like me until naptime. :)

This little guy is feeling SO much better! I guess RSV is going around and that's what caused his brochiolitis. Yuck. Also, did you notice the look on his face and how it looks just like the one my dad makes? We call it "The Reid."

Thanks to my new app, this post took me point 4 seconds to complete. LOVE.

Delaney Kay

2012-01-16T18:16:00.000-08:00

This past weekend my mom and I took a girls trip to Kansas City to meet a special little six week old named Delaney Kay. She's the brand new baby of my good friend Kristin. Kristin's mom, Rhonda, is a great friend of my mom's too so it's always a fun time! We did a little shopping, held that precious babe and just enjoyed each other's company.

Isn't she presh?!

I loved making some girly hair accessories for Delaney! As long as my friends have girls, I'll get just enough pink.

On the way home we stopped at Cracker Barrel in Joplin. I mean, I could have eaten for an entire week on this spread. Ridiculous... ridiculously good!

Did you notice the difference between my meal and my mom's yogurt and bran muffin? Yikes. I have zero self control around country cooking and apple butter.

In the meantime, Matt and the boys had a great weekend too. Miles was sicky but they had fun anyway. Apparently they went to Best Buy to pick up the Cars 2 DVD and Beckett held it until they checked out. Well, when the cashier needed to scan it, he threw a HUGE fit and didn't want to give it to her. Sounds about right to me! :)

Nite Nite Friends

2012-01-12T08:35:00.000-08:00

Beckett and Miles would like to introduce a couple of very special friends.

Beckett absolutely cannot go to sleep without his two friends, Horse and Raffe and his very special "Bucky" his great Aunt Leslie made him. It's a little small for him now, but he still cuddles with it and sticks his fingers through it like the old days. Raffe and Bucky have been there from the beginning but Horse is a bit of a newcomer. Thanks Aunt Julie for the new addition!

Roy is Miles' favorite alligator and crib buddy. He's very soft and cuddly and not the slightest bit scary. Miles too has a special Bucky. I absolutely love these blankets for babies because they're so breathable and I never worried about it. Leslie is so talented and even made me a big girl blanket that I adore!

The boys will be so glad you met their special nite nite friends. They gravitate towards these few little friends out of all of the blankets and stuffies they own. Who knows the reason for it, they just do! I'm sure they'll outgrow them eventually but I always want them to be remembered for bringing the boys sweet dreams and comfort at bedtime.

Word To Yo Momma.

2012-01-10T19:43:00.000-08:00

The following article was sent to me by my mom, who received it from her friend Pam, who received it from Keely, and so and so on, but the point is, it's a must read, especially for you mommas out there. This situation happens to me all the time. Truthfully, I sometimes feel bad after I complain about my day because I know how lucky I am to have two healthy beautiful children and a great life... and guilty because I'm not enjoying it every single second. This gal hit the nail on the head. I hope you enjoy and feel just a little better about yourself afterward!

Momastery.com - 2011 Lesson #2: Don't Carpe Diem

P.S. An example of Kairos time for me is when Beckett was on his way up to his room for bed tonight and decided to walk back down just to give me a big kiss and say "love you!" Those are the type of moments I love and live for.

Our Week In Pictures

2012-01-08T18:18:00.000-08:00

Below are just a few highlights from this past week...

I made a new wreath for my front door and even made some extra pink roses to gussy it up for V-Day.

The boys and I went to the grocery store and we let B "drive." He loved this little cart attachment at Reasors. :)

I found this in Miles' cubby at school... Not sure why I didn't notice it until now, oops, but I think it is the funniest and sweetest little ornament I've ever seen. Look at that face!

Beckett gives out kisses like candy now and we LOVE it. I definitely think Miles gets the most though.

Not exactly a highlight, but a messy road construction project started on our quiet little street. They decided that our yard would be a great place to put this sign. Ugh.

Beckett, Matt and I took a trip to the aquarium on Saturday for some hands on fun. We didn't think Miles would care for it so Nana and Papa played with him at their house for a couple of hours.

On Sunday we headed over to my parents house to play with Brett and Boston and eat dinner. We also spent time with Melissa, the Wechlers and even had a fun parent's night out with our friends Whittney and Joey on Saturday. Phew! Busy busy but good.

On a more serious and important note, I would also like to ask you to pray for the mom of a very special friend of ours who was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. They are on our minds and in our prayers but a few more are certainly appreciated!

1 Year Check Up

2012-01-03T07:16:00.000-08:00

Mr. Miles went in for his 1 year check up last week on his actual birthday. I'm a little late posting the stats, I know, but better late than never. He did great and, with the exception of 3 painful shots and a finger prick on his birthday, it was a good visit. I did not plan that out very well, clearly, and have learned my lesson. Do not schedule doctor appointments on their birthdays!

Length: 29 3/4 inches (52%)
Weight: 24 lbs 3 oz (71%)
Head Circumference: 19.29 in (97%!)

He is SO SO close to walking too. He stands by himself for long periods of time, pulls up on everything and is very mobile. Right now, he is obsessed with his alligator push toy we got him for Christmas. It's really cute to watch him go from one end of the house to the other and then look back at us like "can you turn me around, pahleeaaase?!" This push toy is really cute and we highly recommend it, by the way. We're not in a big hurry for him to walk but I just know it's going to be any day now... Go Bubba Go!

Happy New Year!

2011-12-31T18:07:00.001-08:00

Good Morning Birthday Boy.

2011-12-27T09:22:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday to our beautiful baby Miles! You're turning one year old today but you fill our hearts with enough love for a lifetime. It seems like yesterday when you let your presence be known. Looking back now, the way you waited until we discovered you is telling of how sweet and laid back you would be as a baby. Always smiling, content being held and sweet as apple pie. Your favorite things in this world are playing with your brother, standing up, walking with your new push toy, being held upside down, eating (boy do you eat!) and climbing the stairs.

You're our little love bug, bubba and sugar and we could not imagine our lives without you! Here's to a fabulous birthday and many more filled with everything you wish for.

Love,

Mommy and Daddy

Christmas 2011

2011-12-26T10:37:00.000-08:00

Howdy folks! We hope you had a very Merry Christmas! We had a great time over at my parents with my Aunt Julie, Uncle Kent, cousins Eric and Kyle, GiGi, Brett, Nikki and Boston. We played bingo, ate some amazing food, opened presents and enjoyed each other's company most of all. It was a full house and tons 'o fun!

Now that Christmas is over...boohoo....we have to move on to the next holiday. But, wait a second! Miles is turning the big one on Tuesday so we have something else to look forward to! Maybe having a birthday so soon after Christmas isn't so terrible after all. :)

A Little Bit More

2011-12-23T12:37:00.000-08:00

And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. And he puzzled and puzzled 'till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before. What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store? What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more?

-Dr. Seuss

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

Santa!

2011-12-21T12:34:00.000-08:00

Beckett was not a fan of Santa again this year, can you tell? He cried and screamed and didn't warm up to the jolly old guy until we were leaving. Miles, on the other hand, couldn't have cared less. Maybe next year? :)

P.S. The adorable little sweaters were monogrammed by my friend Jamie. Better pics to come!

Currently

2011-12-17T18:20:00.000-08:00

current book(s):

(although I haven't gotten very far.)

current playlist:

Glee Christmas Album and Jake Owen - Barefoot Blue Jean Night

current color:

I know, I know, so not Christmasy but I was in an 80's kind of mood last week.

current food:

Lasagna. I made my mom's recipe this week and we're finally home to bake it!

current favorite show(s):

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills (embarrassing but true), A Pioneer Woman Christmas and Elmo (because it means I can type this right now:)

current need:

for the sick bug to stay far far away from our house.

current outfit:

something along these lines..

current triumph:

All of our presents are wrapped and under the tree.... YESSSS.

current bane of my existence:

Lightbulbs that last ten minutes. I feel like we change them ALL the time.

current favorite holiday decoration:

The boys' blue trees.

I smile every time I look at them!

current celebrity crush:

Jeremy Renner and Charlize Theron (although I'm not a fan of her Dior commercials)

current indulgence:

Gumdrops from Whole Foods. I bought them for a party I hosted and can't. stop. eating. them.

current # 1 item on your wishlist:

A particular Louis Vuitton bag is #1 but this is on there too because a girl can dream, right?!

Canon EOS 7D Digital SLR Camera

current # 1 blessing:

current excitement:

Christmas, of course!

current mood:

relaxed and feeling very blessed.

current new year's resolution:

Cook more and better!

A fun post idea from Jennifer at Perfectly Imperfect. Would love to read yours too!

Can't Get Enough

2011-12-16T10:07:00.000-08:00

I just can't get enough of babies in Santa hats. It's an addiction for sure.

Something about that cute little face in a huge hat is too cute for words!

A Treat for My Sweet

2011-12-16T06:51:00.000-08:00

Party Like It's 1985

2011-12-14T12:28:00.000-08:00

Miles!!!! We love this little guy so much. Can you believe he's turning one on the 27th?? I can't. Since his birthday is in between Christmas and New Year's we decided to move his party up a couple of weeks so everyone could come. We had it at The Little Gym, the perfect spot for him and all of his rowdy buddies. :) We also decided to make it an 80's theme, because, well, Mr. M wanted to rock some sweat bands and party like it's 1985.

Thank you to everyone who came out to celebrate our handsome 80's prince. He had a tubular time!!!

You Might be a SAHM If...

2011-12-09T12:14:00.000-08:00

1. You wake up in the morning to your toddler babbling and just lay there and listen to the nonsense.

2. You are so busy getting the kids out the door that you forget to put on your coat, eat breakfast and get your keys off the table.

3. You use toddler words to describe everyday objects, like Fire Truck Beep Beep! (instead of simply "fire truck"), Memowing Tape (instead of Measuring Tape), Dill (instead of Drill), and nana (instead of Banana).

4. You take a drive to Sonic when everything starts to crash and burn at home.

5. If both babies are screaming for no reason on said road trip you turn Gen-X radio up really loud and rock out to Bittersweet Symphony. Old school music makes everything more manageable.

6. You call your mom every 5 seconds so that A.) you can talk to an adult and B.) she can tell you that child-rearing is a hard job and everything will be just fine.

7. When your husband gets home at night, you immediately open a bottle of wine and pour yourself a big glass. (Sometimes he beats me to it! ;)

8. Target is your second home.

9. If you make it through lunch without incident you reward yourself with an air high five and a handful of cheetos.

10. You google things like "how to stop my toddler from pinching my underarm fat."

But, most importantly, you might be a SAHM if, when the babies go down for a nap and you have a few quiet moments, you remember how lucky you are to have healthy happy kids and the best job in the world.

Bounce U

2011-12-09T11:37:00.000-08:00

Nana and I took Beckett and Miles to Bounce U this morning. It's a great little place with a ton of inflatables and a play session dedicated to kids under 5. Let's just say Beckett was in HEAVEN. It took him a second to warm up but then he ran around non-stop and played on everything! There were a couple of giant slides that he needed my help with so I definitely got a workout too! Miles was as happy as a clam just watching all of the kids run around so Nana sat with him and supervised. Here are a couple of pictures and a short video of our Bounce U champion.

The slides were by far his favorite!

We all had a great time and topped it off with lunch at Chick-Fil-A. I'd say it's been a very Happy Friday so far!

Forget S'Mores..

2011-12-07T11:19:00.000-08:00

Miles' new favorite snack is raspberries and bread... together?

Whatever you want my sweet baby.

While You Were Sleeping

2011-12-07T10:49:00.000-08:00

Shhhhhh, don't tell Miles, but while he was taking his morning nap, Beckett and I made s'mores in a jar. Another amazing find on Pinterest. The recipe is super easy as you can imagine but the best part is that you can make them in the oven AND put them in a jar! Perfect.

All you do is mix up graham crackers, butter and brown sugar for the crust, add some chocolate (we used milk chocolate chips because that's all we had but I think a Hershey bar would definitely be better) and a couple of marshmallows on top. We took the lid off so the plastic wouldn't melt in the oven.

Pop them in the oven for a couple of minutes to melt the chocolate and marshmallows and then turn on your broiler to toast the top. Beckett kept a steady eye on them so they wouldn't catch on fire. :)

Pull them out, put the lid back on, and Ta-Da! S'mores in a Jar.

Beckett's favorite part was the gooey marshmallows of course!

Such a great idea for a dinner party or a 'just for fun' project. You can find the recipe here if you'd like to make them too. I bought my jars at hobby lobby but the original recipe called for baby food jars. Whatever you have should work fine. We'll definitely have to make them again so Miles can help too!

Storytime!

2011-12-05T20:05:00.000-08:00

The boys love their storytime! Especially when they can both sit on mommy and daddy's lap at the same time. It usually doesn't work out because one of them will start to squirm and then the other will try to grab the book.. or your face.. and then it all just spirals downward until we give up and resume playtime on the floor. For some reason, though, the last couple of nights have been very successful! Enough so that we were able to capture the moments with our cameras. Granted, the lighting is bad and they're not the best pictures, technically, but it doesn't even matter. We'll cherish these memories forever.

I also couldn't help adding this next picture to the mix. I walked upstairs to check on Beckett during naptime today and this is how I found him.

Mr. Giraffe makes a great cuddle buddy!

Never a dull moment around here and we wouldn't have it any other way.

Hello Beautiful

2011-12-03T10:57:00.000-08:00

Someone found mommy's lipstick when we weren't looking...

Doesn't he look so pretty?!

Turkey Weekend

2011-11-28T11:13:00.000-08:00

We are so thankful over here and stuffed FULL! It was a whirlwind of a weekend. Matt's brother Chris came in town (with Louie :) and we had such a great time seeing him! Nana, Papa, Brett and Boston also came over to our house for Thanksgiving dinner. My mom helped make the food so it was easy breezy and sooooo delicious.

I was a bad picture taker-er this weekend too, sorry.... I'll get back into the swing of things soon. Here are just a couple from last week.

Miles! I just love him so much. He is ALL over the place now!

Boston and Beckett. This picture cracks me up because they both want the lawn mower all the time. If one of them has it, the other wants it and so on. Can you see Boston trying to push him away? :)

The crew minus Chris, Miles and Matt. Even Louie wanted in on the action.

Family pic!

Papa and Beckett at Lights On Utica Square. We joined about a million other Tulsans to watch the lights turn on at our favorite little shopping center.

Thanks for coming to see us Chris! We miss you already.

My brother turned 31 on Friday to top it all off. Happy Birthday Brett! I can't believe it's Monday already. Back to the daily grind and with a special little someone's birthday coming up and Christmas right around the corner, we have about a gazillion things to do. It's the busiest and best time of the year for sure!

Well Poop.

2011-11-21T18:34:00.000-08:00

I wasn't going to tell this story to anyone else but my mom thought I might want to remember these little priceless moments later on. Priceless... yup that's a good way to put it.

It all started when Beckett learned how to "check" Miles' diaper. I guess he's seen us do it quite a bit when we smell something a little stinky in the air. He does it all the time. He'll check his diaper when I ask him if he went poop. He'll check it right after I check it. He'll say "bubba poop" even when he's the culprit. Such a fun game! Like only bubba poops, not him. So when he said "bubba poop" I didn't think anything of it. I was putting dishes away in the kitchen and, when I turned the corner to check on them, what do I see? Beckett sticking his hand down Miles' diaper and then, to my absolute HORROR, rubbing poop on the top of Miles' head. Miles was just looking at me, like, "oh hello, so glad you could join us and stop him. Thanks for the support." I was in shock! Then I thought about which one to clean up first. The two year old with his brother's poop all over his hands or the poor baby with his own poop on his head? It wasn't much of a choice, though, when you think about. Clearly the monster toddler could do a lot more damage with those hands... a lot more. So I washed Beckett's hands and then cleaned off his poor defenseless bubba. Poor poor Miles, I'm so sorry. Lesson learned. I'll come a runnin' next time I hear those two words, I promise.

Priceless, yup.....that's a great way to put it.

Laundry Room

2011-11-21T13:18:00.000-08:00

So this doesn't look very dramatic in pictures for some reason, but it was VERY dramatic to me. The old room had gross carpet, a horrible paint job, soap stains on the wall (don't ask me how that happened, no idea) and holes everywhere. The shelf was also very inefficient and there wasn't anywhere to hang wet clothes or store the iron/ironing board.

This project has been on my radar for years but, like most of them, I needed my dad's help and no one ever sees it. But WE see it and it was driving me nuts! When I asked the Papa to lend a hand a couple of weekends ago, he was reluctantly agreeable. "Please Dad?! The holidays are coming up and we're going to have visitors and it's been bugging me for a while and it's so gross and...." I think he just got tired of my whining. :)

My mom came along too and watched the boys with Matt while my dad and I cleaned it up. She does just as much work during these project days, I'm tellin' ya! We ended up replacing the carpet, trimming down the liner underneath the carpet, adding a threshold, filling all the holes, painting every inch, moving the shelf up, adding another shelf, cleaning the machines and.. phew.. here she is afterwards.

Baskets from Walmart. I dread going to Walmart but they were the perfect size and cheap. These labels are just the dollar wood plaques you get at Michaels that I painted with chalkboard paint, drilled a couple of holes in and tied with twine. Easy breezy.

Word art from pinterest.

New and cheerful ironing board cover from Etsy. Amy Butler fabric of course! :)

It was all very cheap too - under 150 bucks. The transformation may not look that dramatic, but it feels so much more pleasant in there now. I can wash our clothes in a clean and happy place and that's priceless really!

La Jolla, CA

2011-11-21T06:54:00.000-08:00

Matt and I had such a great time in San Diego this weekend! It was so nice to get away just the two of us and relax for a couple of days. We even got to see Matt's high school buddy Phil and his awesome wife Lori. I think we both gained 10 pounds from all of the amazing food and even did some house hunting while we there... haha, ya right, we wish. Anyway here's a few pictures I snapped on my phone. Yes, I brought my nice camera, no I didn't take a single picture with it. Sometimes you don't want to lug it around, ya know?!

We were both sad to leave but then we remembered we had these two handsome bugs to come home to.

Life. Is. Good.

P.S. A special thanks to my parents for staying with the boys. They told us they had a BLAST!

We're Off!

2011-11-16T15:39:00.000-08:00

Matt and I are taking a little trip to this beautiful place while my parents stay with the boys.

I'll tell ya all about it when we get back!

Project Mania

2011-11-14T12:49:00.000-08:00

You probably know by now that I love to craft. I also love that my friends love to craft! A couple of us got together to make book wreaths. They're so great and can take you through all of the holidays coming up! There were a couple of different varieties, but here's the one I made..

I might embellish her a bit for Christmas although I love her just how she is! And it was super easy. Here's the link if you'd like to make your own!

I whipped up some Thanksgiving shirts for the boys as well. I saw the drumstick idea on Etsy and thought it was too cute not to try. And what goes with Turkey better than football?!

My parents also came over for a large part of the weekend to help us fix up our laundry closet. It's almost finished so I'll show you a picture of that soon. Here's a peak at our "handymen" working on it..

Next up, Christmas pillows! Love love love a great holiday project!

B's 2 Year Check Up

2011-11-09T14:02:00.000-08:00

Beckett went in for his 2 year check up on Monday. Here are his stats..

Length: 36 inches (85%)

Weight: 29 lbs 10 oz (69%)

Head Circumference: 49.75 cm (76%)

Along with being a big boy, he's also incredibly sweet (unless he doesn't feel like it :) and polite. He says "Thank You" already, isn't that great?! He loves to climb on everything, play with his bubba, run around outside and go to school with his friends. His favorite things to eat include yogurt, crackers and cheese. He's stringing sentences together and talking up a storm! Our favorite sentence so far is "No hitting the wall" that sounds more like "No hit-it-itting the wooooaaaaal." It's hilarious!

He loves his bubba!

Speaking of bubba, this guy is now crawling forwards! He has mastered crawling backwards but just recently decided to try it the other way. My job is a little bit harder but not too bad since he doesn't go very fast yet... I'm sure that will happen soon! He also loooooves to stand up and jump.

Our kiddos are growing up so fast it's scary. Beckett's turning into a little boy and Miles is on the go go go! Just please don't go go go away to college anytime soon!

The Ground is Shaking!

2011-11-06T19:01:00.000-08:00

I'm still a little shocked by our 5.6 earthquake we experienced last night. I mean, what in the world?! We felt it around 11 p.m. and ran upstairs to grab the boys. Matt went left to Miles' room and I went to Beckett's. (We later agreed that if we ever have to snatch up the boys again, he was getting Beckett since he's bigger ;). Anyway, we grabbed the babes and ran downstairs to do what? I wasn't sure. The only thing I could remember about earthquake safety was to stand in a doorway which I learned from Saved By The Bell. Yes, the TV Show. But apparently I'm not alone because I saw a lot of other people discussing this same thing on Facebook today, ha! Well obviously that's not the ideal hiding place and thank goodness I had Matt to suggest we get under the table instead... duh. By the time we decided on this plan of action, the quake was over. It was pretty mild but scary none the less! Then all we had were two completely awake kiddos and it took forever to get them back to sleep. Miles slept downstairs with us for a while, which I LOVED. He was a great cuddle buddy until he popped awake at 3 a.m. I turned over and saw him on all fours staring at me which was kind of comical... We probably should have let them sleep through it but when your parental instincts kick in you can't fight them and I'm sure we'd do the same thing if it happens again.

Here's a picture of Beckett with his trusty Thomas flashlight (Thanks Aunt Brookie!). He was more prepared than we were! This guy is obsessed with flashlights by the way...

Check out that fantabulous hair.

Well, I'm just glad that's over with. We hope there isn't another Oklahoma earthquake for a while!

Sucker? I think I am.

2011-11-04T07:13:00.000-07:00

This was our conversation first thing this morning.

Beckett: (Pointing to the suckers with both hands) "Sucker?"
Me: "No honey, you can't have a sucker for breakfast."
Beckett: "'kay"
Me: "Would you like yogurt instead?"
Beckett: "'kay"

Beckett eats his yogurt.

Me: "Are you done with your yogurt?"
Beckett: "Yah (head shaking up and down). Sucker?"
Me: "No sucker. Would you like a banana?"
Beckett: "No." (head shaking left to right)
Me: "Okay, are you all done?"
Beckett: "No."
Me: "What would you like then?"
Beckett: "Hug?"
Me: "Of course!" (I give him a hug)
Beckett: "Sucker?"
Me: "Okay."

For those of you on facebook, you might've read that I bribed him with a sucker ONE TIME because I needed a hug. We just had a tantrum moment and I needed a little reminder of how much I loved him. Big mistake... huge.

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-30T20:26:00.000-07:00

From White Lightning and Mysterious M.

They took some time off from fighting crime on Saturday to trick or treat on Brookside. I think White Lightning had 5 suckers that day.

They kept their homemade costumes on the majority of the time too! I was a little worried they would just rip off all the pieces and my time and effort would be wasted, but I was pleasantly surprised! Seeing these two in their gear made it all worth it. :)

We also got to see Boston on Sunday, aka Red Fish. Isn't he the cutest little red fish you ever saw?!

All of the boys want to wish you a Happy Halloween full of tricks and treats! Be safe out there and if you see any shenanigans, well... you know who to call.

Playdate Potluck!

2011-10-26T14:40:00.000-07:00

This morning, Beckett and Miles had some friends over for a potluck playdate! It was so much fun! We loved spending time with Mindie, Katie, Vickie, Nana and the kiddos.

Graham, Claire, Colten, Miles and Beckett. I'm still a little shocked they sat still long enough for this!

B even gave Colt and Claire a ride around the backyard.

With a little help from Nana. :)

Not only did we have a great time, we also had some really yummy food. Everyone brought something for lunch and, let me tell you, it was all delicious and I'm still full. Thanks for coming over to play guys! We will have to do it again soon!

Jack-O

2011-10-24T18:51:00.000-07:00

My brother came over today and brought a little present for the boys...

Since he cuts people open for a living, it only makes sense that he would be an excellent pumpkin carver too. :)

It got a lot of ooooohs and aaaaaahs from Beckett. Thanks for the awesome Jack-O-Lantern, Uncle Brett!

Happy Birthday B!

2011-10-22T15:48:00.000-07:00

We love you more and more each day.

Early Birthday Dinner

2011-10-20T09:59:00.000-07:00

Beckett's turning the big 2 on Saturday! I can't believe it but it's happening. To celebrate we had an early birthday dinner with family and family friends last night. It was a perfect celebration for our baby boy, I mean toddler, I mean.... NOOOOO..... he's growing up so fast!

Rice crispy treats with candles. Beckett loved the candles!

Mmmmmm pizza and rice crispy treats. I ended up making a cake batter rice crispy treat from Pinterest (thanks Britni:) and they turned out great! Here's the link if you're interested.

Boston, Brett, Nana, Papa, Lori, Missy, Kevin, Lindsay and us.

Beckett got some great loot from his guests too! We have some good present picker-outers out there. He even got an awesome cape and a drill from Nana and Papa so he can fix things around the house.

He started with the cat door that we don't use because we don't have a cat.

I like his skills and just might put them to good use on some upcoming projects, ha! He had a fun night for sure. Dinner was a great way to start off his birthday week with more fun to come!

The New Kitchen

2011-10-15T19:18:00.000-07:00

One of my friends reminded me yesterday that I haven't put up any pictures of the new kitchen. Sorry for the delay! It's been done for a couple of weeks but I just keep forgetting to blog about it. It's so much better and more efficient than it was before and we absolutely love it! I think Matt's even glad we did it now... ;)

Remember the before? Dark and drab...

The soffits above the cabinets drove me NUTS.

The cabinets were in great condition but the color and finish just didn't go with our 1930's house.

This little gem was made by the previous owners. Unfortunately, we weren't able to save it...

This oven worked fine but it was so small that our pans didn't fit and we knew there was wasted space behind it. It's located directly below our stairs. (Hi Baby B!)

Ta-daaaa! The after...

We did so many things in here it's hard to remember! The wall was removed, which opens it up a ton, and the soffits are gone, thank goodness. The cabinets are original, just pushed up to the ceiling and painted white. New hood vent, countertops (honed black granite), which we extended to fit bar stools underneath, backsplash (white subway with light gray grout), pendants, stainless sink, brushed nickel faucet, knobs and pulls, and a new shelf underneath the cabinets.

We also added a slide in gas range instead of our electric stovetop. LOVE cooking on gas. I'm not a seasoned chef by any means, but I feel like it makes a difference! The shelf underneath the cabinets idea scared our contractor at first when I told him about it. He wasn't so sure and had never done that before, but we all think it turned out great! All of our everyday dishes are in easy reach and I don't have a problem keeping it tidy and uncluttered... yet. You can also see the herringbone detail above the stove which I really like. It gives it a little oomph I think. ;)

Since we pushed the cabinets up, we had a tricky empty space above the fridge, so we decided to add some cubbies for our wine. Obviously our collection is lacking at the moment.

On the other side, we made quite a few changes as well. The pantry is new and we absolutely can not imagine not having it now. It's a lifesaver. The same idea with the cabinets and shelf but we decided to go with an oak butcher block counter instead. I wanted to break up the black and white a little and I think the wood really warms it up. Someone (aka me) didn't count correctly when buying the knobs so one is missing...oops. I guess we're not quite done after all!

We've always had an appliance garage here but I had our contractor add a pull out shelf so we can actually reach our appliances. It goes back really really far! If you come over, remind me to show you.. it's crazy.

The new pantry... AHHHHH! We love it. It's not a huge walk in pantry but it's a pantry and we desperately needed it. Our food was overflowing from our cabinets and with two growing boys, it was just impossible to fit everything in there. I can't believe I'm showing you the inside of our pantry, but whatever, it is what it is. I need to organize it. I bought a cheap crate at an estate sale a while back that I plan to slide underneath the bottom shelf. My dad added casters so I just need to paint it and it will hide all of the plastic wear and napkins that are just shoved in there right now. So many projects, so little time....

And a different shot of the kitchen. The butcher block on the sink is also new and fabulous! We had some scrap leftover from the countertop, so our contractor cut it down to fit perfectly into our left sink. I use it ALL the time!

Well we love our new kitchen and hope you enjoyed the tour. Come on over and have some tea if you're in the neighborhood!

Busy Week!

2011-10-13T18:23:00.000-07:00

Wow, what a busy week! We've been going going and going it seems like. I like to be busy though, so it's good! A couple of happenings worth mentioning..

This handsome hunk had a birthday on Saturday. Happy Birthday Matty! Don't you just LOVE this senior picture?! He was a surfer dude for sure.

Speaking of daddy, Beckett really wanted to wear his boots again. There's just something about this that makes me giggle and melt all at the same time!

Miles is working on his crawling.. almost there!! Such a happy guy! Beckett is such a big helper when Miles can't reach something too.. I just say "can you give Miles a toy?" and Beckett grabs one and hands it to him while saying "bubba TOY, bubba TOOOOY!" It's pretty cute. :)

Gigi came in town to see us too!! We are so glad she did and had a good time hanging with her and the babes. We went to dinner at Blue Rose tonight for her last night in town. I forgot my camera... ugh... but she snapped a few with her new iPhone. That's right, my grandma has an iPhone. She's cool like that.

The B boys and Miles LOVE their Gigi!

So glad we had a lot of fun this week but we're all looking forward to a relaxing weekend. Hope you have a good one!

Advantages.

2011-10-07T10:51:00.000-07:00

There are certain advantages to having a blog. One of them being the ability to post pictures of our kids in MY team gear when the house is divided.

Don't let us down boys! Boomer!

Team Momma Citas.

2011-10-06T07:13:00.000-07:00

This morning, I dropped off the kiddies at school, came back to have my tea and check my email before starting the day and saw this post in my inbox.

I love this blog and have gotten so many great ideas from her, including the 4th of July shirts! She's amazing. Anyway, in the post she talks about building each other up as moms and that we're all on the same "team." This is so true! We all have the same goal - raise our kids to the best of our abilities so that they grow into amazing big people. We need to support each other! Being a stay at home mom is a unique job where you don't get rewarded with a promotion and you don't get evaluations and reviews that tell you how you're doing. I miss those... You just have to know that you're doing a good job and hearing it from friends and family certainly doesn't hurt. I know a ton of other mommas that are FANTASTIC moms with fantastic kids and I need to make an effort to tell them more often. I also believe we're our biggest critics as moms. If Beckett acts out or doesn't listen, I think, "What am I doing so wrong?!" It's easy to get caught up in the bad and feel like you're all alone in your cubical, but at the end of the day we know we have great kids and we're all doing our best at the hardest job we've ever had. Let's all team up and support each other dog-gonit!

GOOOOOOOOOO TEAM!

P.S. If you're with me on this being the hardest job out there, then you might appreciate this article my mom's friend Pam sent me. :)

Mr. M 9 Months

2011-10-04T19:50:00.000-07:00

Miles had his 9 month checkup today! And yes, as you can probably guess, he's perfect. Smiley, chunky and absolutely perfect. Below are his stats from the visit.

Length: 29 inches (72%)
Weight: 22 lb 10 oz. (78%)
Head Circumference: 47 cm (89%) **Man, that big head is a STRONG gene I tell ya. :)

We love this little guy so much! Right now his favorite things are yogurt melts, fruit, fruit, fruit, his paci, the remote, bathtime, chewing on anything within reach and, of course, his big brother. He loves him and fears him at the same time! Those two giggle, talk to each other and play, but watch out because, if you turn your back, Beckett will pop him on the head or push him over. Poor Miles. Never even a warning. I guarantee he's taking notes and keeping track of all the things his brother is doing so he can seek his revenge later. :) Mr. M is also a momma's boy and wants to be held at all times. He's an amazing sleeper and never cries when I lay him down for a nap or night night. Layed back just like Matt. If Beckett's me, Miles is DEFINITELY Matt. Go with the flow and I love it! He's very close to crawling.... I'm not pushing him, trust me.... but he's almost there! He loves going to school, his teachers, and the bye bye buggy in this amazing weather. He brought this home today and I just had to share!

What a great artist at the ripe old age of 9 months. Big things for this kid... BIG.

A Little Gravel in Our Travel

2011-09-28T18:04:00.000-07:00

Can you believe baby Miles is 9 months?! Wowzers. He's growing so fast and developing such a cute personality. We love love love our little smiler and really can't imagine not having him in our lives. I have a feeling his little smile is going to open a lot of doors in his future. :)

To celebrate Mr. M's 9 months of life, we took some family pictures with Carissa (aka amazingly awesome photographer woman). This photo shoot was so much fun! First off, my dad is awesome and found this truck through a friend. I've been on the lookout for one for a while now and he came through.. again. After that, all we needed was a gravel road, three cute boys, two grandparents to corral the tot and BAM! here are the results.

We so happy with them ya'll and can't wait to frame 'em up! I feel like I should be talking in a southern accent after seeing these...

Pumpkins and Cucks.

2011-09-25T18:59:00.000-07:00

We hope you had a great weekend! We sure did. It was low key couple of days including a dinner with some friends, the zoo with Brett and Boston and an OU football game in our jammies. On Sunday I ran a few errands and picked up a couple of pumpkins and gourds for our front step. The boys helped me unload them and Beckett became attached to this one pumpkin in particular.

He carried it around, threw it a couple of times (poor pumpkin) and moved it to different places on the porch and inside the house.

It eventually ended up next to Miles, which he appreciated. (Miles doesn't sit in the bumbo very often now, but sometimes I just need to make sure he can't fall back and hurt himself. My hands were full with his brother. :)

After we ran around the yard and situated his favorite pumpkin, Beckett decided he wanted to point at the cars going by and call them "trucks." Everything is a truck right now. It sounds a little more like "cuck" though, which can be a bit tricky in public. We just make sure and follow it up with a "truck" so there isn't any misunderstanding.

I'm still working on the front porch, but for now, let's just sit back, relax and enjoy our Sunday night. Hope you have a great week ahead!

Don't Be Fooled.

2011-09-20T07:16:00.000-07:00

I love to share the best parts of our lives on the blog. Pretty pictures of my children, husband and home, but trust me, I have a lot of days like this...

Raising two boys 14 months apart is not for sissies. It's hard work and we definitely have our fair share of bad days. We have those kind of mornings when we all wake up on the wrong side of the bed (or the floor in Beckett's case) and it's just a rough day from start to finish. When this happens, I find that a good whine to my mom and a little wine after the boys go to sleep helps tremendously. :) We have a lot more good moments than bad and it's all worth it when I get a big Beckett sized hug or a Miles belly laugh. Even though it's hard right now, I'm definitely glad we had them so close together when I see them playing together. They LOVE each other and it's fun to watch! There are many more fun stories and pictures to come but, don't be fooled, we have those kind of days just like everyone else. Sometimes I just have to put my big girl panties on and get through it.

Learn to Sew

2011-09-16T15:14:00.000-07:00

The last couple of weeks I've been attending a 'Learn to Sew' class. Yes, you read that right, a sewing class. :) Since Beckett was born, I would always see such cute things (like burp cloths) and would think, "you want how much for that?!" and "I could make that myself".... or at least wish I could. So since the boys are in school twice a week now, I finally have time to take a class! Almost all of the women in my family are fantastic sewers and taught me a lot growing up, but since I can't even remember what I ate yesterday, it's really hard for me to remember a lot of what they showed me. Bummer. I'm really enjoying the class though and am so glad I signed up!

Below is what we made for our first project...

They give us a supply list before each project starts, so we pick out the fabric, thread, etc. and away we go!

I think it turned out really well and I've already started using it! Our next project is a throw pillow, piping and all, which is a little more challenging. This might make or break my sewing kick.

Bubba's a Model.

2011-09-15T18:24:00.000-07:00

Miles was featured on the Smocked Auctions blog today! I know it's silly, but seeing his picture on their website puts a smile on face. :) Click here if you want to see our little smocked cutie!

Outside!

2011-09-11T19:56:00.000-07:00

We had such a great weekend around here and hope you did too. On Saturday, I went to OKC with my friends Britni and Lindsay. We lunched and then headed to the new outlet mall. We weren't that impressed with the prices, but it was great to spend the day with two of my favorite ladies! That's what it was all about anyway. :)

We also had another Sunday Funday at Nana and Papa's yesterday. They got the boys a couple of new outside toys so they could enjoy this amazing weather we've had lately. Beckett walks around the house saying "outside?" and could spend the whole day out there. He loved riding in the new cozy coupe and even pushed Miles around for a while. Hold on Miles!

Boston and Brett came over to play too. I love these lazy kind of days!

This next video was taken on our way out to my parent's house. He's singing along with Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.

I used to sing it to him all the time when he was a baby so it makes me happy that he still loves it. :) You probably also heard Mr. M coughing at the end. The poor guy hasn't been feeling well today but we're hoping it's just the cold that's been going around our house. We just hate to see him sicky.

We also moved back into our house yesterday and are itching to get this kitchen project completed. T minus one week...

Meet Virginia

2011-09-08T19:02:00.000-07:00

This post is a little late, sorry! Last weekend Matt and I went to Norfolk, VA for a wedding. Matt went to high school in Virginia Beach (about 15 minutes east) and made some amazing friends he still keeps in touch with. We had such a great time going back to visit and hang with the crew!

I forgot to bring my camera, oopsies... but I snapped a few iPhone pics for ya.

A very warm welcome from Lucas and Dana. :) The pink flamingo and roses were for Matt, haha!

Matt and his buds. What a handsome group.

The wedding was right on the water and absolutely beautiful!

We also visited Matt's old stomping grounds. Other Bayside High alumni include Zack Morris, Kelly Kapowski and Screech.

While we were on the East Coast, Matt's mom and her husband, Tim, offered to come watch the boys. Aren't they awesome?! The boys absolutely loved it and they had such a great time spending the weekend with Mimi!

Beckett loved playing outside since the weather's been nice. He showed Mimi and Tim his little house too. :)

Thanks again Mimi and Tim for coming to Tulsa to watch the boys and congrats to John and Whitney!

On a totally different note, our kitchen is being painted right now so we're staying with my parents. It's been so fun that we might just sell our house and move in! That'd be okay, right Nana and Papa?

Create A Pepper

2011-08-30T19:18:00.000-07:00

Our kitchen is still out of commission so we decided to go to Chili's tonight for dinner. Yummy! It was even better tonight because they're in the middle of their Create A Pepper campaign. You just make a donation to St. Jude and color a pepper they hang up the whole month! We had Beckett color our pepper and I think he did a fantastic job.

You can create a pepper too and don't forget that on September 26th, all profits will be donated to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. For more info, click here.

We hope everyone has a great week!

Colorado Springs!

2011-08-29T19:03:00.000-07:00

Wow, what a weekend! We took a little trip to Colorado Springs to get OUT of this oven we call Tulsa and play with my parents, my grandma (GiGi) and the boys. Nana and Papa rented us an awesome house too so it was perfect! I don't know if it would've been as much fun without the house and extra help with the boys. :) There was a lot to do there and I took a ridiculous amount of pictures so here are just a few (okay, a lot) of my favorites.

First up was the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. We absolutely knew we wanted to go to the zoo - it's AMAZING.

Their giraffe exhibit is to die for. We counted around 20 giraffes!

This was by far the best part of the zoo. Beckett had a blast feeding the giraffes and could have stayed there all day!

We also loved all of the little play areas that were perfect for toddlers, and grown men.

The gorillas were awesome. Miles liked his close encounter of the giant black and hairy kind.

Pooped from all the fun.

Next up was Helen Hunt Falls. We were only there for a short time since it started raining but it was definitely worth the stop.

This is what happens when you try to make a tired tot smile for the camera.

GiGi got some cuddle time in with Mr. M. It was so sweet :)

Last but certainly not least was Santa's Workshop. It was a bit cheesy at first but as soon as B started riding the rides, we were so glad we came. They had perfect rides for little guys and he rode all of them about 20 times each. He even cried when we took him off to go on the next one.

He definitely didn't need me to ride with him but I was nervous to leave him alone at first. I didn't realize how hard it was to see him go so fast on the rides without us. Is this what it's like to send him off to college? Okay, maybe that's a bit dramatic...

Miles got it on the action too!

Did I mention we flew? Well, Matt, the boys and I did. My parents and grandma drove ~~because they didn't want to be on a flight with Beckett.~~ I admit I had some major anxiety about it leading up to the trip...major. My stomach was in giant knots until we actually boarded. Since both boys are under two we decided we could just hold them on our lap and save a little money... I thought that might be a huge mistake but they both did so great! Miles slept the entire time (which was great since he was on my lap, heehee) and Beckett only got a little restless towards the end. It was so loud on those little planes though, that it wasn't a big deal at all.

On the way back B got his own seat since the flight wasn't full. It worked out perfectly and Matt did a great job keeping him busy. Thanks for taking one for the team. :)

I heart Colorado and would love to go back again soon... or move there...whatever.

P.S. If you ever have to fly with a toddler, I recommend bringing blue painter's tape, play dough, a slinky, lots of snacks, a water bottle, and, of course, an iPad.

Poppie Popped In

2011-08-21T11:44:00.000-07:00

I was trying to think of a cute title for this post and that's what I came up with... sorry for the cheese. :) Matt's dad made a last minute trip to Tulsa this weekend and "popped" in to see us. We didn't have anything else going on so the boys got to spend a lot of time with him. It was great!

We also got to see him all dressed up in his fancy uniform. You clean up nice Captain Poppie.

Spin That Wheel

2011-08-16T12:16:00.000-07:00

Beckett has a favorite tv show. One that rises above all others including Dora, Thomas the Tank Engine and Yo Gabba Gabba. What is it, you ask? Wheel of Fortune of course!

Anytime it's on we say, "Beckett, Wheel of Fortune's on!" and he drops everything to come watch. He claps when they clap, loves to watch the wheel spin 'round and 'round and repeats the letters. Not usually with the right one but he tries! I know there will come a day when he'll ask to watch Dora 15 million times a day, so we're thankful he loves Wheel of Fortune right now. Mommy and Daddy can definitely handle a little Wheel now and then.

Sum Sum Summertime

2011-08-13T18:57:00.000-07:00

We are really enjoying the break from the unbearable heat we've had around here lately. Today it was in the low 90's but it felt like 70's to us! Since our kitchen is out of commission and the weather was nice, my parents invited us over for some fun outside and a yummy dinner. I forgot my camera.. darn... but Matt snapped some pictures of our day. I also forgot swimsuits for the boys so that's why they're in their diapers. I think they liked it better that way!

Miles even got his first ride in the swing and LOVED it! Thanks for inviting us over Nana and Papa!

Busy Bees

2011-08-10T10:40:00.000-07:00

Wow, these last couple of days have been a whirlwind! We've had a lot going on including a kitchen remodel, 6 month check up and Miles' first day of school.

Monday we started our kitchen remodel that I am SO SO SO excited about. Our kitchen before wasn't horrendous but definitely needed some updating. We're changing countertops, blacksplash, painting cabinets, taking out a portion of a wall, ripping out soffits, adding a shelf and a pantry and changing out appliances... phew! It's a lot and I can't wait for it to be done! For more than one reason. You never really know how much you use your kitchen until you don't have one. :( Here's a shot of our kitchen as of noon today...

YIKES.

Here's only a portion of our stuff in boxes...

double yikes.

And here's our very curious tater tot wanting in on the action...

Needless to say, our everyday lives have been disrupted for the time being, but I know it's all worth it in the end! I'm also grateful for our contractor and his willingness to work around nap times. He tries to do his really loud hammering and sawing before or after those times.. so nice of him. I love this house and would like to stay in it for a while so this little project is a must for us.

In other news, we had Miles' six month check up yesterday. Yes, I realize we're a little late and apparently I need to schedule these things far in advance...oops. Our little guy is doing fantastic though and the doc said he's just perfect! It might have helped that he was cooing and smiling and giggling at her the entire exam, heehee. He took his shots like a champ too!

Length: 28 1/4 inches (82%)

Weight: 19 lbs 15 oz. (67%)

Head Circumference: 45.7 cm (81%)

It's official, he's a chunky monkey!! And an adorable one at that. After the appointment yesterday, I dropped Miles off for his very first day of school. He's going to be attending on Tuesdays and Thursdays along with Beckett. He loved it and did great but I have been dreading this day for months. He's a couple of months younger than Beckett was when he started and lets face it, he's so easy and cute and cuddly that I just didn't want him to leave me! I know it's for the best though and if we didn't send him now, he would have to wait until next August, which just isn't an option. He needs the socialization and mommy needs a few hours to get some things done around here. I realize that not everyone will agree with me, but this is what works for our family, so tough cookies. :)

Well that's been our last couple of days in a nutshell. Happy hump day and have a great rest of the week!

Please Knock

2011-08-04T09:28:00.000-07:00

Another random post coming at ya. I promise I'm not trying to peddle products onto you lately, although it might seem like it. It's just that when I find something great, I want to share!

Do you have a "please knock" sign for your front door? I've definitely had a few of those moments when both boys are down for a nap, it's toward the end when they could wake up at anytime but I need just a few more minutes... just a couple more minutes is all I ask and BAM! the doorbell rings. The UPS guy runs back to the truck and leaves me with two screaming babies. My friend Allison described it best when she said -- "Thanks UPS guy for the package, but I want to punch you in the face." I mean, if only that could have been avoided by a little piece of wood.

I thought about making my own but when I searched on Etsy I found this guy for only $14.50. I definitely think it's worth it! If you just google or search on Etsy for a 'please knock sign' there are a ton of options. I liked this one the best because it goes nicely with our exterior and it didn't say anything about a baby. This might sound a little paranoid, but I didn't feel the need to advertise the fact that I have a baby or babies in the house. Anyone can probably infer it but this just made me feel a little better.

It works people. I haven't had a single mail/UPS/deliver guy ring the doorbell since I hung it up. I love my little sign and just wish I knew about it sooner!

Hip Hip Hooray!

2011-08-03T12:08:00.000-07:00

I completely forgot to mention that I have an iPhone again! Yes, this deserves a post of it's own.

Matt's friend Micah, God bless him, upgraded a while back to a newer version and gave me his old one. I am one very happy girl, can you tell? It's a 3G so the picture quality is still terrible, but oh well. Can't beat a FREE iPhone! AND I get to use my old case from daninotes that I'm kinda sort of obsessed with. Again with the monograms, I know, I know. So, all my peeps, please start sending me your fun pictures again!

Thanks Micah. You're the best.

Smocked

2011-08-02T14:19:00.000-07:00

Look what came in the mail yesterday...

Not the baby, he was already here, but the outfit is new. :) Let's be real, there aren't that many cute things for baby boys to wear but when I saw this number, I absolutely had to have it. Cream and monogrammed?! Yes, please! I got it on Smocked Auctions through Facebook. Have you heard of them? They have great deals on cute little clothes.

I absolutely love me a great graphic tee or polo, but when you see something fantastic like this, you better snatch it up! I think he might wear this every single day until he outgrows it.

Camp Poppie & Martita

2011-08-01T09:50:00.000-07:00

Our family just got back from a great weekend in Houston. Matt's dad and Martha wanted us to come down and bring Beckett over for a 4 day/3 night camp they put together for the grandkids. Brave doesn't even begin to describe these two. Wow. It worked out perfectly too because Matt's mom wanted to spend some time with Miles (he was too young for camp this year) and we could see the whole family.

Here's the whole crew. Poppie, Beckett, Michael, Martha, Alexis and Freweini. They even had matching t-shirts made. :)

Beckett had a B-L-A-S-T at Camp Poppie and Martita. They took a trip to the beach in Galveston, the YMCA, the children's museum of Houston, organized a movie night outside and tons more!

I love this picture. You can tell that Beckett was testing the water with Poppie. How much will he let me get away with...

I hear this guy did great! With the exception of a couple of bites.. He may or may not have gotten kicked out of the nursery at the Y. Oopsies. He slept great though and played hard!

While the older kiddos were at camp, Matt and I got to spend some time with this sweet little thing. Baby Emma is a big girl now! Just look at that precious face.

Very busy this one.

Brooke and Emma. So sweet.

Chris even came over and brought Louie. It was so good to see them!!

Camp Poppie and Martita 2011 was a huge success. The fact that everyone survived is a miracle in my book and they're even talking about next year! I love that this will be an annual thing and the cousins can grow up together! Thanks you two for organizing such a great weekend for the kids. And Mimi for watching Miles the whole time! I know they all loved it.

Burpies and Onesies

2011-07-24T11:06:00.000-07:00

What do you do when it's so hot outside? Stay at home and craft! Well that's just what I did this weekend. Matt was home all weekend (no golf!) so I had time to do a couple of projects I've been meaning to do for a while now. How nice is it that he watched the kids instead so I could sew? I love that guy. He's a keeper.

So first up were some burp cloths. I read a tutorial online and thought, maybe I could do that? All of Matt's best friend's wives are pregnant now so it seemed like the perfect gift for their sweet babes.

Baby Cora even got her own little washable label. I saw these a while back and thought they would be adorable to personalize burp cloths, clothing labels, bibs, etc.

**To make them you just buy sheets of printable fabric (I got mine at JoAnn's), design your label, print them out on an inkjet printer and follow the ironing instructions on the package. Sewing is optional but I think it looks more finished. It's pretty easy!

They're not perfect but I think they turned out pretty well. I'm making some for Miles next. Lord knows that baby needs them, ha!

Next up were some onesies for Tony and Laura's triplets. That's right, triplets. Two boys and a little girl. They will have their hands full but what a tremendous blessing. We're so happy for them!

Can't you just picture this one with a fluffy pink tootoo?!

I had so much fun making all of the gifts and can't wait to meet their babies. The more babies the better! :)

What a Stud Muffin

2011-07-22T14:34:00.000-07:00

Beckett insisted on wearing my sunglasses all afternoon.

One word. Stud.

Beckett's 3rd Haircut

2011-07-20T09:59:00.000-07:00

Now normally the third haircut wouldn't be a big deal, but this was a BIG deal. His first haircut with my friend Margo went so well. He fussed a little but we got through it just fine and he looked very handsome. His second haircut.. not so much. As soon as Margo started snipping away, Beckett started screaming bloody murder. You would have thought she was cutting off his ear. It was so horrible and we all just felt really bad afterwards. Margo, very politely, suggested that we try and take him to a place that specializes in kids haircuts. Why Margo? You don't want to deal with screaming toddlers anymore?? :)

I dreaded his 3rd haircut and waited way too long to take him because I was just absolutely sure he would hate it and scream again. He looked a little scraggly, not gonna lie, so once my mom said she would come along, I got up enough courage to try it. We took him to a fun little place out south that only does kids cuts. IT WAS AWESOME! He sat in his cute little tricycle, watched cartoons and got his hair cut. No big deal. The guy who cut his hair was like Edward Scissorhands, I'm not kidding. He's been doing this for over 20 years and, in all honesty, it took less than 4 minutes. Here are a few iphone pics we snapped during the process.

I think he was a bit shocked and slightly entertained by the whole ordeal. It was so painless that I'm not nervous at all to take him back next time!

I must say that I'm glad we had Margo cut his hair for the first time. It was so much more special that way. From now on, though, for her sanity and mine, we'll be taking Beckett to this new magical place.

P.S. It's called Kuts 4 Kids on 81st and Lewis and I highly recommend it!

M & B's Playroom

2011-07-18T10:32:00.000-07:00

Sorry for being MIA for a week! I try to post more often than this, but lately I've been a bit distracted. Beckett's fighting a double ear infection, poor guy, but other than that he's as ornery and cute as can be! Miles is just being a sweet little bug. He went 4 hours today without eating and didn't make a peep! I feel like I might take advantage of his patience a little too often, but I'm sure that will change as soon as he realizes it. :) I don't really have time for a long post today so thought I would share some pics of the boys' playroom instead. And by "boys" I mean Miles, Beckett AND Matt. Matt likes to play his video games upstairs when he gets a rare free moment.

Beckett loves to draw on the wall but you have to watch him because he also loves to eat the chalk. :)

Hugo the dinosaur watches over the boys when they play. He looks scary but he's completely harmless I promise.

My favorite part has to be the papasan chair. I found it for 20 bucks on craigslist and it swivels! The boys love playing in their room and we love having it. Hope you enjoyed the tour!

Ppppttttthhhhhht.

2011-07-11T06:43:00.000-07:00

Happy Monday!

This Guy.

2011-07-08T09:14:00.000-07:00

This guy is ornery.

In the time it took to change Miles' diaper this morning, this guy grabbed a tube of mascara from the bathroom counter, opened it and got it ALL OVER HIM. In his mouth, in his hair, in his ear, and all over his arms and legs. I immediately gave him a bath, only to discover that it was waterproof. Of course. Thank goodness for makeup remover and a sweet smile to make it all better. :)

Half Birthday Bliss

2011-07-05T18:42:00.000-07:00

I can't believe our sweet little bug is already 6 months! We did a little impromptu photo shoot today to celebrate the big occasion. I know I know... I'm a little late, but better late than never!

We love him so much and just can't get enough of his sweet happy face.

Seersucker and Celebration

2011-07-04T13:59:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday America! We celebrated your 235th birthday in style. The boys wore some awesome USA shirts made by yours truly. Don't look too close, though, as this was my first attempt.

I think I picked the hardest pattern to sew around. So many twists and turns! I like me a nice simple straight stitch.

I also like me some southern seersucker. Don't my boys look handsome?!

This guy is so easy to shoot. He's very much a laid back kind of baby and I love it!!

AHHHHHHH!!!!! On the other hand, this one is a little crazy, in a good way. Keeps me on my toes and running around with my camera.

We celebrated our freedom this year with a lot of pool time, a cookout, good times with friends and of course....

Freedom Toast from Dilly Deli. It was DELICIOUS and more like dessert than brunch.

Happy 4th of July to you and yours. Hope your weekend was special, safe and full of family fun!

Hot Hot Hot!

2011-07-02T18:16:00.000-07:00

Did we move to the surface of the sun and not know it?! This is ridiculous folks. I feel like we went from blizzard to burning with nothing in between, grrrrrr. We've definitely been hibernating inside these last couple of weeks because momma is a bit of a weenie, but Matt wanted us to go to the pool today and I (reluctantly) agreed. The boys were so happy to be in the water and we all got a little much needed Vitamin D. Thanks, hubby, for dragging me outdoors.

B loved the little kiddie pool at the club!

And his new life jacket. He definitely went under a couple of times anyway, but this made us feel a little better.

It wasn't so bad in the shade. Especially when you get to cuddle with this handsome dude. (Or the handsome dude behind him. I like a man with a little hair on his chest I have to admit :)

We had a great time at the pool today. As fun as it was, it's a LOT of work to take a toddler and a baby to the pool together so if anyone (MOM) wants to help me during the week, we might venture up there again this summer, ha! We hope everyone has a happy and safe 4th of July!

T T T Telephone

2011-06-26T20:45:00.000-07:00

Since before the tragic iPhone drowning, Beckett has been obsessed with my cell phone. Anytime it rings, he runs to it and always wants to make it light up, beep and pretend talk. He puts the phone up to his ear says "Hi hi hi!" It's so cute I can't stand it. Well my parents, being the sweet Nana and Papa that they are, decided to give him not one, not two, but THREE of their old cell phones. They're all charged up and just like the real thing.

Did you notice the two clipped to his belt loops? Hilarious. He's so obsessed with them and even requested a blue tooth for Christmas.

Paletas Paradise

2011-06-21T14:55:00.000-07:00

Have you ever heard of this book? If not, you should totally get it.

I made a couple of the recipes for Father's Day and they were yuuuuuuuummmmmmmy.

Stop in your tracks and just EAT kind of yummy.

A little messy but completely worth it.

There are few bizarro recipes in there too, like avocado popsicles, and even some adult pops and drinks that sound delicious. We might have to try those out next. :)

Happy Dad's Day!

2011-06-19T05:00:00.000-07:00

Happy Father's Day to all of the amazing dads in our lives.

Poppie, Beckett and Matt. I love this picture of our handsome men.

My dad in high school. What a studmuffin. And yup, you guessed it, this is where I got my curly hair!

Brett and I back in the day. Kinda looks like Miles and Beckett if you ask me! :)

I also wanted to share a poem that Beckett brought home from school...

Walk a little slower, Daddy

said my child so small.

I'm following in your footsteps

and, I don't want to fall.

Sometimes your steps are very fast,

sometimes they are hard to see.

So walk a little slower, Daddy

for you are leading me.

Someday when I'm all grown up

you are what I want to be.

Then I'll have a little child

who will want to follow me.

And I would want to lead just right,

and know that I was true.

So, walk a little slower, Daddy

for I must follow you.

It's so true and reminds you how important daddies are. Thank you to our dads for being such amazing role models and loving unconditionally. We love you more than words can say.

Waltz on the WIld Side

2011-06-18T10:00:00.000-07:00

Waltz on the Wild Side, a fundraiser for the Tulsa Zoo, was last night. My BFF, Lindsay, is the Development Director there so a bunch of us went out and a had a really great time! A TON of Tulsa restaurants handed out samples of their food, there was dancing, a silent and live auction and all of the animals came out to play. I brought my little camera and snapped a few pics of our night.

A few of the girls.

This is as close as the handler would let me get. I think she was worried the pretty bird would turn into an angry bird.

Matt and I snuck off to feed the giraffe. It. Was. Awesome. They just opened this new platform and we were some of the first to try it out! Beckett was sooooooo jealous.

Matt and I hit up almost every one of the food booths. It was all delicious!

Thanks for the fabulous time Linds! You, Whitney and your team did such a great job putting it all together!

As Different as Chalk and Cheese

2011-06-16T15:18:00.000-07:00

Before Miles came along, I was 100% positive that our amazing parenting skills were to thank for Beckett's fantastic sleeping habits, great eating skills, social personality and independent attitude. A.M. (After Miles) I threw that little idea to the wind. Our littlest love bug has definitely made me think twice about nature vs. nurture. Here are just a few examples why...

Beckett HATED bath time when he was a baby. Miles loves it!

Miles just started sleeping through the night consistently about 2 weeks ago. Beckett was much much quicker.

Miles cries when I leave the room. Beckett could've cared less at 5 months.

Beckett gobbles up just about anything in front of him in 2.5 seconds but Miles doesn't seem interested at all.

Miles loves his paci (even has a favorite) and Beckett wanted absolutely nothing to do with those.

Beckett had absolutely no patience when he was hungry (still doesn't!) and Miles has a ton. I think it's because he has to, ha!

We are just starting to see Miles' little personality develop but so far he loves to be held, talked to and cuddled, is pretty quiet and would rather be doing just about anything but tummy time. I know it's pointless to compare your children because that will just lead to disappointment on both ends, but I just can't help but notice how different they are already. We love them both the same and are so excited to see what they have in store for us later on!

Cuddle and Carrots

2011-06-15T18:39:00.000-07:00

The boys and I hung inside this afternoon. Miles was sick of his bouncy seat so I propped him up on the couch and Beckett decided he wanted to join him. They sat like this for about 5 minutes (which is an hour in toddler time!)

There was a lot of this too...

"No Beckett, you can't steal his pacifier. You don't even like those things!"

Later on we fed Miles some yummy carrots. He liked them so much more than peas or rice cereal.

We were a little worried he didn't like to eat but we found us a winner!

Our Tater Tot

2011-06-13T06:38:00.000-07:00

is almost 20 months, can you believe that?! I can't. I know I've been awful at writing long posts lately. Sure, I post pictures every now and then but it's been a challenge to actually sit down and write more than a few sentences. Some evenings I'd rather just drink a cup of tea (or glass of wine) and zone out to Real Housewives, ya know?! Well when B reads this later on I want him to know what a cutie pie he was at 19 months, 3 weeks and 1 day!

Our little Beckett is a ball of fire. He has so much energy that it's hard to keep up with him sometimes. He loves to run around the house, chasing or pulling us along the way. He is so excited for the day when Miles can play with him!

He is definitely an outdoorsy kind of boy. He's learned to say "outside" and runs over to the door anytime our alarm chimes or he sees mommy and daddy coming or going. It always brings a smile to his face no matter what!

He loves his "bubba" and is much more interested in what Miles is doing now. He gets a little too close for comfort sometimes but we wouldn't have it any other way. Seeing them interact now is so so precious!

Anytime he gets a chance, he tries to play with other kids. He's extremely social and always wants to be in the middle of the action. He loves school and play dates with his friends and family.

He's very well-rounded and spends as much time getting us to read him a book as he does getting us to feed him. :) His favorite books are Dr. Seuss' Foot Book and Dizzy Dragon about all of the dragons in Hugo's kingdom. At the end of the day, they're are all over the house and the book basket is empty.

He loves to climb on EVERYTHING! It's quite scary sometimes because he has zero fear and would climb on top of our house if he could figure out how to get up there. He's naturally curious and I'm told I was like that when I was little so I don't get too frustrated by it. :)

He's sleeping in his big boy bed and doing awesome! I'm so proud of him and the fact that he's only gotten out of bed a couple of times to pull the socks out of his drawer. Not too bad for switching him over early! It's only a matter of time before he figures out how to open his door but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

Baby B gets more awesome each day and we love him so much! Everyday brings a new challenge and lots of laughs, hugs and kisses. I'll take the good with the bad if I can spend just one more day with him.

P.S. It's amazing how quickly time flies and life passes us by. As we chug along, it's important to remember that time stands still for the ones in pain. Please say a little prayer for two of our sweet friends who are hurting right now.

Playdate at Our House

2011-06-10T07:29:00.000-07:00

We had playgroup at our house this week! There were 4 mommies and 6 kiddies in our backyard for some fun in the sun. It was so hot that even we got the sprinkler out. I know I should have taken more pictures (and much better ones!) but it's really hard to snap pictures, socialize and supervise Miles and Baby B. I did my best.

At one point, there were 4 boys in the playhouse at the same time!

Beckett tends to gravitate towards whichever mom has the snacks :)

Owen and Beckett took a ride in the wagon. The older boys pulled them around the yard earlier but I wasn't quick enough to get a picture of that. It was super cute though!

Vaughn tried out the Samurai ponytail this time.

Meryl was the only girl since Kylie and Blythe couldn't make it, but she didn't seem to mind. She is one cutie patootie!

We had a great time at our play date. Can't wait for next week!

Louie Update

2011-06-07T07:59:00.000-07:00

Matt's dad watched Louie last weekend for Chris and sent us this picture.

We hear he's doing well and the guys are having fun together in Austin. I miss him SO much but it's great to know that he's loving his new home.

I Love This Picture!

2011-06-05T19:37:00.000-07:00

Melissa got her pictures back from her wedding and this one was among the mix.

You would never guess that seconds before this was taken he was running away from me and screaming at the top of his lungs. I love this kid.

Hmmmmm

2011-06-02T18:14:00.000-07:00

Not so sure what I think about this hairdo...

I went to get him from school today and did a double take when I saw this. I said "Oooooh, he has a ponytail?!" His teacher said that he looked hot so she pulled his hair back away from his face. Which is so sweet and thoughtful and loving towards our baby and I understood.... kind of.

We left it in so daddy could see it and he wasn't a big fan either. :)

Playhouse!

2011-05-29T20:24:00.000-07:00

The backyard playhouse is complete and it's AWESOME! Matt and my dad put together a little house for the boys on Saturday and let me tell you... it was quite an undertaking. They worked so hard and for so long but it's finally finished. Hooray!

There were so many pieces it was ridiculous. And about 1 million screws!

Beckett saw it being built and couldn't contain his excitement.

It was really hot here on Saturday. Check out those sweaty curls!

The peanut gallery.

Miles helped too!

While we waited Beckett decided to mow the lawn.... and my poor flowers.

Finito! Nice work guys!!!!

How cute is this little house?!

Matt told me I could put flowers in the window box but only if they weren't pink.. I'm not sure there will be any flowers left in there after Beckett gets a hold of them.

The sink and stove were a BIG debate. Matt and Papa didn't think a little boy needed to have those things in there, but this is 2011 and boys need to learn how to cook. I mean, I'm certainly not going to... :)

This plate originally had the brand logo on it so I covered it with chalkboard paint. No girls allowed! Except Beckett's best friend, Meryl, of course.

Beckett absolutely loves it. LOVES it. He was moving so fast when we took him out there that I barely got one picture! He ran over to it, checked everything out and then just kept opening and closing the door and pushing the little doorbell. Yup, it has a real doorbell. Amazing.

Matt and Papa did such a fantastic job putting it together. You guys rock!!! The boys are going to have so much fun playing with it.

Hey Hollywood

2011-05-26T14:22:00.000-07:00

Ready for your laugh of the day?? Check out the three Utica Square commercials below..

Take 1

Take 2

Take 3

My friend Britni (the beautiful brunette laughing in the first one) and I acted as extras in a commercial shoot for our favorite shopping spot in Tulsa. "Acted" is definitely a long shot... it was more like... trying to act natural and looking like total fools. In the one at the table we would be chitting and chatting and having a grand ole time and then the guy would say "ACTION!" and we were immediately awkward. We were like "soooo..... what do you want to talk about?" I think I asked her about her wedding that I attended two years ago. WOW. We were not cut out for this.

Oh and the cherry on top was when the lighting guy told me I looked like "that Lohan girl" and then turned to Britni and said she looked like Megan Fox. Really?!!!! So I look like a cracked out actress but my friend looks like a ridiculously hot one? I mean, I know she's gorgeous but thanks for pointing that out random lighting guy. I appreciate it.

I don't think Hollywood will be knocking on my door anytime soon but it sure was a fun experience!

P.S. If anyone from Hollywood or Vogue is reading this and would like Britni's number, just email me. :)

Happy Birthday Nana!

2011-05-26T12:13:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was my mom's... cough cough... 40th birthday... nudge nudge...so we all went over to their house to celebrate. Lori got the boys matching shirts a while back and mom wanted to take a picture of all of them together. We weren't really sure how this would work out, but here's what happened.

Glad we moved Miles before they took off!

The entire picture taking experience lasted 45 seconds tops. Happy Birthday Mom! We love you!

All Growns Up

2011-05-25T11:34:00.000-07:00

My baby boy is so big! I don't want to jinx it, but Beckett has been sleeping in his big boy bed the last three nights and doing great!!! I was really worried about this transition since he's a big climber right now but we just lay him down, cover him up with his blankie and he stays put. ALL. NIGHT. It's amazing!

Keep it up tater tot!

Disaster in Joplin

2011-05-24T09:42:00.000-07:00

I can't even begin to imagine how awful the situation in Joplin is. Just seeing the images on the news is enough to make me sick to my stomach. Our thoughts and prayers are with the citizens of Joplin during this time.

If you would like to donate $10 to the Red Cross, you can text REDCROSS to 90999. For a list of other ways to help go here.

Our Mini Vacay

2011-05-22T18:41:00.000-07:00

Matt and I had such a great weekend! We took a mini vacation down to Dallas to celebrate our anniversary and stayed at the Four Seasons resort in Las Colinas. It wasn't very far away, which was a requirement when booking our trip. Since my parents were out of town on their own vacation, and we had to leave the boys with a babysitter, we didn't want to travel too far away from them. This fit the bill perfectly! Matt was able to golf, I was able to spa and shop and we both enjoyed some much needed R & R.

The hotel was VERY nice and the service was exceptional. I highly recommend it!

My sweet hubby had champagne and strawberries waiting for us when we arrived.

They were setting up for the Byron Nelson Classic while we were there. Matt was pretty excited to play on the course right before the pros. :)

We had such a great time on our trip but we missed the boys terribly. We're glad to be home with our babies!

Teacher Appreciation

2011-05-18T20:10:00.000-07:00

This week is teacher appreciation week! I'll be honest, I completely forgot all about it until we got a reminder email today from Beckett's school. We've had a lot going on lately to say the least... Anyway, part of the celebration this week includes each student bringing a flower for their teachers to add to a bouquet. I love this idea. Each flower is unique and beautiful, just like the students in their class!

Since I didn't have time to get a card for each teacher, I decided to make tags instead...

My friend Whittney and I decided that the kiddos might like going to school more than staying home with mommy. I know it has a lot to do with his "awesome" teachers!

I made them into little mini envelopes too so we could include a small Whole Foods giftcard. It was really easy. I just cut the paper like you see above and glued the tabs to the back.

I can't resist a peony - it's my favorite flower!

Beckett and I hope his teachers know how much we appreciate them. They deserve so much more than a flower, but it's a good start.