Thursday, April 30, 2009

The Big 4!

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Reason 6,925 that I married the most amazing man...

When I ask for a glass of water--- I get this:

It is so amazing to be married to someone that continues to make you feel like the most important person in the world to them every day.

Happy 4th Anniversary to us!!!

Monday, April 27, 2009

Rainy Day Play

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Danced in the rain recently?


You should!





It is a BUNCH of fun! Lots of rainy play today.

Sunday, April 26, 2009

Sweeps!

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Look! Our trees are almost all the way back... which means that they dropped about a million sticks on our back patio last week.
This weekend we put the crew to work. I continue to be amazed by what an effective cleaning crew they can be. Strange since they can also be an ample force of destruction.

Molly was our serious sweeper. This girl is intense when it comes to sweeping.
Gabe not so much.
He just really likes to push around the biggest brooms and then play in his sister's piles.
which then drove her to the back of the yard to sweep the grass (aka dirt patches) in efforts to escape Gabriel. All this time I thought that our grass was patchy because of grubworms when perhaps it is just because of our little Jasmine.
Without Molly to annoy, Gabriel quickly lost interest. He did however discover that the broom handle is an excellent teether for new molars.

It was really nice to come home from work today to a stick free patio...such a nice surprise from Kelly--- even if the rain might negate the whole process I feel it was worth it for the few hours of pretty.

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Seeing Green

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I don't know Kermit... it sure seems easy being green!


Happy Earth Day to you! Go hug a tree :) Molly has hugged several and Gabe has already recycled some trash through his digestive tract this morning... in the spirit of giving to the planet and all.

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Abandonment

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Gabriel has been dealing with little separation issues recently which we are working through. I have been using the child care at the gym as an opportunity for him to practice. The first time he did fine mainly because he was so distracted by the toys and didn't know what to expect. His second visit he cried for 22 minutes. Today was the third attempt.

I had talked with Molly about how much Gabriel loves her and how she really does a great job of making him smile *** insert in here what I really mean---mommy could really benefit from a workout please help your brother so they don't call me out of the gym*** we were on the same page. Molly told me all the sweet things that she was going to say to Gabe if he cried and how she was going to play with him the whole time.

Drop off: Gabe predictably starts crying. Molly takes off her shoes...runs past Gabe to play and yells back without turning around : "You are fine Gabey---don't cry." Her work was done and he looked at me with this look of abandonment. Apparently today he only cried for 6 minutes after I left and then again when I picked him up so I would know that he was really still upset---even if it had looked like he was maybe having a little fun for a minute. But shhh...don't let on.

Work in progress.

Tag!

So I am going to take a break from normal blogging (have I obtained normal blogging?) to respond to my friend Heather's tag.

Here you go:

8 Things I’m Looking Forward To:

My 4th anniversary next week
My friend Jenna's wedding in May (long weekend at the beach sans children - first ever!)
The Ranger Game next Wednesday---dollar dog night!
Taste of Addison
Swimming
My friend Heather's happy hour at Chuy's
Working out at the gym today
The shower that is to follow the gym (feelin' a little dirty...)

8 Things I Did Yesterday:
Playdate with the Roger's Triplets and Travis Wakefield
took rocks out of Gabe's mouth
drank a cherry limeade from Sonic
listened to Molly have a meltdown
belted "A whole new world" in the car with Molly and Gabe
quick trip to Walmart
Ate cereal for dinner
Worked at the hospital

8 Things I Wish I Could Do:
Have homes in all parts of the world
Write for Real Simple
Own a sailboat
roll my Rs
Go out of town with no time/financial constraints
Wake Up not sleepy
Eat gelato every day
be at the beach right now

8 Shows I Watch: hmm. I don't know that I watch 8. Let's see.
Brothers and Sisters
Grey's Anatomy
Desperate Housewives (sad I know- hate the writing)
Private Practice
Family Guy
The Office
Handy Manny
Mickey Mouse Clubhouse

8 People I Tag (No pressure):

Caroline of http://weekendatbennies.blogspot.com/
Heather of http://jandhanderson.blogspot.com/
Janet of http://theabernathyfamily.blogspot.com/
Melissa of http://itsmillertimenow.blogspot.com/
Julie of
http://www.breeandbauer.com/
Rebekah of http://thebenjamites.blogspot.com/
Laura of http://precioushours.blogspot.com/
Raul of http://www.bluedukeraul.blogspot.com/

Monday, April 20, 2009

Bounce Fest

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Wow, I have so many things to blog about so I think I will just start slowly. This weekend was BUSY with birthdays and slumber parties and yummy restaurants. It was very busy - and to think that is excluding cancelled plans at a bachelorette party - wow... spring is here.

Part of Saturday was spent celebrating our friends Caroline and John Randall's 2nd birthday. We also were celebrating Gabe's first time in a bounce house.

That boy was in heaven...


Serious jumping
bounce town mania...

Laugh your head off kind of fun.

The party had actually switched times because of the storms. It made for some nice mud which our son thought was the BEST thing seconded only to Bounce Houses. In the picture above the brown around Gabe's mouth is not chocolate --- oh no, that is left over mud cake from the ground. Yummy. This next picture really doesn't depict it but Gabe is covered in mud. Of course, I chose to wear a white shirt that day. When will I learn that white shirts are outlawed for like the next 15 years.
After we attempted to towel as much mud off Gabe as we could he just kept his cape around him for good measure. Capt. Muddy.
His other highlight to the day...riding home in only a diaper. I imagine it felt GREAT. If only we could all pull off naked driving...
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More to come!

Saturday, April 18, 2009

Bang

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Bulldozers come in all makes and models...

Gabey decided to start his morning off with a bang. Can I please tell you how difficult it is to keep an ice pack on a 1 year old moving machine? First shiner perhaps?

Friday, April 17, 2009

Inner Hottie.

Although I would love to be a member on the work-out-everyday-because-I-love-to-sweat group, I have completely come to peace with the reality that I fall more into the the pajama-pants-wearing-eating-a-chocolate-bunny-watching-the-office-reruns crowd. I embrace it. My group may not be very healthy but it is consistently funny and at least very comfortable. Without completely abandoning my people I have decided to take a little plunge into the world of sweaties... even though, I still don't like to sweat.

Kelly and I have had our gym membership now since September. I loved it for the first 3 months...then we sort became distant friends and now... well, let's just stay my bank account has maintained it's relationship with the gym but that's about it- does this happen to anyone else? Kelly and I specifically chose our gym because of the child care option - which we have never explored... until now.

The verdict- quite lovely. I have always carried a little guilt with me anytime I take the focus away from time with the kids. Ironically, I think they were both a little pleased to have me out of their face. Molly could steal toys at ease and Gabe could bulldoze and move EVERY piece of furniture he wanted without my redirection. And I had a lovely date on the treadmill with The Killers. All parties win.

If only I had jumped on board a little earlier I could have embraced my inner hot person a long time ago - well, that and a lifestyle sans chocolate bunnies...but really, what kind of life is that?

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Yes to it all...

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Do you see this picture?


It is a memory that has been forever etched in my heart—with a few teensy improvements. This is the exact spot that Kelly proposed to me more than 4 years ago... back when we were just Julie and Kelly. In the grand scheme of life I know that four years is minuscule. It is high school, it is how long it takes to pay a car note (in my case…4 years plus), you aren’t even vested yet. I get this. But for me, it is my whole world.

The future is a funny thing. There are very few- if any- moments in life where you can look ahead the path and see if it all pans out the way that you hope it will. It is like reading the last page of a book first. Life just doesn’t work that way… at least not normally. Most times, you just have to leap. Trust your insight, pack a little faith and hope with you for good measure and give it all you got. And sometimes you get REALLY lucky. I know I did.

When Kelly asked me to marry him I knew that the answer was yes instantly…just wish I had showered before the proposal. Kelly is the love of my life – why wouldn’t I want that for always? I leapt. Had Kelly said, “Julie, you are the love of my life. I promise to love when you have back surgery two years from now, protect you from our crazy neighbor in a year, laugh with you when we find out we are pregnant in 7 months, panic when we find out we are pregnant again the following year, race you to see who can change the fastest diaper, watch every episode of sex in the city with you and always leave my underwear on the bathroom floor- with love” the answer would have still been yes… although I might have been a little dizzy and perhaps cried for different reasons... :)

But now, standing just shy of four years of marriage and seeing our most beautiful blessings standing in such a beautiful memory --- my heart just might burst. Bring on the debt, hardship and sleepless nights… I say yes to it all… because my happiness…



is all I can seem to remember at the end of the day.

Monday, April 13, 2009

Hop Hop Hop.

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My Easter by Molly May:

My mommy and daddy woke me up Easter Sunday to let me know that the bunny had come! I was a little nervous/excited to meet him. This is where I learned that he would not be hanging around for breakfast. I was a little okay with that.



Look at my basket!!!


My little brother Gabriel is not the best at coloring eggs but man, can he hunt them down!

He tried these yellow 'peeps' for the first time. I really don't see what the big deal is- I mean it is not like it tastes like chocolate or anything. That I loved. Gabe can have my peeps and I will gladly take his chocolate.


Doesn't my mommy looking dashing? I sometimes pretend I wear purple towels on my head too.


The Easter Bunny finally realized my magical powers. Don't I make the best fairy. I already knew how to transform daddy into a horse. I am so gifted.
After candy for breakfast and the GREAT hunt it was time for church. I tried to sleep in my dress last night but mommy said it was only for Easter morning. We all dressed like Jasmine and daddy looked like prince Eric. My sister, Lily Ben, was SO pretty at church.

Mommy made me keep my wings in the car at church. Apparently, she didn't want the angels to get jealous of my pink wings---they only have the standard white version. I obliged...after all...Easter is about the great sacrifice and all.

We then went to Nonnie's and had breakfast! We ate a bunch! So much that Gabe's new clothes just didn't fit.
I was so pooped from the fun of the morning that I accidentally fell asleep at home. Oops. Luckily, I woke up just in time for Grandma's. She has the best colors.
and a great yard to have a confetti party!

Can you see my confetti hair? Just like Jasmine.
After Grandma's we cruised by Gigi and Haji's for dinner. They had special baskets for us. I thought that the Barbie basket was my Easter gift. How embarrassing! I do love Gigi's Barbies though.
and Disney dancing in the window. I love that so much...so do my barbies, Jasmine and Sleeping Beauty.
Gabriel filled Haji in on the history of Easter...in case he didn't know.
Such a hopping day with plenty of opportunities to score a nap... Out of all of my Easters I think that this year was the best. There have been so many though so it is hard to be certain. Hope your Easter rocked your socks off!

Saturday, April 11, 2009

Not gonna' dye from some sugar

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COLOR EGGS NIGHT IS SOOOO MUCH FUN! Gabriel was ready for it (here is his 'say cheese' face)


Okay, so he was REALLY pumped.
After the excitement had set in dad then fueled them with sugar. They locked themselves away to protect us.

Time to color eggs! Molly was an ole' pro this year.

A pizza faced, sugar infused, napless ole' pro...
telling daddy all her great plans for her Easter art
Of course she was a pro. She had some great teachers...


Now Gabe on the other hand. Total Rookie. Gabriel thought it best to taste each color before dying the egg. He made this horrible face each time and then would do it again. I tried to capture it and this was the closest I could get to it...
Real men love pink!
Our little southpaw. Check out that right hand...nice. Think that will match his Easter outfit?
By yellow he had it down.
Unfortunately, yellow got a little mangled in the transfer from cup to Gabe's mouth to egg carton. Look closely. When the colors were complete, Papa John decided that it was the perfect opportunity to refuel. Molly was up for it.
Gabe too. I think that Gabriel won the messiest boy on the planet award last night. No skipping bath here. I would love to have people with sensory issues near Gabriel just to watch their reaction. When you touch his chest it would adhere to your finger like glue. Nice.
But seriously, you're not going to dye from a little sugar...well, unless you are diabetic... in that case... don't be like GABE!
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Stickin' to you some Easter love!