Wow, two weeks with no post

Why does a picture like this appeal to me when I am an optimistic person? Well, for the most part I am optimistic. I absolutely love to take photos of old broken down things & little pieces of things. This house is on our way into Garner and the broken toy has been out there for a long while now. It has been begging me to take a photo for a long time now. The other day I almost passed it by because there were cold groceries in the car. But I made myself take the time to do it even getting my pants all muddy practically laying on the ground to get this shot. Guess what? The very next time I drove by the toy was gone! YAY for making myself stop!

Here are some highlights from the last few weeks.

The kids are growing all the time.
We saw all kinds of signs and wonders of Spring.


Blake has figured out how to put things back together.
Madison got her first bloody nose which didn't bother her at all.


Madison drinks out of a sippy cup very well. There is definitely something to be said for waiting until a child is really ready to teach them something. Hopefully I have that patience with changing diapers and don't push them to be potty trained to early.
Blake is soooooo close to walking.


Madison says a few words very well including Bye. She just popped out with that one when Guy went to work the other night.
Guy took the babies with him one at a time to mow the lawn.


They both love showers and baths.
I met with some ladies at church for a night of food, conversation and exchanging recipes.



Blake got his second haircut.
Our living room and kitchen/dining rooms were painted.
We talked to several people on the phone like Nanny here.


We found some great deals at some local consignment sales and our favorite consignment - Buttons & Bows.
I went to a vendor fair at he shopping center Buttons & Bows is located.
Christine the owner

The cutest tie shirts

I don't know but they are so cute

Love love this lamp shade

Guy and I both love the pink dress (the second item in)

Lily is mama's helper in the store most days.


Guy finally filed our taxes - one of his off duty gigs STILL hasn't gotten us the 1099 we need.
We've had a terrible week or so of sleeping. Maddy got a fever one night and couldn't sleep. Blake has had some issues. Blake got the stomach flu a few days. Madison followed with the stomach flu too.


We met new baby Rylee who belongs to our friends Melissa and Paul


We played lots in the babies room and the living room while enjoying the freedom less clothing brings.




Playing with my camera flash




I organized all of our filing for the first time in 5 years. It was well past due.
I organized the moving of all the Spring/Summer clothes into their room, packed away most of the winter clothes (such as the ones fitting like plastic wrap), and put the Fall/Winter clothes coming up into the spare room closet (this helps me see what is left to be purchased).
One tip I learned a long time ago is to put a sleeve label onto the storage containers so a paper can be inserted then changed depending on the contents. It works great. I used the plastic name holders here (you have to use big time strong glue on the slippery smooth plastic).


There is much more, but I'm impressed if you actually made it to the end of this post!!! Thanks and I love ya!!

Happy Monday!

First off for my LDS peeps & others who like good clean books that are good! Check out this entire collection of books being given away at Mormon Mommy Blogs.

The fabulous St. Patrick's Day is tomorrow. It's always a chance for me to reminisce about my Irish heritage.

Blake has decided it is time for him to gain as much experience as he can with injuries in the shortest time possible. Saturday he lost hold of Guy's pant leg and fell into Madison with his left eye socket. He definitely has a bit of a black eye. No picture of it though. What I do have a photo of is his crib injury. He somehow got his leg through the crib slat past his chubby knee. They were supposed to be napping. Both were a little cranky, but all of a sudden there was a huge shift in Blake's cry. I hopped up to see what happened thinking he climbed out of his crib. When I got in there I had to straiten his body then work his leg out. The poor little guy. Here are a couple of shots of his leg bruise.

He is shaking his head no here.


He is also trying to get to his diaper rash here which is thankfully almost gone!!!


See the slobber hanging off her chin? She is so funny. That tongue of hers reaches her chin!


Our first toilet play! Yay, NO! They even picked an appropriate toy for their first toilet play.. lol Stinkers.


Madison's hair has reached a length allowing for a little 'Pebbles' pony. My first try on her was on dry hair, which made it impossible to get a strait part, and she was drinking a bottle at the time. I don't think she would have let me do it had she not been busy. As it was she tried to swat me away a few times.
Blake was busy getting out of his chair.


Blake talks non stop every day. Most of it is complete babble, of course. He forgot how to talk on the phone for a month or two, but he is back to knowing what to do. This morning Blake and Madison 'talked' to daddy at work. Blake was a bit busy eating so he just yum yumed to Guy. Madison heard his voice and cuddled her head up to the phone with a big sigh. It was so cute.


I love her hands in this shot.


They love to both get outside and to sit at the doorway. Whenever the door opens they quickly drop whatever they are doing and hustle to the door. Even though they both know how to get out they rarely go out the door.


Smiley girl and busy boy. Pretty much sums them up right here.


He is very good about using his full length to get what he wants. This weekend he learned he can climb/step up on stuff to get what he wants. The first item he chose to use as a step up was the little kid potty. His feet slipped into the cup when the pressure popped it off. Guy called me in to see him standing there with his legs being held in the potty looking at us like he really wanted to be unstuck! No picture of that either. Imagination is a wonderful thing. lol


Blake is into throwing things right now.


If there is two toys it doesn't matter. They always want the one toy. Here they are going for the little yellow ducky.


She got it this time.






Now he has it.


No one sees me when my face is covered! She was convulsing laughing each time she lowered the pamphlet.


She would make sure Blake and I were looking each time too.


Ah, my cry baby. Though Madison is definitely turning into one with Blake always in her face and swatting at her with his hands.


I told Lorie at Be Different Act Normal about how we maximized our storage space in the pantry. (She has a great blog filled with lots of tips, tricks and crafts.) We have a micro mini kitchen with very little storage space. All of our food and some of our other stuff have to do into this pantry. We purchased the rack for the door and to the left inside wall. It is amazing not only how much more we fit into the pantry, but how well we can access and see everything. They were around $25-30 at Lowe's. It does make the door very heavy so you can't just swing it shut without getting a resounding slam out of it. We have figured out how to do it without a slam after a few big WHACKS. If you have room you will love the results like we do.


Here is a close up of how they go into the wall. It came with the drywall mounts.


We even have to put the spices in the pantry. I have a three level adjustable shelf with rubber on the top of each level. It is fabulous for keeping everything within sight and reach. It wasn't very organized when this photo was taken.

What does she not eat?

Thanks for the guesses on who's bottom belongs to the correct baby. It even confused me for a moment. Madison generally looks like she has a pretty trim tummy where Blake appears to have a bit of a man gut most of the time. In the photo it looks like the dimply bottom on the left has a bit of a gut, but it is Madison. It looks like Rachel is the only one who got it right. Congrats Rachel! Here it is again if you missed it.


I had the babies by myself for a couple hours when we were in Florida. Because we wheeled the cribs into the bedroom (Guy scored a suite for $25 extra a night) then into the main room at our bedtime, I had to also get ready for bed prior to putting them down. While brushing my teeth the babies were playing with each other on the bathroom floor. The maid had left a box of soap on the bathtub rim. It was the coolest jetted tub! They managed to get the bar down and then out of the box.


So, the question is what will we do for an older mouthy Madison? She seems to love the soap!


She even has a soap mustache here.


Then there was this cup of ice water she knocked all over the floor. As she was sitting there soaking wet she noticed a nice big double piece of ice and went for it.


Then she spent the next 5 minutes eating it. Grandma will be proud. She is a major ice eater.


Then there are all the 'nature' items such as bark, rocks, sand & leaves. She loves them too.


We also have paper


and toys


She does consent to eat some food, though she is much pickier about what food she eats!


na na na


Here is a little about Blake's big injury down in Florida. The first aid station!


All secure with daddy showing off the massive bandage daddy put on him.


As he was starting to pull it off (about the same time Maddy was trying out the soap).


A close up of the actual damage going endo off the stroller onto the pavement did. It was all gone in a couple of days. It amazed me how fast kids heal when it isn't diaper rash.


Here we are with Corey on our way home from Florida.