TTT: Season 2, Episode 38

1. We've had a much better week. Much better! The lion tamer has managed to squash a large majority of our major issues, as discussed last week. I think Sassy-pants #1 caught on that Mom means business, and like always, Sassy-pants #2 has followed along. It really hasn't been a matter of doing things much differently than we normally do. Just cracking down and following through every. single. time. Not having the oh, I'll just let this one slip 'cause I really don't want to get up right now moments. And not allowing myself to fall back into the trap of allowing them to be the masters. Somehow that always tends to happen when involving food. "Maaaaaaa! I'm hungry! I'm ready for my dinner! I want more milk!..." I had gotten so bad about responding with "Ok, I'm going as fast as I can, sit down, it will be done in just two seconds, I'm doing my best..." What am I? A slave!?! Teaching children patience is about as easy as gaining it for yourself. Still, that predicament too has improved. I've had to bust out the "I'm making dinner as fast as I can and it will be ready in a few minutes. If you mention it again, you will be in the other room not eating while the rest of us eat together." So far it has shut them up every time. We'll keep plugging along with these turkeys. I tell ya, they require more effort than the baby for sure!

2. We've finally made a major transition with nap time. For months now Kolbe has been trying to give up his afternoon nap. It follows these guidelines:
- If he takes a nap, he wants to sleep for at least two hours.
- If you try to wake him early, he's a bear for the rest of the day.
- If he takes a nap at all, he doesn't fall asleep till 9:30 or 10:00 every night.
- If he doesn't take a nap, he's a little emotional from around 6:00 on, but then is asleep by 8:00.

So the obvious answer would be to give up the nap and have the much earlier bed time. But, it's been a move I've been afraid to make for a long time now, mainly because I love my quiet time in the afternoon so dearly. It's used to run my business, relax, clean, do projects around the house, etc. I really didn't want to give that up. But it turns out, we've managed to establish a system that seems to work just as well. When Reagan lays down for his nap, Kolbe has a thirty minute quiet time in Grant's room. He can rest or read books. Then for the next thirty minutes, I take him in worksheets on things we've been working on in "school" (letters, numbers, matching, rhyming...) and he works on those or colors pictures. After that hour is up, he's allowed to come out to the gameroom and play while I finish up my work. I'll also do little activities with him while I finish up like spreading number or letter flashcards out on the floor and having him put them in order. And we have some fun pre-school software that he likes to try out on the computer as well. Little games like "pick the fish with the letter A!" The computer is right beside my work area so it makes it easy for me to help him. And let me just say, it's so funny seeing a little guy learn how to use the mouse! Man, our kids our growing up in such a high tech age! Anyway, this routine has afforded me not only the quiet time that I thrive on mid-day, but an earlier, more peaceful bed time too. Score!

3. If you haven't caught word on facebook already, my brother is home!!! Mike left for Afghanistan to serve in the Air Force back in March and made it back on Tuesday night. We are all so proud of him and his commitment to our country. We pray that his time overseas has been life-changing in positive ways for not just him, but for his entire growing family. I also can't help but sing the praises my sister-in-law, Casey. It's hard being pregnant; it's hard having your husband gone for six months; it's hard raising a toddler alone; it's hard knowing your husband is in danger; it's hard living far away from family. But man, combining all of those things at once!?! Sheesh! And she managed to make it look easy! We are so proud of her and her commitment to her husband, the military, and her family. We are blessed that they are "ours."  And can't wait to welcome the newest member, Miss Kennedy, in just a few short weeks! And again, praise God for bringing this deployment safely to an end.

Wish I could have been in Idaho to see this in person! Jackson loves his Daddy! (Picture courtesy of Heather Baker Warren) 

Last week I mentioned hopes of getting some fall decorations up. We didn't quite get there will the "fall extravaganza" but maybe this week. Instead, the boys and I made a fun little ghost garland for Halloween. Hopefully I'll get a post up soon with pics from our little project.

At Target this week I indulged the boys with a trip through the Halloween section. Though nearly a million items were begged for, I managed to hold them to these two little light up jack-o-lanterns. Kolbe loved to hide out in the pantry with the lights out so he could see them glow. That was, of course, until they got confiscated for being kicked like soccer balls. You'll notice them in the above picture up on the mantle out of reach. Don't you love how when you have little kids, your decor teeters heavily on the side of garish?

Love these boys! (And love how Grant looks like a little old man when he's not smiling.)



Somebody turned 3 months old this week! Man, is this guy a great baby or what!?! He's a sweet, happy boy, with irresistible blue eyes, and weighs from  15-16 pounds according to our scale at home. Plumpest baby yet!

 

Dear Fall, please hurry up and get here! I baked fresh zucchini bread!

Yes, it's still hot enough here to play with shaving cream and the sprinkler in undies in the backyard at 9:00 in the morning.



Have a great week everyone! And Go, Red Raiders! (no seriously. Go. As in "Go get your act together 'cause if you keep playing like you did last week, you can plan on breaking our sixteen season bowl game streak.)



My Favorite Things: Baby Edition

I recently saw a magazine article that was featuring baby products of years gone by. Let's just say that it's a good thing that the baby item industry has grown and developed significantly in the past thirty years! For example, I certainly remember the one car seat that we had growing up. It was covered in brown vinyl. And as soon as a new baby was born, the prior youngest got booted out to the hard plastic booster seat (like what you'd use now at your kitchen table!) so that the new baby could have the car seat. Which was, of course, forward facing.

Anyhow, for nothing more than posterity's sake, I thought it might be fun to document some of my own "favorite things" for child raising. Don't you know that twenty-some-odd years from now my boys' wives will look back at this and think Oh my gosh! I can't believe she used that! Ha! So here goes...almost four years and three babies and these are some of my favorites.

 You can't leave the hospital without one! (a car seat, that is) The Sunshine Kids Radian line of car seats is what we have used for all three boys. It's a convertible car seat, meaning it can be rear facing as well as forward facing, and depending on the model you buy, can serve as your baby's car seat from 5 pounds all the way up to 80 pounds. Kolbe and Rudy both started out in portable carrier car seats for their first several months and then up-graded to this seat. With Grant, we just decided to skip the carrier seat all together and start out with this guy. So far I haven't regretted my decision at all! These car seats are fantastic. They are slim (you can fit three across in a back seat), they fold up for travelling/airplane use, and they sit lower to the seat which is a feature I like more and more the older the boys get. I just can't picture them being down with sitting in one of the ones that's really raised up off of the seat of the car when they're say five or six. Read: this one has the ability to look more "booster" and less "car seat" the older they get! And at the rate Kolbe is going, he's not going to be legally allowed to go without a car seat until he's thirteen.



 I mentioned above that we decided to forego the carrier style car seat for Grant. There were lots of reasons behind this decision. With my lupus, I struggle with strength and mobility in my wrists a lot. And I can't tell you how many times that I had flare ups when Kolbe and Rudy were babies from lugging those heavy car seats around. Secondly, I felt that with having three little ones...and two "on the loose" I would need to have my arms free when possible to keep them corralled. And thirdly, most carrier-style car seats have weight limits of around twenty pounds. So for most babies, they should only be used for a matter of months anyway. So instead of buying another carrier seat that I'd just use for a few months, I invested in the ErgoBaby chest carrier. Yes, I know it looks somewhat like a straight jacket, but it's so worth it! Not only does it place your baby in the right position for healthy hip/bone development but it's also fantastic on your back. Somehow it manages to distribute the weight evenly. I've tried lots of different chest carriers and this is by far my favorite.

Another thing that I've tried my share of is diaper bags. I think no matter which bag you carry, there's always going to be a little something to be desired. That being said, this Skip Hop diaper bag is the bag that I always come back to. It's got tons of dividers which I love for organizational purposes, is roomy and overall just functions really well. Plus, I love Skip Hop's built in clips that can attach your bag to your shopping cart or stroller. When other kiddos and mounds of groceries need room, it's nice not to have your purse/diaper bag taking up space. As for what's to be desired? To me it still does look like a diaper/utility bag. Not a cute purse. But I'll still carry it any day for its functionality!

If you plan to breast feed, a really good pump, in my opinion, is a necessity. Even if you don't plan to pump and bottle feed whatsoever, you never know what situation may arise that could cause you to need one. In my case, I have needed my pump for all three children. Kolbe, for obvious reasons with his cleft lip and palate. With Reagan, he went his entire babyhood without taking a bottle of any kind at any point in time. That still didn't help the fact that in the early months I produced way more milk that he could consume so I still had to pump to prevent problems from occurring. In Grant's case, I've had to use it not only for the over production of milk, but for all the other issues I've had with nursing too. Like those lovely bouts of mastitis. Ugh! Anyway, I'm a huge fan of the Medela pumps. Yes, they're quite an investment, but mine has lasted through all three kids with no problems at all, and just think of all the money you're saving from not having to buy formula!

Speaking of breast feeding, Bravado nursing bras are the best. Hands down. Especially if you're an abnormal size like me. They offer lots of different options, and while yes, they are pricey, it's so worth it to have good support, functionality, and appearance. Meaning they make you look normal through your clothes. : ) And no, that's not a picture of me!

Enough with the nursing! On to the next stage of feeding! I have to give a shout out to my favorite bibs. They're made by a company called Dex, I believe, but all of ours say Sally Huss on the front...I guess she's the artist that does the cute drawings on the front. Anyway, these can't be beat, in my opinion. The fold up pouch at the bottom uses snaps instead of velcro so they don't get all nasty. And speaking of the pouch, it actually stands out from the bib, if that makes sense. Other pouch bibs I've tried lay flat up against the chest...so they don't catch anything at all! Never a problem with these. And the front has some type of laminate on the top so they can either be machine washed or just wiped down for cleaning. They're kind of pricey online but I've bought them at Walmart at Burlington for $5 a piece.

Speaking of straight jackets, I'm a huge fan of the baby version! At least for the first few months while trying to establish nursing and days/nights. While babies do have the inate ability to suck, they're not exactly clued in on where the milk comes from at first. So, at least in my experiences, they're constantly fighting to put their hands up to their face/mouth while nursing. It can get frustrating and difficult! Using baby swaddlers (doesn't matter which brand to me) helps a ton. While they do prevent any skin to skin contact, they keep the baby's arms out of the way and keep them feeling warm and secure. Same goes for sleeping. When Grant was born I used the swaddlers for him to sleep in during night time hours and went without during day time naps. It seemed to help him sleep deeper at night. We only used them for the first two months or so beacuse at that point they start making a massive effort to break out of them, but I really do like them for all intended purposes in the beginning.

As for diapers, I'm definitely a Pampers mama. For our boys, we've had way fewer leaks and skin irritations than with other diapers. If you buy them straight out at the store, they are certainly more pricey than other more economical options, but not if you use an awesome little online program that I'm a member of. I joined Amazon Mom shortly after Rudy was born. The way it works is Amazon offers many different brands and sizes of diapers (and many other items too) that you can "subscribe" to (you'll notice an option that says "subscribe and save".) You choose your brand and size and how often you want to receive them. (anywhere from 1-6 months) By signing up, you get a greatly discounted rate for the diapers. And you get to join Amazon Mom which grants you free membership to Amazon Prime. Amazon Prime is free two-day shipping not just on the diapers, but on the majority of all other items you buy on Amazon too. Plus there's the obvious fact that there's no tax on Amazon. The last time I calculated it, diapers that would cost me around thirty cents a piece at Target can be had for about nineteen cents a piece on Amazon. As for the subscription, you can cancel at any time and you can either estimate when you'll need another shipment, or just set it at six months and whenever you're getting low on diapers just log in and select the option to send the next shipment now. Love that program!


Ok, that's all for now. Do you think I should send a bill to the makers of all of these items for free promotion!?! Ha! I wish! These were genuinely just my honest opinion. And something that I thought would be fun to do on a lazy Sunday afternoon while the babes nap. Now off to change another nineteen cent diaper!

TTT: Season 2, Episode 37

1. This week officially marked six months of The Asmussens in The Woodlands. Has six months really gone by? Every now and then it feels like just yesterday, but mainly it feels like a long time ago. Heck, a lot has happened since March. Started a new job, sold a house, bought a house, moved, had a new baby. And that was actually just in the first three months. That's a lot to take on in three years! I think all of it has kind of started to catch up to me. And sometimes I find myself just wanting to take a break from my little corner of the world. 'Cause really, being a stay-at-home mom is not just a "full-time" job. It's an all-the-time job. Usually about fourteen hours each day and then on-call every. single. night. But then when I do get a break, even if just for an hour or so, all I find myself thinking about is my family, my home, my life. Really, for the most part, I'm so happy with what God has given me. Have you seen all that I have? How could I have the nerve to complain!?! I think lately I've just been a little blue. Being a stay-at-home mama in a city that you're new to can be pretty lonely. And really, I'm trying to meet friends and connect with people, but most of the time, I'm doing well just to keep everyone fed, clothed, and cared for within the walls of our house. I know it will all come in time. And I'm trying to be patient. And trying to put forth an effort too. It was much easier to move as a child. I had the crutch of going to school to present me with a revolving door of potential friends. All I had to do was get on the bus each morning and be myself. Moving as an adult is much harder. Especially when you have little ones at home, none of your husband's co-workers are anywhere near your age, and your kids aren't in school/sports yet so meeting their peers' parents isn't an option either. Thank God my parents live here! If I didn't have all the contact I've had with them, I'm pretty sure I'd go most days without talking to a single soul over the age of three from the time Mark leaves for work until the time he gets home. I sound pretty pitiful, huh. No woe-is-me. Really, knowing that God is with me is the most important thing to keep in perspective. And I know he's showing me something in the solitude.

2. We had somewhat of a meltdown of epic proportions this past weekend with the boys. You know, one of those what-the-heck-is-going-on-and-how-did-it-get-like-this type moments. I think I knew before Grant was born that we'd go through a major adjustment period. But with everything else going on, I think I let it become more major than I wanted it to be. As in, I let the boys slip a little bit farther than I should have in discipline and behavioral issues. From visitors coming to town to our trip back to Lubbock and multiple other "events" in between, it's been somewhat chaotic at times. Which I'm sure all you other parents out there would agree is a total excuse-generator. Oh, they're just acting up because they've been around grandparents/aunts/uncles/friends for the past week. Oh, he's just throwing a fit cause he's getting over that fever. And on and on. And man, it's so easy to just throw out an excuse when you're tired and taking care of a newborn. But the result is a pair of sassy-pants that are way out their element. And I've let them get that way. So now it's time to crack the whip. (Not literally. Just picture me channeling my inner lion tamer. Top hat and all.) In our meltdown this weekend, Sassy-Pants #1 asked me for a sip of my drink. When I told him no, he responded with "You put that cup down. Right. Now!" And minutes later when I took a toy from his hand his retort was "Excuse me. You. do. not. take something. from. my. hand. when I'm holding it." That was my breaking point. Clearly, he views himself as my equal, and again, I've only got myself to blame. After all, I'm the one constantly waiting on them hand and foot, honoring their every request. It's become a mom's-the-servant type scheme that I've foolishly fallen into in order to just get through it all. But come on now! I'm trying to teach them how to live appropriately in our world. Not how to think that everyone else lives in their world. So the past few days have been a lot of cracking down on disrespect, and I'll fully admit that the effort on my part to make it happen has been difficult, but worth it. I can already see improvements already, and regardless of how tired I may be, I'm just going to have to keep at it till it's the way it needs to be. Little turkeys.

3. Not much else to say this week. Kind of a downer, huh. It's funny, 'cause I never fully know what type of week I've had till I sit down and finish off my blog post and hit that "publish" button. Reading through all this mumbo jumbo makes me want to have a positive week. So hopefully next week you'll be reading with a smile on your face instead of cranking up your blender to fix me a much needed margarita. Or busting out your violin to play me a sad, sad song. And hopefully by this time next week I'll have some fall decorations going up! The next three months are my absolute favorites. Who cares if it's still 95-100 degrees here every day!?! It's time for fall!

Not very heavy this week on the iPhone/Instagram shots. But the ones I've got are goodies!

On Friday my parents went downtown to watch my cousin (on my dad's side) Kristen play volleyball. She's a freshman at Southern Miss and was playing against a Houston team. They took Kolbe along and he had SO much fun and is now in love with volleyball! (and terrified of school mascots) Apparently there were some pretty big trees down at this campus...he normally doesn't look this tiny!

While it is still in the 90s every day here, we finally got a few really good rain showers this week which seemed to cool things off a bit. At least enough to go to the park without suffering contact burns from the play equipment! (Yes, we're at the playground...though this could also be a good pick of the two sassy-pants boys spending a little time in the pokey for sassing their mama!) 

My fave of the week. I've said this before and I'll say it again: Rudy LOVES his baby brother! We have a bed time routine at night that involves reading a few books, saying our prayers, and then Mama serenading them with a few bed time songs. (no shattering glass as of late) Over the past few weeks, Rudy has started a practice of begging me to hold Grant while we go through our routine. On some nights, Grant is just not up for this, as he's pretty much ready to hit the sack too. But on other nights, I'll lay him up on Rudy's chest and the two of them will just cuddle and cuddle while we do our bed time routine. It makes me so happy to see them building a friendship. Of course, the Kolbe/Rudy combo will always be a strong one, but Rudy will also always be Grant's "Kolbe"...so he has big shoes to fill! And is just me or does our former youngest not look like a baby any more whatsoever!?! When did this happen!?!

TTT: Season 2, Episode 36

1. This past week has been a fun, sports-filled week for two little Asmussen boys. Namely, Kolbe and Reagan. Grant got in on the mix a little bit too, but the big guys were the main ones to benefit. On Friday night, Mark took the boys to their first high school football game of the season: The Woodlands High vs. Strake Jesuit. Last fall, back in Lubbock, Mark loved to take Kolbe to see Frenship Tiger games. (his alma mater where he played on the O line) This year, Rudy is old enough to go too. In all honesty, I think it's actually more enjoyable for Mark. Something for him to go "do." A way to take a break from the hectic work week and partake in one of his favorite past times. And, as I like to see it, a way to give the wifey a break. Sure, the boys love all of the fanfare too, but I'm sure to them it just looks like a bunch of chaos down on the field. They'll learn what's going on down there as the years go by. While I too am a football lover, I certainly can't pass up a few hours with out Tweedledee and Tweedledum. My sweet little baby (the future Tweedledoo?) and I hung out at the house together, smiling and cooing. He got a nice relaxing bath, lots of cuddles, and a peaceful of-to-bed time. And I even squeezed in about an hour of uninterrupted sewing before they arrived home. I sure did love the calmness of the evening, though at times I have to admit it almost felt a little too quite. Sure, I love to get away from these guys every now and then, but when it comes down to it, I'm thinking of them constantly. Always wondering how they are, if they're having fun, if they're safe, how they'll be when they return home... Let's face it: caring for them is my job. While you always need a break from "work," it's never far from your mind.

To add to the sporting excitement, we finally made it to an Astros game yesterday! Pinkie and Pa treated us to an afternoon game and we had a blast. Unfortunately Mark still had to work so it was just the boys and me with the grandparents. I would have loved for Mark to see the excitement on their faces. Especially Kolbe! He really (I mean really!) got in to it and knew what was going on. I'm saying he skipped going to the food court to get snacks because he didn't want to miss any of the action! Now that's some serious baseball lovin'! We had a fabulous day and since the Astros definitely won't be making an appearance in the post season, we'll just have to plan on doing it again next season...and this time with Dada!

2. Last week was supposed to be the kick off get-togethers for a couple of groups that the boys and I are joining. One, a pre-school group and the other a mom's book study group. Wouldn't you know it, Reagan just had to get sick on the day of the first one. High fever and all. And decided to let it linger for five more days. He acted just fine, continuing to play as if nothing was wrong, yet he ran a fever non-stop, had a nagging cough and a bit of a runny nose too. I took him to his pediatrician because we couldn't find Mark's otoscope and wanted to rule out an ear infection. Of course, we got the "it's probably just some sort of virus" for an answer. Don't you just hate that response!?! I'd much rather have the "here's-what-you've-got-and-here's-how-to-fix-it" diagnosis. Instead it was just "keep treating with Tylenol or Motrin for the fever and it should go away within the next few days." Sure enough, it did, but still annoying. I'm Mama! I'm supposed to be able to fix it! He's much better now, and thus far, no one else has shown any signs of having it, so hopefully the coast is clear!

3. So. Over the past week I finally broke down and had to get a little extreme with my whole nursing issue that's been going on. I haven't mentioned it in the past few weeks, but it has continued to rage on. I finally succumbed to the obvious and realized that there was no way the thrush was going to clear up with the tactics I had been using. Grant is going to continue to pass it back to me, I'm going to continue to pass it back to him, and on and on. Heck, I went through 2 seven day rounds of doctor prescribed medicine for it, tried all kinds of probiotics and cleaning methods, and plenty of other recommendations from various people and websites. All to no avail. So I bit the bullet and decided to stop nursing until I felt like it was cleared up for both of us. I strictly pumped and fed him his milk from a bottle for five days straight, all the while praying that at two-and-a-half months old he'd still be willing to go back to nursing. I'll start by saying that the pumping and bottle feeding method that I was forced to use with Kolbe (due to his cleft) is much harder when you have other kids roaming around. It takes just as long to bottle feed Grant as it does to nurse, and then I still have to sit and pump for another ten minutes or so. It takes way longer! And then there's the whole issue of modesty when the big boys are sitting right there. Anyway, I started nursing Grant again yesterday when we went on the Astros trip. Thankfully, he went right back to nursing as if there was no lapse at all. (That's my boy!) But unfortunately, a day and a half later the burning and blanching in back. That took no time at all. Not sure what to do next. I know that I don't want to have to pump and bottle feed from here on out, but I also know that I can't tolerate the pain and burning and stay positive for my other kiddos and family yet I do want Grant to be fed breast milk and not have to switch to formula. Reagan went his entire babyhood without having any form of a bottle whatsoever. So I just assumed it would work the exact same way with Grant. Man, was I wrong! I'm giving it all I've got, but at this point, I need any prayers I can get too.

Want to see pics from our week?

Last week I mentioned my hubby's birthday...here's the Oreo cake the boys and I made him from scratch. So yummy! And not fattening whatsoever! (wink, wink)

Two brothers watching high school football!

This is one of my favorite things the boys do lately. When I say, "Show me your muscles!" they do this and flex to the point that their little arms quiver. Hilarious!

Have I mentioned that these guys are obsessed with baseball? We finally got Rudy a glove and he loves it so much that he sleeps with it on. And a ball in the other hand.

Headed to my first Astros game! (By the way, Kolbe wore this same outfit at ten months and Reagan wore it at six months. This is Grant at two months.)

Take me out to the ball game...

I love baseball!

TTT: Season 2, Episode 35

1. As expected, we had a fantastic time in Lubbock. The kind of time that makes us wish we could pick up our house here in The Woodlands and move back. Not that we did oodles of fun activities or anything (other than getting our sweet boy baptized!). It was just the people that made it so special. We miss everyone so much! Let's face it: we are still struggling to meet people here, and in Lubbock, we're still somebody! Of course, we're not crazy enough to think that it will always stay that way; three of our closest families of friends will be moving off in the next couple of years. But right now, at least for this visit, it still felt like home. And it was hard to come back to The Woodlands and the daily grind. Mark and I keep telling each other to give The Woodlands a fair shot...that it just needs a little more time...so hopefully we're right. I remember growing up as an Air Force child that it always took a good year to fully feel comfortable with a new place. We've been in The Woodlands for almost six months so we're nearly halfway there. True, we're a little homesick, but we'll keep praying for the best.

2. So our trip was wonderful. But that's not say it wasn't fraught with shenanigans of one kind or another. Any time you get a two-year-old and a three-year-old in a non-stop-doted-upon setting, there's bound to be a little chaos! The boys soaked up all of the attention and had a blast. But it's crazy how just a few days of being the center of attention somehow leads a little one to develop a sense of entitlement faster than you can say "real chocolate milk" or "fruit snacks before breakfast." And foolishly I thought that this trip was a vacation for me too! While yes, I did have lots of fun, tons of good food, and plenty of conversation with people I love, the truth must be told: "Vacations" are essentially taking my everyday job on the road. Yes, there are many more eyes and hands to help take care of everyone...so that part is vacation-esque...but just the responsibilities, needs, and issues are all the same. Someone always has to go the bathroom, cups need to be re-filled, and naps must be taken. So it's time for a little-

Note to Self: Vacation Edition

- You are on vacation. Someone will get sick or hurt. Pack every kiddie medicine, chest rub, nose sucker, and bandage you own.

- If going to visit family or friends, it's your world in their world. Not everyone goes to bed by 9:30 or 10:00 and you won't be either. You'll be sitting up, talking, visiting, and chasing excited, eavesdropping toddlers back to bed. But your kids will still be up by 6:30 the next morning.

- Due to said item noted above, the nap time that no one else observes will be all the more important. And all the more difficult to enforce. And definitely not implemented at it's normal time.

- Don't even consider packing that stack of magazines that's been piling up on your nightstand. Your hours at your destination will be completely filled and your time spent in the car will be non-stop answering questions, wiping noses, pulling over for potty breaks, handing out snacks, and reaching for that dropped toy one more time. What's the point in having to read the same paragraph four times!?!

- Driving at night while the kids are asleep is always better than during the day. At least during the toddler years. If at all possible, find a way to get some of the driving done during night time sleeping hours. Two words: caged animals.

- Speaking of vehicles, if any of your children have had "an accident" in the past month, force them to wear a diaper or pull up while in the car. Yet another law of nature: if you are on a road trip, he will have an accident in his car seat.

I'm sure there's more. I'll update after our next roadie in December.

3. On this day twenty-eight short years ago, something wonderful happened. A perfect little boy was born into this world to two very blessed people. Twenty-one years later his path met with mine and is now the same. I can't imagine who I'd be today without this momentous occasion. Certainly not all that I am now. And so it's a great day to celebrate and say Happy Birthday to my love, my husband Mark.

after grant's baptism

the boys were crashed on our ride home within 45 min of being in the car

they slept till lunch time!

But this guy was all smiles! Flirting with Mama in the back seat!

Have I mentioned how affectionate Rudy is with Grant? When we say "touchy feely" we mean it literally. He loves to rub his face on Grant's head. Not sure if it's the baby soft skin or the fine, fuzzy hair. Either way, he loves it and does it ALL the time!



Ahhh! Fresh air! The weather has finally cooled down some here...at least late at night and in the early morning. Perfect for opening the windows and letting a little cool air in.



TTT: Season 2, Episode 34

1. We've finally arrived in Lubbock for a fun-filled Labor Day weekend! At least I'm praying it's fun, because the car ride sure wasn't. Ugh! And one would think that I'm implying that the troubles were due to traveling with an infant. Nope. It's the two year old and three year old that did me in. And it really was just 6 months ago that I drove all the way from Lubbock to The Woodlands by myself with the two of them and they were fabulous. (minus kolbe's two  rounds of barfing) We drove to Dallas Wednesday night thinking that splitting up the trip with an infant would help for nursing purposes. That ride went just fine. But then yesterday morning the big boys both woke up with runny noses. Not the congested kind where you can suction it out with an aspirator. The clear watery kind that just runs down their faces. I'm hoping it's allergies but who knows. And now even poor little Grant sounds nasal! It's been painful for everyone  involved. And why can't children be born with an inherent ability to blow their noses!?! Said runny nose added to long time in car, plus being strapped into car seats amounts to the likes of two harnessed chimpanzees in the back of a mini-van. One of which thinks it's best to express himself in times of great emotion with screams loud enough to raise hairs on your arms. Forget the eighteen-wheeler tossing a rock at our windshield and shattering it...we have Rudy wailing in the background to worry about!

2. Is it just me or are vacations more work for mama than less? It's kind of like doing my same 24/7 gig, just on someone else's turf. With all of our creature comforts hundreds of miles away.  Don't get me wrong, nothing beats a good opportunity to go see family and good friends, but I think mom deserves a personal assistant for at least two recovery days after the trip. You know, someone to do all the traveling laundry and get it back in it's rightful place, someone to make sure the house is spotlessly clean before we return, someone to clean out the vehicle from top to bottom, someone to have the fridge stocked and cook all the meals, oh and someone to fan me with palm fronds while I kick back in my recliner reading a book and pretending I'm on the beach. Instead, I fear I've just made my to-do list for Tuesday and Wednesday of next week. One can only dream!

3. That's all I've got to say this week. Too tired and too much going on. I'm sure next week I'll have oodles to report on our weekend away, plus next week starts hopefully a new normal routine! I've gotten us signed up for two groups at church that meet at different families' homes--one for pre-school aged children and one for moms with young children. Looking forward to hopefully finally meeting some people and not being the hermit/slave to three boys/ walking zombie that I currently am!

You probably saw this little guy on facebook this week. Now if only I can catch him on my iPhone with the full-on smile. It's double adorable.

Not sure how this one was comfortable, but hey, however you like to sleep...

Are you ready for football season?!? We are! Let's go Red Raiders!!!

Kolbe is getting really good at writing his name and loves working on his letters. The top sample we did together (with me holding his hand) The bottom sample is all his own. And let's just say that the 4-barred E is one of his better efforts to control the spasm of lines coming out of his hand every time he writes an E. Usually it looks like a men's pocket comb.

Ok, I know that every other picture has been a head-shot of this guy, but hey, who can resist!

As a mother of three boys, I don't get the luxury of oooing and ahhing over all of the adorable little dresses and outfits they make for baby girls. We all know the truth...there's about thirty racks of girls' outfits to the two of boys in every baby department. But I saw these at Target a few days ago and just about died. A pack of three boys boxer-briefs in baseball prints. We didn't need any more undies, but I just couldn't not buy them.

When we bought our new house, Wells Fargo gifted us with a dual screen portable DVD system for getting our mortgage with them. We hadn't even tried it out prior to Wednesday, 'cause I'm not a fan of the kids watching movies in the car. But man, on a long road trip, all standards are tossed aside in favor of a few minutes of silence! The only bad part? The little earbud earphones that the system came with aren't exactly made for toddler ears. I found myself reaching back there ever five seconds to put them back in this guy's ears. (Thankfully Kolbe got the concept of covering his ears to hold them in place.) I suppose I'll have to invest in some DJ style mega-earphones that strap across their heads! (PS-my favorite part of this picture is the profile shadow of Rudy's little face on the side of the carseat. See it? Too precious.)