From Scratch!!!!

Now that I'm all caught up on my list and much more it was time for a day of fun!!! (Well, still hard work but worth it!)

I'm playing along with Stephanie of Stop the Ride she's having a contest. She has challenged her readers to make something from scratch that they've never made before. I choose tamales since I want Mexican food every day lately and I've always wanted to try my hand at them.

I cooked a chicken and shredded the meat - you can see in the pictures that my idea of shredding is a little more chunky but it still tasted great. We soaked the corn husks and mixed the masa - by hand.

I added some spices to the chicken (garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, salt & pepper and a little olive oil.) and mixed it very well. Then got all set up to make the tamales.

I found lots of different recipes online for tamales and followed parts of a few of them to try to fit our tastes. Each one also had different instructions for putting the masa on the husks and rolling the filling. I wasn't very exact and they didn't look the best but that's what you get when they are homemade I guess! (At least in this house.)

After they were all rolled, I put them into my pasta pot with a strainer that fits inside and steamed them for what seemed like forever. The problem that I had was the pot only left room on the bottom for about an inch of water and I kept having to interrupt the process every 15 min or less to add more water to the pot. It took the first batch about 2.5 hours too cook and boy were we ready for dinner when they were done. I thought they turned out good, I think my masa wasn't quite the correct consistency for that batch it was too moist - which was certainly better than too dry in my opinion. My hubby made guacamole when he got home and we pigged out!!!

I also made a batch of sweet tamales that I just took out so hopefully those will be as good as the chicken ones. Thanks to Stephanie for having this contest it was so much fun to try something new and my hubby is now super thrilled that there are tamales going into the freezer for many future meals!

Now to get caught up

Thanks for all your kind words. Speaking for myself I feel SO much better today than I did. It's been over 24 hours since any one's you-know-been-sick. (She says with fingers crossed.) We aren't taking any chances and are still eating relatively mild foods for good measure.

List for the day: 1) get caught up on all the laundry - I'm wearing miss-matched socks since I looked through one of four clean piles of laundry that haven't been put away.
2)Put said piles of laundry away.
3) Finish doing taxes.
4) Actually make some dinner for my husband for the first time all week. (He actually ate cereal for dinner twice this week - so sweet!)
5)Since my dog just did something completely unmentionable and may make a liar out of what I said in the paragraph above, steam clean family room carpet!

I think that might be enough to keep me busy for the rest of the day!!!

Spoke to soon - puke up to my shoulder and all over the bathroom floor (thankfully) - took a shower and can't scrub the smell out. Ugh... Hope you all are having a wonderful day -it's nice to read about other days when mine is - well, a bit less wonderful!

Some Updates

We seem to be on the up swing of this illness!! After one night of sleeping in the rocking chair and on my sons floor I was so very grateful for the 3 hour nap we took together yesterday. I was even more grateful for the long and good nights sleep I got last night!

I've been wanting to post about this ever since she posted about it last week but our fellow blogging buddy Ashleehas started her very own business!!! It's called Nest and boy do these slings look awesome!! I've never seen more stylish slings and I'm putting it on my list for the new baby! (The Chocolat is my favorite, hint hint! LOL) Anyway, go and check them out if you or someone you know is having a baby. And if you need some reasons why babywearing totally rocks she's listed a bunch here!!! Thanks Ashlee and best wishes on your new adventure!!!!

Some updates on the compact pledge. After a month of really not buying much new I'm much more confident that we can really do this for the year. We did purchase a new duvet cover. Our old one had needed replacing for awhile. I'm sort of considering this in the delicates department since my hubby definitely wouldn't go for a used duvet cover since in the summer we really don't use a sheet just the comforter. - I may just be justifying here :)- Anyway, my brother and SIL gave us a gift certificate to Linen's n things and the duvet was on sale for $33 so we only paid $18 out of pocket. Not too bad in my opinion!

I did find a used baby monitor on Craig's list that I bought since ours would wake us up during the night and randomly get all staticy. This one is older but works great and was $10. (Roughly one-fifth the price we bought ours for just over 2 years ago.) I might not buy many new things again!!! I'm also looking at some maternity cloths too!

The only other new things I've purchased (besides food etc.) is some diaper covers for my son. The ones I had purchased a few months ago shrunk and ripped, and one just disappeared somewhere. These were recommended by Stephanie at Stop the Ride and work wonderfully. I love them SO much I'm so glad that she blogged about them right when I was getting fed up with the one's I had. If my son's size had been available on eBay I would've purchased them there used. I was just desperate and I think it better to keep cloth diapering then wait until some used come available!

If your still with me - my apologies if this got long a boring!!LOL. BUT be sure to go and visit Nest!

Forever a Perfect Fit

I am weak but thou art strong - Jesus keep me from all wrong;

In the just over three years that my son has been with us from conception, God has never been more evident to me. Since He let the miracle of life begin those three short years ago I've been ever more grateful with each passing day. Never have I been more convinced that God brings specific children into our lives for a reason just as he brings specific moments, chance meetings and wonderful people.

I'll be satisfied as long as I walk dear Lord, close to thee.

Today, we rocked as you lay on my too quickly growing belly and snuggled in close breathing me in as I you. If ever I thought about how I would rock you and snuggle you as you grew now I know that I'll always find a way. All the learning about zygotes and chromosomes and DNA and RNA just can't do this justice. I can't always find the words to say just how amazingly insignificant all that science became after seeing the evidence of God's hand at work in my womb.

Just a closer walk with Thee - Come Lord Jesus hear my plea;

God gave you to us to care for, raise up and train to fly because he's all knowing. He knows that you make our family more complete. You've actually brought our family closer to God than we've ever been and closer to each other. I'm repeatedly amazed at the lessons you teach and the thoughts you provoke in me. The things about life you make me question when you ask me "why?." Sometimes I cannot find the answer I want to give for awhile and by then you are on to something else. Then I pray that I'll hold the answer until you ask me again.

Daily walking close to Thee - Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.

Now that my role as a Mother will be expanding in 6 months or so I know that God has this child planned just for our family. The next one will bring even more fullness to our lives and more wonder and joy. For an instant I wondered if we'd still have these moments together when you awoke wanting more Mommy time while your long sweeping eyelashes gently tickled my neck. I'm confident that God will give us these as we need and many other moments of catching each others eyes from across the room and you giggling saying "silly Mommy."

Through this world of toil and snares, if I falter Lord who cares?

I am suddenly and truly feeling a calm and peaceful reassurance from above that I've been trying to force myself to feel since this pregnancy began. I realized that although I said I trust whatever God had planned for us it wasn't fully in my heart yet. I relied on our first ultrasound to relieve my fears but that lasted for about a day until thoughts and doubt crept in. The second ultrasound also brought more comfort and reassurance but not a day later I began to feel more doubt sneaking into my daily thoughts.

Who with me my burden shares? None but Thee, dear Lord, none but Thee.

Learning how to trust and be close to God is not easy for one like me that tends to resist and enjoys my illusion of control. The lack of reassurance after those Dr visits is a good thing even a great thing because now I honestly can feel peaceful and trusting wholly in my Savior!

When my feeble life is o'er, time for me will be no more;

I'm most grateful that God used my sick child today as a reminder to slow down and let this song come back through my head. Tears of joy landed on soft sandy hair as I sang sitting with him by the fire as his fever chilled him knowing that we'd always have this feeling for each other and always be two neighboring pieces in the puzzle of life, no matter where God leads him.

On that bright eternal shore I will walk dear Lord, close to Thee.

Craziness!

I was just over at 5 Minutes for Mom reading a post about how they didn't realized they were nominated for the Share the Love Blog Awards. I thought now would be a good time to go and vote myself. As I was going through the voting I realized that one of you amazing people nominated lil' old me in the happiest blog category. Can I just say how sweet you are!!!

I appreciate all the support and love that all you bloggers give. You are the best group of people! Thanks, you just made my day which didn't start out the happiest this morning!

There are so many wonderful choices in each category so if you haven't yet voted head on over and do so. Thanks to Heather at One Woman's World for Sharing the Love!

Is my kid the only one...

...who gets sick in the middle of the night very stealthily and goes back to sleep afterwards????!!!!!!

Seriously here peeps, this is gross and can I tell you the Mama guilt going on that I didn't even hear my own kiddo getting sick in the middle of the night!!

It's one thing to clean up puke it's another to clean it up hours later when it's dry and crusty.

He really doesn't seem worse for the wear now that he's using his "just in case" bowl for a hat.

Wordless Wednesday

Lovin' Grandma!

We are missing Grandma since she moved this weekend. Ok, so honestly not having the option of any more FREE babysitting did cross my mind once. (She know's I'm kidding!LOL!) BUT really even though we'll miss her here we send her with all the best wishes and blessings for her new city to become a wonderful home. Luckily it's an easy place to fly to from us!

I Am From

I loved reading these so much when I read about them before at Mary's (Owlhaven) that even though I didn't have a blog of my own back then I wrote one for fun. I never have posted it here so here goes! Be sure to visit Owlhaven to do one yourself or to read some others.

I am from twirling beneath maple branches watching seed pods fall like helicopters. I am from breathing crisp autumn air while raking leaves into piles and jumping in from the tire swing. From Ovaltine after sledding and sun tea after summer fun.

I am from the little house with many additions and the gravel driveway with sweet smells of apple pie wafting down.

I am from lilacs and snapdragons and colorful, fragrant, tasty gardens, from the woods with the creek and the old railroad tracks.

I am from homemade ice cream on the Fourth of July and strawberry picking on Father’s day and Yankee baseball on muggy summer nights. From hazel eyes from Bill and Margie and Jim and Betty and Bill and Elsie.

I am from book readers and great bakers and hard workers who know how to have fun. From “take your elbows off the table” and “you can do anything you set your mind to.”

I am from Catholic and Methodist and God loving people who treasure family and friends. From NY’s suburbia with a short walk to the post office and the firehouse siren every day at noon.

From Germans, Austrians, English, Welsh and Dutch, who generations before took the long boat ride here so that I could live this life! From bagels and cream cheese after church on Sundays, Bobo’s sauerkraut, Gram’s sweet rolls, and Mom’s jam and bread & butter pickles.

From walking up the hill to Grandma and Bobo’s to be entertained with stories of the “good ‘ol days” and water skiing at the lake in the dry heat of the annual summer visit out west and Mom sitting while I reheated dinner after weeknight dance classes to keep me company.

I am from bulletin boards and notes on the fridge and pictures on walls, in albums, shoe boxes, envelopes and bags. These hold proof of the memories of love and joy and laughter. Of broken arms and healed hearts, of black Labradors and striking young Grandmothers, of playing in the basement and climbing the tallest of pine trees, of sister sleepovers and playing soccer on the back lawn, and of babies being loved dearly into adulthood and continuing with each generation.

Our little one

We went in for my second ultrasound yesterday and it was so much fun. It was so crazy seeing all the little parts- hands and feet and fingers and toes! Of course the scanned in copy doesn't look too great but the wee one had his legs crossed and was waving hands and jumping and wiggling all around. I guess she better enjoy it while there's still room to do all of that!

The little foot measured 0.83 cm! Just a true itty bitty one in there.

My goal was to make it to 12 weeks without getting out the box of maternity clothes and while it might be close I'll be 12 weeks on Tuesday so I think I might just make it!!!

UPDATED: I'm adding this link because has some interesting info about fetal development so you can see what's been happening in just the last 11 weeks.

Thanks and winner

I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who participated in yesterday's activity festival! All of your ideas were so creative and since many of you listed a bunch of ideas I'm beginning to think that spring is just around the corner!

Thanks again! And the winner of a can of peaches is....Stephanie from Stop the Ride! Congrats Stephanie and just shoot me an email with your address and I'll get those out to you soon. (Probably not until Monday!)

Winter Activity Festival

Mornings are a bit touch and go depending on the day around here so I thought I'd get this up tonight.

Welcome to the Winter Activity Festival where we can share some of our new or old ideas for winter fun with our kids. We are sharing ideas for winter activities, games, or crafts for any ages. You know, the fun stuff that puts the sunshine back into these bleak days.

You can post on your own blog or leave your idea in the comments whatever you'd like. You also may leave as many ideas as you'd like to. If you post on your blog leave me a link in the comments and I'll update the links at the bottom of the post.

If you do post on your own blog your name will be put a drawing for a chance to win a can of peaches. One of the ones that we picked and then canned. I thought it might be a fun thing to add since today I got my first package in the mail from a fellow blogger and I just loved it! There's something about getting something from someone you've never actually met face-to-face that is really meaningful. Thanks Stephanie (Adventures in Babywearing!!)

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I'm sharing a silly game that my son and I have made up over the last couple of weeks. It's something he likes to call Running High Five. And the title really does sum up the game pretty well, I sit on the floor with my arms out and he runs in circles around me giving high fives on each pass. Yeah, it always works out that I get to play the part of the stump on the floor! It works out well for a tired 11 week prego Mom!

We play with switching directions and counting the number of times he can high five in a row. He laughs most of the time and it usually ends up becoming a game of Mommy trying to catch and tickle him. He will ask to do this multiple times a day now and it will last for about 20 minutes or so with some hugs here and there for breathers. I've found that it gets out some of that - little boy pent up energy - quite nicely and ends up being great bonding time for us as well.

Can't wait to see what activities you have to share!

"Children think not of what is past, nor what is to come, but enjoy the present time, which few of us do." Jean de La Bruyere

5 minutes for Mom
Owlhaven
Life With All Boys
Stop the Ride
The FlipFlop Mamma
Baseballs and Bows

Little Daredevil

I was just looking through my pictures from Christmas when I realized that I haven't taken a single picture for two weeks. I'm pretty sure that's against our house rules! Our quota is like 40 a week! This is the last one that I loaded onto the computer on Christmas day.

My Dad and my Son...two of a kind!

Party stuff!

This sounds like too much fun to pass up so I'll be partying with Janice and Susan at 5 Minutes for Mom along with all of you. I'm looking forward to finding even more blogs to read..LOL! It's seriously so much finding a connection with all these other Moms (And Dads) out here in blogdom!

And if you didn't make it to the end of my rather long winded post the other day I'd love it if you'd like to play along with me in sharing a winter activity at my Winter Activity Festival on Tuesday the 23rd! We are sharing ideas for winter activities, games, or crafts. Fun stuff that you do with the kids indoors during these long cold days. You can post on your own blog or leave your idea in the comments whatever you want. Of course if you post on your own blog I'll put a link in the post to yours.

Don't worry I'm not delusional thinking I'm going to get a million of these I know I don't have that many readers! My goal is for 10 since there will be about 9 weeks left of winter and that would be one new activity a week until spring, plus one extra. Hope you want to come play too!

Time Well Spent

Awhile ago my very good friend sent me this wonderful link which by the way just made me teary reading it again for at least the 4th time! If you have a few minutes to read this link I promise it's worth your time.

I just love this perspective. I am just as guilty as the next Mom (more so even) of trying to find something to occupy my son (Mr. Roger's Neighborhood) while I fix dinner quickly - even though he loves to help me. I do feel that I spend a lot of time with my 2 year old son but I also find time to justify why there’s not as much quality in that time.

Along with simplifying life around the Butterfly home I am putting an effort forth to spend even more quality time with my son. After all in about 30 weeks (can we hope for 28.5!) he's not going to be getting all of Mommy's attention anymore. Why not lather it on now!

In these early years of my son’s life I’ve wanted to give him everything that he needs to succeed in life. If only I can realize and really bring into the forefront of my parenting the extent to which we (his parents) are absolutely everything he needs.

Today as I was starting this post and doing some reading, a post at Overwhelmed With Joy said pretty much exactly what I was trying to say. Finding ways to spend time with my child that builds up our relationship not necessarily involving toys. (Even though plenty of our quality time involves throwing, catching, rolling, counting, bouncing, swatting, kicking or grabbing at a ball.) Since Owerwhelmed's post asked for things we do with our kids I'm going to list a few - even though most will probably be duplicates of hers.

We do tons of reading around here usually before nap time was lost again during a quiet time in the afternoon and before bed. Some days we may fit some books in other places as well.

We visit the library often for their music and movement class. It's typical for us to leave with about five books (so Mommy can keep track) but lately one of them has to be the Berenstain Bears.

We listen to all different types of music. We dance together and get silly! We'll also play on the piano (he does this most with my hubby) or we'll play the harmonica together or shake rattles to the music. We've also been known to make a trumpet out of a paper towel roll and drums out of many things but chopsticks are his favorite drumsticks. (Sorry, I guess this one used toys but I think music is important.)

We do some fun yoga poses together. Mostly the animal poses: lion, the dogs, cat, cow, etc. It's fun for him to add the sounds to each pose for some added silliness!

We go out and check the mail after walking around the block. Listening for dogs barking, looking at geese flying over, and waiting patiently for tulips to be blooming!!!

I think I'll stop here and ask if anyone would be interested in playing along with me say next Tuesday January 23, 2007. I would love to set up a Mr. Linky (if I can) or just link to everyone who leaves comments. We can all share a post about a fun winter activity or craft. It can be anything you do during the many indoor hours this time of year for any and all ages. I know we can't be the only ones who go stir crazy so I thought it might be worth it to swap ideas. Then we'll have a new arsenal for the last couple months of winter! And for those of you who are frozen solid I hope you get a thaw soon!!!

I hope you’ll come back on Tuesday and join in for a Winter Activity Festival!

Do you think since my son can now climb up onto the changing table by himself it's time to get rid of it?

Honestly, he probably could have done this months ago but he never tried it until yesterday. And no it's not anchored to the wall (please don't yell at me!!! I know, I know!).

Just please no one give him a heads up about climbing out of the crib, I'm so grateful that he's still in there!!

You know you're pregnant when

* all you can stomach is chicken broth with rice noodles and brownies.
* dinner prep is filled with gaging and your child asking "OK Mommy?"
*while holding your breath looking in the fridge you remember that the baby probably needs that oxygen.
* even the thought of ANY kind of meat cooked or raw (even just reading it in the recipe title) is just about enough to make you start gagging.
* your family has gratefully eaten pasta for three days in a row.

If y'all have some yummy vegetarian type dishes that you'd like to share with me I'd greatly appreciate them!!

Not that I'm complaining, just grateful to be feeling this way at all!

Wanna see all the stuf

...we found inside our stereo speakers?

There's a hole in the back just the perfect size for little fingers to drop all sorts of stuff into. My wonderful hubby and Dad took them apart over Christmas. They still had one more to do when I took these pictures. It had tons more legos and a couple more little footballs. Where does he come up with this stuff? And seriously, just HOW MANY balls does one little boy need?!?!?!?

Homemade gifts

Last month I spoke about making most of my Christmas gifts and promised to share. Most of my family got cookies, some of the canned goods I made this fall (applesauce, peaches, peach jam) and I also put the dry ingredients for some cookies in a jar. Those layered cookies were fun to do and SO easy but I think I may have lost the recipe - I guess I'll have to find a new one for next year!

For my parents and MIL I had been meaning to make these little plaques since Mother's Day - I thought they would be a nice Mother's/Father's day gift. When those holiday's past I forgot all about them until Christmas.

I went to my local craft store and purchased a rectangular shaped piece of wood, two different sized hearts and as many wooden stars as kids needed.

Then I just started painting away. Around the edge I used a tooth brush with metalic paint instead of a regular brush.

The stenciling made me nervous since I had to try to make it all perfectly centered. That didn't last long and I just crammed it all on. I used a pencil to draw the letters on and then traced over it with the marker. "Caution, Grandparents at play!" Is what the sign reads and then I listed all the grandkids names on stars. The kids names I just had to free hand on the stars because I didn't have a stencil the right size.

I added all my parents grandkids mine and my brothers in birth order since I thought it might get to confusing keeping it organized by families. I also put two extra stars since we are both expecting again - she's due any day now!

I just used hot glue to glue the heart and stars on and I figured that they could keep going up and around with new ones or hang a piece of twine underneath and staple the next batch of kids on to that!

Living and learning

2006 was a year of learning for me. Learning how to parent a toddler for one thing was HUGE. Learning how my attitude indeed affects everyone inside my house (outside too) and if I can grasp my moods the days go SO much better! I learned a ton - mostly from fellow bloggers, THANKS -about how to be more frugal. One commitment I'm making for 2007 is to become even more frugal.

Did you see Stephanie's post on Saturday? It had some really great links and info. I especially loved this article about The Compact. They promised not to purchase anything NEW for the year - exceptions are food, toiletries, undies etc. Thanks Steph!

I am considering doing this with a few exceptions. My hubby absolutely needs some new pants and shirts (I'm sick of him wearing the same one to church every week!) so those are one my list for this year. We don't go extravagant or anything but he doesn't like to buy used clothes so probably LL Bean - hopefully their wrinkle free ones! When I explained The Compact to Adam he said "Don't we kind of do that already?" - excepting a few new things for our son for birthday and Christmas yes, we kind of did this for the last 6 months or so but not to this extent.

I was so amazed two months ago when I bought really cute 2T overalls at a thrift store got them home to find that they were Baby Gap - and along with another pair of pants, snow boots and a book all for $8. That was my first visit there but I will be back this year. I am also looking at it as a way to make life a bit simpler. Can I have as simple an 8 months as possible so that it will still be doable with a toddler and infant for the rest of the year? We'll see and I'll keep you posted.

On a similar subject I recently read about these in a magazine recently and I think the idea is super amazing. I don't know why they call them earthships exactly but it uses recycled and natural materials to build the house. Then by using solar powered electricity, collected rain water and very insulated materials it is virtually utility free. Comments I've read say that it will mostly remain in the high 60's to low 70's no matter the outside temp without heating or a/c. If we ever get our dream to build I would LOVE to use many of these ideas for our house.

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BTW, the only reason I got the laundry all caught up last week while feeling so ill was because the week before my hubby called a young woman from our church who baby-sits our son and asked her to come help me clean for the afternoon. Can I just say that I love my husband for thinking of me, he knows that I would never ask for the help myself and she cleaned and played with my 2 year old for hours - terrific! That is the only reason why last week the only thing I had left to do was the laundry (since hubby also cleaned our master bathroom)! Thanks Sarah!!! Thanks honey!!!

New Year's News

I'm feeling like things are getting back to "normal" around here. Honestly, it’s actually abnormal to have only one more load of laundry to do and then there will not be a dirty item in the house - excepting what we are wearing of course! But considering we have been searching and sifting through clean piles and baskets it is nice to be caught up and have clothes in the closet again!! I still haven't taken down Christmas, it is my least favorite thing to do but hopefully before Valentine's day everything will be back in boxes, LOL!

So the big news - yes even bigger than laundry - is that we are pregnant again. Yippee - on December 27th we saw the little heartbeat of a peanut on the monitor. The very best Christmas present ever, ever, ever! (We are VERY thrilled this visit was so much different than the last time.) I am feeling quite ill, which my hubby likes to joke is a really good thing - since it is pretty much exactly how I felt with my son. No complaints but lots of sitting and sipping peppermint tea on the couch!

I'm due August 14th which is 8 days from my son's birthday. At least I've got all the right maternity clothes - if they still fit! My 2 year old was born on his due date so it's hard to expect anything different this time but we'll see in 32 more weeks. Oh yeah, I'm 8 weeks right now.

I was looking back through my calendar and it is very hard to believe that this time last year I had a 16 month old who didn't take his first steps until 3 days before he turned 17 months. It amazes me that he now says such grown up things like "nice and warm", "be right back", "see you in two weeks", (I think he got that from The Very Hungry Caterpillar book) and my personal favorite "Oh, what fun!" I think my favorite is actually that when I ask him a question (would you like to read a book?) he’ll reply with “oh, great Mommy!” Then he’ll run and grab one of the many books that he can actually read to me. Oh, to have the memory of a two year old!

Some Christmas Memories

I am determined that I will fit in some quality blogging time thank you! I have just finished going through my bloglines, I can't say I've read everything but it sounds like you all had a wonderful holiday!

Our Christmas was richly blessed with love. This is the first year ever that my husband and I didn't exchange any gifts. We gave each other our love (as sappy as it sounds) and it was more than enough. We also discussed - once we sell our house - the possibility of sponsoring a child in memory of the one we lost this year.

The best Christmas present was my parents and my husband's Mom putting away Christmas dinner and doing the dishes while we sat and watched our son play with his new trains for a very long time. It is so entertaining to watch him play and learn -and did I mention we were still in our pj's at this point (about 5pm) so it was a wonderfully comfortable and lazy Christmas full of love. There you have it!

The picture at the top was taken on Christmas Eve after church - a day we did actually get dressed!

Below Daddy's reading The Night Before Christmas also on Christmas Eve.

This train table was going to be one of my projects but I never got around to it. It is an old coffee table that we've had for about 7 or 8 years now and I was going to sand it and paint it like those cool train tables you can buy but I'm glad I didn't get around to it. Just having the trains set up on it is enough to keep him occupied for hours! I guess it's fitting since my brother, sister and I used to spend hours playing with these same trains as well.

I'm wishing you all a wonderful and happy New Year in case I don't get around to actually posting again this year! Many blessings to all my family, friends and new blogging friends too!

A Butterfly Christmas

I've finally uploaded pictures of our living room all decked out for Christmas.

Helping Daddy bring in the tree...

Playing with a little pewter nativity - I like how he trys to give tiny baby Jesus a hug.

The finished product (although the bottom third is changing daily) and I've tried so very many times in the last couple of weeks but the angel on top just wants to lean this year!

I usually do something more festive on the mantle but this year I thought I'd keep it simple.

What time are you??

I saw this over at Linds' place probably over a week ago by now and thought it was fun. I've written about 10 posts in my head this week so maybe if I can just get myself to type faster I'll be able to get everything else done and blogging too! I am very excited with how my first couple of projects have been turning out. I will share some next week and the rest after Christmas.

I sort of find this funny since the only times I'm up at sunrise are to catch an airplane or with a kiddo!

You Are Sunrise

You enjoy living a slow, fulfilling life. You enjoy living every moment, no matter how ordinary. You are a person of reflection and meditation. You start and end every day by looking inward. Caring and giving, you enjoy making people happy. You're often cooking for friends or buying them gifts. All in all, you know how to love life for what it is - not for how it should be.

What Time Of Day Are You?

Wordless - Me Love Cookies!

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So even though I'm not really partaking in the hustle and bustle part of the season it still seems to be blowing by. Since funds are still extra tight in this neck of the woods many of my gifts this year are from the heart (more like hands) and I realized on the 1st that I'd better get busy if I'm to get them all ready in just a few weeks. I might post about a few of my projects but since real life people read this I don't want to give away everything about their gifts...

Snow induced giddiness!

My son and I were listening to the radio and acting giddy while we were stuck in some traffic this afternoon. It was snowing and a few songs into our giddy spree "White Christmas" came one - one of my all time favorites - so the giddiness was taken up another notch (and the volume). In between verses I decided that even though it would be close to 5 o'clock by the time we got home we needed some snow play!

I like being the executive at my job so I can veto the semi intense dinner I had planned for one that came out of the freezer as soon as we walked in the door. Hurriedly and full of excitement we bundled up and got out he door. He even put on his hat all by his "delf"!

He's pointing saying "Dat way!!! Play! Kiks!" Boy was it fun and I had another opportunity to be grateful for the snowsuit I found on sale last year that was too big and only worn a few times. It now fits perfectly when it's really needed!!

After about an hour of playing with some friends down the street we headed home for some ovaltine, Christmas music, and to add the finishing touches to dinner.

I just LOVE this time of year, truly the most wonderful!!

Flushable diapers

I've spoken about cloth diapering before. (And by the way it is so hard to pull up a link to an archived post if there is a typo in the title!!!) The covers I purchased back then are working out very well. While they aren't my favorite of everything I've used, they don't leak, (unless Mom is a slacker) they were cheap and my grocery bill is less $10 a week! Now if I can only find the two missing covers so I don't have to wash them so often.

I was intrigued when I saw these flushable diapers from gDiapers yesterday at my local Fred Meyer. I did some research on their web site and if I didn't use cloth diapering so much during the day they might be an option I'd choose. It’s a washable cover that you insert flushable liners into so that the waste ends up in the toilet. They look so neat so if any of you hve used them I'd love your opinion.

Oh and a blurb about the company that I though was SO cool...

So, we encourage our working parents to bring their kids to work. We have an on-site child development center. If mom needs to nurse or wants some playtime with her baby, gDiapers is set up to accommodate her needs. If a child is sick, by all means, go home. We hope everyone feels better soon. If dad wants to see Jr. in the school talent show in the middle of the day, he has our blessing. In fact, we may come with him.

I love staying home and I would do just about anything to continue to but I wish more companies took on this philosophy since you'd think it would make for happier and in the long run more productive employees!!!

Opinion Saturday and other ramblings

The frustrating thing about a mouse is that you really never know where they are coming from since they can fit through anything. Ugh. Thanks for your suggestions. My hubby is so allergic to cats that he starts wheezing within minutes so I guess we'll see about some of the other options!

That's enough time devoted to that subject so on to another while my son naps!!!! Have I mentioned that he's back to napping about 5 days a week or so! So on to Mary's opinion Saturday topic.

She writes, "When you think about enlarging your family, what are some of the questions and concerns that come to your mind? Was it or is it a difficult or an easy decision to declare yourself ‘done’ with having children? If your family is already complete, feel free to share the questions you had as you faced the issue in the past. When you decided, did you decide once and for all, or did you find yourself revisiting the question over and over?"

Last night at dinner Adam and I were discussing this topic and he asked our son if he wanted a little brother or sister and our son answered "yes", then he asked if he wanted an older brother or sister he said "yes" again. His last question to our son was how many siblings do you want and our little turkey put down his fork and counted on his fingers "one, two, three, four, five" and then continued eating as Mom and Dad sat looking at him and each other.

Now before you think we are crazy don't worry we aren't leaving this up to our two year old son even if he is very smart. Since he knows how to count to 20 (with help around 15 or 16) he must have had some reason for stopping at five (even just to get back to eating!!)

When we got married and for many years before we thought we'd have two children and just hope for a boy and a girl and then we'd be done. Since my son's birth however we've both expressed interest in having more than 2. I think of the joy that my own sister and brother bring to my life and I wonder if 2 won't be the number we end up settling on.

The first topic that came up last night after the magic number 5 was financials. We are constantly wondering how many children we would financially be able to take care of. How many could we put through college? How many could we have and not have to mortgage our house to fly to visit a relative? (Most live in other states.)

Then and possibly more importantly I think of the days that having one child feels like more than enough. I begin to doubt my motherly skills and admit that I have no idea what I'm doing. The flip side of those days are the wonderful days of parenting when confidence abounds, we play happily and days are going smoothly.

I take comfort in the fact that God knows us and our hearts and only He can open our hearts to however many children will bless our lives.

Since we are not currently "done" I'm certain this topic will come up for us again and again after each new addition.

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I have so many unread items in my bloglines it's not even funny! I'll be around to get caught up soon... I've missed reading about you!!!

To my furry nemesis....

Dear Fievel,

I first want to say that I appreciate your will to live. The way you have escaped our many traps over the last couple of weeks has been incredible. My husband and I agree that if you can pull off some Stuart Little entertainment you'd be allowed to stay (with an exorbitant amount of rent as well as mandatory housebreaking). However, you wore on my last nerve Thanksgiving morn and I am currently rethinking the very humane traps we have set up for you and considering turning to very dark and desperate measures.

You see, the pantry stores all of the wonderful dry food that my family eats on a regular basis. It is, along with our refrigerator, the mecca of our home. Since we've seen your kind here before I generally keep things very well in airtight containers and/or very well wrapped. Except for the oatmeal packages as you clearly pointed out. I will improve their storage promptly. Ahem, and please for the love of all things sanitary and healthy do NOT attempt to nest in my very nice basket of hand towels again. That was not something fun to find on Thanksgiving morn when they were all clean and ready for mass food prep.

Will you not rest until everything is pulled out and living on the island??

Consider yourself warned, jump in and enjoy your peanut butter demise or you will be finding some very cruel things in the next week.

It may interest you to know in the next house over lives a bachelor and he may enjoy your company more than the Butterfly clan.

Sternly,
Mrs. Mama Butterfly

Happy Turkey Day!!!

Wishing all a very happy and wonderful Thanksgiving! That gratitude will fill our hearts not only this weekend but spill over into the days, months and years that follow.

Holiday Traditions

For Owlhaven's opinion Saturday she's asking about our holiday traditions...

I've mentioned before that Thanksgiving is one of the most special holidays for my husband and I as our first date was on Thanksgiving Eve ten years ago this year. We always make sure to steal a few minutes together to let each other know how thankful we are for each other and for that first date!

We've had fun over the years playing with traditions and seeing what works, we take it or leave it the next year depending on what we thought. Eight years ago I made fresh Vietnamese Salad Spring Rolls with peanut dressing on a Thanksgiving that my MIL flew in. While not a traditional side they were so yummy that they became a tradition. They are fairly labor intensive so last year they were missed but I'll be up early to get them ready this year.

This week I'll also be making the Christmas roll recipe that have been a tradition in our family for generations. Some wonderful memories and conversations were had while making these as a family the night before a holiday.

A Christmas tradition from my childhood that I plan on continuing is hiding baby Jesus from the Nativity scene and then letting the kids look for him (in a fairly obvious place) then placing him back in the manger and singing "Happy Birthday" on Christmas Eve. My sister even got her sorority sisters to do this with her in college. It is a great reminder wading through all the gifts under the tree from loved ones to the true meaning of the day and one that as a child I remember really "getting".

Love Thursday

I have really loved the images and stories of love every Thursday at Cookooloonks mine is a bit late this week since my computer wasn't cooperating with me this morning!!

This moment I spent with my son was one of those that I wish could last forever - at least in our memories.

On a recent rainy afternoon (we've been having some cold wet days) we turned on the fire place and snuggled under some blankets to read some books. Little did I know that I wasn't going to be the one doing the reading. My son took the book out of my hand and started to read it to me!

Click here for more Love!

Wordless Wednesday

100 Things About Me

I've always enjoyed reading these when others have done them so here's my 100th post! Totally in random order....

1. I was born and raised in New York (suburbia)
2. In the same house that my Dad grew up in
3. But about 3 additions later.
4. My Grandma and Bobo lived right next door
5. I loved having them so close to visit almost daily.
6. I started ballet lessons in 2nd grade
7. Dancing became a wonderful love in my life
8. A way for a shy girl to express herself
9. I also have a love of science - biology and physics mostly
10. English was my weakest subject
11. If you couldn't tell from all the grammar mistakes on this blog!
12. I enjoyed German and French but I hardly remember a thing now!
13. I majored in Dance in college
14. The BFA program at NYU for dance was 3 years and 2 summers
15. I don't officially use my major in my current job!
16. Unless you count pirouettes and fouettes in the kitchen
17. While my son giggles and says again, again, until I'm out of breath
18. If you know me in real life don't ever plan on seeing this!
19. This Thanksgiving will mark the 10 yr anniv. of our first date
20. Those 10 years have gone by like a cat nap
21. We got married near to a favorite scuba spot 4 years ago
22. I'd still love to scuba dive if I lived near an ocean
23. I worked at a veterinary hospital for 3 years
24. I also went back to school part time to get prereqs for Veterinary School
25. While I was working there I decided that Vet life was not for me
26. I like the scientific experiments and lab stuff better
27. We fled in the mass exodus of CA almost three years ago
28. I have a 2 year old son
29. I feel like my job as a Wife/Mother/homemaker is the most perfect one I've ever had
30. I enjoy a good laugh
31. I can't tell a good joke to save my life
32. I enjoy a good cry but could handle a few weeks without one.
33. I love to use exlamation points!!
34. I love sushi,
35. Thai
36. and pretty much any ethnic foods
37. I love gardening
38. I also will eat any kind of batter (cookie dough, cake...)
39. I would consider food my achilles' heel!
40. My husband and I have planned entire trips to NY for food
41. Well we've visited family too - not just for the cannollis ;)
42. My favorite color is purple
43. I have one sister
44. and one brother.
45. I am the oldest child.
46. I wish we all lived closer
47. but I know that we're all where we should be for now.
48. I taught pilates once a week at a church in San Diego
49. I've thought about teaching again
50. but my heart's not fully in it yet.
51. I would eat totally organically if I could afford it
52. Now depending on our budget I buy mostly produce and milk organic
53. I experienced "natural" childbirth with my son
54. It was also a water birth
55. It was amazing and I'll do it again....
56. My total labor was about 8 hours - intense but short!
57. I prayed for exactly that!!!
58. My son was born on his due date
59. That date also was my Grandfather's birthday.
60. We gave his name as my son's middle name - also my Dad's.
61. I have two dogs (Jack Russell Terriers)
62. I love them to pieces but they are so stubborn
63. I don't have very good fashion sense
64. I just don't really pay attention to what's in style
65. I almost always ask my husband if I look ok before I leave the house
66. I hardly ever buy clothes for myself
67. I love music
68. I also love movie musicals
69. I think we would all be happier if we could burst in to song
70. and dance in the middle of grocery shopping
71. or walking in the rain or delivering a newspaper :)
72. I like watching scary movies at home under a blanket next to hubs
73. I also like action and romatic sappy stories too.
74. I like to read but I don't do it enough
75. I'm enjoying reading the Bible more lately
76. I am a Christian
77. I have 2 nephews and a niece on the way
78. I love to bake and cook
79. Dishes and laundry make me want to cry!
80. I still do them mostly with a grateful heart.
81. I've been hospitalized twice.
82. Once for being dehydrated as a baby
83. Second for an emergency appendectemy in Jan of 1994
84. I had my son at a birthing center.
85. He was born at 8:19pm and we were home at 3am
86. I fell over a couch backwards, landed on my sister
87. and somehow broke my right wrist in first grade.
88. She cried (I knocked the wind out of her)
89. I calmly told my Mom I broke my arm while she comforted my sis.
90. I've had tendonitis in almost every joint in my lower body
91. Mostly in my left patella tendon and my right achilles tendon.
92. I've had a miscarriage.
93. That's the first time I've actually written that out on this blog.
94. I feel very healed today.
95. I really love life and I love people.
96. I'm 31 years old
97. My birthday is in March.
98. I love learning - I actually liked school
99. I am learning to be patient.
100. I wear a size 9 shoe!

Obviosly I didn't have a big finale planned!!

Thanks for Mothers

Chaotic Mom is away this week and is asking for thoughts on "thanks for Mothers" so here are my random thoughts.

I am so grateful to my Mother for so much it's hard to know where to start. From home cooked meals to carpools to and from dance classes and from kissing owies to playing games. She never questioned (openly anyway) why she paraded me back and forth and paid for 6 or more dance classes a week. She also didn't keep the neatest house on the block.

Her focus was on the things that mattered: God, her hardworking husband and the 3 of us kids. She always made sure that she was available to help with homework and was involved in our schools. She paid attention to who our teachers were and that we worked our hardest at whatever we did. Win or lose, succeed or fail she always encouraged us to try. I remember her patience letting our little fingers plant cucumber seeds in hills and staying up until o'dark thirty sewing our halloween and Nutcracker costumes.

No matter what, her love was always there and always felt. Even now when I think of my childhood home and memories her love just overwhelms me.

I have absolutely NO idea how she really did it all and actually slept.

Now that I am experiencing the overwhelming joy of my son's first two years of life I am so amazed at this journey of motherhood. How much it has taught me to stop and smell the roses. Each day, each hour and each minute is so important to my son.

In just a day he went from an infant to a chubby baby, from a slug to a speed crawler, from pulling up to first steps and from baby talk to singing songs and saying the alphabet. I revel in each hug, kiss and cuddle I can snitch. His great big smile and glimmer when our eyes meet remind me to seize this moment in eternity and be present as it passes.

I'm grateful that my Mom gave me the foundation and I'm grateful that my son is giving me the opportunity.

If you want to share or visit more visit Chaotic Mom.

Thank you!

I am so proud to be the granddaughter of two WWII veterans, daughter of a Vietman veteran, sister to an Iraq veteran and wife to a Navy veteran. I am so grateful to God everyday that he let them all come home!

I'm sorrowful that so many others did not.

Thanks to all veterans and their families for the sacrifices you make for the rest of us!

Note to self: keep house in a showable state!

This morning we had the second showing of our house since listing it in August. I love that I was just getting out the bathroom cleaning supplies to give our master bath some much needed love and attention when the phone rings...

"Someone wants to look at your house within the hour."

In my head I'm thinking - What! Lord, I know this is what we want but this place needs some help and less than an hour is not enough. You can see me here still in my PJ's right?!

"They can come a bit later right?...12:30 ok perfect."

It's 10:30 now, I can quickly scrub every surface in the bathroom and do some vacuuming and cleaning in the kitchen before they come. The whole time I’m singing Broadway musicals at a fast forward lightning speed to keep up my pace.

God bless my hubby for coming home for an early lunch to blow away leaves and make the outside look great! All the while my son snacked and watched PBS for almost 2 hours straight while taking out EVERY toy he owns. (I try to limit TV usage pretty strictly on the weekdays - 1 hour MAX. So he was loving life.)

I've decided that we have WAY too many toys. I had put some away for a break in September and again last month. Today I shoved more into that same closet and I don't plan on taking them out. The less toys the better I say, especially if I'm going to have such incredibly short notice - two weeks ago I was still keeping the house clean from the first showing but I've slowly let it go the last couple. Now to stay motivated and keep up with it - while praying that today's people thought it a perfect fit!!

Wordless Wednesday - Peaceful - Jamaica

Not much to write about here but if you haven't been following baby Eliot's story what a beautiful tribute Matt and Ginny have written. They are certainly inspiring me through their faith.

Already?!?

For the last week or so my kiddo has a few times said "Mom" instead of "Mommy" or "Mama". Each time I've replied with "that's Mommy to you!"

Today he's said Mommy only a few times and he even rubbed it in at lunch. (With my hub's new job he comes home a few times a week for lunch - how cool!) He sat there saying "Hi Daddy, hi Mom." A seemingly endless number of times!

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Oh, and BTW I did indeed figure out the issue with Mr. Linky. It must be something with the set up of my makeshift desktop. (We have an external keyboard and mouse set up to a laptop so maybe that's the issue.) It worked just fine from my hubby's computer!!

Here's Mickey!

Or Mr. Mouse to you...

The after math...a glow stick and a scooby doo shaped lolly pop. If you can believe it is the first lolly pop he's ever eaten in entirety. Plus some peanut butter cups also a first. Yeah, we are holding out on you son in the candy department.

Wordless Wednesday: Mr. Serious

Works for me: Toddler mop

My toddler wants to help do everything I'm doing right at the moment I'm doing it. This makes it hard to get some things done, especially when you don't have nap time to get the floor mopped.

I think it's great that he wants to help me but only one of us can use the real mop at a time so my solution...

Take one rubber headed broom - I purchased ours at the fair years ago and haven't used it in awhile. Adjust the handle to the shortest setting for toddler's comfort!

Place mismatched socks over the broom ends, overlap and wrap with a rubberband to hold.

Then, let 'em loose. My favorite thing is that along with feeling like he's helping, he really is. Let them spray water or cleaner on the floor and mop up, just like Mommy! Works for us.

To see more Works for me Wednesday ideas visit Shannon at Rocks In My Dryer